On the 25th of March 1788, another event worthy of notice in the annals of Masonry took place the institution of "The Royal Freemasons' Charity for Female Children," for maintaining, clothing, and educating the female children and orphans of indigent Brethren. To the benevolent exertions of the late Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini the Fraternity are, in the first place, indebted for this establishment. Under the patronage of her Royal Highness the late Duchess of Cumberland, the school was originally formed; and to her, fostering hand is owing its present flourishing state, by her recommending it to the Royal Family, as well as to many of the nobility and gentry of both sexes. On the 1st of January, 1789, fifteen children were taken into a house provided for them at Somers Town, St. Pancras; but since that time, by the liberal encouragement which the charity has received from the Fraternity in India as well as in England, the Governors have been enabled to augment the number of children at different periods to sixty-five. The object of this Charity is, to train up chil dren in the knowledge of virtue and religion; in an early detestation of vice and its unhappy consequences; in industry, as necessary to their condition; and to impress strongly on their minds a due sense of subordination, true humility, and obedience to their superiors. In 1793, the Governors, anxious still farther to extend the benefits of this Institution, hired on lease a piece of ground in St. George's Fields, be longing to the city of London, on which they have erected a commodious and spacious school-house, at the expense of upwards of 2,5001., in which the children are now placed. This building is sufficiently extensive to accommodate one hundred chil dren; and from the exertions of the Fraternity, at home and abroad, there is every reason to hope that the Governors will soon have it in their power to provide for that number.* The following is an Abstract of the Rules and Regulations established for the government of this Institution :➡ QUALIFICATIONS OF GOVERNORS. 1. Every subscriber of one guinea, annually, is deemed a Governor during the continuance of such subscription, and is entitled to one vote at all elections for children.. 2. The Master, for the time being, of every Lodge, which subscribes one guinea per annum, has the same privileges. 3. Every Benefactor of ten guineas or upwards at once, or within a year, is thereby constituted a Governor for life, and a member of the general committee, and is entitled to one vote;— every addi tional ten gunineas given will entitle him to another vote. 4. The Master for the time being, of every Lodge, subscribing ten guineas within a year, becomes a Governor, and a member of the general committee for fifteen years, with the privilege of one vote. 5. The Master for the time being, of every Lodge, subscribing twenty guineas at once, or in two donations within ten years, becomes a Governor, and a member of the general committee, so long as that Lodge exists, with the privilege of one vote. 6. Every Lodge, which has already subscribed twenty guineas, will be entitled to one vote, in addition, for every further sum of twenty guineas subscribed. N. B. The sum of ten guineas, at any time given by any such Lodge, will entitle it to an additional vo for fifteen years. 7. The physicians, Surgeons, and other medical gentlemen, w attend this charity, and administer their advice and assistanc gratis, are thereby constituted Governors for life. 8. Every Clergyman, who benevolently advocates the cause this charity from the pulpit, is, in consideration of such service entitled to the same privilege. 9. The executor of any person, who pays one hundred pounds t this charity, thereby becomes a Life-governor; and the payment of a legacy of two hundred pounds, or upwards, constitutes all the executors, who have proved the will, Governors for life. 10. Every Governor has a right to vote at all quarterly and special general courts. 11. Every new subscriber will be entitled to vote, immediately on payment of his subscription. 12. No annual subscriber can vote at any election, till his subseription for the current year (which always commences at Lady Day) and all arrears be paid. 13. Lodges, having votes, are required to give notice to the se To the benevolent and indefatigable exertions of William Forssteen, the late Anthony Ten Broeke, Adam Gordon, esqrs., and a few other respectable brethren, the Society are principally indebted for cretary, of the election of their respective Masters, before they can be entitled to vote. 14. All Governors (except annual subscribers residing within the bills of mortality), and all ladies, noblemen, members of parliament, Masters of Lodges having the privileges of Life-governors, and Masters of foreign or country Lodges (being subscribers), have a right to vote by proxy, at all elections for children. 15. The Governor giving the proxy must insert therein the names of all the children for whom he intends to vote, as only one proxy can be admitted. He must also sign it with his name and insert his place of residence and the date of the proxy, together with the name of the Governor to whom it is given, as such proxy can only be given to a Governor, and be used at the next ensuing election. 16. All Foreign Lodges may vote by general-proxy, to be renewed every five years; and country Lodges may have the same privilege, to be renewed annually;-such general-proxies being given to Governors only, and being signed by the Master, Wardens, and Secretary of each Lodge respectively. QUALIFICATIONS, ADMISSION, EDUCATION, AND Children, from any part of the kingdom, are admitted into the school, from the age of seven to ten years, and they remain in the school till they have attained the age of fifteen years; during which time, they are carefully instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, needle-work, and all kinds of domestic employment. When they quit the school, they are either returned to their friends, or are apprenticed for four years, to trades or as domestic servants, as may be most suitable to their respective capacities; at which time each of them is presented with a Bible, a Prayer-book, and Dr. Wilson's Treatise on the Sacrament: and is further supplied with two complete suits of clothing. Besides these, as an encouragement and reward to each girl for serving her apprenticeship well and faithfully, a premium of five guineas is given at the expiration of her term, on her producing due testimonials of her good behaviour during that period. Children applying to be admitted into the school must be the daughters or orphans of indigent Freemasons; they must be full six years of age, and not more than nine, when their petitions* are * Blank forms of petition may be had at the school. the complete establishment of this truly laudable Institution; and such have been the care and pains bestowed on the education of the children, that the presented-must have had the small-pox, or cow-pox-be in perfectly good health,—and free from all infirmity and deformity. No child can be admitted who is under seven, or above ten years of age. The petitioner must bring the following certificates, viz: 1. A certificate from the Master and Wardens of the Lodge in which her father was made a Mason, or from some Lodge of which he has been a member, to prove that he has been three years a Mason. N. B. This proof will be dispensed with if the child be an orphan. 2. A certificate from the Grand Secretary, of the father's having been duly registered as a Mason in the books of the United Grand Lodge of England. 3. A certificate of the marriage of her parents. 4. An attested copy of the register of her birth, extracted from the books of the parish wherein she was born; or some other satisfactory proof of her age. 5. A certificate, signed by two respectable housekeepers, or other proof, of the parish to which she belongs. 6. A certificate of the state of her health, under the hand of one of the Medical Governors of the charity. The petitions and testimonials of the candidates for admission are to be examined by the general committee, who are to make report thereof to the Quarterly General Court, which court alone can order the admission of children into the school. When there are more approved candidates than there are vacancies in the school, their admission is to be determined by ballot. All the children who are candidates for admission are to be summoned to attend the General Committee next but one preceding every election, in order to be examined as to the state of their health, and other circumstances, at that time;-and each child, when elected, is to be examined by two of the medical Governors of the charity, and their certificate of the state of her health is to be laid before the next House Committee, who, if not satisfied, may suspend her admission till further inquiry be made. Every child is to be brought to the school for admission, at the next House Committee, or at some other time to be appointed, within one month after her election, and she is not afterwards to depart from the school without leave, on pain of exclusion. No parent or friend of any child will be permitted to visit her, at the school, except on a Thursday, between the hours of ten and two, and then only by means of an order, obtained for that purpose, from one of the House Committee; and they are forbidden to speak to or join them in their procession to and from church. No child can be taken out of the school by her friends, before the sums arising from their work, for several years past, have exceeded 2001. annually. On the 10th of February, 1790, the Grand Lodge voted an annual subscription of 251. to this Charity, and particularly recommended it to the Lodges as deserving encouragement; in consequence of which, considerable sums have been raised for its expiration of the time limited by the regulations of the charity, except in case of illness, unless her board, clothing, &c. be paid for, from the time of her having been admitted. OFFICERS OF THE INSTITUTION. PATRON. HIS MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY KING GEORGE THE IVth, G. P. VICE PATRONS. His Royal Highness the Duke of York, His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, M. W. G. M. His Grace the Duke of Athol, P. G. M. The Most Noble the Marquis of Hastings, P. A. G. M. VICE PATRONESS, The Most Noble the Marchioness of Hastings. PRESIDENT, His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, M. W. G. M. VICE PRESIDENTS. His Grace the Duke of Hamilton, G. M. for Scotland. The Right Hon. the Earl of Pomfret, The Right Hon. the Earl of Kingston, The Right Hon. the Earl of Mountnorris, The Right Hon. Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, The Right Hon. Lord Hawke, The Right Hon. Lord Eardley. TREASURER, William Williams, Esq. M. P., Belmont House, South Lambeth. |