Lodges and Societies. 305 



sidered members of the society, " so long as they continue such 

 widows." 



A list of members in 1847 contains eighty-five names. 



The Society existed until 1864, a period of forty-five years, and 

 Mr. David Andrews was its Clerk and Treasurer from the time of 

 its foundation until his death, which occurred Oct. 7, 1863. 



At the annual meeting held Jan. 5, 1864, a resolution of respect 

 to the memory of Mr. Andrews was adopted, Mr. Daniel Bassett 

 was chosen Clerk and Treasurer, and the meeting adjourned to 

 Feb. 2, 1864, when it was voted that the society be dissolved and 

 the funds divided equally among the members. 



THE HINGHAM MUTUAL FIRE SOCIETY. 



This society was formed in 1803. A pamphlet, printed by 

 Hosea Sprague, West Street, Boston, 1804, contains its constitu- 

 tion with the following preamble : — 



We whose names are underwritten, in order to draw close together 

 the bond of union, that our friendship may be perpetuated by our poster- 

 ity to the remotest ages, to aid and assist each other through this gloomy 

 world, to promote and encourage social virtue, to provide for and wrest 

 our property from that devouring element fire, do constitute a society and 

 have denominated ourselves the Hingham Mutual Fire Society, and 

 for ourselves and those who hereafter may be admitted as members do or- 

 dain and establish the following Constitution. 



The edition of the constitution printed in 1809 contains the 

 following revised preamble, as if the former one were not emphatic 

 enough in stating the objects of the society : — 



In large and increasing cities and towns, no societies have proved more 

 beneficial than those established for the purpose of rendering assistance in 

 the hour of peril, as well to the public in general as to their individual 

 members, under circumstances which have laid them in ashes and devas- 

 tation. To cement, therefore, the bonds of Union, promote harmony 

 in a social circle, and thereby associate those sensations of mind, which 

 serve to beautify society ; with a view to usefulness which should be the 

 primary motive in the formation of every institution ; and more particu- 

 larly for the purpose of protecting our own and the property of our friends 

 and neighbors from the ravages of that all-devouring and destructive ele- 

 ment Fire, — we the subscribers have formed ourselves into a society, 

 under the name of the Hingham Mutual Fire Society. 



Article VI. of the constitution was as follows : — 



Each member shall provide at his own expense two leather buckets to 



be painted sky blue, the inside red, with the name of the society, and 



two hands link'd together ; and also one strong bag one yard and a half 



long and the same bigness round, with a suitable line so fix'd as to draw 



vol. i. — 20* 



