Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/488

Rh entrance into and departing from which is entirely left to the discretion of the members, without entailing any dishonour to those who, feeling themselves incapable of performing the task before them, think proper to leave the Order. The various officers and ranks of the Order only point to the sphere of operation allotted to the individual members, and the distance of their removal from the central point of activity. Individuals of both sexes, and all creeds, may be received into the Order, if they bind themselves to undergo the labours of the Society.

"We, ourselves, in conjunction with our Consort, Her Majesty the Queen, have taken upon us, as did our ancestors, the office of Grand Mastership of the Order, and therewith the head management of its concerns. We thought of deeply acknowledging the virtue, which at the side of valour is the finest ornament of our people, by intruding our personal efforts into the sanctuary of silent benevolence peculiar to the glorious Order. Our only object is to produce, by united powers, great results upon the productive field of humanity. Everything depends on the blessing of the Almighty. We beseech his help upon this our work, that the renewed society of the Order may grow up and flourish for the alleviation and healing of manifold sufferings, and that men and women of all creeds, ranks and descent among our subjects, may show by numerous associations and most noble emulation, that they have at heart the words of our Lord: 'By their fruit ye shall know them.' In the conviction that the object for which we have restored the 'Order of the Swan' is good, being chiefly directed towards the removal of many defects, and the promotion of salutary establishments, we commend our Institution confidently and joyfully to the King of Kings. Under his blessing, a truly noble host will gather, conceive, and on the one hand energetically accomplish all that is great