another's observation in all the daily concerns of life. All things
combined to make the craft a natural and necessary centre for the
interest of each of its members.

*17. Non-industrial Gilds.*--Besides the gilds merchant, which included
persons of all industrial occupations, and the craft gilds, which were
based upon separate organizations of each industry, there were gilds
or fraternities in existence which had no industrial functions
whatever. These are usually spoken of as "religious" or "social"
gilds. It would perhaps be better to describe them simply as
non-industrial gilds; for their religious and social functions they
had in common, as has been seen, both with the gild merchant and the
craft organizations. They only differed from these in not being based
upon or interested in the monopoly or oversight of any kind of trade
or handicraft. They differed also from the craft gilds in that all
their members were on an equal basis, there being no such industrial
grades as apprentice, journeyman, and master; and from both of the
organizations already discussed in the fact that they existed in small
towns and even in mere villages, as well as in industrial centres.

In these associations the religious, social, and charitable elements
were naturally more prominent than in those fraternities which were
organized primarily for some kind of economic regulation. They were
generally named after some saint. The ordinances usually provided for
one or more solemn services in the year, frequently with a procession
in livery, and sometimes with a considerable amount of pantomime or
symbolic show. For instance, the gild of St. Helen at Beverly, in
their procession to the church of the Friars Minors on the day of
their patron saint, were preceded by an old man carrying a cross;
after him a fair young man dressed as St. Helen; then another old man
carrying a shovel, these being intended to typify the finding of the
cross. Next came the sisters two and two, after them the brethren of
the gild, and finally the officers. There were always provisions for
solemnities at the funerals of members, for burial at the expense of
the gild if the member who had died left no means for a suitable
ceremony, and for prayers for deceased members. What might be called
the insurance feature was also much more nearly universal than in the
case of the industrial fraternities. Help was given in case of theft,
fire, sickness, or almost any kind of los