The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-30 00:00:00

LUX
ANSOCIETY FOR TIIE ENCOURAGEMENT
AND IMPROVEMENT Ur SERVANTS.

The Society held their Eleventh Anniversary Meeting yesterday, I
at the London Tavern, Hishopagate-street.
The Meeting was very numerous and respectable : it was chiefly I
pored of Ladies, whose interests were more immediately cun-
nected with the Institution.
At six o'clock Mr. Alderman Badwie was called to the Chair. I
Be briefly stated the object of the meeting, and the nature of the
society.
The Rev. H. O. War eye s, the Secretary, then read the •
Report, of which the following is an abstract:—
•• It is on all hands allowed that our personal tranquillity greatly I
depends on the good conduct of our domestics; but the paucity of
good and respected servants, and the plenty of bad and unhappy
ones, are facts daily acknowledged and lamented. 11' I hile, how-
ever we deeply regret these circumstances, we oaght not to over-
Wok, OT to •iew with apathy, the various difficulties and dangers
through which servants have to pass. Possessing the same COOl-
mon nature with ourselves, and exposed to much evil conversation !
and example, the moral habits of those females, who, through
necessity or heedlessness, have frequently changed their situations, I
often become progressively deteriorated; and many who began !
there career of service with the must uptight intentions and cheer-
ing expectations, have terminated a gradually declining coursz in
the wretched ranks of prostitution--have then soon become the
associates of thieves, and mostly out an early death in diseased and
friendless circumstances !!
" The Society was instituted to promote the moral and religious
improvement of OUT dollteStit' S and to encourage them to be cor-
rect and trust-worthy in their conduct, and to continue as long as
possible in the same services respectively. Towards accomplishing
these ends, the Society has distributed among female domestics,
since its institution, more than forty-two thousand tracts, written
for their iuiprovement. Seven hundred and twenty-nine Bibles
have been given to servants who have lived one year in the family
after their nomination ; and 203fifiL Os. rid. in one thousand four hun-
dred and fifteen pecuniary rewards, have been distributed among
acrvants living from one to ten years in the same services. Fifty-
three servants have received the septennial ret- aril of •hree guineas
each. In addition to these encouragements, and to form a sort of
selection of apparently worthy females, who might obtain services
with benevolent subscribers to the Society, a gratuitous registry has
been opened in the central part of the metropolis, for their benefit,
•• ender the sole conduct of a respectable female. Through the me-
• diem of the Registry, in Hatton-garden, three thousand nine hun-
dred and nineteen engagements, between subscribers and servants,
have been made, by which it may be presumed that many worthy
individuals have been much waisted, and a considerable quantity
of domestic convenience occasioned.
" The Committee appeal to the public, on the importance of ex-
tending the advantages of the plan to a much greater number of
families and of females, than now enjoy them. The promotion of
morality among our domestics is indeed a desideratum, in order to
prevent the religious and moral principles, in which the poor are
now so generally instructed, from being rendered worse than nuke-
tory by irreligious associations; and that the influence of the good
instructions they have received may be maintained amid the tempta-
tions of various sorts to act wrong, to which servants, more than
others, arc exposed. We rejoice in the endeavours that are making
to instruct the rising gene-nu t, but mere instruction will nut fur-
nish the country with a decidedly moral population. As the Society
is instituted to aid in the formation and maintenance of virtuous
habits, every subscriber, in this view, becomes an agent in pro-
moting its designs, and reaps the immediate benefit of his or her
personal endeavours. Tu the honour of this benevolent age, even
the recesses of the prison are explored, to restore, if possible, to
usefulness, old and practised criminals. If such things ought to
be done, aber things, in the way of preventing crime, ought not
to be Left undone. Surely the young, the unsuspecting, and the
virtuous female, seeking only an honest subsistence, but obliged to
seek it wherever it can be found—probably at a diatance from tither,
mother, and every relative, who might disinterestedly advise or pro-
tect her—associating of necessity with fellow.servanta, whatever
may be their moral character--standing every hour on the brink of
a precipice, from which she may till into perpetual wretchedness by
011 C heedless and unadvised step;—surely such an one demands ail
the protection, the improvement, and the encouragement we can
afford ! FUT (if we dare make a distinction) endeavours to support
the good morals and happiness of au individual are more really va-
luable to society than waiting, as it were, till the character become
absolutely worthless, in the hope merely of restoring it to sonic
small measure of estimation. Endeavours like those, which the
Servants' Society professes to make, tend to prevent vile, and to
bring with them tneir own reward. Our children will be better MS-
raged, and their morals more regarded ; and our youth also will be
exposed to a less quantum of temptation, in proportion as female
virtue is protected and vice prevented."
Mr. Alderman Key, in moving that the Report be received and
printed, observed that he had peculiar pleasure in coming forward
un this occasion, in support of a charity which ought to be encou-
raged by all persons, whether as men, as innocent' or as Christians.
He had employed many servants, and always found that the re-
wards which had been given them had contributed to soften their
care& and ameliorate their condition. At present be had one in
his service who had obtained the recompence for seven rears' ser-
vice; and was happy to state, that while attending to her duties to
her master, she did not forget those to her load.
The Rev. 3lr. BENSON seconded the Resolution&

The Rev. Mr. IVILLJAms, of Homerton, said, that it had been
a ruling sentiment at a titeetieg yesterday that short speeches were
the bat; personally he was glad of such an obserrition, but by
did not think it at all beneficial to societies in general ; and with
all submission to the worthy Sheriff (Laurie 1 he would say-
- Let those speak now who newer spoke before,
And those who always spoke now speak the more."
If great cities were often the hot-beds of vice, they were also fre-
quently places 'where the vicious were reformed, the ignorant im-
proved, and the DeCeshitOU* relieved. He would ask from what
*aura the suects were supplied with unfortunate creatures ? in a
great measure from those the society were met to encourage and re-
lieve • sod such a plan was indeed the mast praiseworthy. The
Rev.bahtleman concluded by inoeittg the thanks of the meeting
to the Right lion. the Lord Ilayor, and the Vice-Presidents, for
their support of the Society.
The Ker. Jour, CAMPBELL, in seconding the motion, ob-
served, that the greatest praise was to be given to those lathes who
gave encouragement to servants to do as they ought to do. Le
knew a family in the north who always took ignorant servants, but
DO servant ever went away front that family unconverted. They
were then sent away to others, and ignorant ones taken in their
place for the same good purpose. Ile believed the names of the
Lord Mayor and Vice.Praidents were most useful to the Society,
and would, therefore, most cordially second the motion.
As the Chairman was one of the Vice-Presidents, the motion
was put by the Rev. iIIf.IV•T/Ll3ll, and carried unanimously.
Mr. Alderman 'Snow x, in returning thanks, said, that he
agreed with the gentleman who preceded him, in wishing that fa-
milies would themselves attend to the improvement of their ser-
vants, but he thought that, even then, the Society would be neves-
suy to show servants that there were those who felt foe them' and
were anxious for their instruction and welfare. He helloed that
there were many who had experienced its blessings, and who
offerexl their prayers to the throne of mercy for its support. As
these were many present who appeared to belong to the class of
;tenons to whom he alluded, to them be would express a hope
that their conduct would be such as to procure the good opinion
of all persons, and to ensure their eternal welfare.
The Rev. Mr. BIAMTUEY moved the thanks of the meeting to
the Treasurer, for his past services, and that he be requested to
cootione his services during the ensuing year. The Rev. Gentle-
man said, that the Soeirty appeared to hint to bear a raw honour.
able rank as a benevolent institution. It was its grand object to
show servants that the Society was anxious fur their temporal and
eternal good, and thus to encourage them to act rightly. It was
an important object to save them front that distress in which sick-
nests might involve them, and such was one of the chief intentions
of the Society.
Jones POwXDEa, Esq. seconded the resolution. He said he
had always. from its origin. contemplated the Society as one of the
most valuable in the metropolis. Ile believed that those who sup-
ported it retired to their beds with the prayers of many, and it
mattered not if they were of the poorer class, for all were alike in
the eyes of the Almighty. He believed the Society was a bless-
ing to the country, and he could not but congratulate it on its
success in the past, as well as its prospect in the future.—
Many of those whom it ass the duty of the Society to relieve had
been deprived of protection in early life ; all were not fortunate
enough to obtain good employers. They were exposed peculiarly
to temptation because of their situations in life. From many of the
advantages of life they were entirely shut out, and were ton he.
quently so desolate as to he an easy prey to the seducer Sufficient
praise could not therefore be given to that Society which provided
them with means of instruction, and, by putting tracts and Bibles
into their hands, instructed than in the path they ought to tread.
The Society also taught them to lay by their earnings against an
evil day, and they hsd profited by the lesson. lie would conclude
by hoping that the present appeal would be felt by the meeting,
and that many contributions would be given for its support.

S. Toments, Esq., the Treasurer, returned thanks. He
hoped that the ends of the Society would be answered, and that
servants would profit by its efforts. He trusted and believed that
the Society would have the support of Him, without whose assist-
ance nothing could be effected. The Treasurer then read a state-
ment of the receipts and expenditures of the Society during the
post year.. It stated that a balance remained in his hands of
lid.

The Rev. Mr. Evaresox said, that notwtthstanding he was
adverse to votes of thanks at all times, within the last week ha had
had no less than three such motions to present. But he thought,
if in any ease it might be properly proposed, the present was One ;
and lie did thank the Gentlemen who had taken upon themselves
the troublesome office of Secretaries, for their labours. According
to a fair calculation, there was in Great Britain and its dein-
dencies 1,2.00,0110 servants, and to those persons it was the object of
the Society to gire instruction and relief. It should be lenient-
tiered how very important they were to society, and how much de-1
petaled on their conduct, the comforts oleo many were in a great
Measure at their disposal lie knew an anecdote of a servaat, who,
on being asked by a gentleman whether she ever prayed, replied,
that she had no tune. The gentleman promised her a piece of gold
to learn, and repeat four words—" Lord convert my soul." She '
learned them in the hope of the reward ; it made her reason on the
subject, and, before the gentleman again saw her, she was con-
verted. While servants knew that such a Society as the present
tad existence, it was a strong stimulus to them to act well. 16-
norance was the cause of much misery, and the object of the
Society was to relieve them from this. The Reverend Gentleman
concluded by moving, " That the cordial thank. of this meeting be
given to the Rev, Henry E. Watkins, and John Wheelton, the gra-
tuitous Secretaries, and to the Committee, for their attention in con-
ducting the business of this Society during the past year; and that
the Rev. H. E. Watkins and John Ni'beelton be the Secretaries, and
the following Genden:en be the Committee fne the year =Wing ;