TWENTY-SIX years ago, under the influence of the Rev. Orville Dewey, D.D., pastor of the church of the Messiah, this society was organized, and has the honor of being the first of its kind in New York. The object of the society is to prevent, in a measure, the pauperism which forms so painful a feature in the community; to supersede the daily almsgiving, which, instead of benefiting, only tends to deepen the degradation of this class by depriving them of a healthful self-dependence; to elevate them to the rank of independent laborers, and insure them a fair compensation for their toil. The annual payment of three dollars at first made a person a member of the society, but in 1847 the sum was changed to five dollars, and in 1865 to eight dollars. The management is committed to a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and twelve managers, all of whom are ladies. Each subscriber is allowed to send one applicant to the directors, but is held responsible for any delinquencies in the person thus sent. Goods are purchased, manufactured into garments, and disposed of in the store kept by the society, and in such other ways as the managers shall direct. During 1869 work was given weekly to ninety-six Women, and three thousand two hundred and sixty-one garments were manufactured. The society has experienced some difficulty in disposing of its goods, the sales of the year amounting to but little over $3,000. The report of 1870 shows a small decrease on the previous year. Other societies in the city have grown up from the example furnished by this, and now control many times its amount of labor and capital. The society owns no building and operates with a small capital.

The managers have recently proposed to open a Mission House for missionary work among women and girls. They propose to keep the girls through the day, providing dinner, giving them instruction in useful studies during the morning hours, devoting the afternoon to needle-work in all branches. Every girl in turn to take part in the housework under the direction of a competent matron. They thus hope in time to establish a seamstress, a dressmaking, and a washing department, each of which shall be self-supporting. The new building to contain rooms to be used on Sabbath for Bible classes and Sunday school, and on week evenings for reading-room, lectures, music, and other entertainments and instruction suited to the wants of the pupils. The society is wholly controlled by the Unitarians.