The Managers of the “Raleigh Female Benevolent Society,” beg leave to present to the members of the Society, and the public, to whose liberality they feel themselves much indebted, the following brief report of their proceedings for the year ending July 30th, 1822.

The funds of the Society have been considerably increased by additions to the number of subscribers, and the liberal donations of benevolent individuals. The Managers have been enabled to employ a greater number of poor persons than heretofore, and thereby to extend the sphere of their influence, and to ameliorate the condition of the city poor in general.

They have also established a School for the education of poor female children, on a more permanent and extensive scale than was before in their power. Last year the School was held only two days in the week, and attended principally by the members of the Society; but there is now a very competent teacher employed to instruct the children during five days in the week, to whom the Managers have engaged to pay $200 per annum. The number of regular week scholars is 26—many more attend on Sunday. The children are taught, not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but all kinds of plain work, and are thus enabled to repay, by their industry, some part of their debt to the Society, while they are acquiring that knowledge which may rescue them from poverty, and render them useful and respectable in the humble sphere in which it has pleased God to place them.

In doing so much for the good of the beneficiaries of the Society, the Managers have found that the increased funds of the Society are barely adequate to the expenses, and feel themselves, therefore, obliged still to solicit from all benevolent persons, their mite towards the funds of the Society. That this Institution has been already productive of much good, is confidently believed; but the seed is only beginning to germinate. Time and the warm beams of encouragement, are still necessary to rear the tender plants. Conscious of the purity of their motives, and incited to perseverance by their partial success, the Managers are determined to adhere to their plan, trusting that God will bless their efforts, and put it into the hearts of their fellow-citizens to patronize this work of love.

To “the young gentlemen of the Association,” the Managers desire, in the name of the Society, and of the children belonging to the Charity School, to offer their grateful acknowledgments for their late liberal donation. The children of the School are now present, clothed in dresses purchased with the gift of their benevolence. May the comfortable appearance and innocent pleasure of these grateful recipients of their bounty, prove a rich reward for their kindness, and be as the refreshing dew to their hearts, nourishing (for their own happiness and the good of others) those gentle and purifying feelings which are ever the inmates of the heart that yields to the influence of “melting charity.”

Three years have now elapsed since the formation of this Society, and its plan has been tested by the beneficial result of its operations. Let not those whom science has enlightened, or who are raised by wealth above the humble recipients of their bounty, disdain the “simple annals of the poor,” or turn a deaf car to their claims.

The Managers, in making their annual Report, trust that no one will impute to them ostentatious motives in the details which they deem it their duty to lay before the public, or in persisting in the farther prosecution of a plan which has for its objects the benefit of a necessitous portion of the community, amidst which they live. Let not the coldly cautious say, that this “labor of love is unavailing,” for the Managers gratefully acknowledge, that through the blessings of Providence, much good has been done by the means afforded them.

The Managers beg leave, through this medium, to state the real and regular objects of the bounty of this Institution, whose claims none can do away, for they are imperious, and merit to be heard.

Aged Females, some of whom are advanced to that period of existence when the “years are drawn high” in which life has no joys, “for they have no pleasure in them.” To age, and consequent infirmity, that relief has been extended, which its desolate condition required from the hands of benevolence. Without the means of support, without friends, surely the aged have a sacred claim upon charity. To use the words of a pious writer on this subject. “They are like the sea-weed, floating, though fixed on the bottom of the ocean, too loose to sink, too fast to be removed, until the hand of time plucks them up by the roots, and casts them on the shores of eternity.”

2dly. The Widow's weeping claim all will allow who feel for suffering humanity. Is there any who will disallow it? For few there are, who, in themselves or friends, have not had cause to sympathise with the widow and the fatherless. He who was her earthly stay, is gone, and she is left to the world's cold charities. Perhaps sickness is added to penury, and it may be, that a numerous offspring look up to her for bread. To these unfortunates, the hand of benevolence cannot fail to be extended. They are relieved from present want: are furnished with employment; and their children “are snatched as brands from the burning.” Perhaps the good effects do not stop here, for so mercifully is the cup of life mingled, that the sufferings, bodily and mental, which the bereaved widow has endured, have been the means of bringing her to the Throne of Grace. where, throwing her wants, her cares, her expectations upon God, she has trusted in his mercy to inspire the hearts of her fellow-mortals to relieve her. May the means never be wanting to assist such objects of benevolence.

3dly. Indigent Females, who have families, and who are compelled to labor hard for subsistence. These have been furnished with employment, and promptly paid for their services. and thereby enabled to assist their husbands in the performance of a sacred duty. Too frequently it happens, that the companions of these necessitous females lay not their hands to the laboring oar, or perhaps their united exertions may not be adequate to provide the positive necessaries of life. Let those who are surrounded by the comforts, nay, luxuries of life, enter into the “cheerless hut of poverty,” and they cannot then withhold their mite from a Society calculated to alleviate the difficulties of these children of calamity.

The Education of Poor Children is a very important object with this Society. This branch of it has already produced good fruits, where all before was barren and unprofitable. To the children themselves, the advantages are incalculable, and the community will be fully remunerated for its charitable contributions by the improved morals, industrious habits, and regular conduct of these youthful objects of benevolence. A considerable number of children have been taught useful employments, and have been instructed in the common rudiments of learning. They have been taught what will be of advantage to them in time, and still more precious lessons which will point the way to eternity! An able and efficient instructress has been engaged, on the resignation of the one heretofore employed, and the Managers trust, that her knowledge and care will be advantageously exerted in the situation she has accepted. Still further to promote this plan, so replete with importance to the rising generation, an article has been added to the By-Laws, which imposes on the Managers the duty of visiting the School weekly in rotation, to mark the progress of the children in work and in scholastic and religious knowledge, and to report thereon. Many children who have received the first rudiments of education from charity, have become “shining lights” in the world, both for talents and piety. The Managers dwell with peculiar feeling on this branch of their subject, hoping that their exertions, “like bread cast on the waters, will return after many days,” and that the children's children, of the rising generation, may find blessings in the opportunities thus afforded. It is true the good wishes of the Managers are circumscribed by their funds, but the seed is sown, and they trust to Providence for its increase. The hearts of parents must feel for these objects of attention, and surely a blessing will rest upon the endeavours to bring innocent beings from the “miry clay” of ignorance to the open path of knowledge. The Saviour of mankind disdained not these tender objects, for “he took them in his arms and blessed them.”

It has been observed of this Society, as of others constructed on a similar plan, that the Managers ought to discriminate, so as to bestow the largest portion of their favor on the most deserving. To this they can only answer, that the most deserving may not be the most necessitous and although evil may previously have been committed, yet who shall say what has been resisted. The Managers have the happiness to believe, that some have embraced habits of industry, which this Society has furnished them with the means of acquiring, who before trod the path which leads to destruction. They had erred, and were conscious of it, and have sought a refuge from guilt and woe, in constant employment and reformed habits. They have wept in contrition, and have exulted in the means of returning from the now detested paths in which they formerly walked. Let not this he deemed obtrusive, nor let the virtuous shrink from contemplating the present, and reflecting on the past situation of these unfortunate beings. Perhaps no mother's precepts or example taught them the way of truth—no “Benevolent Society” supplied the place of maternal care, and thus they “erred and were deceived.” Let it ever be remembered who has said, that “there is mere joy in Heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons.”

The following is the Treasurer's Report, and a statement of work done during the past year, and of articles still on hand. Until these can he disposed of or until the dividend on their Stock becomes due, the Managers, as will be seen, have no funds at their disposal. The principal of the Bank Stock they wish to reserve untouched, lest at any time their resources should fail, for want of charitable contributions; this they hope will not happen, where the general situation of the citizens is such as to permit the exercise of benevolence.

Having thus presented a detailed view of the objects and the operations of the Society, the Managers would be happy to add, that their resources were commensurate with the claims on the Institution. It will be seen by the Treasurer's Report, that this is not the case, and that in consequence of the work on hand, they have been compelled in some instances, to withhold employment. Most earnestly and respectfully do they solicit their fellow-citizens to aid them in the business before them; their time, their attention, they will cheerfully give, trusting to others to share with them the burthen of pecuniary contribution necessary to render their endeavors fruitful.

The Managers can make no more powerful appeal to the generous feelings of the benevolent, than is presented in this simple statement of the objects and the labours of the Society. They would fain keep alive the hallowed flame which burns on the altar of Christian benevolence, and intreat those around them to aid in sustaining the brightness of its blaze.

The Managers would do violence to their own feelings and trample on the claims of departed worth, if while congratulating themselves in the review of the past year, upon the many bright spots in the retrospect, they did not advert with sensations of the deepest regret to the melancholy event which has deprived their of their late Secretary—a loss which affects not the Society a one, but the community also, and one which will be long and deeply felt by the rich and the poor, by the grave and the gay. Dwelling with the feeling of mournful and tender recollection on her virtues, the Managers would recommend her as an example to the younger members of the Society, and would say to them with an attachment allied to that of maternal solicitude, “Go and do thou likewise.”