THE ILLUSTRIOUS PATRON,

THE VICE-PRESIDENTS,

AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

OF THE

LONDON SOCIETY,

FOR

THE IMPROVEMENT OF PRISON DISCIPLINE,

AND FOR

THE REFORMATION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS,

This Memoir

OF

WALTER VENNING, ESQ.

One of their most laborious and succesful co-adjutors,

Is respectfully inscribed,

by their most obedient Servant,

RICHARD KNILL.

T

PREFACE.

IN introducing to the attention of the Reader, the Memoir of my highly valued friend Mra Walter Venning, I am desirous of stating a few facts. My acquaintance with him commenced in the year 1810. Residing at that time in London, he became a constant attendant on my ministry. We had a few mutual friends of high respectability, from whom I received such attestations of his excellent character, as entirely confirmed the esteem, which I began to entertain for him.

At that period I had much interesting conversation with Mr. Venning, both on general and on religious subjects. His mind, bent on inquiry, was then much directed to the study of the Scriptures. His conscience was exceedingly susceptible and tender. He was ardently desirous of doing that which is right, and equally fearful of

A

practical mistakes and errors.

His convictions,

his feelings, his decisions, were however increasingly and determinately on the side of religion. On the sixth of September, 1811, he entered on a profession of the gospel, by becoming a member of the christian society over which I have the honour to preside. That he was a serious Christian, appeared with satisfactory evidence before his reception in this community. But some considerable time had elapsed, before the more distinguishing features of his character began to be developed. From the commencement of his connection with the Church in NEW COURT, and indeed prior to that connection, he was generally remarked for uniformity and constancy of his attendance on all religious exercises, whether on the Sabbath, or in the week. And let it be observed, that where, under any pretence, these duties come to be superficially performed and frequently neglected, it is a melancholy proof, that the mind has received some mistaken bias which needs to be removed.

Indulged as I was with frequent opportunities

of intimate converse with my now departed friend, I could not but be delighted to perceive the traces of the expansion of his mind under the influence of religious truth, with which his acquaintance was daily increasing, and to which his attachments became strong and permanent. It was not long before he perceived and felt the necessity of active exertions for the diffusion of the principles, which through the grace of God he had sincerely received. My esteemed friend, the Author of the ensuing Memoir, has in the nineteenth page so justly detailed this part of Mr. Venning's history, that it is not necessary to dwell upon it here. It will be sufficient to say that he became by degrees a very useful member of the Society with which he was immedi ately connected, while his exertions in co-opera tion with those of other excellent persons in different denominations of Christians became extensively useful, while by a reaction, which could not but be happily felt, his views were expanded, and his faith established. Thus was the scriptural maxim beautifully and practically exemplified, "The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he stand."