The St. James Literary Society, dedicated, in the words of its Constitution, to "the mutual improvement of its members by means of speeches, essays, debates, etc. on social, political, scientific or literary subjects", held its first meeting in 1899 in the Anglican Church of St. James the Apostle. Formal affiliation with the Church ended in 1901. The Society has pursued its aims largely through its speakers programme, and from the 1901 session has appointed an officer to maintain copies of addresses. The eclectic intellectual character of the Society has remained relatively unchanged over the years, although its membership base has broadened and its meetings are now public.