The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-28
CHURCH OF THE HEAVENLY REST.

The Outline OF q Social Dangcr-Our
Density OF Populatfon-The Tenement
Houses and the Misery and Crime Grow
Ing Out Of Thcm-Its Rcmedy-Scrmon
by tho Rev. DIR. Conrad.
The Rev. DR.. Conrad, OF The Church orthe Heavenly
Rest, preached sermon last evening in aid OF q
charitable institution known as the Shepherds
Fold, his subject being "The Outline OF q Social
Danger" After referring to charitiesin general and
the duty OF Christians to contribute to their support
he stated the object OF the Shepherds Fold to be
the rescue, the keeping and education Of the little
ones. In considering the social danger which
affected and threatened our city, he referred to the
rapid increase Of our population and the tendency
toward an undue density arising from the pecu-
larities of its situation An island. long and mar
row, the avenues and streets were being filed
with costly ediflces. Again, with the great in
crease OF commerce IL IS constantly encr0aching
on our space, and the effect ofthe two Is to herd
THE POORER POPULATION
within such confined space as to tend most toward
the increase and development Of vice and crime.
Those who resided in their costly mansions could
form no idea Of the hide0us condition OF many in
the city. He spoke OF the tenement houses in the
various localities, where fever obtained perennial
lease from which 1t could be elected by no local
powers. He quoted rom the report OF the Board OF
Health to show that they were the abode OF not only
The mass Of the families numbering from three to
five persons, occupied but two rooms, and in the
houses there were from twenty to one hundred
and fifty such suits OF apartments, and In them is
engendered the disease called the tenement house
rot. There are in New York 1892 tenements. To-
night 9,7OO of the population will sleep In miser
able, repulsive cellars. In portion OF the
Eleventh ward the population Is crowded in at the
rate OF 1896 900 the square mile, and In one pOr
ton of the Fourth ward at the rate OF 100000 The
densest portion OF London contains but ITS, 900,
900 less than In the Eleventh ward. The speaker
then depicted
THE CRIME THE LAwLESsNEsS AND DEGRADATION
which grew out Of this condition OF affairs The
records show that 900 OF the population live by
crime. During the past year 86,629 arrests were
made In considering this army OF criminals, he
said, we may thank Ged that it Is undisciplined as
1t has the inclination to any crime even to the
sacking OF the city
This Is but the record Of the crimes which are
known. He referred to the riots OF 1858 as show
ing the force OF the lawless element when once
aroused to action and said 1t still exists power
full now as then. He described the energy
of the American character, exhibited among
criminals as well as all others, making them
burglars where the Englishmen would be pick
pockets, and murdererS where the others would
merely use their fists. After referring to the radi-
Cal spirit abroad among the working class and its
tendency toward the doctrines OF Communism, as
exhibited in France, he argued that the principal
remedy for this lay in succoring the children and
preventing their growing up to lead life or vice.
lie eloquently depleted the good which the insttu-
tons for children in the city had already done, and
urged upon his hearers, as good citizens and
Christians to contribute toward sustaining them
In their work.