The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-14
HOME OR TENEMENT.
South Providence Conditions Dis
cusscd by Rev. Napoleon Hoagland.

"The Needs OF South Providence was
the subject of the sermon By Rev. Ma
poleon Hoagland before the Fourth Uni
tartan Society last evening at Unity Hall.
He commenced by saying that the need is
for fewer tenements and more homes.
Inasmuch as the tenement is q constant
temptation to unsettled habits of domi-
cile, il works q degrading influence upon
character. The tenement Is not step
forward but a step backward. So long as
people have no unsettled homes they are
savages and barbarians.
Even the tent-dweller owns his tent
and where he stretches 1t there Is his
home. Ownership gives a sense of respon-
sibility, security and dignity. But living
in borrowed houses, even IL one pays for
the use of them, adds nothing OF value to
character. People will fight Tor q home
but not for tenement. That means that
the tenement kills patriotism. II this is
SO the rapid growth OF tenement popula-
tion is a menace to our civil government
that our statesmen must soon reckon
with.
In Philadelphia, now called the City Of
Homes, only II per cent. OF the families,
according to the last United States census,
own their own homes. But as per
cent. of these arc encumb bered
with debt only per cent. are fully owned
by those no live in them.
in New York, ns might be expected, the
showing is still worse. Only 6 per cent.
OF the families own their own homes, and
OF these 2 per cent. areencumbcred. This
leaves but A per cent. free OF debt. Need VIC
be surprised that bombshell anarchy de-
velops under such Conditions People
who live in tencments cannot easily feel
that IT'S worth while TO strike deep roots OF
interest or affection in the place where
they live. The home Is the very basis
OF civilization. 1t Is so because 1T
promotes the right growth OF the
better elements of our nature.
1t deepens affection and strengtbcns the
sense of loyalty, duty and obligation,
thus developing the core OF virtuous and
stalwart character. The one heurt touch
ing song that Amtrca has produced Is
1" Home, Sweet Home" IL could never
have oeen written about tenement. The
speaker then proceeded that n church
worshiping in a hired hall is subject to
the same demoralizing influence that a
family il which lives in hired tenement.
But why should the Fourth Unitarian
Society have a home in South Providence?
IL 1t Is needed il should have, other
wise not. What does the society
stand for Hero is its simple
creed and covenant: SIN the love
of the truth and the spirit OF Jesus
Christ we unite for the worship OF God
and the service OF man." Any one may
become member by subscribing to that
pledge. The pledge itself may be altered
or changed at any time IL the society sees
fit. Perhaps the echurches already well cs-
tablishcd in South Providence amply
cover the ground. But out OF $4,000 peo-
PIE the Protestant churches claim only
ZOO as members. Multiply that by four
to give the probable number these churches
reach. That gives 5000. Then add
the number claimed by the
Catholic church which I'm this ward is
about 1000, and you have total OF 1900.
Still there are 600 people, even by this
generous estimate for the churches, that
arc unchurched. OF these 1000 many
would doubtless be glad to enjoy church
fellowship upon the terms OF our simple
and liberal covenant. Is there not need
that this element should be reached and
given a church home? The we'll being OF
the community as well as OF that of the
individuals to be thus served demands it.