{"newspaper_name": "The Columbian fountain.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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The Reading, Pa. Gazette Of Saturday last,
says The corner stone Of the First Colored
Presbyterian Church in this borough, was laid
on Sunday afternoon last, with appropriate ce-
remonies. Its history is not uninteresting.
The building which formerly occupied the
ground, was originally used as dance house,
at which the vile and degraded of both sexes
and all colors congregated nightly, and was. no
torious as one oil the vilest dens OF inquity in
our town. The late DIR. Grier became its pur.
chaser, and gave it into the hands of our CO.
lored population. who converted it from its
base uses into house Of religious worship,
and have since occupied il for that purpose
without interruption: They now form large
congregation, composed of our most respecta-
BILE colored people, who having latterly paid
of the entire debt owing upon the property,
determined TO erect new and more commo-
dious church edifce-,he first step towards
which has been taken in the laying Of cor
ner stone. We hope they will receive liberal
aid from our citizens in this pralseworthy un-
dertaking. Religious instruction has had
powerful influence IN eleval:ng the character
and improving the conduct of our coored pop
ulation. and they should receive every encour
agement ia obtaining that knowledge which
ins,rucls them in the duties Of virtue and mo-
rality.