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By the 1840s, slavery had become a significant issue for many "radicals" in the North. In 1846, 41 abolitionist members of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Elmira left the church and founded a new church, which, by 1876, evolved into the current Park Church. One of the guiding principles of the new church was that "the using, holding, or trading in men as slaves is a sin in the sight of God" . . . and that ". . . the church will admit no person into its pulpit or communion . . ." who is guilty of this ". . . great moral and political evil . . ." The church ". . . housed the first public library in Elmira, a gymnasium, health clinics, kitchen and feeding programs for the homeless, and parlors that were open for all to use." One of the early founders/abolitionists, in addition to the Pastor, Thomas Beecher, was Jervis Langdon, a wealthy coal and railroad baron, who later became Sam Clemens' father-in-law when Clemens married Olivia Langdon in 1870.
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The United States is one of the most diverse countries on earth, jam packed full of amazing sights from St. Patrick's cathedral in New York to Mount Hollywood California.The Northeast region is where it all started. Thirteen British colonies fought the American Revolution from here and won their independence in the first successful colonial rebellion in history. Take a look at these rolling hills carpeted with foliage along the Hudson river here, north of New York City.The American south is known for its polite people and slow pace of life. Probably they move slowly because it's so hot. Southerners tend not to trust people from "up north" because they talk too fast. Here's a cemetery in Georgia where you can find graves of soldiers from the Civil War.The West Coast is sort of like another country that exists to make the east coast jealous. California is full of nothing but grizzly old miners digging for gold, a few gangster rappers, and then actors. That is to say, the West Coast functions as the imagination of the US, like a weird little brother who teases everybody then gets famous for making freaky art.The central part of the country is flat farmland all the way over to the Rocky Mountains. Up in the northwest corner you can find creative people in places like Portland and Seattle, along with awesome snowboarding and good beer. Text by Steve Smith.