Then, again, my temporal position weighed upon my heart. I had recently been apprenticed in the printing business for seven years; and the laws of the country compelled me to serve out this time. And thus query after query arose in my mind for some length of time, until at last, tired out, sleep closed my eyelids. Instead of going to Sunday school on the following morning I went to see W. H. Scott and related to him what had transpired. He sympathized with me in my troubled state, advice to me was: It afterwards came to my knowledge that my mother had been making inquiries of her minister and members of the Wesleyan Reformers in regard to what kind of people the "Mormons" were and what was their belief; and the false statements she received in reply accounted for the unkind answer she gave me. I went to the Latter day Saints' meeting whenever opportunity offered, but was very cautious not to inform my parents. Sometimes I attended meetings at Eston and Stockton (both places being about four miles from home) as well as at Middlesbrough. I soon left my former Sunday school and began attending another of the same persuasion, but differing on some points of doctrine. Then I attended the Unitarian school, where their exercises partook of a secular as well as of a religious nature. From there I went to the Wesleyans; but wherever I roamed no true spiritual enjoyment could be found as at the meetings of the Latter-day Saints. CHAPTER III. A COMPANION--HOW I SAVED MY EMIGRATION MONEY--AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM AMERICA. My acquaintance with the Sedgwick family, which had been interrupted as related in a previous chapter, was again renewed in the Summer of 1863. From that time the friendship existing between Richard, and myself was of the most intimate character. It was not long before the subject of "Mormonism" was broached to Richard, and he was soon convinced of the truth of the latter-day gospel. Being also under age he was placed in the same condition as myself--neither of us could avail ourselves of the ordinance of baptism. Like the rest of the Saints, after embracing the gospel, the spirit of gathering came strongly upon us, and we felt desirous of emigrating at some future day to the land of Zion. In order to do this, it became necessary for Richard and myself to obtain means for that purpose. About the latter part of 1862, my employer, Mr. Joseph Gould, purchased a weekly newspaper, called the _Middlesbrough News_. It was printed on Thursday nights, and necessitated my working most of that night every week. The money obtained by overwork enabled me to make deposits in the Perpetual Emigration Fund, the first instalment being eleven shillings. This was on December 15, 1863.