RICHARD AND MYSELF DETERMINE TO EMIGRATE WITH THE SAINTS--RECEIVE BAPTISM--THE NOTIFICATION PAPERS--FIRST ATTEMPT TO LEAVE HOME. In the Spring of 1866, Richard Sedgwick and myself fully resolved to leave our homes and emigrate to Utah. I had managed to get means enough to take me to the frontier, where the mule and ox teams started to cross the plains to Salt Lake. Richard had only sufficient to take him to New York, where he expected to stay awhile and then proceed to Utah. The time for our departure was drawing near, and we very anxiously looked forward to it with great interest. As it was my intention to soon leave for Utah, it was deemed advisable by President Littlefair that I should get baptized. Accordingly, on the morning of March 24, 1866, in the River Tees, that ordinance was attended to by Elder John Scott; and I was confirmed by President Littlefair in the afternoon. My parents knew nothing about it. Nearly every Sunday morning I was in the habit of going early for milk to a small village called Newport. That morning I proceeded as usual, taking with me a small tin bucket. I went to the residence of the Scott family and called for William and others of the family. Richard also accompanied us. On starting out, it commenced to rain, but by the time we arrived at the river side it cleared up. About half a dozen were present. After singing a hymn, prayer was offered and baptism was performed. Another hymn was sung and we started homeward, chatting pleasantly together. Richard was baptized a few days later. Arrangements were made that William, Richard and myself should sail on the third ship that season, the _American Congress_, and accordingly we sent our deposit money to secure a berth on that vessel. Every day we were expecting our notification papers, which would inform us what day the ship would start. They came on the 13th of May of that year. We held meeting that day at Sister Jane Scott's, at whose house the meetings were held from the time the Scott family arrived in Middlesbrough, in 1863. Just prior to the arrival of Thomas Watson, clerk of the branch, I was remarking on the heat of the room. On his entry, William H. Scott asked him: "Have you brought the _Millennial Stars?_" "Yes," said Brother Watson, "and the notification papers, too." As soon as he uttered these words a nervous feeling crept over me; I felt cold and went to the fire place to warm me. We held our usual testimony meeting, and among those who bore testimony to the truth of the latter-day work I was one, and while doing so the tears trickled down my cheeks. The notification papers stated that the _American Congress_ would sail from London on the 23rd of May, which gave us ten days' notice.