| 487 evening, when Elder Goodson preached and Brother Joseph Fielding bore testimony.
"At the close Mr. Fielding again gave leave for preaching at the same place on Wednesday evening, when Elder Hyde preached and Elder Richards bore testimony; and from that time the Rev. Mr. Fielding closed his doors against the elders, and began to oppose the work, and stated that the elders promised to say nothing about baptism in their preaching, before he consented to let them preach in his pulpit; whereas the subject of the elders preaching in his chapel had not been named between the parties, before Mr. F. gave out the public appointment before referred to: much less (if possible) that they would 'say nothing about baptism.'
"Nine of Mr. Fielding's members offered themselves for baptism; and Mr. Fielding presented himself before the elders and forbade their baptizing them; but he received for answer that 'they were of age and could act for themselves;' and on Sunday, the 30th, they were baptized under the hands of Elder Kimball; Brother George D. Watt being the first who offered himself for baptism in England, and is now an elder laboring in Edinburgh, Scotland.
"Elder Russell preached in the market place in the afternoon, and from that day the doors of private houses were opened on almost every hand for the elders.
"July 31st, a council of the elders decided that Elders Goodson and Richards should go on a mission to Bedford, and Elder Russell and Priest Snyder on a mission to Alston, Cumberland; and after a night of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, the brethren took their departure on the morning of the first of August for their several stations.
"The Rev. Mr. Fielding continued to oppose the doctrine of baptism for a season; but finding that he was likely to lose all his 'best members,' he offered to baptize them himself; but they, being aware that he had no authority, declined his friendly offers; whereupon he engaged the Rev. Mr. Giles, a Baptist minister in Preston, of as little authority as himself, to do the baptizing for his flock; but this iniquitous scheme succeeded little better than the other-only one coming forward to his baptism, so far as we have heard,
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