of the Conference
for that year, the Reverend James Elliott, who presided, was the one who
had ordained me a few months before. Many were the speakers. Among
them was the Reverend George McDougall, who already had had a varied
experience of missionary life. He had something to talk about, to which
it was worth listening. The Reverend George Young, also, had much that
was interesting to say, as he was there bidding farewell to his own
Church and to the people, of whom he had long been the beloved pastor.
Dr Punshon, who had just arrived from England, was present, and gave
one of his inimitable magnetic addresses. The memory of his loving,
cheering words abode with us for many a day.

It was also a great joy to us that my honoured father, the Reverend
William Young, was with us on the platform at this impressive farewell
service. For many years he had been one of that heroic band of pioneer
ministers in Canada who had laid so grandly and well the foundations of
the Church which, with others, had contributed so much to the spiritual
development of the country. His benedictions and blessings were among
the prized favours in these eventful hours in our new career.

My father had been intimately acquainted with William Case and James
Evans, and at times had been partially associated with them in Indian
evangelisation. He had faith in the power of the Gospel to save even
Indians, and now rejoiced that he had a son and daughter who had
consecrated themselves to this work.

As a long journey of many hundreds of miles would have to be made by us
after getting beyond cars or steamboats in the Western States, it was
decided that we should take our own horses and canvas-covered waggons
from Ontario with us. We arranged to make Hamilton our starting-point;
and on Monday, the 11th of May, 1868, our little company filed out of
that city towards St. Catherine's, where we were to take passage in a
"propeller" for Milwaukee. Thus our adventurous journey was begun.

The following was our party. First, the Reverend George McDougall, who
for years had been successfully doing the work of a faithful missionary
among the Indians in the distant Saskatchewan country, a thousand miles
north-west of the Red River country. He had come down to Canada for
reinforcements for the work, and had not failed in his efforts to secure
them. As he was an old, experienced Western traveller, he was the guide
of the party.

Next was the Reverend