“The consequence of all this was, that I got my discharge, and from that moment I began to get on, on my own account. This was one of God’s blessings in disguise. When I came home my wife said— “‘Never mind about it;’ and we kneeled down and prayed, and we opened the hymn-hook at the very hymn where it says— “‘Ye fearful saints fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.’ “I was really encouraged by this. It seemed like the omen of mercy and goodness, which has ever since followed me in my path through life. “When I left working at her Majesty’s palace, I, under the circumstances mentioned, had arrived at a turning-point in my worldly fortunes. Shakspeare has said, that ‘there is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;’ and I believe the tide of my fortunes came at this time; and, through the blessing of God, it was taken at the flood. If it has not led me on to fortune, it has at least led me to a position of comfort and respectability, which at one period of my life I would have deemed it impossible for me, by any amount of diligence, to attain. I was without work and without friends, though, thanks to teetotalism, I had a little money deposited in a place where I could easily get it, the savings-bank at Chelsea. It was in the year 1849 that I went to see Mr. Thomas Cubitt, whom I desire to mention with gratitude and respect. I told him my circumstances, and that I wanted to build a house. “‘Well,’ he said, ‘take a piece of ground for half-a-dozen houses.’ “‘I am frightened to go too far at first,’ I replied. “‘Very well,’ he said; ‘there is nothing like making sure steps. You are our temperance man,’ he added; ‘I remember you well.’