ad spent most of my
earnings in tuition, and now the issue was that in spite of my utter
dislike to a naval life as a sailor, I must still pursue it.

The memory of that awful journey comes to mi mind very forcibly at
times, and when I hear or know of any sore disappointment occurring
in one's life, I fervently pray to God that such disappointment may
be immersed in the waters of kindly help and sympathy. May the Christ
of Gethsemane comfort all wounded hearts, all crushed spirits, and
make sorrow the seed of a new hope, even as He did in my life.

On reaching home that evening my parents observed that I had been
weeping, and on asking the cause, the pent-up grief again burst
forth. Gradually I became calm, and conveyed to them the news which I
had received from my tutor, the naval schoolmaster. They both agreed
there and then, that by God's help I should be released from my
unbearable life, and that steps should be taken immediately to that
end.

Shortly after I came home from sea I attended the Congregational
Church at Cawsand, and here, under the influence of my pastor's
preaching, made a decision for Christ. He soon put me in harness in
church work, and for more than two years I studied theology under
him, he kindly coming to my home every Monday evening to help me in
that direction. Occasionally he set me an examination paper, and
assisted me educationally in every way. This course of theological
study began while I was yet in the navy, and often when boat-keeper
at the lower boom of the 'Cambridge' have I spent hours in study. To
test my preaching abilities, the Rev. Stephen Stroud, for such was my
pastor's name, would take me into his church, where in a pew he would
sit as a listening critic, while I preached from the pulpit.

The next day I went to him and intimated my parents' decision in
consequence of my vexation, and that they wished to purchase my
discharge if possible, whereupon he gave me a letter to take to the
commander of the ship. In the course of a few days I stood before him
on the quarterdeck, and made known my desire to quit the service,
and my detestation of a sailor's life. He did not thwart me in
any way, but said the request would have to be brought before the
Commander-in-Chief of the port, and the Admiralty.

CHAPTER VI

LEAVING THE NAVY

Nearly three weeks had passed--oh, what an anxious time it was! Was
there another sorrow in store for me? God forbid. Well, one day at
noon,