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ME MOIR
OF
MIRS. SARAH D. COMSTOCK,
3tlisinnnri     ton  drrnran.
BY MRS. A. M. EDMOND.
In the desert let me labor,
On the mountain let me tell
How he died,-the blessed Saviour,
To redeem a world from hell.
Let me hasten
Far in heathen lands to dwell.
S. F. SMITH.
1i2ilnb dplyin:
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY,
118 ARCH STREET.




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by the
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in
and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.




CHAPTER I.
PAGIX
Her early years-Consecration to God-Devotion-Sabbath  School Class...........................................
CHAPTER     IL
Religious Exercises-Letters to a Sister-Impulses towards Missionary Labor-Convictions of Duty-Letter
to her Parents-Decision,.......................................  22
CHAPTER III.
Preparation for the work-Foretastes of Missionary Life
-Views of herself-Anticipations of the FuturePublic consecration-Embarkation-Parting scenes,... 36
CHAPTER IV.
Glance at the destined land-Voyage to Amherst-Letters written on ship-board-Extracts from JournalJoy in suffering-Sabbath at sea-Arrival-Pagoda
worship-Visit to the grave of Mrs. Ann H. JudsonArracan,.................................................... 61
(3)




4                     CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
PAGN
Arrival at Kyouk Phyoo-Temporary Home-Anxiety to
Labor-The work commenced-Manners and Habits
of the Arracanese-Letters to her Parents-to a Christian Physician-and to the Church at Brookline,........ 77
CHAPTER VI.
Church constituted in Kyouk Phyoo-Ill-health of the
Missionaries-Death of Mr. and Mrs. Hall-Earnest
plea for the cause of Missions-Increased ill-healthTemporary removal to Maulmain-Necessity of relinquishing the Station at Kyouk Phyoo-Letter of Mrs.
Com stock,............................................................  103
CHAPTER VII,
Mission re-opened at Ramree-Church constituted-Extraordinary deliverance-Baptism of Gra BouckVaried labors-Mothers' Book-Letter to a brotherEvidences of her maternal love-Deep interest in religious intelligence-Anxiety for her own spiritual welfare- Letters.......................................................  113
CHAPTER VIII.
Progress of the Mission-Reinforcemont-Persecution of
the Karens-Religious interest at Ramree-Encouragement to labor,....................................... 153
CHAPTER IX.
Full confirmation in the path of duty-Letter to her
step-father-Retrospection-Continued  and deep interest-A grateful heart........................................ 164




CONTENTS.                       5
CHAPTER X.
PAGE
A Missionary mother's sacrifice-Views and feelings on
the occasion-Decision-Sustaining grace-The parting scene-Letters from Mr. and Mrs. Comstock to
their  children,......................................................  175
CHAPTER XI.
Increased devotion-Last letter to her Parents-The end
of toil-Closing scenes in the life of Mrs. Comstock,... 197
CHAPTER XII.
Brief review of her character-Noble faith-The fruit
of toil-A husband's tribute-Death of her children
in Arracan-The lonely laborer-Letter to his daughter
Last hours of Mr. Comstock-Plea for Arracan-Appeal for the Church...................................... 208








MEMOIR.
CHAPTER L
Her Early Yaars-Consecration to God-Devotion-Sabbath
School Class.
She came to the Saviour in life's happy morning;
And gave her young heart to its Maker's control,
When the rose in its freshness her cheek was adorning,
And the glad eye was beaming the hopes of the soul.
With a spirit all glowing with grateful emotion,
His mercies she tasted, his truths she adored,
And sought with sincere and unwearied devotion,
Henceforth to do only the will of her Lord.
THE motives which stimulate to action the
true Missionary are the purest and most
sublime that can animate the human soul.
They are Divine in their origin, being emanations of the same spirit of heavenly love
which brought the Redeemer of mankind to
the performance of his labors upon earth,
and to that wonderful death on the Cross,
7




8      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
which secures everlasting life and joy to an
innumerable number of the human race.
The warrior as he goes to battle is inspired
by hope, the hope of martial glory, which
urges him boldly on to the reward of patriotism and valor; the scholar perseveringly
toils through the weary day, and even until
the midnight hours are spent, to accomplish
those mental achievements which shall win
for him the bright laurels of fame. Selfaggrandizement stimulates the majority of
mankind in the great struggles of life.
But the Missionary who sacrifices his
dearest earthly interests, and isolates himself
from sacred privileges and congenial society,
to journey into strange lands, and take up
his abode amidst scenes of idolatry, vice, and
sufferings, giving the vigor of his life to the
work of evangelization, is inspired by no
shining visions of earthly recompense. His
actions are the offspring of a genuine benevolence. Love and compassion for the souls of
his fellow men, and the desire of glorifying
God, enable him to endure patiently, even
joyfully the hardships of an existence which
possesses no charms but these.




MISSIONARY QUALIFICATIONS.      9
Disinterested benevolence is one of the
grand features of Christianity. He who feels
the love of God shed abroad in his heart,
who sees the worth of the soul, and the preciousness of the salvation that redeems it,
becomes desirous that others should experience like emotions, and be sharers in the
same hopes and bliss. Hence arises the resolution of self-devotion to labors for this end.
It springs not from the impulse of a moment,
but from the prayerful, humble, thoughtful
consideration of days, months, and often
years. Once formed, and viewed as the fruit
of Divine influence, it is adhered to with
unflinching firmness. Whole-souled consecration to God and firmness of purpose go
hand in hand, and constitute two leading
elements in the character of a Missionary.
These qualities were beautifully and strikingly combined in the character of the beloved one, who is the subject of this Memoir;
recollections of whose life we would gather
up as precious memorials, dear both to religion and friendship.
Let us draw gently aside the veil of time
from the past, and review the Christian




10      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
career of this devoted and useful laborer in
the vineyard of the Lord.
Sarah Davis, afterward Mrs. Comstock,
was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, September 24th, 1812.
She possessed naturally an uncommonly
lively temperament, great warmth of affection, and much resolution.
Her father died when she was of an early
age, and her youthful days passed away
under the careful training of a pious and
efficient mother, whose own energetic spirit
found a more striking development in that
of her child.
She was uniformly obedient to her parents,
and kind to her associates, finding the perfection of her own happiness in the enjoyment of those around her, to which she
contributed with hearty good will. She was
always very frank in the expression of her
opinions and feelings, while at the same time
she took great care not to injure those of
others. A union of sincerity with courteousness formed a very pleasant trait in her character.
Possessing by nature a keen perception




HER CONVERSION.          11
and relish for enjoyment, the season of childhood and youth was to her a period of
unusual delight; yet, when in her sixteenth
year she stood on the verge of womanhood,
and gazed into the vista opening before her,
she found even in her full happy heart, a
void, where a deeper, holier joy was wanting
than earth could ever bestow.
She felt too the claims of her Creator upon
her supreme love and obedience. Though so
amiable in her deportment and full of tender
regard for her friends, she became convinced
that she had deeply sinned in having so long
withheld her best affections from God; and
was conscious of possessing no power of
herself to atone for this deficiency. She saw
clearly also, that the human heart can never
meet the requirements of the law, so broad
and searching in its demands. By the influences of the Holy Spirit she was thus
taught her need of a Saviour, whom she
sought sorrowing, until the sweet peace of
his presence brought an assurance of pardon
to her soul, and acceptance with God through
his atoning sacrifice. She gave her young
heart to him freely and unreservedly; and,




12      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
overflowing with love and gratitude to one
who had done so much for her, became immediately and intensely solicitous that others
should experience the same precious hopes
and joys.
And now we see plainly and almost unceasingly manifested in the early part of her
Christian career, the same deep interest, and
heartfelt anxiety for the cause of the unconverted among the circles of her home influence-the germs of that devoted spirit,
which she afterwards manifested and developed in a more extended sphere, when she
entered an ardent laborer into the fields of
Missionary enterprise.
It seemed her delight to converse upon
religious subjects with all who were willing
to listen. Her heart longed to attract others
to the same Saviour who had become so
precious to her own soul. These desires
increased with her advancement in religious
experience, and for this end her prayers and
labors became frequent and warm. The
fruits of a genuine conversion are mainly, a
spirit of frequent and fervent prayer, love
and study of the Bible close self-examina



PUBLIC PROFESSION.        13
tion, ardent faith in God, and a strong determination to know and do his will. All
these became apparent in the unfolding of
Mrs. Comstock's Christian character.
Soon after her conversion she felt it to be
her desire, as well as high privilege, to connect herself with the people of God.
Her scriptural views of the ordinance of
baptism were so clear and convincing, she
felt it her duty to unite with a church of the
Baptist denomination. Accordingly she presented herself before the Baptist Church in
her native town and related her Christian
experience, which was listened to with much
interest and pleasure; and on the 4th of
April, 1830, she made a public profession
of her faith by baptism, and was received as
a member of the church.
About this time she was engaged in
teaching a day school for children. So deep
an interest did she take in their spiritual
condition, that she frequently imparted to
them religious instruction, prayed with them,
and entreated them to come to the Saviour,
who has said, "Suffer little children to come
2




14      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
unto me and forbid them not, for of such is
the kingdom of heaven."
Some of the parents, whose sentiments
differed from her own, were averse to her
religious influence and removed their children to another school. But the good seed
sown was not lost. Mrs. Comstock relates,
in a letter to an absent sister, that these little
ones sought opportunities of meeting her,
desirous of hearing from her lips the sweet
words of eternal life, and of having her
engage with them in prayer as she had been
accustomed to do.
To her class in the Sabbath school she
was warmly attached. She longed for their
conversion to God; to her their souls were
unspeakably dear. With tears and prayers
and earnest entreaties, she sought to awaken
in their youthful hearts a saving interest in
Divine things. Her efforts in their behalf
were unwearied, and her prayers almost unceasing. Even the midnight hour bore witness to her earnest supplication at a Throne
of Grace. On one occasion a friend, who
passed the night at her father's house, was
awakened from sleep by sounds which he




PRAYER FOR HER S. S. CLASS.   15
perceived to be the earnest tones of a human
voice; he arose and listened; in an adjoining chamber, he recognized the voice of Mrs.
Comstock in fervent entreaties that God
would have mercy upon her beloved class.
Her spirit seemed to agonize in prayer for
their salvation. It appeared as if like Jacob,
when he wrestled with the angel, she could
not cease her importunities except she received assurance of a blessing.
In the providence of God, a revival of
religion occurred in B —, and extended to
some of the members of the Sabbath school
who became the children of hope and grace.
Two of Mrs. Comstock's class were among
the number. This event occasioned in their
teacher the most intense feeling and rejoicing,
and redoubled her anxiety in behalf of the
others.
In a letter to an absent sister written at
this time, adverting to the religious prospects of the community, she expresses her
her deep emotions upon this subject.
" You know, my dear sister," she remarks,
"how deeply I have felt interested in the
cause of Sabbath schools, particularly in our




16     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
own, and especially in my own class, the salvation of whose precious souls has long occupied a prominent place in my heartfelt desires. As an instrument in the hands of
God, I have labored for their conversion;
my most earnest entreaties at the Throne of
Grace have been offered in their behalf, and
the most generous offerings of thought and
affection have been sacrificed at the altar of
their spiritual interests. You know not, nor
can I describe to you, what have at times
been my feelings for these dear ones. 0 the
thought that those who possess so many
amiable and endearing qualities, and traits
of character, should be content without possessing the one thing needful is exquisitely
painful. I have sometimes thought my
feelings in some faint degree might resemble
those of the Saviour, when the interesting
inquiry,'What shall I do to inherit eternal
life?' was addressed to him, by a youth,
whose moral character was equally interesting.
As I behold, I cannot but love them; but
I sometimes feel constrained almost, to take
them by the hand and lead them to Christ.
I cannot endure the thought that they are




INTERESTING CONVERSIONS.     17
living in rejection of the kind invitations
and entreaties of the Saviour-the precious
Saviour who has done so much for them.
With feelings such as these, you would
suppose I should witness with no common
sensations the ordinance of baptism administered to the first of these dear ones who
gave evidence of having become a child of
God. The season I spent in the Sabbath
school that morning was unusually interesting. I endeavored to make the remainder
of the class feel that A-  was about to give
them the parting hand. The whole class
were affected, even to tears, and indeed my
feelings would not suffer me to proceed. 0
it was a melting-a precious season-nor less
so was last Sabbath. The feelings manifested on the preceding were I think increased, and what was still more delightful,
during the past week, L -, another of my
class had entertained a hope of having passed
from death to life. I would tell you-butI cannot-language is inadequate to express
the gratitude I felt when I heard of this instance of the goodness of the Lord. Lhas long been a subject of anxious solicitude.




18     M1EMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
I have watched with an eye of deep interest
the first dawn, and the progress of conviction
on her mind. I have carried her daily, and
at times, I might almost say, hourly, in the
arms of earnest supplication to the Mercy
Seat-and 0I when I saw so gracious an
answer to my prayers, although I had long
anticipated this event, I could not believe
the evidence of my senses. 0! how miserably
deficient are we in faith, oftentimes, my dear
sister! We pray for needed and greatly desired blessings, and that perhaps with long
perseverance, yet when we actually receive
those blessings, we manifest almost as little
interest as though we never asked for them.
The case of L — is one of peculiar interest if we consider her situation as a poor
little orphan, destitute, I might almost say,
of friends, at least, of near relatives; yet I
trust the promise,'when thy father and thy
mother forsake thee, then the Lord will take
thee up,' has been fulfilled in her case.
You would be delighted to see and converse
with her; her heart is full to overflowing
with love to her Saviour, and she wishes to
urge upon all her young companions, the




ENCOURAGEMENT TO LABOR.      19
importance of accepting him now in their
youthful days. I hope the impressions and
feelings which this circumstance has imparted, will not soon be effaced from my
mind, and while it serves as an encouragement for continued exertion, it has, I trust,
made me feel more sensibly my dependence
upon Almighty power for success in whatever undertaking I engage. I know that
every effort I have made or can make is vain
unless sanctified'by Divine Grace; therefore,
give God the glory, for the work is his alone.
He is indeed a wonder working God, and,
my dear sister, let us in future repose unshaken confidence in Him, as our God, and
the supplier of all our wants. How happy
should we be, oftentimes, compared with
what we are, did we but believe the express
declarations of that Being who cannot lie,
and whose purposes change not, or, in other
words, did we pursue such a course of conduct as is consonant with such a belief.
But to return to my subject from which I
have widely digressed, I will add that others
of my dear class are serious. You cannot con




20      MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
ceive what pleasure is imparted by the fond
anticipation of seeing all of them ere long,
sincere followers of the Redeemer. Could anything be more delightful than to see a juvenile band like this traveling hand in hand
toward the'Mount of God."'
The efforts of this faithful teacher were not
unrewarded. Her whole class, nine in number, were ultimately hopefully converted.
Though some lingered on the threshold of
the Ark of Safety, until their beloved friend
had gone to labor for the souls of the perishing heathen, not one seal at last was wanting to her full success, and in after years
they remembered with affectionate gratitude,
her, who had been the instrument in Divine
Providence of directing their feet to the
way of life.




CHAPTER II.
Religious Exercises-Letters to a Sister-Impulses toward
Missionary labor-Convictions of duty-Letter to her
Parents-Decision.
From shores beyond the swelling sea,
Where mighty Error holds its swayThere comes the heathen's earnest plea,
For tidings of salvation's way.
Who from these ranks of ours shall go,
A guide to brighter worlds on high?
Wouldst thou, thy duty, Christian, know?
Lift up thy voice,-Lord, is it I?
MRS. COMSTOCK attached great importance
to the cultivation of vital piety, as necessary
to the life and growth of a Christian.
In her estimation, no pursuits, however,
attractive should be followed to the detriment of the superior claims of religion.     Her
chief aim was to progress in spiritual graces.
As an aid to such advancement, she con
sidered rigid and frequent self-examination a
most important and indispensable duty, with
which no other should interfere.
21




22     MEMIOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
But her views on these subjects are best
learned from her own language used in
letters written to her sister. She commences
with venturing a word of caution against
indulging too ardent an interest in literary
pursuits, lest it engender a neglect of the
cultivation of vital piety, and remarks thus,
" I know from experience, my dear L-,
that there is a propensity in the human
heart to substitute innumerable excuses,
(of which the indispensableness of such attainments is not the least palpable,) for the superficial performance of devotional duties. But
I cannot endure the thought, of a decline in
your religious affections, and I cannot but
repeat to you the warning addressed to me a
few days since by an an aged saint, who is
now on the confines of the eternal world.
Standing by the bedside of the dying sufferer, and witnessing her almost insupportable agony, I said,'I hope you will soon be
beyond the reach of suffering, for your pilgrimage has nearly ended.' With an expression almost unearthly she fixed her eye
upon me, and replied with unusual emphasis,'I hope so, but, my dear S-, you have




HER VIEWS OF DEVOTION.       23
just commenced your journey; the road is
full of danger, and you will meet with many
trials-many temptations-and you cannot
of yourself overcome them; but you must
watch and pray.   0 be constantly watchful
and prayerful that you enter not into temptation.'
" This, dear L -, is salutary advice, did
we but follow it. What duties can be more
important to the Christian, yet how often do
we greatly, and at times, almost entirely
neglect them, and how much keen remorse
should we spare ourselves were we more
faithful in this respect.
"Another duty nearly allied to these is.
self-examination: this is indispensably necessary to an assurance of a well-grounded hope
of an interest in Christ. A merely superficial inspection once a month or once a
week is not sufficient. The merchant who
neglects his accounts day after day, and
week after week, finds his affairs strangely
deranged; and they cannot be regulated
without spending much time in perplexing
reviews, when at the same time, all confusion might easily have been avoided, and




24     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
order and regularity preserved by the daily
bestowal of a few moments attention.
" And so, my dear sister, if we would have
our souls to prosper we must daily bring
them to the touchstone of Divine truth, and
faithfully try them by that unerring standard.
In seasons of spiritual declension, we are too
apt to suffer our souls to be lulled to sleep,
if I may be allowed the expression, upon the
pillow of past experience; but if we have
not present evidence of piety, we have, I
think, no good reason to hope, that we are in
a regenerate state. By this, I would not
insinuate, that a high degree of enjoyment
at all times is essential to such evidence;
far from it; too much dependence is oftentimes placed, by young Christians especially,
upon particular frames of mind. An even
and constantly moderate degree of religious
happiness is far more desirable, in my opinion, than temporary, and merely temporary
excitement; for seasons of depression equal
to the excitement are sure to succeed such
unwonted emotion.
"It is strictly true, I think, that'religious




HER VIEWS OF RELIGION.       25
despondency is the natural offspring of reli.
gious enthusiam.'
"One who is a Christian cannot but acknowledge the correctness of this; how superior is the light that burns steadily, though
not dazzlingly, to that which now flashes
powerfully upon the surrounding darkness,
and now is nearly extinguished by the passing wind. True, in the inequality and excitability of our natures, we are subject to
unusual emotions arising from unusual circumstances, yet He who is our great Example, the same yesterday, to-day and forever, desires His followers to be spiritually
uniform in their faith and lives, never retrograding but ever striving and increasing.
He who looks back to seasons of religious
revival alone for testimonials of his Christian
experience and, forward to their recurrence
as necessary to a renewal of this, should
beware lest the Lord of the vineyard come
in an hour when it is barren and fruitless
and take away his inheritance forever. It is
upon what we are, not upon what we have
been, that our religious estimate should be
founded."
3




26     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
On another occasion, Mrs. Comstock remarks,
" 0 my dear sister, let me entreat you to
stand fast in the Lord, and by a life of
habitual piety, cheerful obedience, incessant
prayer; and lively faith, prove that you are
indeed a child of God, a vessel fit for the
Master's use.  Let no consideration for a
single moment tempt you to neglect secret
prayer, this is the life of the soul, the chief
pillar in the building of faith, unsupported
by this the edifice falls."
This is excellent advice from one young
Christian to another; advice which all who
love our Lord Jesus Christ, and are desirous
of enjoying religion and growing in grace,
would do well to heed. Secret prayer is
most powerful to preserve our wandering
hearts; it is the Christian's armor, which
should be kept unceasingly bright, and never
laid aside. Without it we become defenceless indeed; the world creeps in; its errors
blind our souls; its vanities excite our desires, and in eagerly pursuing them, we lose
sight of those superior attractions which are
the gifts of our Lord himself, and which he




VALUE OF SECRET PRAYER.       27
bestows upon the earnest supplicant at the
Throne of Grace.
He who seeks to maintain a Christian
course and neglects secret prayer, is like one
who sails along a wild and stormy coast with
no pilot to guide him from the hidden dangers, which, sooner or later, make shipwreck
of the bark in whose strength he trusted, and
which destroys his hopes forever.
At morn, at noon, and even, and at all
needed times, let the true Christian lift his
heart to God in prayer. So shall he live by
the life of his Lord, the vine into which he
is grafted; and like the abundant manna that
descended in olden days, heavenly gifts shall
fall upon his soul, strength, wisdom, and joy
unspeakable and full of glory.
As Mrs. Comstock strove thus to grow in
grace, so she increased in religious effort.
Soon, her large and loving heart, so full of
pious emotions, did not rest satisfied with its
endeavors for the spiritual good alone of the
friends she cherished and the dear Sabbath
school class. Her overflowing sympathy,
her ardent love for souls, often carried her
thoughts beyond the sphere in which she was




28     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
born, and had thus far labored, to distant
regions of idolatry and darkness. To her,
those for whose salvation she had been striving with prayers and tears, were like a few
blades of wheat on the borders of a mighty
field, which had greater need of a laborer's
hand.
The vision of a heathen world perishing
in ignorance and sin, touched the tenderest
chords in her newly-sanctified nature, and
like a dark but powerful picture, drew to itself her spiritual vision, until it absorbed
her gaze.
The still small voice of the Holy Spirit
whispered the Saviour's command, "Go,
teach all nations," in the ear that had already
caught the Macedonian cry, " Come over and
help us;" and the desire grew more ardent,
the resolve more strong, to depart and bear
the glad tidings of salvation to'distant regions. She was animated by no momentary
fit of enthusiasm, no longing for fame, but,
by a calm and deliberate conviction of duty,
a deep sense of gratitude to the Saviour who
had laid down his life for her salvation, and




LETTER TO HER PARENTS.       29
a love for souls, second only to her love for
God.
Impressed as she powerfully was with feelings like these, we are not surprised that she
wrote the following letter to her beloved parents, as soon as an opportunity seemed to
present itself, by which she could carry out
the desire of her heart.  The letter will
sufficiently explain itself without any farther
introductory remark:Brookline, Dec. 25, 1832.
i" MY DEAR PARENTS,
"You have seen the communications I
received from Mr. Comstock, and must feel
that the subject on which they treat is one
of great importance. and merits a careful
and deliberate consideration. I wish to act
in such a way as shall secure the approbation
of God. I wish to know all that my heavenly
Father would have me to do; feeling at the
same time a firm determination —firm  beyond repentance-that every tie shall be
severed, every trial surmounted, every sacrifice cheerfully made, that may come in con
tact with my duty. I know that this will




30    1MEMOIR OF MR-. COMSTOCK.
inevitably subject me to many a painful and
severe struggle with natural feelings; but in
my covenant engagement I vowed to be the
Lord's. Yes,'I have opened my mouth,
and I cannot,' I WISH NOT, to'go back.'
The pledge of entire consecration of all that
I have and am, MUST be redeemed. Besides,
while in the performance of duty-stern duty,
have I not, my dear parents, everything to
hope, and nothing to fear, from the mercy
of a benevolent God? 0  I cannot describe,
for language fails to express the pleasure and
comfort I have drawn from this passage of
Divine inspiration-' Commit thy way unto
the Lord, and he shall direct thy steps.' I
would not, at this trying moment, part with
this and similar expressions of paternal kindness for the wealth of Golconda.
" But to come more directly to the subject I wish to introduce for your consideration. I have long, as you are aware, contemplated the'Missionary Enterprise' with
intense interest. I have thought it might be
my duty at some future time to engage personally in the glorious cause of man's salvation in heathen lands. I now feel that the




HER DECISION.           31
time is come for me to decide whether Christ
or my friends predominate in my affections
When I think of a separation, a final separation, for this world, from my dear parents,
beloved brothers, an affectionate sister, and
other endeared friends;-religious privileges
too,-nature is disposed to say, It is too much
to think of-too great a sacrifice. But can
I do too much to express my love to that precious Saviour, who withheld not his own life
for me? Ah, no I my parents will concur
with me in saying I cannot. Now I wish to
ask your full and free consent, to the only proof
I have in my power to give, of my attachment
to Christ-that of devoting my life, a sacrifice,
if he require it, to his cause in foreign lands.
I ask, that you will consider this subject
prayerfully, and decide in view of the retributions of'the great day.' Upon your decision, and ultimately upon that of the
Church and the'Board,' rests my future
course; for I cannot come to any decision
that shall be counter to your wishes.
" Perhaps you will say,'there is in your
own country ample field for Missionary effort.' True I have, and do still maintain




32     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
that a Christian need not want opportunities
for the exercise of benevolent feelings,
wherever he may be. But many things are
to be taken into consideration. Some places
are more destitute than others; some situations require the exercise of greater selfdenial-the endurance of more severe hardships than others. Many who are disposed
to labor in the one, may be unable or unwilling to engage in the other. And as the
number is small of those who are disposed
to bid adieu to friends, home, etc., for the
cause of their Redeemer, is it not the imperative duty of the few whom God has endued with this disposition, to cherish and
exercise it? I know that I am entirely unworthy the great honor of being a co-worker
with God,-unworthy the privilege of laboring for souls, and destitute of necessary piety
and other qualifications, moral and intellectual; but to the source of every perfection
I look for supplies of every deficiency. I
know that my Heavenly Father will require
the performance of no duty for which he will
not impart needful grace.
"All that I have now to do is to submit




REFLECTIONS ON HER DECISION.   33
to you the result of much prayerful reflec.
tion,-that God calls me to his service in
foreign lands, and request your approbation,
as soon as you can give it. You will perceive that it is necessary for me to write to
Mr. C. without delay, as he must necessarily be in a state of painful suspense until
he knows my decision.
"I wish that nothing should be said or
hinted to any one who is not now acquainted
with the circumstances of my situation.
Should your reply be such as I believe you
will be constrained to give, I purpose soon
to communicate my feelings to the church,
for their consideration;-my feelings, I mean,
in relation to the mission.
"Yours, affectionately,
"S. DAVIS."
Not long after her intentions of becoming
a Missionary were made public, she remarks
on this subject in writing to a friend:
" I have not, my dear S-, in coming to
this important decision, been guided by that
enthusiasm with which some may be ready
to charge me; nor have I acted with that




34     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
precipitancy which may perhaps justly be considered an ingredient in my character. No;
my conduct is the result of calm, deliberate,
and rational reflection; nor was it without
many a struggle between conviction of duty
and natural affection, many an agonizing
prayer for Divine aid, that I could say,' Thy
will be done.'
" Never is the mystery of my being led to
this undertaking more insoluble than when
I consider my unfitness for so holy and responsible a station as that of a Missionary
of the cross. And yet, I know that is nought
to me, since thus God hath directed it; for
what am I, that I should thus plead my weakness, and so limit the Almighty in whom all
fullness dwells, to a certain degree of human
power?
" I have no excuse that I dare offer for refusing to go to benighted Burmah. I believe
God has directed me thither, and should I dissent, I know I could not, with unstained raiment, meet the heathen at the judgment bar;
no, the wailings of those who perish without
having heard of a Saviour's love, would upbraid me for my selfishness.




ELEVATION OF MOTIVE.        35'Love of ease,
And all the cultured joys, conveniences,
And delicate delights of ripe society.'
"What though trials, suffering, and danger
be my earthly lot, shall I fear to follow where
my Saviour leads? Shall I shrink from persecution and reproach, or tremble before the
stake, if the cause of Him, who withheld not
his life for me, required this at my hands?
" Gratitude forbids it. Yes, and it seems
even a privilege to be cast into the furnace
for the sake of walking with Jesus. Though
of myself I can do nothing, my strength being perfect weakness, yet I can do all things,
and bear all sufferings if my Lord be there.
"Though unworthy the high honor, yet I
I feel it will be my privilege to wear out life
in winning souls to God."
Such was the heartfelt language of Mrs.
Comstock upon this important subject. Who
can listen to these truthful outpourings of
her devoted spirit, and think that her consecration to the Missionary service was from
other than the highest, purest motives, and
her call aught but a call from on high.




CHAPTER III.
Preparation for the Work-Foretastes of Missionary Life —
Views of Herself-Anticipations of the Future-Publio
Consecration-Embarkation-Parting Scenes.
Gladly she left her father's house,
To toil in stranger lands;
To raise the Christian banner high,
O'er Asia's burning sands;
O'er the dark multitudes who bend
To senseless gods the knee;
Who know not Jesus bled and died
Their captive souls to free.
Sweet home and friends she dearly loved,
But more than these, the soul;
The ever-living soul of man,
Enslaved by sin's control;
And deem'd no sacrifice too great
Could she but one restore
From error's bonds to freedom's bliss
And life forevermore.
IN   the  year 1832, Mrs. Comstock           commenced carrying into action her long.cherished resolve of becoming a Missionary.          She
had conversed upon the subject at various
(36)




RESOLVES OF THE CHURCH.      37
intervals with her parents, her pastor, the
Rev. Joseph A. Warne, to whom she was
warmly attached, and with many others of
her friends. None who listened to her could
do otherwise than approve of her determination, so characterized was it by the spirit of
true Christian devotion and sincerity of purpose.
She also related to the church in Brookline, with which she was connected, her exercises of mind with reference to devoting
herself to missionary labor. The church
listened with much interest to her deeply affecting recital, and afterwards passed the
following resolutions:
" Whereas, our beloved sister, Sarah Davis,
has related to us the exercises of her mind
on the important and interesting subject of
becoming a Missionary to the heathen; and,
whereas, from this relation we are led to believe, that the Lord designs for her the honor
of laboring in the Missionary field, and for
us the honor of sacrificing to the Missionary
cause our pleasure in her society, and our
advantage in her labors among us, particularly in the Sabbath School, therefore,
4




38      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
"Resolved, That we are deeply interested
in the recital to which we have listened of
the special exercise of our beloved sister with
relation to her becoming a laborer in the
Missionary field; and, judging in the fear
of God, it is our opinion, that, should the
Board of Missions judge her qualified for
the Missionary work, and be willing to receive her under their patronage, such coincidence of her desires for the work, with
their willingness to employ her in it, will
amount to a call to engage therein.
"Resolved, also, That judging the exercises she has related to have originated in pure
desires for the glory of God, in the salvation
of the perishing, and in the operation of the
Divine Spirit on her heart; we dare not refuse our consent and even approbation of
her purpose, though we most deeply feel the
value of the sacrifice we are called to make
of her labors in our various female meetings,
and societies, and especially in the Sabbath
school; labors, the lack of which we shall
sensibly feel; yet we desire to say,'the
Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.'
"Resolvcd, moreover, That this Church




APPOINTMENT BY THE BOARD.      89
hereby express to the relations of our dear
sister, several of whom are members of our
body, their sympathies and congratulations
on this deeply interesting occasion, their
sympathies in the affecting and in some
sense irreparable loss they are likely to be
called to sustain in the departure of our
sister to a heathen land, and their congratulations that the Great Head of the Church
has indulged them with the means of making
to His cause among the heathen so precious
an offering; and may they find His promise
verified, that they who leave or forego childdren and sisters for His sake, and the Gospel's, shall be repaid'a hundred fold in this
life, and in the life everlasting.'
"Resolved, finally, That this Church furnish to our beloved sister from the hand of
our pastor, a letter to the Secretary of the
Board of Foreign Missions, certifying our
cordial approbation of the step she is about
to take, and our earnest recommendation of
her to their patronage."
Afterwards she presented herself before
the Board of Missions, held in Boston, as a
candidate for Missionary service.  About




10     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
the same time, also, Rev. Grover S. Comstock, to whom she was afterwards united
by marriage, offered himself for the same
holy cause. Both were accepted, and appointed as laborers for the Mission in Burmah.
It was Mrs. Comstock's original intention
to have gone forth alone as a Missionary,
and to have resided in the family of some
one of those who had preceded her; but a
gracious Providence saw fit to order her lot
otherwise in thus appointing to her a beloved companion and- fellow-laborer. They
were not married however until June 24,
1834, a few weeks before they sailed.
After her acceptance by the board, she
spent nearly a year at Hamilton, New York,
acquiring a knowledge of the Burman language, for which an excellent and unusual
opportunity was afforded. Rev. Mr. Wade
and his wife, returned Missionaries, accom
panied by two native converts were then re
siding temporarily in that place.
From these friends she also gained much
information respecting the land which was
to be her future home. She heard of the




PREPARATION FOR THE WORK.      41
trials and discouragements of Missionary life,
of the sacrifices that must be made, and the
obstacles that must be overcome; but she
heard also, like a strain of glad music amid
echoes of sadness, what great and exceeding
joy is theirs who labor for God, and how
precious, how glorious in the regions of sin
and darkness, are the tidings of salvation
and the light of Divine Truth.
In the humble but sincere converts
brought from that far off Pagan land, she
saw trophies of the grace that redeems, the
religion that exalts mankind. Thousands
and tens of thousands of souls, as precious as
these, waited for the coming of a teacher who
could guide their feet also into the paths of
eternal life.
No prospect of probable peril or trial appalled her. She knew that hours, and perhaps days and weeks, of toil and suffering
must inevitably attend her thither; but she
swerved not from her determination, neither
turned aside for a moment from the path
which she had chosen.
Nor did the persuasions of beloved friends,
or the keen sorrow, the agony that was




42      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
gathering around her heart at the prospect
of soon parting with them forever, affect for
a moment her holy purpose.
Her heart only beat faster with courageous
devotion as she consecrated herself anew to
God's own enterprise, and she felt no emotions of regret save for what she considered
her own unworthiness to assume its solemn
responsibilities.
During Mrs. Comstock's stay in Hamilton,
she seemed desirous of occupying all her
spare moments for the benefit of those by
whom she was surrounded; to become as it
were, a Missionary at home, and to receive
in some slight degree, though as far as possible, a foretaste of what she was hereafter to
experience. Besides laboring for the spiritual benefit of those in the higher walks of
life, she loved to seek out the abodes of the
poor and wretched, and minister to their
wants.
But Mrs. Comstock's labors of love while
at Hamilton centered chiefly as they had
done in Brookline, on the interests of the
Sabbath school. The first Sabbath after her




SUCCESS IN SABBATH SCHOOL.     43
arrival she visited the school, and manifested
a deep interest in its welfare.
The following account of her efforts there
was originally furnished for one of our
periodicals, in an article entitled " The Successful Teacher," by one who was then superintendent of the Baptist Sabbath School in
Hamilton.
" She entered the school with a heart full
of love and thirsting for usefulness. Soon
she became acquainted with the teachers and
superintendent, and in a few weeks, one of the
teachers having left the school, the class was
committed to her care. This class consisted
of seven; she labored in connection with the
school only about nine months; but she
labored faithfully, and with success. During this time six of her class were converted,
and united with the Baptist Church in that
place; making thirteen, including those who
were converted in her class in Brookline,
who became pious in the Sabbath school
through her immediate efforts in the short
space of four years.
"But do any inquire, what was the secret
of her success? We answer first, it may be




44      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
found in her deep piety, manifesting itself in
her immediate and all-absorbing object, the
conversion of each individual of her class to
God. This with her, was the primary thing,
and what she desired and expected immediately to witness. She knew that every
week the word of eternal truth would be to
them a'savor of life unto life, or of death
unto death,' and with her, it was not a matter of indifference which.
" In the personal application of all her
instructions to each one of her class, it was
not sufficient that she talked to them in a
general manner, but she was in the habit of
conversing with each separately; of laying
open to their view the nature and ruinous
tendency of sin, and of appealing directly
and pointedly to the conscience of each.
" In her manner of imparting instruction,
there was nothing like indifference or coldness in her appearance; but her whole countenance, every feature, every expression,
showed that she believed and felt what she
said. In her eye, in the tones and inflections of her voice, and indeed in her whole
appearance, her love for their souls was




MEANS OF SUCCESS.        45
manifest, and her appeals and entreaties
produced effect, as such appeals and entreaties always will. Hers was eloquence
which art cannot produce. It was the
powerful, the irresistible eloquence of a full
and overflowing heart.
"She went from ardent prayer in her
closet to her class, and carried with her the
spirit of heaven, which she there imbibed
in communion with her God. She remembered them daily at the hour of prayer, and
obtained, when alone, the evidence that her
prayer was heard, and that her instructions
would be blessed. She invited her class to
come weekly to her room, that she might
pray with them, and enforce the truths she
taught upon the Sabbath. And how glorious was the result.
"She truly loved and sought to do good
While thus laboring in the Sabbath school,
she was also in the habit of relieving as far
as possible the poor and destitute, and imparting to them religious instruction."
In a letter to her sister, written at this
time, she mentions, among other things, her
visits to a colored family, whom she found




46      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
desirous of receiving spiritual instruction,
though in a very destitute condition, as to
things of this life.
"Such an abode of human beings, dear
L —. I never saw before-so wretched, so uncomfortable, so replete with suffering and
revolting to nature! I could not but feel
that this was in some faint degree like what
I must expect to meet, that such beings were
to be my companions and neighbors, such
abodes my frequent and only resort, and such
employment to fill my heart and hands, but
still I do not shrink. No! no! dear sister, if
ever I panted for Missionary toil, it was while
under that wretched roof, and I could say from
my heart, much as I love you, dearest, much
as I love my good, my precious, invaluable
mother, my brothers, and other relatives, I
would not, I could not give up the privilege
of toiling, of suffering even, for souls like
these;for'when I come to stretch me for
the last in unattended agony, on India's
burning sand, it will be sweet that I have
toiled for other worlds than this. I know that
I shall feel happier than to die on a softer
bed,'  Yes, I felt a sweet satisfaction and




HOME EFFORTS.           47
pleasure in anticipation of the future, while
I was talking to poor M —. O it was
cheering to see the big tears roll down her
dark face as she listened to the tale of a Saviour's love; how happy shall I be, if I am
permitted to meet her ransomed spirit, made
white in the blood of the Lamb, and sing
with her in our heavenly abode,'Worthy
the Lamb.' 
Again she writes thus:
"I have just returned from a walk much ex 
hausted, but have passed a most delightful
afternoon;-have called on twelve or fifteen
families, and some of them miserable beyond
description. O L —, you can have no idea
of the wretchedness we have witnessed; there
is nothing in B. to be compared with it; this
is truly heathen ground. I feel that I need
two bodies when I behold such degradation
and ignorance in our favored land.
"I could easily wear out one short life
here in Missionary toil, as well as in Burmah. But, 0 my sister   I am so entirely
unfit to engage in so glorious a work, my
heart is so depraved, I tremble when I think
of taking upon myself the responsible duties of




46      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
a Christian Missionary. I have before known
and in some degree felt that I was altogether
unholy; but never until recently have I discovered my deep pollution of soul, never have
I had such views of my great guilt as it must
appear in the eyes of a Holy God. I could
almost wish to hide myself from the view of
any human being until I can be more like
what I ought.
" My heart seems the depository of every
evil, and I cannot endure to be near myself.
0 could I be free from the body of sin, how
light would be my load. I have in times
past taken pleasure hn finding myself sensible
of my guilt. I rejoiced that I could feel and
hate it; but to be the subject of so much sin,
so much self loathing, is indeed painful. But
I must not burden you, dear L —, with my
tale of guilt. I must carry it to the foot of
the cross; there only can I hope to lose it.
I will only beg an interest in your addresses
at the throne of grace, that God would keep
me from wounding his cause. I used to look
forward with high pleasure to Missionary labor, and think it would have a tendency to
wean my affections from earth, and make me




THE PLAGUE OF THE HEART.      49
more holy. I have, I fear, been depending
upon this broken reed, and I now feel that
it may be the Lord has marked my calculations, has withered my vain hopes, and is
now leaving me to myself to show me my
error, my weakness, and thus to sweep away
the refuge of lies. 0 I do feel that although
he leaves me for a time, he will return again
when he has fully shown me my nothingness, my entire dependence upon himself. 0
L, what an awful thing it is to be left to
ourselves! I can imagine no state more
awful; I fully believe I have not a worse
enemy than self; it is my earnest prayer that
God would deliver me from this worst evil."
It is doubtful if any stronger or more correct impression can be obtained respecting
persons, than by perusing letters written by
them in the fullness of the heart's emotions,
and penned for the perusal of one friendly
eye alone: the heart's sincere and free outpourings, without so much as being crossed
by the shadow of a thought that in after
years they might be laid open to public view.
In unrestrained epistolary correspondence,
where there is so much warmth of feeling
5




03-0   MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and noble frankness as the letters of Mrs. C.
exhibit, we have far clearer conceptions of
the character we contemplate, than can be
received from the finest observance of actions, or the most ingenious conclusions
drawn from externals alone.
It is herself we read as we peruse the lines
her hand indited; we seem to be near her,
nay more, to catch the very sound of her
voice. A genuine letter is to the mind, what
a faithfully executed portrait is to the eye,
and brings the author into an existence as
attractive if not as absolute as was the real.
We will give one more extract from Mrs.
Comstock's letters while at Hamilton. The
following was written toward the close of her
residence there. After giving a description
of the Missionary School, so called, which
she was attending, and of her interest and
proficiency in the study of the Burmese language, she remarks with reference to her
anticipated future.
" Should we never all meet again on earth,
I hope we shall be prepared to meet around
our Father's throne in a heavenly home,
where there will be no more sad Farewells.



ZEAL AND HUMILITY.         51
I can scarcely realize that the time is so near
when I shall extend the parting hand to all
my loved friends, and forever leave the home
of my youth, the scenes of my childhood, and
the land of my birth for a heathen home, a
Burman hut, among a'people whose tender
mercies are cruel,' but 0, I do not regret it.'What a privilege to be permitted to go forth
to the wretched votaries of Gaudama, with
the proclamation of peace through a Saviour's blood, to raise the candidates of a
cheerless'Nigban' to bright hopes of immortality! Every day the work before me
increases in magnitude, and each day en
hances its glory.
" Ah I surely I am of all persons unworthy
of such a high honor! How destitute of
that deep soul-sustaining piety that I so
much need! How little love do I manifest for
my Saviour! How little self-denial am I
willing to exercise! These things, my dear
M —, and these only, cast a gloom over the
future. If ever I feel sad in anticipation of
the scenes before me, it is not that I am so
soon to partforever with my beloved friends,
not that I leave the home of youthful joys,



52     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
the scenes of my childhood, and the companions of my earliest days,-the sharers of
my pleasures and griefs, for an humble home
among the rude and barbarous Burmans.
No I I can spend my days more pleasantly
in my bamboo shed, in pointing idolaters to
Jesus, than if surrounded by all the pomp
and splendor of civilized and refined society.
But dark thoughts of my deep sinfulness oft
wring my soul with grief. It is this that
prompts the heavy sigh as I cast my eyes
forward and glance at the responsibility of
my station. O will you not remember me
in your supplications at the mercy seat."
Such were some of the exercises of Mrs.
C.'s mind during her stay in Hamilton; and
afterward when at home, while preparations
were in course for her departure, she manifested the same spirit of humility, entire consecration to the service of God, and unwavering determination in the cause in which she
had embarked. Serene and happy amid the
tearful regrets of those from whom she was
soon to separate, she showed how the true
Christian can triumph over natural affection
and leave behind objects and scenes dear as




DESIGNATION AT BOSTON.      53
life itself, at the voice of duty-the call of
God. Ah! it was not that she loved her
friends and kindred little, it was because she
loved Jesus more. None possessed deeper,
stronger emotions of friendship, to none
could natural ties be more dear. But the
language of her heart was, "Here, Lord, I give
them all away," and Divine love made the
sacrifice a cheerful, willing gift.
The services which occurred on the evening when Mr. and Mrs. Comstock, with other
Missionaries, were publicly set apart and Instructed as to their future course, were of
deep and thrilling interest. They were held
on the evening of the 29th of June, 1834, in
the Baptist Meeting House, in Baldwin Place,
Boston.
On that occasion the Rev. Dr. Wayland
delivered a fervent and impressive address to
Grover S. Comstock, William Dean, Justus
H. Vinton, Hosea Howard, and Seawall M.
Osgood, with their wives, and Miss Ann. P.
Gardner.
Many a tear fell in that vast congregation
assembled to witness the solemn scene, and
many a heart throbbed with strong emotion




54     MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
in view of those disciples of Jesus, who thus
openly gave themselves to the work of bearing to lands of moral darkness the glorious
light of the Gospel.
The closing portion of Dr. Wayland's address was in the following language:
"And now, Missionary brethren and sisters, we bid you adieu. God speed you on
your way to your stations. If you fail, a
darker night than they have yet seen will
brood over Burmah, Siam, and the Islands
of the Sea. But the Spirit of Him that raised
Christ from the dead, dwelling in you, you
will not fail. Glory, such as eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man
conceived, awaits you. When the throne
shall be set, and the books opened, and the
dead shall be judged out of the things
written in the books, then shall ye present
before the face of Him that sitteth on the
throne, a multitude which no man can number, who have washed their robes, and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb, saying,'Lord, here are we, and the children
whom thou hast given us.' And as those
myriads purified from all the pollutions of




THE EMBARKATION.          55
Bin, shall, while the ceaseless ages of eternity roll on, become more and more resplendent in holiness, ye who have been wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament, and
ye who have turned many to righteousness,
as the stars forever and ever.
" And now, may the God of all grace, who
hath called you to his eternal glory by Christ
Jesus, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle you: to whom be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Brethren and sisters, Farewell."
The scene of the embarkation of these
Missionaries was of no less intensity of interest than that of their public consecration.
They were intending to sail the day following, but in consequence of a prevailing fog
and head winds, were detained until the
second day of July. When the hour arrived,
and the last tender parting word had been
exchanged, the last embrace given and received, and the ship, destined to waft them
over a stormy sea to distant unfriendly
homes, had spread her white sails and was
receding from the wharf, there came from the




56      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
little devoted band upon deck, the clear,
sweet sound of voices, chanting their farewell in the words of the beautiful Missionary
hymn:
"Yes! my native land, I love thee!
All thy scenes I love them well;
Friends, connections, happy country!
Can I bid you all farewell?
Can I leave youFar in heathen lands to dwell?"
The following brief note, doubly interesting as being the last words of Mr. and Mrs.
Comstock penned within sight of their native
land, was conveyed to the friends on shore
by the pilot on his returning from the departing ship:
"Ship Cashmere, July 5d, 1834.
"DEAR SISTER,
"We meet no more on earth, but very
soon we shall be in heaven; we do feel as if
Christ was with us in the ship, and he will be
with you on land. Let us love him with
all our hearts, and serve him with all our
powers of body and mind. We love our




THE LAST FAREWELL.         57
dear friends, but we hope we love Jesus
better.
"We shall never forget you-our best love
you have.-Farewell!
" God abundantly bless you, is the prayer
of
"Your most affectionate brother and sister,
"G. & S."
Mrs. Comstock's own peculiar feelings on
this eventful occasion are best described by
herself in a letter penned a year afterwards,
in which she reviews the trying scenes of
her departure.
" I cannot suffer my eyes to close," she
writes, "without holding a few moments'
silent, yet sweet converse with those far off
but loved friends with whom, just one year
since, I left for the last time the dear paternal roof. Yes, this is the anniversary of that
never-to-be-forgotten day, on which I took a
returnless step from my native village, from
my home and friends.
"AhI well do I remember that day-that
last hour. You know, dear parents, that we
met Mr. Comstock on our way to Boston, and I




58      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
returned with him, and remained about an
hour. That hour memory has deeply engraved. Even Time's effacing fingers will
fail to erase it. It seems as if it were but
yesterday that I re-entered the door, from
which, with you, I had just come out, as I
thought, for the last time, and found all still,
silent, and forsaken.
"I sauntered through the house, and at
last found S, seated on the upper stair
in tears. She was sole occupant. I took
another last look at each room; but all was
as the stillness of death. In the south front
chamber Mr. Comstock and myself knelt in
prayer for the last time. It was during that
prayer that my feelings for the first time
overcame me, in view of the trying scenes
before me. But the conquest was momentary. A thought of the shortness of time,
the wretchedness of the heathen, and the
dying love of their and my Saviour, soon restored tranquillity and peace.
" I next went into the north front chamber, that place which had so often been a
Bethel to my soul. As I gazed about the
room, my eyes fastened upon one chosen




FAREWELL TO HER HOME.             59
spot, in which my Saviour had often deigned
to bless me with his presence. And while I
thought of the many delightful hours spent
there in pleading for my dear Sabbath school
class, brothers, the heathen, and for a knowledge of the divine will in relation to my
future life, I could scarcely forbear uttering
the words of the poet:'To leave my dear friends, and from kindred to part,
To go from my home, it affects not my heart,
Like the thought of absenting myself for a day
From that blessed retreat where I've chosen to pray.'
"Yes, dear parents, that was a chosen retreat; and it was not without a struggle that
I was enabled to leave it.
" While I stood, silently and sad, musing
on the past, the thought occurred that-'My Saviour resides everywhere.
And can in all places give answer to prayer.'
Then I threw myself upon my knees, and
alone once more offered a farewell petition'with thanksgiving;' and forever left a spot
dearer to me than a ecthers in my native
land."




60     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
0 was there no sacrifice felt in the departure of these servants of God? Was
there none on the part of the near kindred
who returned homeward sorrowing; the
mother, who, for the Saviour's sake, took the
treasure that lay so close to her heart, and
committed it to the winds and waves, that it
might be borne a shining light to a dark and
far off world? Let the recording angel
answer, when God shall give to those who
have made sacrifices for Him in this world,
a hundred fold in that which is to come.




CHAPTER IV.
Glance at the destined land-Voyage to Amherst-Letters
written on ship-board-Extracts from Journal-Joy in
suffering-Sabbath at Sea-Arrival-Pagoda worshipVisit to the grave of Mrs. Ann H. Judson-Arracan.
0 waft me to that distant shoreFrom whence my feet shall come no more;
My only home henceforth shall be
Where'er the Lord hath work for me.
IT will be interesting here, perhaps, to
glance for a few moments at that far off
portion of the world, destined to be the
future home of the expectant Missionaries.
Mr. and Mrs. Comstock had been appointed by the board as laborers in Arracan.
Originally this province was a part of the
Burman Empire, but since 1826 has been in
the possession and under the government of
the East India Company. It lies on the
easterly side of the Bay of Bengal, south of
Chittagong and between 15~ 54' and 20~ 51'
north latitude. It is divided for government
purposes into four principal districts the
6             61




6   MEMOIR OF MIRS. COMSTOCK.
Akyab, the Ramree, Aeng, and Sandoway,
of these Akyab is the most important, the
Ramree district which is an island being
second to this. The station intended for Mr.
and Mrs. Comstock was Kyouk Phyoo at
the north point of Ramree island.
At this period the province of Arracan,
with a population estimated at 250,000, was
favored with but one Missionary, the Rev. I.
C. Fink, sent out by the Serampore Society.
His station was in Akyab north of Ramree,
and at a considerable distance from it.
Aeng and Sandoway were entirely destitute
of Missionary laborers.
The inhabitants of Arracan consist of
various races, of which the earliest and
principal are the Mugs.  The others are
Burmese, Musselmans, Kyens, Bengalese,
Toungmroos, Kemees, and Karens.    This
variety, of course, occasions a corresponding
variety of religious modes of life and manners, some being more deeply steeped in
ignorance and superstition than others, but
all in the utmost need of the purifying and
enlightening influences of Christianity-a
nation sitting in darkness in the region and




THE VOYAGE TO THE EAST.      63
shadow of death, among whom but a faint
light as yet had sprung up.
The Missionaries sailed from Boston in
the ship Cashmere, on the 2d of July, 1834,
and after a voyage of five months they
reached Amherst on the 6th of December.
The voyage was made up of the usual complement of fair and rough weather, sea-sickness and the various trivial incidents that occasionally break the monotony of sea-life. So
far as possible, they employed their time in
religious exercises and preparations for the
future. Often their hearts reverted to the
dear friends and scenes left far behind; always with keen affection, but never with
regret. As week succeeded to week, their
love for the souls of the perishing heathen
grew stronger, and their desires increased to
commence their heaven-directed toil. They
also received the continued assurance that
they were in the path of duty, and often
consecrated themselves anew to Him who
had called them to labor in his vineyard, desiring to be wholly his for his own high and
holy purposes.
Let us present here an extract from a




64     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
letter written by Mrs. C. to a dear friend in
America, a few weeks before landing; it is
dated,
"Ship Cashmere, Bay of Bengal, Nov. 15, 1834.
"MY VERY DEAR S-,
"One hundred and thirty-six days since,
at this very hour, I waved you a smiling,
yet sad adieu, and I am yet with the remainder of the Missionary band caged in our
floating home on the bosom of the mighty
deep. I well remember, and can never forget, my dear S-, your last words to me
upon leaving home:-' You look happy I'I felt happy, not because I had forever parted
from my beloved friends. No!-that hour
was one of bleeding anguish to friendship
and affection, and well nigh proved their
death-stroke. But they survived the shock
to flourish with tenfold vigor. I find my
love for you and other dear American friends,
like Goldsmith's length'ning chain-it augments its weight every step I recede from the
object of its attraction. But I felt happy,
because I was conscious of being in the path
of duty, and of doing the will of my




HER SICKNESS.           65
Heavenly Father. I felt too, that the pain I
was enduring, and involuntarily causing endeared friends to endure, would be temporary, and would be cancelled by the joy that
even one ransomed Burman,-made happy,
through our instrumentality, would feel
through eternity.
"Our voyage, thus far, has been as comfortable as could be expected. We have
much to be grateful for. My greatest cause
for gratitude is the sickness which I have
been called to suffer; I humbly hope it has
been the means of reclaiming my wayward
heart from the snares of sin into which it had
strayed. While you were at B., and at the
time of my departure, I was comparatively
in a cold, lifeless state, as far as religion was
concerned, and but for the timely chastisement of my Heavenly Father, I might have
continued thus. Now I desire to'redeem
the time;' I wish, henceforth, to be wholly
the Lord's,-to wear out my life in his glorious service. I can adopt as mine the language of the poet,-'I want not India's pearly shore,
I want the joys of earth no more,




66      MEMOIRS OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
I want to quit each vain delight,
I want to walk with Christ in white.
I want to know my Saviour's love,
I want to fix my heart above,
I want more grace to conquer sin,
I want to feel new life within.'"
Again she writes thus to her sister, a few
weeks after leaving port:
"Ship Cashmere, July 28th.
" MY DEAR, VERY DEAR SISTER,
" Sister! what a charm has that word to
my ears! I do not know that the second of
July imparted to it any new power; but
since that time, its sound penetrates my soul
with peculiar force. I think I feel grateful
that God has given me so deservedly dear a
sister. It is true, dearest L, we are separated from each other, but when I contemplate the end of our earthly pilgrimage,
it seems but a momentary sundering of fond
hearts. 0 how sweet, passing sweet will it
be, loved sister, when we have toiled out
life's remnant to die-and go home and meet
where no farewells will rend the sacred ties
of sisterly love. We will henceforth strive




BENEFITS OF SUFFERING.      67
to devote each hour to the cause of our
blessed Saviour, and heed not toil, suffering,
or self-denial,-for each pang endured for
Christ's sake, will only add a new gem to our
heavenly crown."
During her sea-voyage, Mrs. Comstock
kept an interesting journal of each day's occurrences, in which also from time to time
she touches upon the religious exercises of
her mind, and the corresponding feelings
of the other Missionaries; and frequently
breathes warm and earnest aspirations after
the work to which she was hastening. She
suffered greatly from sea-sickness and its accompanying discomforts, yet her spiritual
enjoyments continued with her through all
the tedious way, and she bore her trials and
privations without a murmur or regret. She
looked upon it as a necessary part of a Missionary's lot, needful to be endured in order
to make the heathen acquainted with the way
of life.
At one time, in describing the state of her
health to her mother, she makes use of the
following language:




68      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
"I hope my dear Parents will not infer
from what I have written, that I am discontented or unhappy, for I really am not. I
was never happier in my life. That we have
trials and some hardships, which call for the
exercise of patience and fortitude, I will not
pretend to deny. But these trials are much
less than I anticipated, and I feel pleasure in
submitting to all that my Father sees fit to
inflict, that we may give the Bible to the
perishing millions of Burmah. If suffering
is a prerequisite to the emancipation of the heathen from the thraldom of superstition and
idolatry,-I am willing to suffer as long as
life lasts, to accomplish my part of the work,
for I feel that my happiness is intimately
connected with that of this degraded,
wretched people. Trials and hardships I expected, when I decided to devote my poor,
feeble efforts to the cause of degraded Burmah; —and thus far I can say, I feel sincerely
grateful for privations, because they enable
me more fully to appreciate the blessings I
have enjoyed. How very little of real gratitude did I ever feel in America for the everyday comforts and blessings of life with which




SWEETNESS OF GRATITUDE.       (j)
I was favored. How very little value, comparatively speaking, did I place upon these
blessings-yet without them I have found
more enjoyment since I came on board ship,
from the exercise of gratitude than I ever experienced from possessing them.
" With regard to my sickness, I feel most
grateful to my Heavenly Father for afflicting
me. Mercy has been mingled with chastisement, and I can say,'it is good for me that
I have been afflicted.''All I meet I find assists me,
In my path to heavenly joy,
Where, tho' trials now attend me
Trials never more annoy."'
Again her Journal reads thus.
" The heat during last week has been very
oppressive, insomuch that we ventured on
deck only at evening after sunset. At night
the air is very much confined in our little
state room, so as to banish sleep almost
entirely. The only relief I can find is in
constantly turning myself and my pillow
from one side to the other, and even then,-' It is but poor relief I gain,
To change the place, but keep the pain.'




TO0   MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
"And now, methinks, my dear parents are
ready to ask, Is not Sarah satisfied with a
Missionary life? Is she not now willing to
return to her happy home-to the bosom of
her friends-to the pleasures, conveniences
and luxuries of civilized life? But my beloved parents, dear as you are to my heart,
and highly as I prize these enjoyments;
much as I value personal ease, and deprecate privation, I can give but one, and that
a hearty answer, No! No! I do not, I can
not, regret that I have entered on a life of
toil and suffering for the sake of the poor
heathen. When I have been suffering most,
the work before me has appeared even more
delightful, and the souls of the heathen more
precious if possible, than during that hour
which reported in heaven, my first solemn
consecration of myself and mine to the cause
of Burmah; and I have felt an indescribable
peace, yea, joy in suffering for its sake.
You know, my dear parents, I felt an assurance that God directed me to take the step
I did take, on the evening of the first of
January, 1833, and that this was the abiding
conviction of my heart, while I remained




SATISFACTION UNDER TRIALS.    71
with you. I am sure nought but a full,
forcible conviction that I was doing the will
of my Heavenly Father could have supported-yea cheered me during that never to
be forgotten hour, in which I waved a last
adieu to beloved friends, to you, my dear
parents, and my brothers and sisters-and
smiled a long and last'farewell' to my
native hills; and this same feeling has been
my consolation on board ship, while'tossing
to and fro unto the dawning of the day."'
At another time when nearing the expected port, she thus expresses herself.
"Monday, Nov. 17. Yesterday was the
sacred Sabbath. I went on deck all day to
attend worship; in the morning brother
D-     preached, and in the afternoon Mr.
Comstock spoke from Jeremiah 17, 9. It will
probably be his last sermon on board the
Cashmere, as three weeks will elapse ere it
comes his turn again, but we hope that three
weeks from yesterday will find us worshiping in the Zayat with redeemed Burmans.
I think yesterday was the happiest day of
my sojourn on board ship. I have not before enjoyed so sweet and intimate com



72     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
munion with heaven-have not found as
near access to the Throne of Grace, nor felt
as deeply for the poor heathen.
"Mr. C —     mentioned in his prayer the
wide contrast that existed between us and the
perishing Burmans;-that while we were
bowing before the only living God, and
worshiping the Saviour of the lost, they were
paying homage to senseless idols. I do
not know that I ever realized so deeply before, my high privileges, or their awful degradation; and when I thought, that ours was
destined to be the high privilege of giving
them the precious Bible, and of introducing
the Babe of Bethlehem to their lowly and
cheerless huts, and moreover, that we were
already so near to the full fruition of these
our brightest earthly hopes, I could not repress
tears of heart-felt gratitude-mingled, I
hope, with some degree of humility. 0
my dear parents! do you not, and will you
not continue to mingle your thanksgivings
with ours, for the delightful privileges conferred upon your unworthy children?"
On another occasion we find Mrs. C.,
pacing the desk in the early morning,




THE JOY OF HOPE.          73
watching the light as it begins to break
forth from the east.
"It seemed," she says, "a fit emblem of
the Gospel day which has just begun to
dawn upon the natives of the Orient. O
that the Sun of Righteousness might arise
on them with healing in his beams, and
shine with his mighty power until every
soul shall be illuminated!"
Again, she remarks, "0 I am happy, and
long to be where I am to labor. If bliss
can be found on earthly soil, I think it will
be bliss to live, toil and die for the poor
Burmans, and then to meet them in heaven."
This is strong language, but it was the
heart's true expression, and, that it sprung
from no transient glow of enthusiasm, was
clearly proved by the fact, that when in after
years she had fairly entered upon the toils
of Missionary life, she shrank not from
them; her joy and rejoicing still continued,
and her love and devotion remained to the
end.
Upon the conclusion of their voyage, the
Missionaries spent a short time at Amherst,
after which they proceeded to Maulmain.
7




74      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
While at the former place, Mrs. C. witnessed
for the first time religious services performed in the Pagodas, or places of heathen
worship, and she thus describes her feelings
on this occasion.
" If ever my face was crimsoned by shame,
or my heart smitten with remorse, it was,
when I turned from the display of devotion
and zeal, made by poor deluded wretches to
their unconscious god-and looked upon
the abodes of poverty and misery in which
they were content to dwell, that they might
erect a more splendid habitation for their
object of worship. 0, thought I, if American Christians, (I felt myself unworthy that
sacred name,) did but feel and manifest as
much love and devotion to the'High and
Holy One, who dwelleth not in the temples
made with hands,' how soon should we behold the houses of the living God, towering
on the site of these demolished temples!"
At Amherst also, Mrs. C. visited the grave
of the sainted Mrs. Ann H. Judson, whose
remains rest peacefully beneath the shade
of the far-famed Hopia tree.
"Though I mention it last," she writes,




FEELINGS AT THE GRAVE.        75
MRS. JUDSON'S GRAVE.
"it was the first place we visited. You
cannot imagine, for I cannot describe, the
feelings which agitated my breast as.1
leaned over the dilapidated railing which
enclosed the mouldering dust of this sainted
woman. I felt to consecrate myself anew to
that cause, in which she met a Christian
martyr's glorious death.




76     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
Dujing their residence at Amherst and
Maulmain, Mr. and Mrs. Comstock employed
themselves in studying the language of the
country, and preparing to enter into a permanent field of labor in some one of the provinces of Arracan. This section of the country, at that time, was not only destitute of
religious teachers, but was reputed as very
unhealthy, especially for foreigners.  But
there was no hesitancy on their part to
enter this uninviting region. It was enough
for them to know that hundreds and thousands were living and dying there without a knowledge of a Saviour who died for
their redemption. Trusting in the Lord, they
went boldly forward, and leaving Amherst
and Maulmain, departed for Kyouk Phyoo,
a town in the northern part of RamreQ
island.




CHAPTER V.
Arrival at Kyouk Phyoo-Temporary home-Anxiety to labor-The work commenced-Manners and habits of the Arracanese-Letters to her Parents-to a Christian Physician
-and to the church at Brookline.
Strange scenes the heathen world displays,
Where Boodh his mighty sceptre sways,
And men, to gods of wood and stone,
Bow in their sinful blindness down;
Yet souls immortal here abide,
For whom the Lord of glory died.
THE Missionaries arrived in Kyouk Phyoo
on the 4th of March, 1835, and, until a permanent residence could be arranged for theln,
they were kindly received into the house of
Mr. Adams, at that time master intendant of
the port. This gentleman treated them with
great cordiality and attention, and strove to
induce them to remain in his family until the
rainy season should be over, alleging that
they would be much more comfortable than
elsewhere. But he urged his hospitable plea
in vain; they were too anxious to locate
(77)




7 8     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
themselves as soon as possible, where their
usefulness could be decidedly felt.
Let us read Mrs. C.'s own sentiments in
view of this proposal. She says, " Mr. Ahas been extremely kind to us since we have
been here, and is very desirous that we
should stay with him through the rains; he
says he shall be most happy to do any thing
in his power for us, and we shall have all of
one side of his house partitioned off for us,
if we like; and, as another reason why we ought
to stay, he says the little school-house will be
very uncomfortable, and then we have no servants. O! how little does he appreciate the
motives that induced us to leave our native
land and dear friends. How little does he
know of the feelings of our hearts! I suppose there are some in our native land, perhaps even among our dear friends, who
would think us fortunate, and feel that we
should gladly accept such an offer. But
no/ nothing could be more foreign to our
wishes. His house would be a prison to us,
were we obliged to remain in it. So much
show, expense, and equipage, would but ill
coincide with our feelings, or the object we




SPIRIT OF SELF-DENIAL.     7
have in view. No; we came to India expecting a life of toil and hardship; we were
prepared for self-denial and suffering. We
left our beloved friends, only that we might
labor for the souls of dying heathen, and
shall we be drawn aside from our purpose
for the sake of ease and luxury? Shall we
consent to live where the poor heathen would
be excluded, or considered intruders? No!
give me the little bamboo hut amid the natives, and give me a tongue to tell them of
Jesus, and I'll ask no more. 0, how I long
to be engaged in the happy work!"
There was much truth in the remark of
Mrs. C -, that this gentleman did not know
or appreciate the motives by which the Missionaries were actuated in persuading them
to remain quiet during the rainy season. It
is difficult for the worldly heart that has
never known the exceeding love of God as
the renewed soul perceives and feels it, to
comprehend the kindred affection the Mis
sionary has for his perishing fellow men,
when, to do them good, he is willing to practise self-denial, and endure long privation
and suffering. To such a one, the burning




80      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
zeal of a servant of God appears but the
intense devotion of an enthusiast,-the offspring of a generous philanthropy, that has
been nurtured and cherished until it has become a nucleus that has gathered to itself
all the emotions and energies of the soul.
It is a noble thing to accomplish good for
time, but it is nobler to toil for benefit that
shall be eternal. To one who believes and
feels the truth of this, moments are precious
and delays sources of regret.
As soon as practicable, therefore, Mr. and
Mrs. Comstock were settled in their new
but humble home, where they were only too
thankful to be visited by the poor degraded
heathen, that they might tell them the way
of salvation.
At this station (Kyouk Phyoo) they remained a little more than two years, laboring in various ways for the spiritual benefit
of this destitute people.
A great part of this province is mountainous, and much is jungle or uncultivated
land. The people live in small villages scattered over the surface of the country; consequently, it was necessary for Mr. C — to




LABORS AT KYOUK PHYOO.        81
perform much itinerant labor in the vicinity
as well as in Kyouk Phyoo. This carried
him often from home into various scenes and
places, where he scattered little tracts, like
way-side seed sown in hard and unfruitful
soil. Mrs. C — remaining chiefly in Kyouk Phyoo, where she organized a school for
boys, imparting instruction in English and
Burman.
The following letter, written at this time
by Mr. C —, is interesting from its graphical description of the manners and scenes
of their new country and home. It is addressed to a sister of Mrs. Comstock.
"Kyouk Phyoo, April 24, 1835.
"MY DEAR SISTER,
"I doubt not that your imagination often
busies itself in endeavoring to present to
your view our situation as it really is, but
its efforts are all in vain. There is nothing
in America with which things in India can
be compared. Nature here puts on an aspect
different from any which she has ever presented to your view. The habits of the people, etc., are as peculiar to the country as is




82      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
its natural scenery. Now, during the hot
season, it appears as if burning sands, and
sterile wastes were the principal characteristics of the region about us.    Several
stately trees are in sight of our house, but
they have not the plenteous and rich foliage
of similar trees in America. In a jungle (a
parcel of uncultivated land) near us, stunted
shrubs and wild vines cover much of the
ground. We have no pleasant groves, and
but few indifferent gardens. Well, say you,
this is rather a sorry scene; but were you
here, it would strike you as being so much
in consonance with the climate, etc., that you
would not regard it as singular, or at all out
of place.
"A native village is just in front of our
house. The houses are generally raised
some four or six feet from the ground, their
average height from the floor to the ridgepole is eight or ten feet, and they are fifteen,
twenty, or twenty-five feet square. Under,
or in them, are the men, women, and children, as well as all their domestic animals.
The sleeping, cooking, eating, and sitting
are all done in one room. As they have no




DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVES.   83
fire-places or chimneys, the houses sometimes smoke. The natives are much smaller
than Americans, and cannot do more than a
-quarter of their work. This, however, is, I
think, one of the unavoidable effects of a hot
climate, and, one for which a God of wisdom
and benevolence has provided, by giving the
inhabitants a comfortable subsistence at the
expense of very little hard labor. The food
is rice and other vegetables, with fish occasionally. The dress of men is a piece of
cloth, three or four yards long, wrapped
round the middle, with another smaller one
wrapped around the head.    The women
dress rather more, and the children, under
seven or eight years of age, not/at all. Almost
all are very slovenly and dirty in their appearance. They do not appear as intelligent
as the inhabitants of America; but how
much of this is to be ascribed to natural
causes, I cannot say; I think, however, that
true religion, and true science would do
much to remove it. The people are all lazy,
working only when they cannot well avoid
it. They are very much attached to the customs of their fathers.




84     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
"All their communication between places
at any distance from each other is by water.
This circumstance, with that of their frequent bathings, renders the people almostamphibious. Till a person has been a short
time in the country, many things seem
strange which in a little while become familiar and natural. If you sail in a boat, you
are carried to and from it on the shoulders
of men. If you ride out on a pony, a servant must follow, to hold the horse and
assist you to mount or dismount, if needful.
If you ride on an elephant, which is very
customary with foreigners here, of course a
servant strides his neck to guide him, and
frequently others follow. It is much more
comfortable and pleasant, riding on an elephant, than one would imagine without a
trial. I have neither pony nor elephant,
but through the politeness of friends have
rode on both, and of course have done so in
the English style. The palanquin, or tonjon,
which is a vehicle borne on men's shoulders,
I have not yet tried.
"Few of the English officers carry their
own umbrellas, if they happen to walk out




NATIVE HABITS AND RELIGION.   85
in the sun; or if they walk out when there
is no sun, they are seldom attended by less
than two servants. These fashions, as you
would suppose, are not followed by the
Missionaries. I have now almost filled a
letter with a description of things here, and
I fear your ideas respecting them will not be
much more definite or correct after you have
read it, than they were before.
"If you think I have devoted too much
time and space to these things, I can only
say that my aim has been to gratify a curiosity which I deem innocent. I know and
feel that the interest of the Missionary and
of Christians at home, should be in the religious state of the heathen. On this subject
I have as yet very little of interest to communicate. The religion of the Arracanese is
the same as that of the Burmans, Boodhism,
and it is indeed a most desolate system. I
have not as yet found the man who could
speak with any kind of confidence in reference to his state beyond the grave. All
say, when closely pressed, that they know
not where they shall go, when they die. 0
8




86     MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
that they were wise and would accept the
proffered mercy!
"Their attention to religious instruction
is very encouraging, but they are very dark,
and need'line upon line, precept upon precept.' I frequently have opportunities of
talking to assemblies of six, ten, twenty or
thirty, and Mrs. C- has quite a number
of female visitors. Our location is a good
one, and I feel some gratitude, I trust, that
God has given me the privilege of laboring
here. I want more faith, love, and zeal; for
these, strive together with me in your
prayers."
It cannot here be uninteresting to know,
from her own pen, in what way Mrs. Comstock spent her time, and what were the
feelings which agitated her bosom in the
earlier stages of her Missionary career.
Here is a letter which will instruct us in
these matters.
"Kyouk Phyoo, Feb. 22, 1836.
"MY BELOVED PARENTS:
"Though wearied by the duties of the
day, I sit down at ten o'clock to write you a




A DAY OF INQUIRY.         S7
few lines. I am alone, at the Mission Cottage, as Mr. C. is residing a few weeks in
the destitute region of Ramree, employed in
preaching Christ, and distributing tracts.
From morning until after dark, I have been
constantly employed to-day, in telling the
multitudes of heathen who have crowded
around my door, of the love of Jesus to
dying Arracan. For a week past, there has
been an increase of inquirers, but this day
has surpassed all others. I have scarcely
had time to eat. Nor have I felt any appetite for earthly food; my soul has been satisfied with meat which the world knows not
of. My congregations to-day were chiefly
composed of men; and among them not a
few whose furrowed brows, and silver locks
proclaimed them ripe for the grave! O
that I might add-for the joys of Paradise!
But, alas, they reject that precious-only
name by which they can be saved. They
have listened attentively, however, to the
story of the cross, and begged for'a book
which would tell them about this Jesus
Christ, who pities sinners.'
"This has not been the case with all, how



88     MEMOIR OF IRS. COMSTOCK.
ever. One assembly of about a dozen young
men came and sat down with a haughty air,
which told me they had come to sneer. I
verily felt for their souls, and tried to tell
them, respectfully and affectionately, that for
them, a precious Saviour bled and died. But
the curling lip, and sullen silence with which
they listened, showed that they scorned the
message. As I was saying,'God is a holy
God, heaven a holy place, and no unholy being
can dwell there; therefore, Jesus Christ so
loved sinful men, that he left the glory and
happiness of heaven, and came, and endured
suffering, poverty, and death, to atone for
their guilt and save them from hell'-as I
uttered this sentence, one young man rose in
a state of rage, and with a single expression
of his displeasure, left, and the others immediately followed. I said,'Will you take a
book, and examine, that you may ascertain
the truth?' Some did not reply, but walked
haughtily away; others said,'We don't want
your books.'
"For a few moments I felt somewhat dejected, but soon recollected, that nothing but
the influences of the Holy Spirit could con



A DAY OF HAPPY TOIL.       89
vert those who had promised most, and that
Power was adequate to the transformation of
even the most obdurate heart. This inspired
new courage, and I soon had another large
assembly of old men, who listened, for the
first time, to tidings of an Eternal God, and
our Almighty Saviour. These remained until
after dark; and this evening, I have been
employed two hours in instructing a little
boy and Rakaing man who live in my family. The latter came in, saying,'he very
much desired to listen to my words respecting the Eternal God, and his excellent Son;
because his eyes were so poor that he could
not see to read, and he wanted to know the
truth.' Since that time, I have had to attend
to domestic affairs a little; and this is the
first moment of leisure I have had. This has
been truly a happy day.
"Language fails to describe the anguish I
endured when called to part from my beloved home,-from you, my revered parents,
and the endeared ones I had so long and
fondly loved. But I must say, one day of
such sweet, heavenly toil as this, more than
compensates for all. Yes, let me here labor




90      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and die in such a cause, and I will envy not
the affluent, wise, or honorable of this world.' In these deserts let me labor,
On these mountains let me tell
How HE died.'
"It is too late to write more, and praying
that you, my beloved parents, may be wise
to win souls to God, and enjoy daily a rich
foretaste of heaven, I wish you'good-night.' 
If it were possible still to doubt whether
our friend possessed a true Missionary spirit,
we have before us a letter to a relative, a
pious physician, which will show how her
heart desired others, as well as herself, to
labor for Christ, and for the welfare of the
bodies and souls of men.
" Kyouk Phyoo, May 8, 1836.
" DEAR COUSIN W -
"Many thanks for your's of July 20,
1835; it was read with pleasure and gratitude. Its brevity was its only fault. I have
much that I wish to say in reply, but have a
mere fragment of time for writing; you will
therefore pardon the liberty I take in telling




TO A CHRISTIAN PHYSICIAN.    91
you freely the thoughts which have often,
very often, presented themselves to my mind
respecting you, since I have been in this country. When I have looked around on the poverty, degradation, and wretchedness, which
everywhere meet my view,-when I have
thought of the eternity on which the Christless idolaters are daily entering,-when I
listen to the cries for'a Jesus Christ's
teacher' which are wafted to us from every
part of this populous, but destitute province;
the inquiry has involuntarily risen, Who will
pity,-who will come and tell these hundreds
of thousands of dying idolaters, of Jesus, the
heathen's Saviour? Will no one proffer a
morsel of that'bread of life' which famishing souls so earnestly crave? With these
feelings, my thoughts have often been directed to cousin W-; nor could I forbear
asking, Why cannot he come and teach these
benighted wanderers? If you felt it your
duty, undoubtedly you would do so. But
perhaps you have not thought as much on
the subject as its importance justifies, or even
demands.
"You were once settled in business, and




92      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
probably considered yourself established for
life. But the Lord had other work for you
to do; and to prepare you for it, took away
your health and your business, and gave you
a heart to know and serve Him. You say,
when speaking of your future intentions,
that your feelings have often led your
thoughts towards another profession, but you
think you have not there seen the path of
duty. Methinks the Lord would say in relation to this,'It is well that it was in thine
heart.' But he has directed your attention
to a profession which would tend greatly to
enhance your usefulness, should he call you
to labor for him among the heathen. I
know, my dear cousin, that the talents which
God has given you, are such as would enable
you to be useful anywhere; but could they
not be more profitably employed among the
poor Saviourless heathen, than in a land overflowing with precious, but in many cases,
abused Gospel privileges?
" You are not aware how very useful Christian physicians might be here, and how loud
is the call for them. Yet among all the Missionaries of the Baptist Board in India, there




CALLS FOR CHRISTIAN AID.     93
is not, I believe one. Scarcely a day passes,
but we have calls for medical aid; and notwithstanding our almost entire ignorance on
the subject, we try to do what we can. Yet
we often have cases presented to us, which
we cannot, we dare not, in our ignorance
undertake. 0, how would your heart bleed
to behold the wretched objects which sometimes present themselves before our door to
crave pity, and a little medical assistance!
We often feel our blood chilled, and our
souls pained by the sight of misery, which it
is not in our power to alleviate. I can speak
from observation only of this place. I know
that this province is in a destitute dying
condition.
"But the field is the world! What an
encouraging field does China present to the
philanthropist, the physician, the Christian,
and the Missionary! But where all these are
united, who can calculate the amount of good
an individual may accomplish in such a
place? Besides this, you can scarcely turn
your eye to any part of this eastern world,
from which you might not hear a cry for
help. Many, many times, before I received




94     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
your letter, or knew anything of the course
you were pursuing, did the thought present
itself to my mind, and once or twice I said
to Mr. C.'If cousin W —     would study
medicine, and come out as a Missionary, how
useful he might be 1'
"The receipt of your letter made me feel
that your holy mother's prayers would be
answered-'that the Lord would make
W — -  a Christian, and a minister, or a
Missionary.' You know something of your
mother's feelings towards you, of her ardent
affection, and above all, her desire for your
spiritual interestsl On the last point, her
feelings, towards the close of her life, were
unusually strong. A  few days before her
death, a Christian friend who called, prayed
with her; and I can never forget the expression of her countenance as she thanked
her'for remembering her children.' She
was so weak, that she spoke with difficulty,
yet she mentioned each of them, and added,
while the tears rolled down her emaciated
cheeks,'and there's W —. I think a
great deal about him; the Lord has been
very good to me and my children; and I




APPEAL FOR THE HEATHEN.      95
nave one desire for him, and sometimes I feel
that the Lord will answer my prayers for
him when I am gone.' These were the
last words I ever heard her utter on this
subject.
"But I return. The cries for a'Jesus
Christ's teacher,' which are coming from
every part of this destitute province, and
from various other places, are, and must be in
vain, unless Christians in America will pity
and come to their aid. And may I not ask
you, dear cousin, not to decide to settle
down as a physician, in Christian America,
without asking your conscience, and your
God, whether it be your duty, or not, to
come and point these poor idol-worshipers
to their God and Redeemer. Do think of the
millions of souls who have no one to tell
them of Him who died to ransom them from
hell. Think of them in the light of that day
when you will meet them in all their sins,
and in all their ignorance of a Saviour's
atoning blood, at the judgment-seat. You
will think I have used great freedom, but I
know you will pardon me. I have witnessed the wretchedness and destitution of




96     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
these poor souls, and I feel that I must plead
for them."
It could not be otherwise than that the
members of the church at Brookline, who
had felt so intense an interest in the Mission
of their beloved sister, and who had presented many fervent prayers on her behalf,
should wait with earnest desire to hear from
her; and it will be easily imagined that they
listened with almost breathless attention to a
letter from her own hand, dated
"Kyouk Phyoo, July 3, 1836.
"To the Baptist Church, Brookline.
"DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS,"It is just two years and one month today, since I last sat down with you at the
table of our Lord, to commemorate his dying
love. Can I ever forget the emotions which
agitated my breast at that time? Can I ever
forget the many precious seasons of'communion with God,' which I have enjoyed with
you in the consecrated place of your Sabbath
solemnities; when we have sat under the
Saviour's'shadow with great delight, and
found his fruit sweet unto our taste?' Can




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.       97
I ever cease to love those revered fathers and
mothers,-those endeared brethren and sisters,-with whom I first celebrated that holy
ordinance? No. Though I may never be
permitted to meet you on earth;-though I
may no more unite in your sacred Sabbath
services, memory will ever delight to dwell
on the cherished joys of the past; and this
heart must cease its pulsations, ere I cease to
love,-ere I cease to pray for the prosperity
of that dear church, who were the guardians
and counsellors of my spiritual infancy, and
with whom I first found the blessedness of'denying self,' and'bearing the cross.' I
look back with deep regret upon my unfaithfulness, as a daughter, a sister, a Sabbathschool teacher, and as a Christian, while I
shared with you the privileges of the Christian Church.
" The sad recollection of all my apathy,my sinful conformity to the world, has emembittered many an hour since I have been
deprived of those privileges, and have been
so near a stranger to Christian society. But
Christ came to save the very chief of sinners,
therefore, I have hope, that from the multi9




98     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
tude of my transgressions, his free grace will
ultimately deliver me; and that, when the children of the kingdom shall be gathered, from
the east and from the west, from the north and
from the south, I may again be permitted to
join you in our Father's house, and unite with
you in an eternal song of praise to'redeeming grace and dying love.' And, O! shall I
not then have the pleasure of introducing to
you some of these benighted children of
Arracan, who, in answer to your prayers,
have been taught the way of life?
" I received a letter yesterday, from our
dear pastor, which assured us that we were
still remembered in your prayers. And to
say that the assurance greatly cheered and
encouraged our hearts, would but feebly express our feelings. We have now been
widely separated for two years, and I began
to feel that we might possibly be forgotten,
even by those who so affectionately pledged
their payers. But to know that we are still
remembered, and still have an interest in
your intercessions with the Father, greatly
revives our spirits, and incites us to renewed
ardor in prosecuting our difficult but delight



SABBATH EMPLOYMENTS.       I0
ful labor; and may you receive your reward
when you meet these now poor deluded
idolaters at the judgment seat!
"You will perhaps wish to know how I
pass my time,-what are my employments,
etc. Our days are spent entirely among the
degraded heathen, who care not for' the living God,' reject the precious Saviour, and despise us as'the teachers of his law.' We
have no Christian associates, with whom to
take counsel on the things that relate to our
spiritual welfare. There are a few English
here, but they seem to care little about real
religion, and spend the Sabbath of that God
whom they acknowledge with their lips, as
if it were no more sacred than other days;
and this, too, in the sight of poor, ignorant
beings, who judge of the Christian's God
only by the conduct of those who profess to
be governed by his law. No church-going
bell summons us, as formerly, to the assembly of the saints; but we feel the Sabbath
to be a precious privilege, and we try to spend
it profitably.
" Immediately after family worship on Sabbath morning, we meet the children of the




100     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
two schools, and endeavor to lead their benighted minds to the heathen's Saviour; but
it is not like a Sabbath school in a Christian
land. It is with the utmost difficulty that
we cal gain the attention of these ignorant
children. An insect or a straw seems to possess greater interest for them than any thing
we can say about the blessed Jesus. They
hear that the precious Son of God suffered
and died on the cross to redeem the little
children of Arracan from a dreadful hell,
with the most perfect indifference, and even
levity. After the Sabbath school we have
public worship in the native language; this is
attended by few except the schools, and those
more immediately connected with us. Occasionally, some passer-by is attracted to the
door, where he listens for awhile to the word
of life. After native service, Mr. Comstock
and myself observe a season of worship in
our own house, and once in two months we
are permitted to commemorate the dying love
of Christ. Though but two solitary individuals, in a heathen land, we are not denied
this sweetest of privileges. It has this afternoon been ours, and I have found it truly a




MISSIONARY LABOR.        101
refreshing season to my soul. Our hum.
ble thatch does not exclude the precious
Saviour. He has to-day graciously vouchsafed his presence, and'his banner over us
has been love.' We have found it good to
eat and drink in remembrance of His dying
love for such sinners as we are. 0, may it
not be long ere redeemed heathen are sharers
with us in this heaven-bought privilege! On
Sabbath evenings we have had English worship at our house, principally for the benefit
of the drummers and some others connected
with the regiment stationed here, who are
almost as ignorant as the heathen themselves. They do not feel sufficient interest,
however, to attend since the rains commenced, and'lo! we turn to the heathen.'
We shall hereafter devote Sabbath evening
to native worship.
"During the week, I spend my time from
nine A. M., till three P. M., in the schools. I
have daily applications for medicines, and
sometimes I am entirely occupied out of
school hours in attending to the sick. When
any are too ill to come to the Mission-house,
I go to their huts, and administer to their




102     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
wants. The Lord has been very good to us,
and has granted us greater success than we,
in our ignorance of diseases, had reason to
expect. We have frequently been called to
treat cases which the native doctors have
long and vainly attempted to cure; and as
they have been benefited by the treatment
received here, we have acquired great influence over them, besides the opportunity of
telling them of Christ.
" My paper is filled, and I am compelled
to close. I can only add that I find Missionary labor as delightful as I ever anticipated it to be, and rejoice that the Lord has
permitted me to leave those dearest to me
on earth, and be the messenger of his love
to dying heathen.
"That the Lord may be with and bless
you, and your beloved pastor, and make you
a rich blessing to the world, shall ever be
the prayer of one who ceases not to cherish
the liveliest interest in the welfare of the
little Baptist Church in her native place.
"Affectionately yours, in a precious Saviour,
S. D. C."




CHAPTER VI.
Church constituted in Kyouk Phyoo-Ill health of the Missionaries-Death of Mr. and Mrs. Hall-Earnest plea for
the cause of Missions-Increased ill health-Temporary
removal to Maulmain-Necessity of relinquishing the
station at Kyouk Phyoo-Letter of Mrs. Comstock.
Then trials came, and stern disease,
That made her oft its preyAnd men from God's own holy word
Would rudely turn away.
Still undismayed she labored onNor fear nor doubt deterred;
A faith sublime beheld afar
The harvest long deferred.
IN 1837, on the twenty-first of February,
a church was constituted in Kyouk Phyoo.
It was composed of the Missionaries, and
native assistants, also the wife of one of the
latter. Only eight disciples, and a part of
these once heathen idolaters, were assembled
to commemorate His death, who said, "Do
this in remembrance of me." But they recalled the precious words of their Saviour
when he said, "Where two           or three   are
(103)




104     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
gathered together in my name, there am I
in the midst of them;" and though a small
and feeble band, they rejoiced in the tokens
of his presence, and felt encouraged and
strengthened to go forward trusting in Him.
Mr. Comstock recounts this event in his
journal as one of great interest. "O may
the little church now formed," he says, "be
abundantly blessed of God, and soon embrace multitudes of these perishing idolaters."
In the progress of Mr. and Mrs. Comstock's
labors in this place, they suffered at intervals much discomfort and sickness from the
unhealthiness of the climate. Frequent and
sudden changes of weather, combined with
unavoidable exposures, seriously affected
them. At certain seasons, the atmosphere
was decidedly injurious, in consequence of
stagnant air given off from marshy places
and pools with which the province abounds,
occasioning a kind of malaria; this prevails
chiefly after the heavy rains, when the rays
of a burning sun fall upon the humid soil.
But far more trying to their spirits than
any amount of bodily pain and discomfort,




DEATH OF FELLOW-LABORERS.    105
was the severe affliction they sustained in
the death of Mr. and Mrs. Hall, who had
been sent out by the board to aid the Mission at Arracan. They died within a few
months of each other of fever common to the
country. Fond hopes which were depending
on the support and companionship of these
beloved fellow-laborers, were thus suddenly
cut off; but though the ways of Providence
appeared so dark and inscrutable, the Missionaries endeavored to feel tliat all was
right.  At such a period, when laborers
were so few in Arracan, and the field appeared so vast and important, it was indeed
a peculiar and mysterious visitation, but He
whose "ways are not as our ways," saw fit to
remove his servants thus early to His holier
service above.
Says Mr. Comstock on this sad event:
"We deeply feel our loss, but knowing
that a kind and wise Father has seen this
affliction to be necessary, we bow submissively to His will, and pray that it may be
sanctified to our good, and to that of the
heathen; and also excite the friends of Missions in America to more vigorous efforts




106    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
for the extension of Christ's kingdom over
the whole earth."
It was about this time that Mrs. Comstock
wrote also:
"Shall not our hands be strengthened, and
our hearts encouraged ere long by some
faithful fellow-laborers from America?
Thousands of souls, precious souls, who have
never heard of a Saviour, of an Eternal God,
or an endless hell, are going down to death
without a voice of compassion to warn them
of their awful doom. 0 that some of those
who profess to love Jesus and His cause,
but who yet remain inactive at home, could
cast one look on Arracan with her hundreds
of thousands of idolatrous sons. If there
existed a spark of that love which'seeketh
not her own' in their hearts, pity for the
perishing would melt them, and love to
Jesus would move them to activity.'Tis
true, these Arracanese do not themselves call
for help-and why?-Because they are
heathen as their ancestors have been generation after generation before them.  They
love their idol gods, and bow down to them
in adoration, because they know not that




NEED OF MORE PRAYER.       107
there is a higher, holier Being, than he whom
their senseless images represent. Yes, dear,
favored sister, it is a heart-rending truth,
that there are here, thousands of immortal
spirits, precious as our own, who have never
heard of One mighty to save, and who are
not likely to have the illusions that superstition and idolatry have thrown around them
dissipated, save by the light of eternity;
unless indeed, some, whom God has blessed
with the light of religion, shall feel their
hearts touched with pity, and shall cry,'Lord
here am I; send me to the poor Arracanese,
send me to the wandering sons of the mountains, the benighted Kayens.'
" I fear, dear sister, you, and other Christians in America do not feel enough, do not
pray enough for the poor heathen, and poor
Missionaries, or at least, do not feel in the
right way. You need not feel more for a
Missionary's privations or hardships. They
ask not your sympathy, they need it not in this
respect, but they do need your frequent, fervent prayers, that they may be more holy and
Christ-like, that they may have grace to
stem  the tide of worldly influence and




108     MEMOIR OF SIRS. COMSTOCK.
sin, that deluges this country. Where, even
among professed Christians, do we see anything but worldliness, disregard of God's
commands, and almost universal daring,
shame-faced iniquity?! how would your
heart bleed by a glance at European society
in India! I used to feel while in America
(I believe it is a rather widely disseminated
feeling) that Missionaries should be almost
of necessity, that they could scarcely help being
eminently holy; that holiness would follow a
Missionary life almost intuitively. But since
I have seen the influence, almost without exception, worse than worldly, by which they
are surrounded, I wonder that they are not
carried away more, by the error of the
wicked; or rather, (for I know there is no excuse for any one who is not eminently holy)
I am led to praise more loudly that sustaintaining grace, that keeps them from falling
and makes them happy in their labors while
deprived of the multiplied means of grace
they once enjoyed.
"Again, you who are among civilized
people, know nothing of the opposition and
reproach which a Christian must receive




REMOVAL FROM KYOUK PHYOO.     109
from the heathen; true, there may be some
sunny spots in the Missionary's career, when
they who hear,'receive the word gladly;'
but to how great a majority does the story
of a precious Saviour's love seem but an
idle tale."
In the second year of their residence
at Kyouk Phyoo, the illness of Mr. and
Mrs. Comstock became so frequent and severe, that they were obliged to consider the
expediency of abandoning the station for a
season, until a better degree of health should
be given them. This consideration, much to
their regret, soon became an imperative necessity, otherwise it became evident their labors would soon cease altogether. Accordingly, they removed at the close of December,
1837, to Calcutta, and from thence to Maulmain, which they reached on the 7th of April,
1838.
They became fully, though sadly, convinced of the necessity of relinquishing Kyouk Phyoo, for a healthier place of permanent residence.
"Of fifty-three Europeans," wrote Mr. C.
to the Board, "who have resided there since
10




110    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
I have arrived, some for a few months, and
others for two or three years, sixteen have
died, nineteen have been seriously sick, some
at the very point of death, and two or three
others have suffered from sickness; the mortality evidently increases there from year to
year." His conclusion in regard to resuming his labors in Arracan, was, that a station
should be selected more favorable to health,
three of which, Akyab, Ramree, and Sandoway offered themselves for a choice. They
felt they should have no hesitation at returning to one of these after the rains were over,
and they had recovered their health and
strength. Indeed, to use their own language,
" Such was the interest they felt in destitute
Arracan, they know of no place where they
would be more willing to spend the remnant
of their days, provided the Mission there
should be efficiently sustained by the Board."
At about this period the following interesting letter was written by Mrs. C. to her sister:
" MY BELOVED SISTER,"You are probably about to repair to
the sanctuary of the Most High, there to




MEANS OF GRACE.         ll
join kindred spirits in celebrating the praises
of your covenant God, to listen to the voice
of admonition, instruction, and encouragement. What a privilege is this you enjoy,
my sister! You do not, you cannot realize it.
How precious the opportunity you enjoy of
growing in grace, and of acquiring that
knowledge which will increase your usefulness here, and your happiness above! Often,
very often, do I look back with regret upon
the many like precious privileges which I
have misimproved. How much more holy,
more like my Saviour might I, ought I to have
been; how much better qualified for the responsible and difficult station I occupy.
" But the past cannot be recalled. I have
now only to improve the privileges that remain. Though the hallowed sound of the
Sabbath bell may no more salute my ears;
though I may never again enter the Sanctuary of the Most High to mingle the voice
of prayer and praise with the congregation
of the saints, yet ours is a God who will not
turn away from the prayer of humble faith,
even though it ascend from the lowly bungalow, and we yet enjoy the precious Sabbath,




112     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
which we may devote more exclusively to
His service. Yes, my dear sister, though we
are in a heathen land, far, far from those who
own and love our Saviour, we have still
many privileges, precious privileges,'left;
and though we feel the loss of the many
means of grace to which we were formerly
accustomed, if we do not daily make progress
in holiness, we shall be without excuse. The
Bible, the mercy seat, an omnipotent and
merciful God, and an interceding Saviour,
are still ours, and it is the presence of these
that renders a home amid such moral desolation, tolerable, yea, pleasant, and makes us
happy in our loneliness.
"Notwithstanding the deprivation of the
means of grace which we suffer, we would
not exchange our lot. No, each month, and
week, and day, attaches new importance to
this fearfully responsible work in which we
are employed, and awakens new compassion
for the wretched thousands around us; and
were we desired to select a dwelling place
from the fce of the whole earth, poor, degraded,
desolate Arracan should be the spot of our
choice."




CHAPTER VII.
Mission reopened at Ramree-Church constituted-Extraordinary deliverance-Baptism of Gra Bouck-Varied Labors-Mother's Book-Letter to a brother-Letters to her
eldest little daughter on her birth-day-Deep interest in
religious intelligence-Anxiety for her own spiritual welfare-Letters.
Ever striving, never weary,
Healing hearts with sorrow riven,
To thoms darkened homes, and dreary,
Bearing radiant beams from heaven;
With a strong heart's deep devotion,
Thus she still the work pursued,
Evening closed o'er warm emotion,
Morning light the toil renewed.
FOR nearly a year the Missionaries continued in Maulmain, and, by the blessing of
God, the result of this change was the happy
restoration of their much impaired          health.
In   the   interval   Mr. Comstock       was    engaged in preaching in various places, distributing tracts, and preparing useful religious
books for printing in the Burman language;
while Mrs. C. prosecuted her labors of love
(113)




114:    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
with untiring zeal, as her enfeebled frame recovered its exhausted powers.
They now desired to return to Arracan,
and after some deliberation, they selected
Ramree as a place of residence, in consequence of its reputation for salubrity and advantages for successful Missionary labor.
They arrived here on the evening of the
10th of April, 1839.
The town of Ramree contained nearly four
times the population of Kyouk Phyoo, numbering over six thousand inhabitants. The
district of Ramree, including the capital, contained sixty-three thousand. The people appeared to Mr. Comstock to be more intelligent, and willing to be instructed in religious
things. Less opposition and apathy were
manifested, and labor seemed not without
hope.
On the 29th of May, in the same year,
Mr. and Mrs. Comstock, together with Mr.
and Mrs. Stilson, Missionaries in another section of the district, constituted a church at
Ramree, to which was afterwards added seven
hopefully converted native assistants who
had accompanied them from Maulmain. A




LETTER TO HER MOTHER.      115
small and feeble band, but yet strong in the
faith which is in Christ Jesus. Well might
Mr. Comstock exclaim, in view of their
limited numbers: " O, let not the large and
flourishing churches in America forget the
little churches just struggling into life in
this heathen land."
An extract from a letter addressed in the
early part of the following year, by Mrs.
Comstock to her mother, will show something of her feelings as a Christian, while it
narrates an extraordinary deliverance effected by the good hand of God, in the hour
of peril.
" God has indeed been very good to us as
a family. I may emphatically say,'His
mercies are new every morning, and fresh
every moment.' I have often thought that
there is no one who shares more largely in
his rich blessings than I do; yet it is too
true, that there never was a heart so base, so
vile as mine; so faithless to its promises,
and so prone to sin.
" Last night we went over to Brother Stilson's, to attend our usual Thursday evening
prayer meeting. It was Mr. C.'s turn to




116    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
lead the exercises of the evening. While he
was reading, and remarking on what he
read, my thoughts were truant, and I was
considering whether the moon would be up
for us to go home; whether there would be
any danger of tigers; and what we should
do if one were to jump out upon us, etc., etc.
Just then my thoughts were recalled by remarks on the words,'Fear not, ye are
of more value than many sparrows. Are
not the hairs of your head all numbered,' etc.
I felt reproved for my wandering anxiety,
and realized, in some degree, that we could
be overcome by no dangers that were not
sent by our heavenly Father. Well, we got
home safely by the light of a fine, clear
moon, and guarded by an unfailing shield.
We found L. and 0. with their night gowns
on, lying under the table, and by their conversation, which we overheard, they were
intending to hide themselves from Papa and
Mamma. Iowever, as soon as they heard
our footsteps, they forgot their design, and
came bounding out with pillow in hand to
meet us.   I immediately took   Robert
Stearns, and sent my Mug woman off, telling




PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE.   117
her not to stop to shut the doors, which she
usually does.
"After L. 0. and R. S. were in bed and
asleep, I went into my bathing room, to see
if the outside door was shut and tied
Between my bed-room, and the bathing
room is a narrow passage, in which is placed
a stand and basin, or wash-bowl, leaving
merely room enough to pass through. I had
passed the stand, and finding all tied up
secure, turned to go back. Just then my
eye fell on something which lay coiled up
on the wash-stand. It looked like a piece
of old cable, and I supposed the children
had found it somewhere, and going there to
wash their hands, had laid it down. Fortunately I had a light in my right hand. (I
had just before been through in the dark.)
I held it close to the object, when lo, and
behold, the cable turned into a monstrous
snake! His quivering tongue was thrust
out of his mouth, and with his head erect, he
seemed just ready to attack me. His head
was not an inch from my arm, and I could
not possibly get by him. Fortunately the
godown just behind me was ajar. I fled into




118    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
it, and gave one moan, which was all I had
strength to do. It was so sudden a start as
to make me quite faint. Mr. C. came with
his heavy black cane, which Mr. Vinton obtained and gave him for the Karen jungles,
and taking good aim at his head, gave him
a more severe shock than he had given me.
" He was six or seven feet long, and the
next morning the natives seemed quite
horror-stricken when they saw it. When
they were told where we found it, they smote
their breasts and cried,'Amah, Amah!'[' Alas, Alas!'] I asked if it was poisonous,
and they replied,' Hyck helyon tha bo bac;'
['If it bites, it is only for death.'] As soon
as I had recovered a little from the shock,
I felt again condemned for my faithlessness,
and ashamed in view of the continued and
watchful care and kindness of my heavenly
Father, as contrasted with my ingratitude
and worldly mindedness."
A  different scene follows.  The reader
cannot but sympathize with this interesting
little band in the joy they felt on occasion
of their first baptism. Mrs. Comstock thus
describes the scene to her mother under the




THE FIRST BAPTISM.       119
date of April 11, 1842:- "It was an exciting scene here; what would it have been
could it have been witnessed in a Christian
land? It was on a pleasant Sabbath evening, just at the going down of the sun, that
I took Brother Kincaid's arm, and with our
children, and numerous natives, followed Mr.
C. and the candidate towards the banks of
the narrow, but clear pebbly stream, whose
meandering course intersects the town. We
had scarcely set out before we were stopped
by the brother of the candidate, who earnestly warned Mr. C., not to baptize that
man.'He is my brother,' said he,'and
you must take care that you do not break
his caste.' Mr. C. told him that it was at
the request of his brother that he baptized
him, and he must take care that he made no
disturbance.'Remember,' said he,'that
there is a law here, and a magistrate to enforce it.' This, probably, intimidated him a
little, and he walked quietly on. The number of natives constantly increased around
us, all intent on seeing'some new thing,
until we came in sight of Gra Bouck's house.
The crowd collected in front, and nearly




120     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
filled the road. We had fears lest violence
should be resorted to, when they found all
other efforts fail. They had been striving
all the afternoon, by persuasion, entreaties,
and threats, to turn away his mind from the
faith.
"While yet at some distance from the
house, the brother before mentioned came
round in front of us, and began to twist up
his' puoo,' very earnestly, in a manner peculiar to these people, when they are angry
or about to undertake some wonderful thing
Gra Bouck's wife now rushed out from the
crowd around the house with disordered
hair, and her dress loosely hanging around
the lower part of her body. She came running towards us in this plight, brandishing
a great plantain-stalk over her head, and
yelling out in a most unearthly tone,'Take
care, take care, take care. Don't you enter
this religion!' As soon as she reached us,
the shameless woman took hold of her husband's'puoo,' and began to strip it from
him. In this she would have succeeded, had
not Mr. C. caught hold of it, and stayed her
shameful effort. The brother then tore off




RAGE OF A HEATHEN WIFE.     121
his'goung-boung,' or turban, and snatched
away his handkerchief, while his wife laid
the plantain-stalk over his back. It was
now a most exciting scene. Our children,
and Brother K.'s, unused to such sights,
began to cry. Gra Bouck's wife, with a
countenance pale with rage, except round
her mouth and eyes, which were quite purple, was the picture of a very fiend. She
could not command her natural voice, but
with a shrill screaming tone continued to
beat Gra Bouck, (except when Mr. C. intercepted the blows by stepping between them)
and warned him not to dare to destroy his
caste by entering this religion. Then finding her threats of violence lost, she ran be
fore Mr. C., and drawing her hands across
her throat, said,' Here, here, cut my throat.'
"We walked on, as well as the tumult
would admit, towards the banks of the clear,
still river. When near his house, in the
midst of the crowd, Gra Bouck lifted both
hands, and, amid the furious tumult, exclaimed, in a full, clear tone,'All these
people I fear not; I fear the Eternal God
alone!' After this, there was less disturb11




122     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
ance, and we soon reached the baptismal
water. An ample bridge across the river,
just over our heads, was crowded with people,
as also the banks of the river on either side.
Now all was still save the buzzing murmur
of the thousands of voices around us. While
Mr. C. read the solemn baptismal service,
and addressed the assembled multitudes, we
could see people running from all directions,
eager to witness the novel sight.
"It was not decided till noon of the same
day when Gra Bouck should be baptized,
consequently it could not be extensively
known; yet the assembly of people was very
large. It was the first time that the solemn
ordinance of Christian baptism had ever
been administered in Ramree. May it not
be the last by very many, that we shall be
privileged to behold! May it not be long
ere these valleys shall again echo to the
sweet notes of the solemn and beautiful baptismal hymn!
" The rush to the water side was so furious,
that none of us saw the baptism, nor could
we scarcely hear the'I baptize thee in the
name of the Father, etc.' All passed off




JOY OVER THE FIRST FRUITS.  123
quietly, and as the candidate rose from the
water, some one near us called out,'Tha du,
tha du.-[' Well done! well done 1']
" I cannot tell you, dear mother, my feel
ings as I stood amid that crowd at the water
side,-witnessing this'first fruits' of Missionary labor in Ramree. It seemed an earnest of a future blessing. And at the same
time I could say, if we died without seeing
a more abundant blessing, that I could not
regret leaving our home and native land.
The salvation of even one soul would more
than compensate for all. 0 that the Lord
would manifest himself to this devoted city!
I believe fully, that many are convinced. The
Spirit's power alone is wanting. Pray, 0
pray, dear mother, for this richest, best blessing. And may your prayers avail, and bring
in a rich harvest of these poor, perishing
souls. But for this hope of seeing the heathen
turn to Christ, life in this country would-be
an almost intolerable burthen. Such a hope
stimulates and animates us. May the Lord
help us to have and cultivate the Spirit of
Christ in all things, then our labors will not
be in vain."




124    MIEMIOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
How true it is, that the rising churches,
few and weak in heathen lands, need greatly
the thoughtful, earnest prayers of their older
and stronger brethren on our civilized shores.
Our watchcare, and interest, though beginning, should never end at home; but extend
beyond the sea into these regions of moral
darkness, where Gospel light has but newly
come. If grace and strength to resist temptation be needed here, they are doubly needed
there to keep the feet from falling, and the
heart fixed on the commandments of God.
It was under more favorable auspices that
the Mission in Arracan was now re-opened at
Ramree, and the Missionaries looked fondly
forward with the hope that God would graciously bless their labors, and convert many
souls through their instrumentality.
Mrs. Comstock again commenced a school
for boys and girls, some of whom made good
progress under her instructions. She also
loved to gather around her the poor, ignorant females, and tell them of salvation
through a crucified Saviour. Her heart bled
for their reformation spiritually and morally,
as she saw from day to day how the power




LABORS AT RAMREE.        125
of Christianity alone can truly elevate our
social nature and purify the heart. She saw
them as they were, crushed and degraded in
their dark idolatry; and by the eye of faith
she saw them as they might be-raised, enlightened and saved, by the triumph of truth over
error, and the glorious light of that freedom
wherewith Jesus makes us free.
At Ramree, for many years, she taught,
labored  and prayed.   Here she passed
through many seasons of trial and suffering,
and here also her fainting spirits were often
refreshed with manna from on high. She
threw into the work her whole soul. With
her truly there was no half way. She had
laid her all on the altar of God, and no gift
was ever withdrawn from the sacred shrine,
no talent suffered to slumber, but every
energy was aroused to the accomplishment
of God's great work among these destitute
people. The amount of varied labor which
she performed was astonishing. She seems
to have sustained at one and the same time,
the capacity not only of housekeeper, wife,
mother, and school teacher, but that of
preacher, physician, and nurse.




126     MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
In the absence of Mr. C., she herself would
tell to those who came to hear, the story of
a Saviour's love, and point out the way of
salvation. To the sick she would dispense
medicines of various kinds, with much sympathy and skill. Her ear was ever open, to
the call of the afflicted, and her hand ready
to mitigate their suffering. Often would she
leave the couch of her own dear little ones,
and go to the miserable home of some sick
native child, and minister soothingly to the
pangs of disease, or close its eyes in death,
while her lips would speak to the mourning
mother, sweet words of heavenly consolation.
She was particularly interested in mothers
and little children, and by her gentle sympathy and tender interest in their welfare,
she won largely upon the confidence and
affections of the dark, ignorant minds by
which she was surrounded.
Each day of her life, she sought to accomplish as much good as could be crowded
into the limits of its fleeting hours, as though
it were the last she might ever see.
Among her other efforts she found time to
write two useful little books, entitled " The




THE IOTHER'S BOOK.       127
Mother's Book" and "Scripture Catechism."
In the production of the former, she was
deeply interested. Such a work in their
own language, and adapted especially for
their use was greatly needed by the poor
heathen mothers.
The following extract from a letter written
to her sister while it was in progress, will
show how deeply she was absorbed in this
labor of love.
" Ramree, Oct. 30, 1841.
"MY EVER DEAR SISTER:
" There will be an opportunity to send to
Calcutta to-morrow, and I owe you a letter,
and want to write it; but really I am so
tired, I do not know how to begin, and I
have no time. I am preparing a book for
Burman mothers, a work their necessities
have long demanded; but I feel incompetent to the task; especially, as there is no
work in English suited to these poor darkminded sisters. It must be written expressly for them, and modeled to suit their
circumstances.
" But unfit as I am, it seems to have been




128     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
considered my duty, for I have been urged
to it ever since I was at Maulmain. I have
now a good assistant who happened accidentally to come here instead of going to Maulmain, but, as he is expecting every day to
leave for Calcutta, I have to be busy day
and night. I have scarcely leisure to eat or
sleep. If I do sleep, I am lecturing to
mothers. If I attend meeting, my thoughts
are sermonizing instead of listening to sermons; if I read my Bible, (I look at no
other book now,) the first thought is, what
hint shall I get here for mothers. In fact, it
is the all-absorbing subject. I am in too
great haste to think of anything else. When
I get tired out and feel'down-hearted' about
it, I think it will not be good for anything,
and I shall have my labor and weariness to
pay me for my trouble and anxiety. Well,
you will say, if you cannot spare five minutes to write something more interesting
than this, do not waste your paper. I really
would like to interest you, but how? The
most interesting thing to me is, that I have got
the Mothers' Book all prepared in English ex



A HELP TO MOTHERS,      129
cept one chapter, and half done in Burman;
but stop, here is the old subject."
The book was finished, and, though its
earnest Author has long since passed away
from earth, it still lives, and is read by many
a mother in that heathen land, who is guided
by its counsels, cheered and encouraged, and
instructed in the great duties of maternity,
which hitherto were uncared for and unknown.
Her own character as a tender and affectionate mother, and her hallowed example,
gave her peculiar opportunities for happily
influencing those poor heathen females, who
looked up to her as a pattern and guide.
Through this channel she accomplished great
good, the results of which are eternal. The
very tenderness of Mrs. Comstock's own maternal feelings, and the judicious exercise of
those faculties which pertain to a mother,
gave her great power in this respect.
But though thus intensely anxious for the
good of those around her, she had many a
tender thought for the spiritual welfare of
the beloved ones, whom she had left behind
in highly favored America, as yet without a




130     MEMOIR OF AMRS. COMSTOCK.
saving interest in heavenly things. Many
a fervent prayer did she offer in their behalf
at a Throne of Grace, and many a faithful
appeal found its way to them across the wide
ocean, for hers was a large and loving heart,
which knew no narrow bounds in its generous ardor.
We quote an extract from a letter written
by her to a beloved younger brother, urging
upon his serious attention the claims of religion.  After giving a description of the
manners of the heathen, and their spiritual
state, she concludes with the following earnest appeal.
"Thus far I have filled my sheet, yet have
not said one word on that subject which
most intimately concerns you, dear brother,
and most deeply interests me in your behalf.
You have never seen the debasing influence
of heathenism, and you know not how great
a debt of gratitude you owe-'The goodness and the grace
That on your birth have smiled.
Often as I look around me, and survey the
mental waste, that on every side meets my




LETTER TO A BROTHER.      131
view, I am constrained to offer thanksgiving and gratitude, that I, and my beloved
brothers, and sisters were not born in heathen lands, where God was never known.
Then I feel that I ought to labor with all
my might to make my poor dark sisters of
Arracan acquainted with the enlightening
and life-giving power of the Gospel; but
again, the thought returns, what if some of
my dear friends with all their light and all
their privileges should at last go down to
death, eternal death! 0! S —, it would be
more tolerable for these heathen in that day
than for you! I cannot tell you how anxious
I feel lest you should grieve away t};L spirit
of God; nor the anguish of "      u thought,
that in eternity we may     ilore widely
separated than even now. X try to pray the
Father for you; yes, many times each day,
does my voice ascend in supplications for
my far-distant, beloved brothers; but I can
do no more. If you would see God in peace,
if you would dwell in heaven with God,
Christ, and angels, your dear parents,
brothers, and sisters, you must repent now.
When you read this letter will you not re



132     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
solve to improve the remainder of your life
in preparation for death! May I not soon
hear that my brother is resolved to live for
God, heaven, happiness! I shall never see
you more in time, dear S, but may I
not meet you a bright seraph in a world
of bliss.
"Your very affectionate sister,
"S. D. COMSTOCK."
More than one reference has already been
made in this volume to the tender and affectionate feelings of Mrs. Comstock as a mother.
The following letters to her eldest daughter
on her birth-days, of May 8, 1840,'41, and'42, will furnish, among many other acts,
illustrations of her lively concern for the salvation of those who were so nearly committed to her care, and who never ceased to
entwine around her heart.
" Ramree, May 8, 1840.
"To LUCY ON HER BIRTH-DAY,"My dear little daughter, this is your
birth-day. You are five years old. God,
your Father in Heaven, has been very good




LETTER TO HER LITTLE GIRL.  133
to you. He has taken care of you five long
years, and therefore you are now alive and
well. Your papa and mama love you, and delight to supply your wants. But your Father
in heaven will love you, if you are a good
girl, a great deal better than papa and mama
love you, and will take better care of you
than they can do. God gave you your
papa and mama, and your two dear little
brothers. Therefore I hope you will love
the good and kind God with all your heart;
and that you will try to obey your parents,
and love and be kind to your brothers.
Never quarrel with them, but be always
ready to please and assist them.
" Now you will not always do this, unless
you get a new heart. For the heart you now
have is very wicked, and makes you do
wicked things. Then pray to God, my dear
child, every day, for a good, clean heart. If
you want to pray right, God will teach you.
He loves to hear little children pray, and
will listen to your prayers. Do not then, my
dear child, let one day of this year pass, without praying that God will make you a good
girl.
12




134    MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
"Little Sophia Brown died when she was
five years old, but she had a good heart. She
loved Jesus Christ, and was happy when she
died. She is now in heaven with that precious Saviour, who took little children up in
his arms, and blessed them. Now if you are
a good girl, God, your heavenly Father, will
love you. Jesus Christ will love you, and
your papa and mama will be very very happy
Then, when you die, you will go and live in
God's happy home, where all good children
dwell.
"Now, my sweet girl, when you receive
this letter, which your dear mama has written for your birth-day, go and pray to your
Father in heaven, to make you his own dear
child, and ask him to help you through this
year to try to do those things only, which
will please him.
"From your affectionate mama."
" ----, May 8, 1841.
Lt MY OWN DEAR LUC, —
"This is your birth-day. You are six
years old. God, your heavenly Father, has
taken care of you ever since you were a tiny




LETTER TO HER LITTLE GIRL.  135
babe. He has watched over you when you
were awake, and while you were asleep. He
has kept you from all harm. He has healed
you when you have been sick. He has given
you food and clothes, a home and parents.
He has taken care of your dear brothers.
Yet, my dear daughter, you do not love this
kind Father. You grieve him by your sins
every day. You do not love the dear Saviour who died for Lucy. You know, my
dear child, you have a soul that will never
die; and unless you are sorry for your sins,
and pray to God for a new heart, when your
body dies, you will go out of it into that
dreadful place where all wicked people live.
You will not then be able to know more and
more about the good God who made you. You
will never be able to see the Saviour, and
the good and happy people who live with him.
" I wish, Lucy, that you would, to-day, begin to pray to God for a new heart, to help
you to love him, and obey your parents, and
always do what is right. Think how many
times you have sinned against God, and
grieved the precious Saviour. Be sorry for
your sins, and then pray with all your heart.




136    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
God will hear you, for he loves to hear little
children pray. He has heard many little girls
younger than you, and has given them new
hearts. Try then, my dear Lucy, this year, to
be a Christian, and have your name written
in God's book of life.
"If you live till another birth-day, I hope
it will find you a true disciple of Christ, then
it will find you a happy child, loving and
loved by all. You will not live with mama
a great while, but if you are a Christian, I
shall not feel so sad to part with you; because I shall hope to see you in heaven.
Again, let me say, pray for a new heart.' Your affectionate mother."
" ------— May 8, 1842.
"My dear Lucy-this day you are seven
years old. God has watched over you by
day and by night. When you have been
sick, he has made you well; and he has
brought you one year nearer to the grave,
and to an eternity of happiness in heaven, or
misery in hell.
" You are now, my dear Lucy, old enough
to understand that you have a very wicked




LETTER TO HER LITTLE GIRL.  137
heart, that you must be sorry for your many
sins, and believe in the precious Saviour,
who alone can save you from the dreadful
hell which your sins deserve. You know
how great was the love of Jesus Christ for
your soul. You know he came down from
his happy home in heaven, and suffered and
died in this wicked world. All this he did
for you, my dear daughter, yes, for you, to
save you from eternal burnings.
" And can you not, my dear child, love so
kind, so gracious a Friend, one who has loved
you so much? Can you not hate and forsake
those dreadful sins, that make him suffer so
much?   Will you not begin, to-day, dear
Lucy, to love and obey the dear Saviour?
You cannot do it of yourself; but God will
help you, if you pray to Him. He loves to
listen to children's prayers. Ask Him to
teach you how wicked your heart is; to help
you to hate sin, and to love holiness; to
teach you how to pray, so that He can hear
and answer you; to help you to live so that
He can love you as his own dear child.
"This is probably the last birth-day you
will ever spend with your dear parents on




138    MEMOIR OF IRS. COMISTOCK.
earth; but, my dear Lucy, if you do as I
have told you, God will be your Father and
friend; and though we see you no more here,
He will take care of you while you live, and
when you die, will take you to his happy
home above, where we shall hope to meet
you again, and live with you, and love you
for ever and ever. Strive then to be a
Christian now; yes, begin to-day, to obey
God in all things. This is the strongest
wish of
"Your ever affectionate mother."
The tidings of a revival occurring in the
vicinity of her native place, and of others in
various parts of the country, gave Mrs. Comstock especial pleasure and interest in the
prosperity of Zion; which she thus expresses to a correspondent.
" 0," she exclaims, "I rejoice in the
intelligence that revivals are multiplied
around you-would that their delightful influence might reach and pervade this idoltrusting land!  WVhat a change, glorious
change would one such revival effect here!
My heart leaps at the thought, and shall it




HARDNESS OF HEART.       139
never be? Shall this valley never be vocal
with the praise of its Creator? Shall these
hills never echo the voice of universal prayer
and praise to Him who so loved guilty
Arracan, that He gave his own life's blood a
sacrifice to ransom her from sin's enthralments?   Yes! yes! it must be. God has
promised it, and in that promise I often rest,
when my heart would sink in view of the
stupidity of some, and the hatred of others
toward the only Saviour. I often tell the
people, that though they despise and perish,
others who come in their stead will be wiser
and believe.'Well,' they reply,'if I lived
in that time, I would believe too, but I cannot believe alone."'
O how averse is human nature to the reception of Divine truth; how slow to believe; how tardy to repent. Long does the
Saviour knock for admittance not only into
hearts darkened and closed by superstition
and falsities, but those, whose intellects are
enlightened and cultivated, whose understandings are convinced, but who dare not
come forward boldly alone, and acknowledge
the entrance of the heavenly guest. How




140     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
few of the great multitude of mankind are
ready to receive that which gives life and
liberty to the soul.
But though Mrs. Comstock was so intensely solicitous for the spiritual benefit of
others, she did not neglect her own vineyard, and the cultivation of the Christian
graces in her own soul. She desired to advance in piety and heavenly wisdom. It
was a source of sorrow to her as it often is to
the true Christian, that she made no greater
progress in Divine things. She felt that she
had a work to accomplish within, as well as
without-a warfare to engage her watchful
attention, and prayerful vigilance, against
unseen and spiritual foes. Often in her
letters she refers to the exercises of her own
mind in this respect, lamenting her coldness,
and ardently desiring the quickening influences of the Holy Spirit.
She in one of these remarks:
"I said I had cause to mourn and weep.
Yes. I find cause for sorrow in the hard
unrelenting heathen's state, and still greater
cause do I find in my own heart. So little
love to Christ, so little devotion to the ser



PERSONAL PIETY.         141
vice of God, so little melting of soul in view
of the wretchedness of the heathen's eternity,
so little penitence and humility in view of
all my unfaithfulness! I have often said to
myself, 0 could I know that I had been
instrumental in saving one soul, it would be
worth devoting a thousand lives to labor
in a foreign clime far from kindred and
friends!
"But I now feel, rather, that could I be
assured, that I am what I ought to be, that I
labor and feel and pray as I ought, that I was
accepted of God in all, I could rest satisfied,
though He should not see fit to honor the
instrumentality of such a feeble worm, in
the salvation of a soul. But, alas I I am too
well aware, that in many things I offend, and
in all come short of duty. Yet aside from all
my deficiencies and all my sins, I believe I
have had a good degree of enjoyment, of
content and happiness, since I have been a
stranger to my native land."
Again, after alluding to the faint prospect
of meeting once more those whom she once
fondly loved and still cherished, she remarks:




1.12    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
" This, however, is a privilege which we
cannot expect on earth. And that I may
enjoy it after this earthly pilgrimage is
ended, I must strive daily for more of'that
mind which was in Christ Jesus.'  How
short, how uncertain a thing does life appear!  To-day, we have heard that sister
Jones of Bankok, has gone to her rest.
Thus one after another of our little number
is called home.  How soon will you hear
the same tidings of Sarah? It matters not
how soon, if she has but the'lamp trimmed
and burning.' But I feel that I have lived
thus far to but little, very little purpose.
"Once, when at Kyouk Phyoo, I seemed
to be just passing death's open door. I
thought, I felt, as I wish I could always now
feel in reference to the perishing heathen.
How   infinitely trifling looked everything
not connected with heaven and hell! The
world and its vanities were less than nothing.
How can we think so much of them when
death is not staring us in the face? I think
I have felt, for a week or ten days past, some
desire to die to the world and its allurements, and to live as a candidate for the




PRAYER BESOUGHT.        143
final retribution. But I am a mere dwarf in
religion, real heart religion; and sometimes
I fear I know nothing yet about it as I
ought to know. Do you, dear parents, pray
for us? Do you pray that we may abound
in the love of God, and in usefulness among
the heathen? You need not feel any anxiety about our temporal welfare; there is
no danger in that respect. But keep the
prayerful incense burning on the altar for
our sakes."
Shortly after this, she wrote again in a
similar spirit.' I feel this climate to be very debilitating,
and energy of mind decreases in as rapid a
ratio as strength of body. But oh, if in my
weakness Almighty strength is perfected in
bringing some of these poor, deluded children of idolatry to Christ, it is all that I can
desire. But I have too little love to God,
too little compassion for these dying thou.
sands, too little faith, too little of a spirit of
prayer. Every thing here has a tendency.o quench the fire of devotion-of true, heartteligion, and it is very hard to keep the
iame alive. Sometimes I fear it is gone out




144     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
— wholly extinguished in my heart-so little
warmth is imparted to religious duties.
"Though I sometimes feel sad, and perhaps a little discouraged, when I think how
very, very little I have done since I came
among the heathen, I know, and am persuaded, that my coming here was of God.
He ordered and overruled most manifestly
every thing in relation to it. And I do not,
I have not, I never can, for an instant, regret
that I left all dearest to my heart on earth.
No; I only want to be more holy, that I may
be more useful. I want to discharge my
duty fully, faithfully, to these poor, weak
children of superstition, and then leave the
event, whether or not I am permitted to see
them own Christ, in the hands of Him who
ordereth all things after his own will. For
this object will you not pray, often, and fervently pray? And then, when the duties,
trials, and temptations of this probation are
over, we shall reunite. Yes, though we meet
no more in the flesh, we shall, methinks,
reunite in the better land, where affection, filial, parental, and Christian, shall be




LETTER TO A FRIEND.      145
strengthened, purified, perfected, and rendered eternal as the throne of God."
Though not exactly in its proper place, as
to date, this seems a not unsuitable connection in which to place a valuable letter, addressed by Mrs. Comstock to a valued friend
in Brookline. It will explain itself as the
reader proceeds.
Ramree, July 8, 1840.
" MY DEAR FRIEND,"Your kind letter of October last, was
received, with others in the box then sent,
about the last of June. Your account about
the last days of dear C-, interested me
much. I was the more affected, as the tidings reached me when lying on a sick bed.
A few days previous, the prospect seemed to
be that it would prove my death-bed. My
heavenly Father had again led me down to
the brink of the grave; I looked into it
with the expectation, that it would soon be
my rest. The thought of death was at this
time even more familiar than at the two former periods when I was brought low by the
same dreadful disease. I had dwelt on it
13




146     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
from day to day, and had in my mind selected
the spot for my last resting place. Yet a
wise God, whose thoughts are not as our
thoughts, has seen fit again to raise me up.
For what purpose? I cannot but often ask
myself. I feel that I have yet done very
little good. It may be that the Lord designs,
by these repeated admonitions, to prepare me
for doing some good. I would hope this may
be the result. At all events, it is my desire
and prayer, that this affliction may lead me to
love God more, and to love the souls of the
poor heathen more;-to seek for more holiness of heart, more entire consecration to the
service of my Saviour;-and, in short, to'hunger and thirst after righteousness;' still unsatisfied till'I awake in his likeness.'
" From the time that I first heard of our
dear C.'s illness, and its probable termination, I have thought much on the dealings
of God with us. You know we were intimate. Many a precious season of prayer
have we enjoyed together in the little chapel
at B —-, for our loved Sunday-school
classes. We used often to talk freely together of death. She had then the impres



PROSPECTS OF LIFE.       147
sion that consumption had commenced its
work. Yet after her lungs were examined,
she seemed encouraged. When I thought
of coming to India, we thought I might
be the first to'go hence.' Yes, when I
left, C. and H. were well; and I suppose
my friends little thought, that they would
be called first. Here I have been a good
part of the last six years, the time of our
separation, surrounded by sickness, disease,
and death. To say nothing of slight attacks,
I have three times been brought to death's
door. Yet I still live, a monument of sparing mercy; while they, from a genial clime,
surrounded by kind, affectionate friends, and
every comfort of life, have been called to the
presence of their Father, and our Father,
of their God and our God.
"Yes, dear, dear sisters! they are now
happy beyond the trials of time, in their
heavenly home. How much wiser and holier
are they now than we! Yet'we a little
longer wait.' C.'s death has come very near
to me. It seems more like a dream than a
reality. When I reflect on it, I cannot but
wonder that I yet remain,'a cumberer of




148     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOUK.
the ground.' Truly God's ways are not as
our ways. 0, may I improve by these repeated admonitions, and be'also ready.'
"I could weep with her dear, mourning,
lonely husband. His heart must be deeply
stricken. Yet I rejoice to hear that he is
supported and comforted by the consolations
of our holy religion. May he come forth
from the furnace of repeated and heavy afflictions,'as gold purified seven times!'' How vain are all things here below,
How false, and yet how fair!'
"Still, the Christian is not left, under any
circumstances, to sorrow as others who have
no hope. We have a Saviour,-a faithful
and ever present Friend,-a never-failing
Source of joy;-yes, our best beloved Friend I
"You will be ready to ask what are our
prospects of usefulness among these poor,
wretched heathen. Would that I could tell
you of a glorious work of grace among
them, such as we hear of in our native land!
But, alas, we still have to labor only in hope.
There is little in the appearance of the natives to encourage us; but in the promises
of God, there is much. Yes, we sometimes




A REVIVAL OF IDOLATRY.      149
have a little faith to believe that we shall
yet see converts multiplied here.'He is
faithful who hath promised.' There are one
or two Mussulmen who encourage us to hope,
that they will before long come out openly
for Christ. Yet the very best of them are
so ignorant, so fickle-minded, that we feel
we cannot trust much in appearances, however pleasing.
" Could you have witnessed the great, old
stone idol, just opposite our house, as it
was when we came here, four or five months
ago, and then have seen the transactions
of the day before yesterday, you would
have concluded, that there had been a revival of idolatry. Four months since it stood,
a huge, hideous, soul-destroyer, nakedly exposed to the scorching sun by day, and the
heavy dews by night. The roof and walls
which once protected it were gone; the last
vestige of them had fallen, leaving the bare
posts standing. It was seldom visited. I recollect seeing it worshiped only in one or two
instances; and those were during the great
feast of the new year, when no deity, however obscure, is neglected. Early c 3 morn



150    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
ing, two women, accompanied by two little
girls, came with plates of rice and bunches
of flowers, and prostrated themselves before the dumb image. During ten or fifteen minutes, they were engaged in'vain
repetitions,' with their uplifted hands, and
heads bowed to the earth. After'shecosing' several times, quite down to the earth,
they rose and presented their offerings.
The dear little children followed their mothers' example. It really made me weep to
see hozo ready those little infants were with
tiny uplifted hands, and bended knees, to
do reverence to a senseless block of stone.
O! thought I, when will they learn thus
early to do nobler homage to Him who
said,'Suffer the little children to come unto
me' There too, I learned a lesson of maternal duty, from  those devotees of heathenism.
"But to return to the old image, as he
now is,-no longer left desolate and alone,
An old, silver-headed man, a devoted child
of idolatry, has erected a fine new house over
him, to shield his already time-and-tempest-worn head from the pouring torrents




INFATUATION OF IDOLATRY.    151
of rain. The day before yesterday, in the
morning, while it was yet early, a procession of people, preceded by music, priests,
and offerings, marched slowly along to pay
their morning devotions. The grand object of the parade was to array his godship in a fine, new, yellow'pu sue,' splendidly decorated with tassels and gold leaf.
Their devotions were long and solemn, and
surely no Christian could listen to the
deep-toned, serious response of the deluded
multitude, without a feeling of solemnity
and pity. The author of so pious and sacred an offering, could not fail, in the
eyes of the people, to secure to himself a
great share of merit. Doubtless his gratified ears were often that day saluted with'That du, that du.' [Well done, well done.]
Yes, that sixth of July was a memorable
day for the old, dumb image of De lun
Kaing. He no longer remains destitute,
forsaken, and naked; but sits arrayed in
his new, glittering garb, with horrible and
silent dignity, to receive the daily offerings
of wilfully blinded zeal.
O! my heart bleeds to think of the eter



152    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
nity that is before these poor, wretched
souls. They madly reject the offers of salvation, revile the precious and only Saviour,
and sink down to endless burnings. Well
might we say of thee,'0 Arracan, Arracan,
how often would I have gathered thy children together, but ye would not I"'




CHAPTER VIII.
Progress of the Mission-Reinforcement-Persecution of the
Karens-Religious interest at Ramree-Encouragement to
labor.
They scattered the seed in faith and hope,
They scattered it far and wide;
And some sprang forth to eternal life,
And some to appearance died.
THE progress of the Mission at Ramree,
during the years of Mr. and Mrs. Comstock's
labor, was comparatively slow. The truths
of the Gospel had made an impression upon
the minds of the people, but as yet they
were too timid to come boldly forward and
acknowledge the fact. To human appearance, the good seed sown fell upon hard and
stubborn hearts, and darkened understandings; but here and there, like a gleam of
heavenly light, was a token of the illuminating power of the Gospel.
In other sections of the province the work
(153)




154     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
was prosecuted with more apparent success.
Among the Karen part of the population,
many interesting cases of conversion occurred, and serious attention to the claims
of the new religion.
In 1840, the Missionaries were cheered and
reinforced by the arrival of Rev. Eugenio
Kincaid and wife, who came to take charge
of the interest at Akyab, having previously
been engaged in the work at Maulmain and
Ava. Rev. Mr. Abbott and his wife were
also appointed to the Mission at Sandoway.
Mrs. Comstock, Mrs. Kincaid, and Mrs. Stilson each conducted a school for native boys
and girls, with a fair prospect of success.
At that time, Burmah Proper was closed
to Missionary efforts, in consequence of difficulties existing between the Burman and
English governments. Much opposition was
manifested on the part of the authorities to
Missionary influence. Several stations were
of necessity relinquished for a season, and
left in charge of native assistants.
This was a source of great regret to the
Missionaries; they trembled, and not without reason, for the fate of their little churches,




BURMAN PERSECUTIONS.      155
left, as it were, like sheep in the midst of
wolves, exposed to temptation and persecution; and they feared much lest the timid
faith of the newly-made communicants should
fail before the sword of persecution, and the
worldly loss sure to be experienced by all
in a greater or less degree, who should hold
fast to the doctrine they had embraced.
Often and earnestly did the prayers of the
"teachers" ascend to Him whose grace is
sufficient for all things, that He would keep
as in the hollow of His hand, all those precious ones who had been called by His name,
and whose hearts had been turned from their
dark idolatry to the worship of the true and
living God.
The poor Karens, whose simple, open
hearts had been most willing to receive the
Gospel, and yield to Divine influences, suffered most for their attachment to the truth,
and in 1843 were persecuted by the Burman government, with great cruelty.
They had constructed at Baumee a chapel
for religious exercises, under the superintendence of Shway Bay, a native assistant. A
report was circulated by those opposed to




156     MEMOIR OF IRS. COMSTOCK.
Christianity, that this chapel was to be a
palace for a Karen general, who would
shortly invade Burmah at the head of a
large army, in the meanwhile, making it his
head quarters. It was said the palace was
large and strong, with one hundred and fifty
posts, and what was more ominous than all,
was surmounted with a royal cupola, which
in Burmah is never allowed to be built only
on the palaces of the kings, or on religious
edifices. Whether this report was credited
or not by the Burmese authorities, it served
as an occasion for manifesting great hostility
to the Karen Christians in the various villages, who were closely watched and treated
with unrelenting severity.
On one occasion a number of them came
over to the Baumee chapel to meet the Rev.
Mr. Abbott, who was to be there and preach,
and administer the ordinance of baptism.
After a very interesting and delightful
service, in the course of which Mr. Abbott
baptized 150 converts and ordained two
pastors, the Karens who had come over
from Burmah commenced their return home.
But on the way, they were seized by the




PERSECUTION OF THE KARENS.   157
Burman guards, and cruelly tortured, whipped, and carried in chains to that terrible
place, a Burmese prison, there to await, amid
more suffering, the decision of the Burman
king. Terror of course, spread through the
jungles; some apostatized, some denied that
they had ever worshiped the true God,
while others stood firm and unyielding as
the eternal hills which surrounded them.
None of the prisoners (about thirty, besides
the little children who followed their mothers
to prison) wavered at all, though most unmercifully tortured to make them renounce
their religion. It was feared eventually,
that some would be tortured to death, and
that more would be induced through pain
and fear to deny the Lord that bought them.
"Only think," wrote Mrs. Comstock in
view of this persecution, "you who can sit
in the sanctuary of the Lord surrounded
with multitudes of like precious faith with
yourselves, and permitted to listen without
fear to the preaching of the truth-only
think of those poor dear Karens, hunted like
partridges on the mountains, cast into prison,
loaded with chains, whipped, and tortured
14




158     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
with all that cruelty which a Burmese well
knows how to exercise, and all on account
of their love to Jesus. Think of feeble
women chained two and two, with young
infants at their breasts, and then raise a
prayer of faith for those suffering ones, who
purchase their liberty to worship the God of
their salvation with their blood. Pray that
they may have grace to endure to the end,
and glorify God in all.
"The Burman officers," she continues,
"know not what to make of the Karen
Christians; they say they are,'tai-ket'[very hard,] the more they beat them the
firmer they are in refusing to recant. What
the result of all this persecution will be,'He who sitteth in the heavens' alone can
tell."
In these unfortunate people, Mrs. Comstock felt a deep interest. Yet she felt none
the less, though of a different kind, for those
among whom she was laboring, who were
less willing to receive the word of Life,
while needing it equally with the poor
Karens. The more indifferent they were,
the more she redoubled her efforts among




FAVORABLE LOCATION.       159
them to win them to salvation and God.
She was willing to toil on in faith and hope,
though the day of her harvest was appointed
for another world than this.
But though the Missionaries were often
cast down, they were not deterred from unwearied efforts. With regard to their location in this place, Mr. C — remarks in
1840:
"I We were never before so favorably situated for Missionary work, as we are now.
Our new house proves to be most favorably
located. The road which passes just in front
of it is the great thoroughfare to and from
the numerous villages in the interior, and
hundreds travel it almost daily. We have a
spacious verandah in front where the people
can sit and rest, and listen to the glad tidings
of great joy. On some days, a hundred or
more call upon us, on other days few, but on
the whole our facilities for spreading among
the people a knowledge of the truth are very
great. Many who call listen to the truth a
few minutes, take a tract, and go away never
to return. Some come two or three times,
and a few repeatedly. These heathen are




160     MEMOIR OF IRS. COMSTOCK.
very dark-minded, and it is difficult to make
them understand the simplest truths of the
word of God. They are, too, very hardhearted, and it is far more difficult to make
them feel than understand. They seem to
have no moral sense. I fear I am greatly
deficient in faith; the unbelieving inquiry,'Can these dry bones live?' often arises in
my mind, while I am engaged in preaching
Christ to a crowd of darkened, stupid idolaters. That'nothing is too hard for God' is
support and encouragement enough to us,
when we can really feel it.
"We are trying now to see what can be
done in the way of schools. Several scholars
are promised, but I fear we shall not have
many to begin with. A few Mussulmen
seem to be considerably interested in the
Christian religion; but I do not know that
there are now any decidedly encouraging
inquirers here. There seems to be quite a
general disposition with those Mugs who
have heard a good deal of the truth to say,'It's all very good; you believe just as we
do, only we call the same things by different
names.'"




SIGNS OF PROMISE.       161
But as time wore on, they received more
frequently the blessed assurance that their
labor was not in vain. They were also
cheered and encouraged by the evident success which attended Mr. Comstock's itinerant
labors in various sections of the country.
On one occasion while absent upon a tour,
preaching, distributing tracts, and teaching,
he wrote home to Mrs. C —, such joyful
tidings of the interest manifested, that she
thus expressed her grateful emotions in a
letter to her sister.
"Let us take courage; the signs of the
times denote good things in store for Arracan. The day of her redemption must be at
hand, but there is much work, hard work to
be done, ere the land will be possessed.
And where are the laborers? These valleys
and hills with their thousands and hundreds
of thousands of precious but dying souls, and
their hosts of soul-destroying idols, echo,
where? Think for one moment of two or
three feeble, fainting Missionaries for nearly
three hundred thousand souls, and part of
these devoted, in a great measure, to the




162     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
preparation of needful books, and the press,
at which work their services are invaluable.
O where is the Spirit of Christ! Has it deserted the churches of our native land? Are
there none among the multitudes of their
members, whose hearts yearn over these poor
deluded ones, who are fast going down to
people the dark regions of despair, untaught
of One mighty to save? Is there not one to
respond to the cry, which comes up long and
loud from every town, and village, and hamlet of this vast province'Come over and
help us.' Can the church stand acquitted
of the blood of souls at the last great day,
if she turn a deaf ear to that cry? If I had
a voice that could reach the hearts of the
young men and maidens' of our happy land
who are full of faith and the Holy Ghost, 1
would plead with them, by all that is desirable
in heaven, by all that is fearful in perdition,
by all that is efficacious in the blood of the
cross for the redemption of souls, to come to
the rescue of Arracan, to come and reap its
whitened fields.
"The'seed of the kingdom' which has




SOLEMN APPEAL.         163
so long been sown, is just ready to spring
up, and it will yet, I trust, yield a rich
harvest to the glory of God."
Shall such a stirring appeal have been
made in vain by her whose tongue is now
motionless in death?




CHAPTER IX.
Full confirmation in the path of duty-Letter to her stepfather-Retrospection-Continued and deep interest-A
grateful heart.
Whatsoe'er of ill befall me,
Be my journey short or long,
Here am I, for thou didst call me,
In this faith my soul is strong.
THERE was one pleasing consciousness
which Mrs. Comstock possessed as the
months and years of her Missionary career
rolled on, which cheered her in her labors,
and strengthened her in the discharge of
her responsible duties. It was that she had
not erred in judgment, or mistaken the path
of duty, when she embarked in Missionary
enterprise. Never, amid severe toil and suffering, did she repent having engaged in the
sacred work, or have a single doubt of her
being heaven-directed. In a letter to an intimate friend, written after she had been
four years in Arracan, she wrote:
(164)




HOLY SATISFACTION.       165
"Never, no, never, for a moment from the
time that the Board said to me'you may
go' until now, have I felt even the shadow
of a'secret misgiving' as to the path of
duty. I believe, fully and unequivocally,
that unworthy, unfit, and unfaithful as I am,
I am where God has led me, and where He
would have me labor. I am as happy, as contented, yea, and more so, as with so little
love to God, I could be in any spot from the
rising to the setting sun. If I cannot do
good here, it will not be from lack of opportunity; I surely could not in any other place.
Time is short, what we do must be done
quickly, and, if I should forsake these
heathen, to spend my remnant of days
among the'loved and lovely' at home, I
should feel that in so doing, I was seeking
my own pleasure, rather than to do my
heavenly Father's will. This thought alone
would render the dying hour one of bitterness and remorse."
And again after the lapse of a few more
years, she wrote:
"I do not regret the events of this day
eight years. But how little have I done? I




166    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
have been a most unprofitable servant, lest
than the least, and unworthy the important
trust committed to me. But unworthy as I
am, and unprofitable as my life has been, I
cannot think I erred in coming here. I am
guilty of having so little faith, love, and holi
ness, but I am here, because God hath sent
me hither. I cannot regret it. No! whatever
may befall me, whatever may befall my children after me, I have the consolation of knowing that God chose my inheritance for me,
and He cannot err. He said by His providence, and in language too plain to be misunderstood or doubted,'Go;' and I came in
obedience to His mandate only."
In the same strain also she wrote her stepfather, of which the following is an extract:
"The Sabbath sun is just going down in
the west. I have a moment merely, before
the evening prayer-meeting, and that I will
spend in conversing with you. I have been
thinking a good deal of father this afternoon, and of your sermons, and comments on
passages of Scripture, which I have so often
listened to with pleasure. Sometimes the
thought that I shall never more on earth be



HEAVENLY HOPES.          167
hold your venerable countenance, nor listen
to the voice of parental admonition, causes
a moment's sadness, but no regret.    No,
though aware that when I left you, I lost a
father's care, a father's counsel, and a father's
home, yet conscience tells me, that in so doing, I performed a duty that I owed myself,
the heathen, and my God. And I cannot
REGRET it. I shall never more meet my
dear father in the flesh; I shall no more sit
beside him, and talk of earthly or of heavenly things. But shall I not see him face
to face in glory? Shall I not be permitted
there to join him in the song'Worthy the
Lamb?' And beside us shall not the voices
of redeemed Arracanese sweetly echo the
song? Yes,'There on a green and flowery mount
Our weary souls shall sit,
And with transporting joy recount
The labors of our feet.'
~'Will not that, dear father, be a happy
day? We shall there feel no loss of spiritual
privileges-no more temptation-no more
sin. And to dwell with Jesus will be the




168     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
consummation of bliss. More than this, we
know that our joys are eternal."
On the seventh anniversary of her Missionary life, Mrs. Comstock indulged in the
following personal reflections:
"July 1, 1841.-This night, seven years
ago, was the last I passed, or ever expect to
pass, under our dear father's roof. It was
the Sabbath night after the consecration of
the Missionaries at Baldwin Place Church.
Yes, seven years have fled, and borne their
account upward, a solemn, irreversible account.
"We are yet, through Sovereign Grace,
alive, and permitted to labor for lost heathen
souls. This is a privilege which I do not
deserve, and which I do not know how to
prize as I ought. May the Lord enable me
to realize more and more the worth of the
soul, and enable me also to put forth efforts
commensurate therewith. There is nothing
in this world, else, worth living for. Nothing but to try to do some good to souls,
and something to advance the cause of Him
who died for us. How trifling will the world,
and its best, brightest joys, look to us from




SELF-ABASEMENT.         169
the banks of the river of death!-Yet how
do our hearts cling to these transient pleasures.' How little, very little real love to
God is to be found in our hearts, if we carefully analyze our feelings, motives, and designs. I often feel that much love dwells
not in my heart, as an active, operating
principle. When I left my native land, I
did not imagine that the close of seven
years of Missionary life would find me such
a skeleton of a Christian, with scarcely a
breath of spiritual life: especially after having been made the recipient of multiplied
mercy and goodness."
It was once suggested to Mr. Comstock by
a friend, that he should return to his native
land and labor, as he saw so little visible
fruit from his toils in a foreign field. In reply to this Mrs. Comstock remarks:
"We trust the seed we are now sowing,
sometimes in hope, and sometimes with a
faint heart, will spring up and yield a glorious harvest. It would be pleasant, it would
cheer our hearts, to see converts multiplied,
but it should be our chief concern to do our
15




170     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
part faithfully, and then be willing to leave
the event in God's hands.
"Brother O —, in a letter yesterday received, urges it as a reason why Mr. Cshould return home, that he sees so little
fruit after laboring so long.'What would
you think, were the indications of Providence,' he asks,' if you had labored so long
in your native land, with no more success?'
But now it seems to me, the reason he urges
for a return, should induce us to remain and
labor so much the more. He is mistaken if
he thinks the labors of eight years are for
nought. No, they will bear an important
part in the great work of Arracan's conversion to Christ. The fallow ground is being
broken up, and prepared for the seed which
is to yield an abundant harvest. Light is
spreading; by many, very many, the truth is
acknowledged; fear keeps them back from a
public profession of it, or rather their hearts
are not filled with the Spirit; the understanding only is enlightened. The name of Christ
and the true religion is known, or has been
heard almost through the length and breadth
of the land but alas it finds a dwelling in




MISSIONARY FAITH AND ZEAL.  171
no heart as yet. We should faint were it
not for the promises of God's word, which
stand pledged for the redemption of Arracan.-In view of its great destitution shall
we, who profess to have our treasures laid
up in heaven, shrink from the work, and
leave these precious souls to go down to
spiritual darkness for ever and ever, without
having once heard of Him who is mighty to
save? No; when I view the subject in
this light, I am ashamed that I do so little,
feel so little, pray so little. I could wish
I had as many bodies as the fabled Hydra had heads; one should be placed
here; another at Kyouk Phyoo; and a third
among the Kyens. Only think of the vast
multitudes of that interesting race, who inhabit the fastnesses of the mountains, without a written language, without religion,
without a God I Yet they have no one to
guide their dark minds, and point them upward to Him who created them. They are
a sister tribe of the Karens; and who knows
but the same efforts among them would be
attended with similar results as among the
latter tribe? There is every reason to be.




172     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
lieve they would. Oh! if the multitudes
of Christians in America, who never yet
made a sacrifice, could but see with their own
eyes the situation of this vast province, methinks their hearts and their purses would
be open, and they would say to their sons,
and their daughters,'Go, speak to that
people, the words of life; go, and the Lord
be with thee."'
Amidst the arduous labors of Mrs. Comnstock, and her unwearied zeal, it is inter.
esting to notice the gratitude with which
she received sympathy and kind attention
from her friends in America, and the effect such manifestations had upon her mind.
A Missionary, though he has forsaken father
and mother, brothers, sisters, and friends
for the Saviour's sake, is still connected with
such in the spirit. He is human still, and
as such feels an interest in the scenes and
loved faces he shall never witness again
on  earth.  Some minds prize the joys
they can taste no more except in memory,
by the measure of their deprivations. On
such, tokens of sympathy, delicate atten.




TOKENS OF LOVE TO MISSIONARIES. 173
tions to manifold wants, words of encou
ragement and affection, a friendly letter
costing but little effort on the part of the
writer; or gifts that comfort the weary
body, and thereby refresh the soul, fall like
heavenly manna and thrill the heart with
delight.
Much has been done by the church in
this respect for the isolated brethren and sisters in foreign lands; but, without sacrifice,
there might be much more. In our worldliness and ease, we are apt to forget those
who labor and suffer for the interests of
Zion. Oftener, and without the shadow of a
sacrifice, might the friendly message, and
the token of affectionate remembrance find
their way over the wide ocean to those who
in poverty and loneliness preach the glad
tidings of salvation. We can do more than
pray for them, though the prayer of faith
avails much. Are there not duties which
God requires at our hands, the neglect of
which will bring to our ears the language
in the last great day, " Inasmuch as ye did
it not to the least of one of these, ye did
it not to me."




174     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
Mrs. Comstock, on one occasion, after the
receipt of some articles which she had much
desired, says:
" How kind to send me so many useful
things! Can I ever repay my dear friends?
Yes, I'll try to be more holy, more devoted, more assiduous and self-denying in
endeavoring to lead these poor heathen to
Jesus. I'll try to pray more for and with
them; try, in short, to be more useful; and
that will be the return you will ask, I
know. Such resolutions are called forth by
every packet from my dear friends at home.
I read your letters-my heart is melted by
proofs of affection, and sympathy, and interest in the heathen; and then I think, now I
will try to be better, more useful, and more
deserving your sympathy and love.
"I think each letter from my dear American
relatives and friends makes me love them more,
love the heathen more, love Christ more, and incites new emotions of gratitude. But oh, how
little do I feel compared with what I should
feel; my heart is cold and callous. 0, for a
new life in Christ Jesus 1"




CHAPTER X.
A Missionary mother's sacrifice-Views and feelings on the
occasion-Decision-Sustaining grace-The parting scene
-Letters from Mr. and Mrs. Comstock to their children.
0 tell me if there any is
In strength and depth surpassing this,
The love a mother feelsBehold the heart by faith allied
To Him who for its ransom died
A mightier love reveals!
AMoNG the many sacrifices to be made
in her Missionary career, of which Mrs. Comstock had counted the cost in the outset,
there was one which she overlooked; nor
could it be estimated, for the feelings which
composed the sacrifice had not then been
awakened in her bosom.
But as years rolled by, and one jewel
after another was entrusted to her keeping,
and her heart throbbed with maternal love
and solicitude, then the shadow of it dark(175)




176     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
ened her soul. It stole in upon her joy at
morning, at noon, and at even, when she
performed the tender offices of affection,
when she hushed her little ones to sleep
with the sweet songs of infancy, or listened
to their childish prattle; but most of all, as
she saw them grow in strength and years.
Her watchful eyes had long since shown
her that her Burman home would be no
fitting place for the judicious training of her
beloved children, and that ere long they must
be removed far from her and those heathen
regions, to receive that physical and intellectual culture, and pure spiritual influence necessary to their well-being and highest good.
Justice and prudence both forbade the attempt-to rear them in a land destitute of
mental and religious privileges, and filled
with vice and unholy examples, which would
not fail to affect for evil more or less, the
young minds exposed to their daily and
almost hourly contact. Yes, they must be
given up; the care which a mother feels, and
so loves to feel, must be transferred to other
hands, and fill other hearts than hers.
She had given up home, parents, brothers




THE GREAT SACRIFICE.      177
sisters, and friends, but yet a greater sacrifice remained to be made, equally a part of
the cost, and the only one upon which she
had not counted well. Her children, nearer
and dearer than any of these, must be relinquished for the sake of that cause to which
she had devoted herself-the redemption of
the heathen. But the prospect of this was
overwhelming, and the hearts of both parents
were wrung with anguish at the idea of a
separation. Nor was the decision necessary
to its accomplishment performed without a
severe struggle between the voice of duty,
and the pleadings of parental affection.
Often did they bow before a throne of
grace, and plead for strength in this hour of
trial, to obey the voice which in their ears,
sounded like the voice of God to Abraham,
when he bade him offer as a sacrifice his son,
the child of promise, of hope and love. Mrs.
Comstock's own personal feelings on this
trying occasion were thus expressed in a communication to a friend.
"Our children" she remarks, (by way of
apology for writing so freely of them,) " are
but another name for self. You are right in




178     IEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
supposing that I have many anxious thoughts
about their future lot; how many and how
anxious no human being can ever know. I
am not decided as to whether it is best to
send them from me, or rather from this
country. From experience and observation,
my own as well as that of others, I am convinced that our children cannot be properly
educated and fitted for the greatest usefulness in this country; that I shall wrong my
children, seriously wrong them, by suffering
them to grow up, inhaling, day after day,
and year after year, the fatal miasma with
which the whole moral atmosphere of this
country is so fearfully impregnated. On
this point my judgment has long been convinced. Shall we, then, go home with our
children, and see them educated under the
genial influence of a Christian sky. Or shall
we send them away, and commit their best
interests, for time and for eternity, to stranger
hands, who do not, cannot feel a mother's responsibility, however much and conscientiously they may strive to perform a mother's
duties?
"As a general rule, I believe a mother's




THE QUESTION ARGUED.       179
duty to her children is second only to her
duty to her Creator. How far Missionary
mothers may be exempt from this rule, it is
difficult to decide. A mother who has spent
eight, ten, or twelve of her best years among
the heathen, may be expected to be well
acquainted with their language, manners,
customs, and habits of thought and feeling.
She has proved herself their friend, and
gained their confidence and affection. She
is, as it were, just prepared for extensive
usefulness. At this period, shall she go and
leave them, with none to tell them of Him
who came to ransom their souls from sin
and its penalty? Or, if another is raised up
to fill her place, it must be years-years
during which many precious immortals must
go down to a dark, a fearful eternity, ere
she is prepared to labor efficiently among
them.
"I see no other way than for each individual mother prayerfully to consider the subject, and let her own conscience decide as to
her duty. As to my own private feelings on
this subject, after long, serious, and prayerful
consideration, I have come to the conclusion




180     MIEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
that it is best to send our eldest two to
America in the course of another year, should
a good opportunity offer. This decision, be
assured, has not been gained without many
tearful conflicts with maternal affection.
You are right when you judge this to be the
greatest cross the Missionary is called to
bear. When we left forever the land of our
birth, the home, sweet home of our sunny
childhood, and all those beloved friends and
relatives, who were dearer to us than life,
many thought we were making a great sacrifice. So it was. And deep and sincere
seemed the sympathy that was evinced on
our account. Yet the pangs of that separation are not to be compared with those which
must rend that mother's heart who feels compelled to send from her fond embrace, those
precious little ones to whom she has been the
means of giving life-almost in the infancy
of their existence, too, with no fixed principles and habits, and without a hope of ever
seeing them again in time. This, surely forms
the climax of a Missionary's sacrifices. But
if God, the kind Author of all our blessings,
require even this, shall we say, It is too




GROUND OF SUPPORT.       181
much? Shall we withhold even Isaac? No;
may we rather strive to commit ourselves
and our precious offspring in faith to His
care, who has said,'Leave thy fatherless
children to me.' They are, in one sense,
orphans. But if rendered so by what we feel
to be obedience to our Heavenly Father's
will, will He not be to them a father and
protector? Will He not more than supply
the place of the most affectionate earthly
parents?"
At another time she wrote:
"Notwithstanding the trial before me,
which far surpasses every other I have even
thought of, unless it be Mr. C.'s death, I do
not regret the events of this day eight years
since. No; as I then gave up all my dear
earthly relatives and friends, at His command who said'Lo, I am with you alway,'
so now, I look to Him alone to sustain me
in another and severer trial, which is equally
of His own direction. Yes, here is all my
trust and refuge. If it were not for the consciousness of doing right, of being in the path of
duty, I could not, no, I could not sustain it. As
it is, I expect my faith will sometimes grow
16




182     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
weak, and well nigh fail, perhaps-but-I
must look upward; I dare not look to any
earthly source. I cannot lean on an arm of
flesh. I know it would not, could not sustain
me; but enough-why write I thus? You do
not, cannot understand my feelings, nor can
any but a Missionary mother. Pray for me;
pray for those dear children who are so soon
to be orphans, at an age, too, when they most
need the watchful care of parental affection.
This thought is at times almost too much for
my aching, bursting heart to endure. Had
not my Saviour, yes, and a compassionate
Saviour, added these two words,'and children,' to the list of sacrifices for his sake, I
might think it more than was required."
Such were the emotions with which this
truly devoted mother contemplated the trial
she was soon called to endure.
Could any one, in view of such noble sentiments and strong convictions of duty, make
accusation against a heart that thus felt and
suffered, as possessing little or no natural
feeling? Yet this was the conclusion drawn
in many instances when children born of
American parents were first sent home from




THE CLIMAX OF SACRIFICE.    183
India to be educated. It was said the Missionaries were wanting in those feelings of
parental affection which God has implanted
in the human breast, in being thus willing to
relinquish the care of their offspring. Christians, even, uttered words of reproach-that
the Missionaries could thus act, when to
them it was like plucking out the right eye,
and crucifying the dearest desires of the
heart. In Mrs. Comstock's own language it
was "the climax of a Missionary's sacrifices." It was not from a want of love, but
from its excess, that they thus acted, had
there been no other motives compelling them
to make the sacrifice. Whilst a blind affection, selfish in its promptings, would have
retained them in a heathen land, the same
love, purified by religion and ennobled by
reason, sent the dear objects of parental solicitude, to find a home among strangers, but
God's own favored people. But this was not
their prevailing motive in the discharge of
so painful a duty. The cause they had
espoused with every energy, spiritual and
bodily, demanded the sacrifice, and there was
enough of suffering connected with it, with



184     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
out the sting of a consciousness that by some
their motives would be misinterpreted and
their conduct censured.
The feelings of Mrs. Comstock were noble
as well as just, and in perfect harmony with
the resolute devotion which formed so large
an element in her character. When her
judgment had brought her to the conclusion
that she ought to part with her children, both
for their sake and the sake of the heathen,
then her decision was made to have them go,
though, as she herself says, not without a
severe struggle with affection.
Now she commenced preparations for their
departure. With a throbbing heart but firm
hand, she gathered together their little articles of clothing, touching them with fingers
of love for the last time she felt upon earth.
It was pain for her to know that all those
offices of affection, and ministrations to the
many little wants, which childhood requires,
would henceforth be rendered by stranger
hands. It was pain for her to feel, as she
wrote to the friends of her youth, to receive
her orphaned ones under their roof, and to




THE PARTING HOUR.        185
their fireside; that there her feet could never
follow, and her only chance of meetina them
was in-heaven.
But amidst sorrow like this, and prayers
and tears, the work of preparation went
steadily on. A brother Missionary-the Rev.
Eugenio Kincaid with his wife, was about
returning for a period to America, and it was
resolved the children should accompany
them.
The hour of parting calne; she clasped
her arms around them, and gave them the
last, the farewell kiss, with that intensity of
emotion which only a mother's heart can
feel. Nature plead mightily in these moments of conflict, but grace triumphed, and
she exclaimed, amid her tears and anguish,
"0, Jesus, I do this for thee!"
Saying these words, she resigned them
to the arms of her husband, who led them
on board the ship which was to convey
them to America. And while, with faltering
steps, and vision dimmed with' fast-falling
tears, she turned to her partly desolated
home, the bark with its precious freight




186         MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
sailed   from   that heathen      shore, bearing a
mother's precious jewels away forever.*
Does the reader desire any additional evidences of this mother's love? They are at
hand. While those dear objects of affection
were yet in Calcutta, she thus addresses them.
* Of this affecting scene Mr. Kincaid gives the following
account: which we are permitted to copy from his own autograph in the Album of a friend.
"It was nearly dark when brother and sister Comstock
were informed that we must be on board ship that night. It
was a trying moment. Mrs. Comstock, taking her two children by the hand, walked with us a few yards. Here, gazing
upon their upturned faces for a little time, she impressed upon
their cheeks a mother's last kiss, and turning around, raised
her hands, uttering in broken accents,'This I do for Christ!
this I do for the heathen!'
" Brother Comstock went on board ship with us, and remained till about nine in the evening. But he must leave.
Again and again he folded his Lucy and Oliver in his arms,
gave them a father's last blessing, bathing their faces with his
tears. His whole frame trembled with emotion. He went
down the side of the ship, and as the little boat was gliding
off in the dark, he looked up, and I heard-they were the last
words I ever heard from that lamented Missionary-' Brother
Kincaid remember-six men for Arracan.'
" In a few months his wife and his two youngest children
lay side by side, in a grave overshadowed by an aged tamarind. In less than one year more he followed his dear wife
and two lovely babes; and so they all sleep on the shores of
Arracan."                                   [J. N. B,




LETTER TO HER CHILDREN.   187
"Ramree, Oct. 16, 1842.
" MY DEAR, VERY DEAR CHILDREN,
"Though you are far, very far away,
mama has thought a great deal about you today. We got home yesterday morning, and
found the house, the goats, the ducks, and
flowers all here. Ko Kulah and Ko Baing
were here too, but no Lucy and Oily. [Oliver.]
"I went into your room, and there was
Lucy's bed, and Olly's bed, but no Lucy or
Oily to sleep in them. This is God's holy
Sabbath day, and when we had worship this
morning, I looked all around for Lucy and
Oily to come and read and pray with us.
Then at breakfast, I wanted to give you
some coffee, but your chairs stood empty.
At worship, when papa preached, I wanted
to find you as usual, but no Lucy or Oily
were here. Since dinner, I have no Lucy
or Oily to read and talk with. I cannot hear
you say the Commandments as I used to
do, on Sabbath evening. I miss your Sabbath lessons too, in the Testament and hymnbook. But my dear children, you will read
and learn your little verses in your Testa



188    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
ment and hymn-book, I hope, to say to
Nilly's mama and Jane. I hope you will be
very good and quiet on God's holy Sabbath,
and not play at all. Always obey them very
quickly and willingly in all they say to you.
Try to make them as little trouble as possible. For they are very kind to let you go
to America with them, and to take care of
you on the way. Be very kind to Nilly, Totty,
and baby; love them, and try to take care
of baby. Never quarrel, or speak cross to
them, but play prettily together, and please
each other.
Especially, my dear Lucy and Olly, remember to pray to God every day. Pray
for a new heart, and remember that God sees
you all day and all night long. Do nothing
that you are afraid to have God see you do.
Pray for your dear papa, and mama, and Robert, who love you so much. We all think
and talk of you a great deal; and though we
love to have you to live with us, and feel very
sad that we cannot see you here again; yet
we are glad that you are going where you
can learn a great many things that you
could not learn here. Your grandpa and




LETTERS TO HER CHILDREN.   189
grandma will love you too very much, and
will be very kind to you. I hope you will
become Christians, and will love these poor
heathen enough to come out here again,
when you are grown big, and tell them about
Christ.
"A good many natives have come here
since we got home, to ask about you both.
They say they remember you very much."
"Monday morning.
"MY DEAR, VERY DEAR CHILDREN,"I must send this letter to the postoffice to-day, and can only write a little
more. One thing more mama wishes you both
to remember;-that is, for Lucy and Oily
always to love one another very much, and
never speak or look cross to each other. Now,
my precious children, remember this, for
you are far away from papa, and mama, and
Robert, and must therefore love one another
the more. We shall always love you very,
very much, and shall be so happy to hear from
you both often. It will make mama's sad
heart happy to hear you are both good children. Robert talks a great deal about Lucy




190    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and Oily, and wants to see you very much.
He says he'will go and see you.' I asked
him just now what he would have me write
to his dear brother and sister? He said,'say good morning, Lucy, Olly.' He says
he loves you' both arms full.' Yesterday he
found a great spider on a great round bunch
of its eggs, and he remembered how you
used to like to see them, so he said he'would catch it, and tie it up, and send it to
Lucy and Oily;' but I think he forgot it
when he had done bathing. It was in your
bathing room. Take good care of your
clothes, and try to be neat and clean always.
Write to your dear papa and mama often, as
soon as you can write a letter. I wish you
would learn to write soon.
"Lucy, when you read this, please give
Oily a sweet kiss on each cheek, and tell
him mama sent them. Oily, will you please
to give Lucy the same, and tell her they
came from mama. Now, be dear good children, and think how happy you will thus
make papa and mama. Accept this, with
the deep love of your ever affectionate
mama."




MR. COMSTOCK TO HIS CHILDREN. 191
Would it not be an act of injustice were
we here to withhold an expression of a
father's love to his children? There lies before us a letter from Mr. Comstock to these
dear children, which he wished to be delivered to them on the voyage, on New
Year's Day. It thus reads:" Ramree, Jan. 1, 1843.
"IMY DEAR LUCY AND OLLY:
"A very happy New Year to you, is
the sincere wish of your papa and mama.
This year is called 1843, because it is eigh
teen hundred and forty-three years since our
Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, to
die for sinners. How good he was to die on
the cross, that we might not go to hell! He
is the only Saviour, and no one who does
not love him can go to heaven. Do you, my
dear children, love that precious Saviour?
Do you believe in him, and pray to him
every day, to take away your sins, and save
your souls? The poor heathen, who worship idols, have no Saviour, but you know
that Jesus can save, and will save those who
love him.




192    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
" Will you not, my dear Lucy and Oily,
now, on this first day of a new year, begin to
love the Saviour, and try to do what he wishes
you to do? If you do, then this will indeed
be a happy new year to you; and your papa
and mama will be happy too, when they hear
that you have become Christians. Pray for
your little brother Robert, that he also may
become a Christian while young. God has
said,'They that seek me early, shall find me.'
"I suppose that you will receive this letter,
when you are far off on the sea, and you will
know that papa did not write it on January
1, 1843. This letter tells you what papa and
mama would like to say to you on New
Year's Day, and so I dated it as if it was
written then. It is Nov. 2, 1842.
"Now while I am writing this, I do not
know whether we shall be alive on the next
New Year's Day, or whether both of you
will be alive then; I hope, however, that we
may all live much longer, and be good, and
do good. Then we shall be sure to live together, a happy family in heaven. Robert
too, I think, will want to wish you a happy
new year, and give each of you two good




LETTERS TO THE CHILDREN.    193
kisses, which you may ask Jane to give you
for him; also please ask her to kiss you both
heartily, for papa and mama. You may wish
Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid, and Jane, and Nilly,
and Totty, and Baby, a very happy new
year for us.
" Will you write a letter to papa on board
ship, and finish it after you get to America,
to send by the first ship? We all love
you very much, and talk a great deal about
you, and pray to God for you. Do you pray
for us every day?
" My dear children, I must now bid you
a most affectionate good bye.
" With much love, your Father."
One more letter from the mother to her children, must be placed on our pages; and it derives a mournful interest from its being the
last. Before it reached the United States,
she was resting in her grave, or rather, she
was rejoicing in the presence of that Jesus
to whom she had so lately sacrificed the
society of her children:17




194    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
Ramree, Jan. 14, 1843.
" To Lucy and Oliver.
" MY DEAR, VERY DEAR CHILDREN, —
"I have written you many letters, considering that you are so little children. But
I shall never tire in writing you, or thinking
of you, or loving you. Though you are
gone far, far away, where I shall never see
you again in this world, yet you are still my
own dear, dear children, and I never forget to
pray many times every day that God will
give you new, clean hearts; and that papa
and mama may find their dear little lost
ones in heaven, where we all may live for
ever together, and love and praise the dear
Saviour.
"My dear children, pray for yourselves
every day. Love God; for he is good, very
good to you; and you ought to love him
with all your heart. 0 how happy will your
papa and mama feel when we hear that Lucy
and Olly are Christians, and have been baptized as Jesus was! Try to learn fast,
and always obey grandpa, grandma, and
Aunt L. Love one another, and never
speak an unkind word to each other. Do




LAST LETTER TO HER CHIILDREN'.  195
not go with children who do and say
naughty things; and if any one says or does
any thing that you think they ought not,
tell Aunt L. all about it, and ask her if it is
right. Aunt L. will be a mama to you, if
you are good children. And God will be
your Father, and will take care of you and
bless you.
"Robert Stearns is well; he loves you
both still, and sends a sweet kiss to each of
you. Your baby-brother, Grover Samuel,
grows fast, and is a good-natured laughing
boy. We often say,'How Lucy would love
this little baby, if she were here; but you
must think of him as your dear brother, and
if God lets you both live, perhaps you may
some time see him. Give grandpa, grandma,
and Aunt L. a great deal of love from your
mama and papa. Papa has been at Cheduba,
and preached a long time to the people about
Christ. They asked a great many questions
about you, and seemed to love you. Pray
for them. I send you each a book, which I
promised you when I wrote it, with Ko En.
Read it; and read your Burman Testament
every day. I should be sorry to have you




196     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
forget Burman. Talk together, occasionally,
in Burman. If you do not like to talk before others, talk together by yourselves.
But you need not feel ashamed to let others
hear you. Write me a letter every month,
when you have learned to write. Sometimes
to papa and mama, and sometimes to Robert.
" Mr. De Silva goes to Kyouk Phyoo this
evening, and will take this letter to a friend,
who will send it to Calcutta to Mr. Roberts,
and Uncle K.'s friend Captain Goodhue will,
I think, take it to you across the great
ocean.
"Now, with a great deal of love from
papa and mama to Lucy and Oily, I am
"Your own Mama,
"SARAH D. C."




CHAPTER XI.
Increased devotion-Last letter to her Parents-The end of
toil-Closing scenes in the life of Mrs. Comstock.
Toil on, courageous heart! toil on
Till death shall give thee rest;
Thy labors here are not in vain,
For heaven shall make them blest.
Thou shalt receive a rich reward,
And shine, a brilliant gem,
When God shall make his jewels up,
His precious diadem.
AFTER the departure of her dear children,
Mrs. Comstock seemed to devote herself to
the great work of evangelization with renewed ardor. God accepted her sacrifice,
filled her mourning heart with heavenly
peace, gave her greater desires to glorify him,
and strength and grace to press on in the
path of her pilgrimage. Never before was
her interest in    Missionary work     more intense than now. Out of the very depths of
her sorrow came forth a strong affection for
(197)




198     MEMOIR OF AMRS. COMSTOCK.
those for whose sake she had borne it. Precious to her were the immortal interests of
the heathen, more precious for those pangs
of suffering.
"IHow great is the privilege," she exclaims, "of being permitted to do any thing
for the salvation of souls from eternal death!
To be instrumental in saving even one soul!
O what a soul-inspiring idea!'Tis worth
the sacrifice, the cheerful, willing sacrifice of
all that is dear, all that is prized of earthly
blessing. If we may, at the' great day,' behold one soul saved from endless woe, and
raised to eternal joy and blessedness-if we
may, with one soul saved through our instrumentality, join in the eternal song of praise
around the throne, I shall feel that we are
under an eternal debt of gratitude for the
privilege of leaving all for a home in this
land of darkness. When my heart is just
ready to burst at the idea of never seeing
my precious children more on earth, that
thought buoys up my spirits, and enables me
calmly and cheerfully to view the sacrifice.
You will think I say a great deal on this
subject; perhaps I do, more than is judicious,




INCREASED LOVE OF SOULS.     199
but you know I could never keep my
thoughts and feelings from those I loved,
and if you are ever a mother, and especially
a mother among the heathen, far from every
relative, where your children are your only
companions, your only friends, you would
cease to wonder at my feelings. Our children are more to us than children in America
and other lands, are to their mothers. But
the greater the sacrifice, the dearer will the
cause for which it is made be to our hearts.
I find it so in this case. I have never before
felt so desirous to do all in my power to
save souls; I have never felt so much tenderness of heart in telling the heathen of
their Saviour; I have never, since I have
been in this dark land, felt that brokenness
of heart, that tenderness of spirit at a Throne
of Grace, as since I have given up my'jewels'
for Christ's sake. If I am not deceived, I
do desire to possess more of the Spirit of my
Saviour, to live above the world, to be filled
with the Spirit, that I may accomplish some
little good while I sojourn here below."
We have already placed before our reader
Sirs. Comstock's last letter to her children;




200    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and in this place we will furnish an extract
from her last communication to her beloved
parents, under date of Jan. 11, 1843.
"Yesterday our hearts were cheered by
the reception of letters from our loved native land. They were'as cold water to a
thirsty soul.' Sister Eunice Smith, of Rochester, gave us a detailed account of the
glorious work of grace which has distinguished that city the last winter and spring.
O! what a glorious season it must have
been! I have felt my whole soul subdued
while listening to the recital of what God
has wrought. It seemed like bringing sacred things near.! what a change would
one such out-pouring of the Spirit effect in
this idol-devoted province  The moral wilderness would truly become the garden of
the Lord. And may we not hope to see
such a day? Shall we not labor and pray
for it? Yes; for'nothing is too hard for
the Lord.'
" My dear father and mother, do you love
to plead before God the cause of poor,
ruined Arracan? 0, forget not the hundreds and thousands of her children, who,




POWER OF FAITH.         201
spell-bound, as it were, by the chains of
idolatry and superstition, are rushing blindfold down, down, to the gulf of deep, dark
despair. 0, cease not, frequently and fervently, to bear them on your hearts to the
feet of him who is'mighty to save.' They
are surely to be redeemed. Yes; I sometimes tell the natives, I know that this whole
province will be converted from their foolish
idols, and that they will yet acknowledge
their Creator. Therefore, we faint not, though
now they reject their only Saviour. God,
who cannot lie, has promised it.
" Sometimes when I look forward, and
contemplate that happy day, I feel, my dear
parents, that it is a great privilege to be permitted to bear a humble part in preparing
the way for its dawn, even though it be distant. I feel then that it was a privilege to
give up all most dear on earth, for this object. Then my bereaved heart forgets its
desolation, and I can think without a tear,
yea, with calmness and cheerfulness, of the
loved and lost, whom I am never more to
behold in this wide world. But 0, my
mother, nothing else could tempt me to such




202     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
a sacrifice; nothing else but divine grace could
keep me from sinking under it. Sometimes
still the thought that MY CHILDREN, yes, my
own precious children, are forever riven from a
mother's embrace,-that these eyes will never
more behold,-that these lips will never more
salute my own offspring, comes to my heart
with such a withering, blighting influence,
as almost to overwhelm me. Unaided, I
could not sustain it.'Is it possible?' I say
to myself; and but for those two words of
my Saviour,'and children,' in his enumeration of sacrifices for his sake, I should think
it more than was required.
"But enough! Why do I always run on
to this subject? It was certainly involuntary. But a mother's love knows how to
throw a veil over her daughter's weakness.
I will only add, pray for them, dear parents,
pray in faith. They are the Lord's; consecrated to his service; and I wish all their
education to be arranged and conducted in
reference to usefulness in his cause. I believe he will convert them, and will accept
the offering. It is the best I have to give,
and I give them cheerfully."




UNEXPECTED CtHANGE.       203
Thus felt this bereaved mother, as she
gathered to her breast the two little ones
that remained, and girded herself anew for
the work, committing those who had left her
to the care of Him who " tempers the wind
to the shorn lamb," and holds the waves in
the hollow of his hand. Health and strength
were given her, and a prospect of vigorous
and uninterrupted labor for the good of the
heathen.
But God had otherwise ordained.   Her
days were numbered, and were fast drawing
toward their close. The end of her toil was
nigh, though she perceived it not. Even before those darling children, whom she had
sent to America, reached the home of their
mother's childhood, she was no more.
By a sudden and mysterious providence,
her life was closed at a time, when to shortsighted human vision, its prospect for usefulness was greatest. She was taken severely
ill with dysentery, a disorder not uncommon
among foreign residents in a tropical climate.
The period of her sickness was short, and
afforded but little opportunity for conversation, and the interchange of parting words.




204     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
Occasionally there were slight symptoms of
amendment, but no permanent gain. Shortly
before her death, she received a little nourishment from the hands of her husband, and
remarked, that she felt relieved, and trusted
soon to recover her lost strength. Mr. Comstock stepped out upon the verandah to inform the native Christians, anxiously waiting
there, that there was still reason to hope.
He heard her speak, and hastened back, just
in time to see the shadow of death pass over
her countenance, as she sank upon her pillow, and peacefully yielded up her spirit.
Thus, suddenly, on the 28th of April,
1843, after an illness of one week only, and
at the early age of little more than thirty
years, Mrs. Comstock passed away from the
scenes of her early labors to her rest on high;
leaving behind her, in that heathen land, two
motherless babes, and many a mourner besides him who felt, in that trying hour, that
death had bereaved him of his dearest treasure this side the grave.
It was a truly affecting scene which followed, as the tidings of her death were circulated. The natives sorrowed deeply over




THE SORROW AT HER DEATH.    205
her unconscious clay, coming to the house
by crowds in succession, to take a last look
of their beloved friend and teacher.
This touching spectacle is thus described
by Mr. Comstock in communicating to her
friends in America this sad event. Says the
bereaved husband:
" Her body was immediately surrounded
by weeping and wailing heathen women,
who felt that they had lost a friend. Such,
indeed, was the case; for Mrs. C. truly loved
and pitied the women of Arracan, and was
never happier than when telling them of
the Saviour. On the day after her death,
as the news spread in the town, men, women, and children, (more of the last two,)
began to crowd to my house; and it was
estimated that about two thousand were
here during the day. Their expressions of
attachment to my dear wife, and of sorrow
for her loss, were deeply affecting.
"'How kindly she always spoke to me,
when she met me.'
"' She always gave us medicine, when we
were sick.'
"'She was truly a good woman.''She
18




206       MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
came here to die, far from her native land,
with no mother or sister near her, because
she pitied us.'
"Expressions similar to these were made
and listened to, with many tears. I remarked
once,'what crowds       are pressing     to  the
house; are all from       the town?'      A   bystander replied,'Yes, as the news spreads,
all will be here, for she was greatly beloved.'
"Another added,'Many tears will be shed
in Ramree to-day.'"
Well might they weep; for it was for these,
Who whispered in tears her story;
She crossed the foam of the raging seas,
A herald of life and glory.
Well might they tell of the deeds she wrought
In her heavenly love and kindness;Of the lamp of eternal life she brought
To a world of sinful blindness.
For the voice that spake could speak no more,
In its tones of rapture swelling;And the wail that echoed from that wild shore,
Of the heathen's loss was telling.
She died,-but it was to live again in the
precious fruits of heathen conversion, in the
hearts of those who knew and loved her, in




FRUITS OF HER LABORS.         207
the brightest records of the Christian Church,
and among the faithful servants who gather
around the throne. Early her toils were
closed: long ere the noon of her life was it,
when they ceased; but before the hour came,
the cause of Missions had received at her
hands, and the hands of her husband, an impetus that shall be the means of opening a
blissful eternity to thousands who sit in
darkness, on whom are now dawning the
rays of Divine truth, and who shall shine
as stars in the crown of the sainted Missionary's rejoicing, forever and ever
Rest, loved one! rest, for thy work is done;
Go, dust, to thy dreamless slumber;
Mount, soul, to the crown and the white robe won,
And the bliss of the sainted number.




CHAPTER XIL
Brief review of her character-Noble faith-The fruit of
toil-A husband's tribute-Death of her children in Arracan-The lonely laboror-Letter to his daughter-Last
hours of Mr. Comstock-Plea for Arracan-Appeal to the
Church.
"And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me,
write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their
labors; and their works do follow them."
REVELATIONS XIV.
IN reviewing the character of so beloved
and useful a woman, we scarcely know which
most to admire, her whole-souled devotedness to the cause of Missions, her resolute,
conscientious discharge of duty, her unwavering zeal, or that sublime faith, which, like
the wings of an eagle, bore up her spirit
aloft, over scenes of trial and suffering, enabling her to look beyond the present, to
the end they were destined to accomplish.
It was this same faith, also, that gave to her
(208)




SUBLIME FAITH.         209
feeble woman's hand, strength and patience
to sow the seed whose harvest should be for
other eyes than hers;-while she was content to look down through the opening
vista of the future, and behold it with a
prophet's sight, as when she exclaims,
" I believe these hills and valleys of Arracan will yet leap at the sound of the
church-going bell, and the hundreds and
thousands of her children will be seen coming up from every city, village, and hamlet,
with united heart and voice to the worship
of the great Jehovah. It may not be in my
day, but my children may see it. God grant
that they may be privileged in hastening it
on. We see but little fruit of our labor so
far as converts are concerned, but we see the
seed germinating. It is not dead; it will
yet spring up; yea, this very seed we are
now sowing, will spring up and yield a glorious harvest."
What a noble faith was this; a faith not
to go unrewarded. Mrs. Comstock did not
estimate the efficacy of the means she employed, by the visible results of her labors.
She felt that it was for her to do her duty,




210     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and leave the result with Him ii wl losoA
hands are all times, and ways, and seasons,
for the accomplishment of His will. It
would be impossible for one to live as she
lived, among the heathen, toil as she toiled,
and die as she died, without deeply affecting
the mass of mind that surrounded her. The
very fact of the weeping concourse who gathered around her remains, proves how she
was regarded, who, for years, had been in
and out among them, giving them the bread
of life. Loving and esteeming her so much,
could they but honor that religion of which
her daily life had been so bright an embodiment. No, like leaven, silently but powerfully, her influence was at work among them,
and will be until the end of time. Though
while she lived, but a few turned from the
homage of idols to the worship of the true
God, many afterwards believed because of
the words she spake, and many more will
yet believe, the tidings of whose conversion
may never reach our ears.
An affecting instance is related of one,
who shortly after Mrs. Comstock's death,
having been taught by her the way of salva



THE FIRST FRUITS.       211
tion, gave evidence of a renewed heart.
Mrs. C. had often conversed and prayed with
her, and endeavored to lead her to the Saviour, but without any convincing result.
She was much affected by the death of her
beloved teacher, and manifested still deeper
interest in religion. Shortly afterwards she
was taken ill, and lay upon her death-bed.
Her parents wished to invoke the aid of
their gods in her behalf, and laid on her
arms the charmed amulets, which should restore her. But she refused; her enlightened
mind saw no power in these.
"Do not," she exclaimed,'practice any
heathen rites on me; if I get well it will be
by the power of God; if I die, it will be
because it is His will, and I shall go and
dwell with my teacher in heaven."
As death approached, she continued to
profess strong faith in Christ, a willingness
to die, and an assurance that her sins were
forgiven, and she should be saved for the
Saviour's sake. Thus she passed away, leaving behind her the joyful evidence, that her
ransomed soul had gone to be reunited to
her who had loved it so well.




212    MEtMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
WAe cannot close the narrative of this excellent woman and Christian better, than by
giving the following tribute to her memory
and worth, written by one who knew her
best-her fellow-laborer and husband:
" The loss to the Mission by the death of
Mrs. Comstock is very great. She eminently
possessed many very desirable qualifications
for a Missionary. Her kind spirit and affable
manner secured for her the confidence and
affection of all who knew her. She was endowed too with untiring patience and indomitable perseverance. I have often admired
her patient and persevering efforts to impress
religious truths upon the dark and vacant
minds of a company of women from the
country. The first remark from them, almost universally is,'I don't understand.'
She would then vary her language or subject, and keep varying it till they did understand, although to make them do so often
seemed to me a hopeless task  Her patience
and perseverance, however, were not manifested to single companies alone. They were
conspicuous through her whole course. Amid
all her sicknesses and trials, which were many




A HUSBAND'S TRIBUTE.      213
and great, she pursued the even tenor of her
way; nothing daunted-endeavoring, as she
had opportunity, to do good to all. She delighted in her work, and was never happier
than when surrounded by women and children to whom she was telling the story of
Christ crucified. She often, also, was compelled to engage in discussions with men,
which she managed with great judgment.
"Although she was always desirous to go
out with me to the villages, the circumstances
of our family seldom permitted her to do so.
However, whether left alone at home, or accompanying me in my tours, she always
sought to be usefully employed, and her
labors were abundant. She possessed a very
good knowledge of the language, and her
easy and correct use of it was often noticed
by the natives with astonishment and admiration. Her industry and faithfulness, her
love to souls and to Christ, her faith in God,
and her mental and moral characteristics, as
a whole, admirably fitted her for the station
she occupied. Her health had been unusually good for a few months before her
death, and her prospects of laboring long




214    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
and successfully in Arracan were never
fairer. But our thoughts were not God's
thoughts. He had other designs, and called
her to engage, I doubt not, in a higher
sphere of enjoyment and usefulness. The
Mission here is greatly weakened; but God
hath done it, and all he does is right."
The young children of Mrs. Comstock did
not long survive her to cheer the heart of the
bereaved father in his lonely toil and grief.
Robert Stearns, the elder of the two, a
boy of much promise, and of whom Mrs. C.
had often written to her friends, in language
of peculiar interest and affection, was the
first to follow his mother to the spirit world.
Then her darling babe drooped and died,
and was laid by the side of its little brother.
Thus was affliction upon affliction appointed to the Missionary now left alone in
that heathen world. Companions he still had
in the work of his ministry, faithful and
sympathising; but so far as near and dear
human ties in that land were concerned,
they had all been sundered, and he was emphatically alone.




A THREE-FOLD BEREAVEMENT.    215
3ut in those hours of anguish, there came
to him help from One who is ever nigh to
those who trust in Him, and whose hand is
ever ready to wipe away their tears.
None but a child of God, who has experienced it, knows how great is the consoling power of religion in the severest sorrows of the soul. It sustained this mourning
husband and father; God's grace was sufficient for him. He laid his beloved ones
calmly in the grave, then putting his hand
once more to the plough, looked not back,
but pressed steadfastly on.
But we can gather his feelings best from
his own language, with reference to this
three-fold bereavement.
"I wrote you," he says, "just after the
death of my dear Sarah, and, before this
reaches you, I doubt not, you will have heard
of the further chastening with which it has
pleased our heavenly Father to visit me.
June 12, at about two in the morning, my
darling Robert breathed his last, after several
hours of convulsive agony. He had been
sick but three days. He was a remarkably
intelligent and amiable boy, and was a great




216     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
deal of society and comfort to me after his
mother's death. July 1, my sweet babe left
me, I doubt not, to join his mother and
brother in heaven.
" How I felt as I watched the dying struggles of those dear ones, prepared their bodies
for the grave, and conducted their burials,
you cannot fully conceive, nor can you imagine the feeling which thoughts of them
sometimes excite in my lonely heart.
"But my afflictions, although very severe
and deeply felt, have been so tempered and
controlled by the rich and abundant grace
of the Lord Jesus, that I have been sustained
and rendered peaceful, and at times, even
joyful. I had no adequate idea of the upholding and consoling power of faith in Christ, till
earthly sources of happiness having entirely
failed, I was left to look to Him alone for support and comfort. He is, indeed,'able to
save unto the uttermost.' My earnest prayer
is, that my chastening may yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and render me
fully and permanently a partaker of God's
holiness."
It will not it cannot be supposed that his




LAST LETTER TO LUCY.     217
bereavements in Arracan would lessen Mr.
Comstock's love to his children in America.
The letter to his little daughter, which we
now lay before the reader, shows his love
to her, and his concern that she should never
forget her mother, or her dear little brother.
Ramree, June 24, 1843.
"MY DEAR LUCY,"Nine years ago to-day, your papa and
mama were married in the Baptist meetinghouse at Brookline. If you ask your Aunt L.,
she will tell you all about it. We lived very
happily together eight years and ten months,
and I always thank God for such a dear,
good wife as your mama was; and I want you
to thank him too, for such a mother. You
know how she loved you, and always sought
to make you happy and good. Her body lies
now, on the small hill, with a little pagoda
on the top of it, nearly in front of my house.
It is the hill with some small idols on it, one
of which, you or Olly, I have forgotten
which, brought away, and when you put it
back let it fall, and broke its head off. You
will recollect the hill, I think.
19




218     MEIMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
" Your dear little brother, Robert, lies beside his mama; but I think both are holy,
happy spirits in heaven. Robert was getting
on in learning to read very well, and the day
before he was taken sick, he learnt, among
other words,'father, mother, brother, sister,'
which he repeated just before he died. He
was a good boy, and a great deal of company
and comfort to me, after your mama died.
But God took him, and He does all things
right.
"I have just been to talk and pray with
Mlah-sa-keh, who is very sick, and will perhaps die. She sent for me to come and see
her. She said that she was not afraid to die;
she was a great sinner, but she believed in
Christ, and prayed to him; and thought he
would save her. When she heard that Robert was dead, she cried very much, and so
did a good many other people, who knew
him, and loved him. I have lately learnt,
that Mah-sa-keh begged her parents, with
tears, to be baptized some time ago, saying
she did not want to go to hell,-she wanted
to be a Christian. You know how much
your dear mama taught her; and prayed with




LAST LETTER TO LUCY.      219
her, and for her. I hope it was not in vain,
and that she may be saved in consequence
of it."
A few weeks after, giving her, in the same
letter, an account of the death and funeral
of the youngest child, he adds:-" There lie
their bodies, but their pure and happy spirits
dwell in the presence of God on high. Half
the family are now, I trust, in heaven, and
will you and Oliver immediately get ready
to meet them there? Do not wait because
you are young. Your brothers have died
younger than you are, and you too may
soon die. But should you live a great many
years, there will be no better time for you to
repent of sin and believe in Christ, than
now. I am very anxious that you and Oily
should become Christians immediately, and
then, whether you live or die, all will be
well.
"I feel very lonely, but the Lord is infinitely kind to me, and and often grants me
his presence, which renders me calm and
peaceful, amid all my sorrows. I am not
very well, and am expecting to go to Sando



220    MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
way in a day or two, to spend some time
with Willard's papa and mama."
For a year after the death of his beloved
wife and children, Mr. Comstock continued
his faithful labors. At intervals he suffered
from severe attacks of illness, when, to use
his own language, he learned "to suffer as
well as labor alone." But at length the
message came for him also to leave the field
and go home to his rest.
His last illness found him not unprepared.
"I did desire," he said, "to live a little
longer and labor for God; but if the Lord
has no more for me to do, I can cheerfully
leave the world now. I have no earthly
cords to bind me here. My trust is in the
Lord. He who has been with me thus far
will still be with me, and take care of me.
I have no fear to die; my faith is fixed
on Jesus. I wish you to state distinctly to
my friends at home, that I have never in the
least regretted having come to this country."
He expired on the 25th of April, 1844, at
the age of thirty-five years. He was a
valuable man. Those who knew him best,
considered him as admirably qualified to




LAST PLEA FOR ARRACAN.      221
pioneer in the great work of evangelizing
Arracan. During the last year of his life,
he lamented much over the fewness of laborers in the Missionary field.  The latest
sentence he penned was upon this subject.
It seemed at times almost to engross his
thoughts. In his earnest plea to the Board,
in behalf of Arracan, he says:"American Baptists must give the gospel to
this people or they perish forever. Can you
do nothing more for them?-Can not, and
will not the many Baptist churches in
America, which are feasting on spiritual
blessings, spare the crumbs which fall from
their tables for the famishing, dying thou
sands of Arracan? Will they not, as a
thank-offering, for their rich and numberless
mercies, immediately send Missionaries to
aid us in turning this people from their idols
to the living God?"
The deep interest he felt in the redemption of Arracan had manifested itself most
vividly, on the occasion of the departure
of his children to America. Amidst the
anguish of that hour, which only a parent
can conceive, there was room  still in his




222     MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
burdened heart for the welfare of Zion; his
last words were a plea in her behalf.
The Rev. Mr. Kincaid says, "Never shall
I forget the words, or the tone in which
those words were uttered, as he turned up his
face, still bedewed with tears, and exclaimed,
as the boat moved away,
"'Remember, Brother Kincaid, six men for
Arracan?'"
Men were sent at last, but not until God
had removed yet another from the few laborers already there, and the faithful Mis
sionary slept with his beloved babes and
the partner of his toils under the turf of
that land for whose evangelization he had
labored and plead.
Thus one after another of the toil-worn
servants of the cross fall upon the field of
labor. One after another enter into the
glorious rest that remaineth to the people of
God, and the wailing nations desire the
coming of others, who shall carry on the
blest work of publishing the glad tidings of
eternal life. Who will follow in the paths
of the noble pioneers for a lost world's re



WHO WILL FILL THE PLACE?     223
demption?  Who will supply the places
made vacant by death?
Not from the votaries of pleasure, the
lovers of this world, and the worshipers at
its shrines, may we look for aid, but from
among those who are heirs of a heavenly
inheritance, and who have enlisted under
the banner of the cross. Men who are willing to toil for Christ's sake, in obedience to
the command,- "Go teach all nations."
We know that God, if he choose, can convert nations in a day, that he can accomplish,
in a few short weeks, a work for which his
people might labor for years; but the fact
of such Divine power does not exempt us
from unceasing efforts. We are commanded
to do our duty, to sow in faith the seed, and
await the time of God. In this respect, especially, the example of the beloved subject
of this memoir is worthy of serious consideration. Like her let us go forward, and
do with our might, whatsoever our hand
findeth to do.
Above all, let us possess and cultivate
genuine faith. Month after month, year after
year we assemble and pray, that God would




224      MEMOIR OF MRS. COMSTOCK.
bless the labors of his servants in foreign
fields, and turn many to righteousness, but
when the signs of the times are, that God is
about to do this, as already among the millions of China, what a thrill of astonishment
and fear runs through the Christian church I
Had we prayed in faith, looking for the
blessing, would this be? Are we prepared
by expectation for the signal manifestations
of God? for the glorious dawn of the Sun
of Righteousness, with whose beams of
mercy the Orient is already tinged?
O! let us awake from our sleep; the night
is far spent; the morning is at hand! Let
us speed on the great work of salvation, and
cheer the fainting hearts of those who labor
afar off. Let the crumbs from our tables be
no longer the famishing heathen's portion,
but the bread of life in its rich abundance,
that they may partake and live forever.
Church of the Living God! arise
And do thy Master's holy will,
Plead for his grace with tears and sighs,
Till every promise he fulfill.
THE END.