A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Comstock, Sarah Davis

4120217A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography — Comstock, Sarah Davis

COMSTOCK, SARAH DAVIS,

Was the daughter of Robert S. Davis, of Brookline, Massachusetts. She early became a member of the Baptist church in her native town, and gave full evidence of being imbued with the self-denying spirit of a Christian. The Rev. Grover S. Comstock, a clergyman in the Baptist Church, selected her as his companion in the life of toil and hardship he had chosen as a missionary to Burmah, and she faithfully fulfilled the task she then undertook in a true martyr-spirit. In June, 1834, Mr. and Mrs. Comstock were publicly consecrated to the work in Boston, and sailed immediately for their field of labour, which they reached on the 6th. of December, in the same year. In his labours between Arracan and Burmah, Mr. Comstock found his wife of great assistance. Whenever women came near the house, she would instantly leave her occupations, if possible, to tell them of the Saviour; she collected a school, translated the Scripture Catechism, and administered both medicine and advice to the sick, besides teaching her own children and attending to household duties. In the evening, whenever she could be out, she might often be found with several native women collected around her, to whom she was imparting religious knowledge.

Mrs. Comstock's faith was strong that ere long Arracan would, as a country, acknowledge God as its ruler, and in this expectation, she laboured until death came to lead her away to her infinite reward. She died of a disease peculiar to the climate, on the 28th, of April, 1843, leaving four children, two of whom had previously been sent to America for instruction; the other two soon followed her to the grave. Nothing could exceed the sorrow expressed by the natives for her loss. More than two thousand came on the day after her death to share their grief with her afflicted husband, who survived her loss but for a few months.