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Comfort One Another

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 6, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 27.

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Comfort One Another

By T. E. Bowen

T. E. BOWEN
THESE words, addressed to the followers of Jesus, occur again and again in the Bible. “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.” “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” “Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak.” “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”
Webster defines “comfort” as “assistance; relief; support; encouragement; solace; consolation in trouble; also, that which affords consolation.”
To be actually a dispenser of assistance, relief, support, encouragement, solace, or consolation to our brethren, then, is to comfort them; and we can not do these things without love. And this love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us, whose work it is to administer comfort to believers; hence one of his names is “The Comforter.”
Without knowing it, we are liable to become exacting, picking up little things in the lives of our brethren and sisters, friends and neighbors, which never should be noticed; and thereby we fail in comforting one another in the close range of daily activities in the home or the church. It will be observed of those persons the most comfortable to live with, that they studiously ignore the thousand and one little things that might be noticed, but which would make others uncomfortable. And, further, it will be observed that these are the sweet, unselfish souls from whose lives there constantly goes out the fragrance of Christlike helpfulness. It is not so much justice that we need to cultivate, in seeking to comfort one another, as mercy.
“How little do we enter into sympathy with Christ on that which should be the strongest bond of union between us and him,—compassion for depraved, guilty, suffering souls, dead in trespasses and sins! The inhumanity of man toward man is our greatest sin. Many think that they are representing the justice of God, while they wholly fail of representing his tenderness and his great love. Often the ones whom they meet with sternness and severity are under the stress of temptation. Satan is wrestling with these souls, and harsh, unsympathetic words discourage them, and cause them to fall a prey to the tempter’s power.”—“Ministry of Healing,” page 163.
God comforts us. Jesus was a comfort to all those about him. When he left, he promised another Comforter—the Holy Ghost. He is here, and will remain with us unto the end. Shall we not cooperate with him by being of assistance to some needy soul,—by relieving some aching heart; supporting some one who is weak; encouraging that one cast down; bringing solace to some troubled soul; offering consolation to that one on the verge of despair? All these friends are met in our daily round. They may work at our elbow in the shop, in the mill, toil with us on the farm, or hurry past us on the street, seeking to hide their real heart burdens, but at the same time needing heavenly comfort. If our hearts have been comforted by our Heavenly Father, shall we withhold comfort from others? Shall we not rather in some of the many ways mentioned above “lend a hand” in our association with one another, and thus actually “comfort one another”?
Washington, D. C.