On this day (March 24) 1809 Grover Comstock was born in Rochester, New York. Although he was the son of a Baptist preacher, he was not converted until after he had become a successful lawyer. In 1831 a blessed rival swept through Rochester and Comstock along with many others, including a few lawyers, were born again.
Almost immediately Bro. Comstock became burdened for the lost heathen. While in school, preparing for missionary service he met his future wife, a woman also dedicated to the mission field. Comstock was ordained in Rochester on March 12, 1834, and shortly after that the couple sailed for Burma with their eyes set on a place called Arracan. Upon their arrival in Moulmein, Burma, they were unable to proceed to their intended destination, so they launched into the work at Kyouk Phyoo and then Ramree, preaching and printing gospel tracts.
As children were born into the family, the Comstocks determined that it would be necessary to send them home for their education. It was, of course an extremely difficult decision. When Dr. Eugenio Kincaid was set to furlough back to the States, he took with him the two eldest Comstock children. He described the parting as exceedingly emotional, and the last thing he remembered of Bro. Comstock, with tears streaming down his face, were the words, “Remember, Brother Kincaid, six men for Arracan,” meaning, ” we need six more missionaries for Arracan.”
When Kincaid’s ship was off Shady Hook, April 28, 1843, back in Burma, Sister Comstock, aged 31, died. Almost one year to the day, Bro. Comstock, aged 35 also died. Soon after that each of the remaining children in Burma passed away.
So the Comstock’s missionary ministry was relatively short, and they never reached their intended place of service, but the Lord chose to use them and the literature they printed where they were. Eventually many Burmese turned to God from idols as a result of the work the Comstocks had begun.
I have not been able to learn if Dr. Kincaid’s plea of “Six men for Arracan” was immediately fulfilled, but history shows that the missionary work in Burma was significantly blessed by the Lord.