Article October 22, 1932 Issue

The Comforter

PETER B. BIGGINS

THE true understanding of God brings real comfort to the individual who is gaining it, and to all who are touched by its helpful influence. Mortals, from their earliest conscious moments, begin to seek consolation. The child with his broken toy looks for sympathy. The adult, believing himself to be disillusioned by the failure of false hopes, seeks a comforter. So throughout the round of human experience the demand continues. Under normal circumstances, the child is comforted by his mother's affection, wisely expressed, and learns to expect to be thus consoled. This maternal care illustrates the spiritual comfort which is derived from our Father-Mother God. The prophet Isaiah represents God as saying, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

Centuries after the prophet had voiced this divine assurance, Christ Jesus, comforting his disciples concerning his approaching departure, said, "The Father . . . shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." The Master, during the time that he had been with his disciples, had comforted them with his God-inspired words. They had seen him help others. They had observed the instantaneous healing of apparently hopeless diseases, and the awakening of those asleep in sin. They had seen the dead raised and comfort brought to the mourners. In all this they saw, even though faintly, the operation of a power which they had not known before. Now the Master told them that he, personally, soon would leave them, but that the spiritual power and grace which he had used would be utilized by them and by others; that the Comforter would come and forever abide.

It was this Comforter whose healing touch was felt by Mary Baker Eddy in that definite experience which awakened her from suffering to health, and inspired her to give Christian Science to the world. The flood tide of inspiration which came to her enabled her to write the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The reader, studying this textbook in the right spirit, that is, with humility and receptivity, feels the touch of this inspiration, and is helped and healed by it. Thus there begins in his experience a process of spiritualization of thought and life. He adopts higher aims. His motives are purified. Errors of thought come to light and are corrected. The earnest student of Christian Science is guided, rebuked, instructed, cheered by this Comforter. Mrs. Eddy, referring to the Comforter promised by Christ Jesus, writes in Science and Health (p. 55), "This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science."

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