Let Grief Lead to Service

Comfort for the Bereaved

You are doing what is right by putting the whole matter into God’s hands, and leaving it there, meanwhile keeping your own heart sweet, without bitterness, without resentment.

One of the sweetest paragraphs in your letter is what you say about your husband, that he was always true to the highest and the best. This makes your sorrow very much easier to bear. You have the comfort of knowing that he was a true man, that he was God’s child, and that he has only passed into a larger life, there to live, remembering you and loving you just as tenderly as he did while he was here with you. Some day you will have him with you again.

I remember Bickersteth’s poem. I read it when it first came out many years ago. I have not seen the book for a long time. In thinking of certain things in this book which you say you cannot quite believe, please remember that the book is poetry. Then remember also that Bicker steth’s view of the future life is not one which presents the most comfort to Christians in thinking of those who have passed away. I prefer to take the Scriptural view, as it is set forth in the words of Christ himself, and also in the words of Paul. I am glad that your mind does not give hospitality to the doubts and fears which are suggested in much of our recent literature.

No doubt there is mystery about the future. It is easy to raise questions and even to start doubts. In these days there is a school of professedly Christian men who are trying to take from us everything of the supernatural in our religion, including the deity of Christ and his resurrection. Let me say to you once for all, my dear child, that such iconoclasm is utterly without ground or foundation. Let us cling to the simple teaching of the holy Scripture. At the very most these doubts and speculations are the thoughts of men who set aside entirely the words of Christ, ignoring them. We believe in Christ and in his words, and this is where our hope and joy are.

You ask me what you should do. You say you cannot seem to get your feet on the foundation. All you can do is to creep into the arms of Christ and rest yourself in his eternal love. You cannot understand things, you cannot find out things that you would like to find out about the future. You will have to go on for a little while in the mists, as far as the future world is concerned. But if you trust implicitly, unquestioningly, then Christ will help you in your life.

Let me suggest to you that you do not allow your mind to run quite so much in the tracks which it has been making for itself during the last year. I am not trying to make you think less of him who has gone, but I am sure that if he could speak to you to-day he would bid you to have no anxiety or fear about him, but to devote your life to unfailing service for Christ. Do not doubt the teaching of immortality. I must not enter into any discussion of this question with you now, but I want to help you to cling to the truth, and I assure you nothing could be surer. Christ’s own words are enough, l i Whosoever liveth and believe th in me shall never die.” When he has spoken there is no more room for doubt; his word is sure — it must not be doubted.

A good woman in Philadelphia lost her husband by death. He died away from home — suddenly, in a hotel where he was stopping. They had been married about three years. She was almost like a baby in her clinging to him and her dependence upon him. I did not know her then, but after her husband’s funeral she came to me to find comfort. I took her into my heart as a little child, and tried to do what I could to help her into the light. She was not a Christian and did not know anything about Christ. I taught her the story of Christ’s love as simply as I could, and led her to devote herself to him as her Saviour and her Friend. Then I tried to lead her into such activity as I knew would be the best course for her. She united with the church of her choice in a few weeks, and in the following September took a class of little girls in the Sunday school there and gave herself up with the sweetest devotion to teaching and helping them. I also gave her some women to visit, women who needed just the help that her sweet young life could take to them. One of them was an old woman, poor and lonely. The others were women with needs and sorrows of different kinds who would be helped by her sympathy and by her love. She visited these women from time to time and devoted herself to her church life. To-day, after three years of such experience, she is one of the dearest, most beautiful, and most helpful women I know. Her grief, instead of spending itself in tears and questions, was turned into paths of service, and in helping others she found the help that she herself most needed. Let me suggest to you that in the care of your children and in your other duties which come to you in your home, and in whatever else you may be able to do for Christ and for his needy ones, you will find the comfort you seek.

Find new paths now, paths out of the valley, away from the shadows, paths that lie in the sunlight. Think of your babies and live for them. Do not forget for a moment that the reason God left you behind when he called your husband away was that you had a work yet to do, because you could not be spared from this earth. Do not disappoint the Master by failing to do in any sense what he wants you to do for his glory.