Memoir of the Rev. Joseph Stibbs Christmas. By E. Lord [pp. 256-269]

Memoir of Rev. J. S. Christmas.
the best pledges of a successful one. Let a minister truly and
ardently love the souls whom he addresses from day to day;
let him take a deep and tender interest in their temporal and
eternal welfare; let him desire above all things to be the happy
instrument of bearing them onward with him to the heavenly
world; and he will be willing to "spend and be spent" in
promoting their eternal well being. He will find labours,
and even privations, sweet. He will experience an impulse
more effectual than a thousand rules can impart in attaining a
hallowed and elevated eloquence. He will cheerfully consent
to suffer and to die if he may be the means of "winning souls"
to Christ. If we were about to give a single comprehensive
counsel to one who was just entering on this most delightful
of all employments, when pursued from proper motives, we
should say to him, "Let LOVE CONSTRAIN YOU; let your WHOLE
HEART be in the great work of doing good, and all will be
well."
The remainder of Mr. Christmas's course was short and
eventful. He left Montreal in the summer of 1828, with
some faint hope of regaining his health, and of continuing his
pastoral labours in that city. Finding, however, after a few
weeks, that relaxation and travelling failed of restoring his
strength, he solicited a dissolution of his pastoral relation, to
which the people of his charge reluctantly consented; and his
connexion with them was dissolved, by the Presbytery of
New York, in the month of October following.
In December, of the same year, he prepared for a voyage
as chaplain of one of the ships of the United States, which he
hoped might prove beneficial to his health; but finding that
the ship was not likely to sail so soon as he had expected, and
as was thought his health urgently required, he gave up that
engagement, and, early in January, 1829, went to New
Orleans, as an agent for the American Bible Society. The
climate of that place, however, proving unfavourable to his
health, and being unable to engage in any active service in
pursuance of his mission, he soon returned to New York,
where he had left his wife and two children. In a few days
after his return, both his children were removed by death;
and in August following, Mrs. Christmas, whose health had
been, for several months declining, sank under the pressure
of a rapid pulmonary consumption, and in the exercise of a
joyful hope, fell asleep in Christ. She appears to have been
an excellent woman.
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