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

llemoir of Rev. J. S. Christmas.
To a mind of such peculiar sensibility as that of Mr. C.,
these repeated and sore bereavements were, of course, heavy
indeed. But, though afflicted, he was not forsaken. Though
"cast down, he was not destroyed." Sustained by his Master's grace, and feeling as if his own tenure of life was peculiarly frail, (soon, alas, realized) he seems to have cast about
at once for some suitable sphere, in which he might make the
most of what remained of life for his Master's glory.
In the following October, he accepted the unanimous call
of the Bowery Presbyterian Church in the city of New York,
to be its pastor; and was installed on the 14th of that month.
Here, for a short time, his indefatigable labours were highly
acceptable, and decisively blessed to the spiritual benefit of
numbers. But in the midst of usefulness, and when sanguine
hopes were entertained that his health might be restored to
more than its wonted firmness, he was unexpectedly called,
after a short illness, in the month of March, 1830, in the 27th
year of his age, to follow his beloved companion, and their
children, to a better world. Thus, in less than twelve months,
in the mysterious providence of God, this whole interesting
family, his two children, his wife, and himself were in rapid
succession translated to that blessed society, where sin and
suffering are alike unknown.
The last illness of this lamented young minister, was violent
and rapid. Neither he nor his friends were at all aware of
the approaching event, until within a very few hours of its
occurrence. In this short season, however, he was enabled
to feel and exemplify, in the most unequivocal manner, the
preciousness of "a good hope through grace" in a d(ying hour;
and to give such testimonies in favour of the glorious gospel
which he had preached, as will never be forgotten by those
who witnessed them.
We should be glad to transcribe, with expressions of affectionate concurrence, many of the general statements and remarks with which Mr. Lord closes the memoir before us:
but the space to which we are confined forbids it.
The compiler of this biographical sketch has subjoined to
the memoir a sermon on "Christian Intercession," written
while Mr. C. was a student in the Theological Seminary at
Princeton —a " Discourse on the nature of that Inability which
prevents the sinner from embracing the Gospel"-and the
"Farewell Letter which he wrote to the American Presbyterian Society of Montreal." All these compositions furnish
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