Charles James Stewart

Stewart, Charles James

Charles James Stewart, second Anglican bishop of Québec (b at London, Eng 13 Apr 1775; d there 13 July 1837). A man of independent means, a former fellow of All Souls, Oxford, closely related to men and women prominent in social and political life and in the British army and navy, Charles Stewart was an unusual recruit for pioneer missionary service in the diocese of Québec. But from 1807, when he came to Canada as a missionary under the Soc for the Propagation of the Gospel and began working in mission stations in the Eastern Townships, through his 7 years as travelling missionary in Lower and Upper Canada, and in his 11-year episcopate from 1826 to 1837, he created a record for unremitting toil and devotion to duty. He raised money for the building of 40 churches and was instrumental in the opening of 25 missions, in creating a body of lay catechists, in maintaining clergy stipends at a critical time, and in raising the level of education from Sunday school and elementary school to university. Though he was said to have been somewhat ungainly and at times lacking in political and business sense, his deep religious faith, asceticism, generosity of spirit and purse, and his genuine care for the spiritual interests of pioneer immigrants and native Indians earned the bachelor bishop the affection of his clergy and people, and a secure place among the builders of the church in Canada.