Tarleton Perry Crawford
Encyclopedia
Tarleton Perry Crawford was a Baptist
missionary
to Shandong
, China
for 50 years with his wife.
. He was the fourth son of John and Lucretia Crawford. After his conversion to Christianity
at the age of sixteen, he said: He dedicated his life to mission work in China.
At the beginning of 1848 he entered Union University
, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
, where his studies were supported in part by the West Tennessee Baptist Convention. He graduated in 1851 at the head of his class.
Dr. Crawford worked on a farm in Denmark, Tennessee to help pay for his early education. He attended the Denmark Male Academy where he was top of his class. The Big Hatchie Baptist Association helped pay his way to Union University. The women of Browns Creek Baptist, Big Black Creek Baptist, Maple Springs Baptist and Clover Creek Baptist all sold their eggs and milk gathered on Sundays to help support him, and later Lottie Moon. He was first ordained by the Big Black Creek Baptist Church in Denmark, Tennessee. Brother Obediah Dodson was his pastor and very passionate about missions.
in 1852, Crawford and his wife Martha moved to Dengzhou
in Shandong, perhaps to gain more independence from mission oversight. Crawford had a domineering character that caused much dissent; some Americans were concerned and he was rebuked by the American consul in Shanghai.
Crawford insisted that preaching was the sole duty of the missionary. He was dismayed by the fiasco involving Charles Gutzlaff’s Chinese evangelists. He thereafter insisted Chinese should never be paid out of mission funds. His friend Dr. George Burton’s becoming exhausted due to excessive medical work in Shanghai reinforced Crawford's entral conviction. Crawford itinerated widely around local villages (131 in 1875 alone). His singlemindedness meant that he closed down his wife’s school in 1879, perhaps out of jealousy at her success with Lottie Moon
at Shating.
He continued to criticize the mission board of the American Southern Baptist Mission
, who he thought should have no say on mission matters. They disagreed and removed him in 1892.
Crawford formed the Gospel Mission, and eight (of fourteen) Southern Baptist missionaries joined him. By the turn of the century, the mission had grown to nineteen. All the Gospel missioners wore Chinese clothing, lived in Chinese houses, and solely preached the gospel. This was similar to the practices of the missionaries of the China Inland Mission
. Southern Baptist Convention missionaries struggled with Crawford's "unattractive social philosophy and his refusal to give sensible leadership to the Christian Chinese." (Hyatt, 1976:59)
Martha Crawford remained loyal to her husband, although she disagreed with several of his views. In 1867 she formed a boys’ school in their home. Several of the students went on to become pastors at the successful Huangxian and Pingdu
stations. She also wrote The Three Maidens, a book for children, which was subsequently widely used throughout China. At the Second Missionary Conference (1877), she spoke on ‘Women’s Work for Women’, stressing missionary wives should visit house-to-house, personally instruct local women, and prepare suitable literature for them.
In his book The Patriarchal Dynasties, Crawford announced his conviction that in 1876 the world was 14,376 years old. He believed that the Garden of Eden
was a theocratic confederacy
, with a population of 1,174,405,120.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
for 50 years with his wife.
Early life and education
Crawford was born in Warren County, KentuckyWarren County, Kentucky
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields regions. It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 113,792 in the 2010 Census. The county seat is Bowling Green...
. He was the fourth son of John and Lucretia Crawford. After his conversion to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
at the age of sixteen, he said: He dedicated his life to mission work in China.
At the beginning of 1848 he entered Union University
Union University
Union University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown, Tennessee, and Hendersonville, Tennessee...
, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, where his studies were supported in part by the West Tennessee Baptist Convention. He graduated in 1851 at the head of his class.
Dr. Crawford worked on a farm in Denmark, Tennessee to help pay for his early education. He attended the Denmark Male Academy where he was top of his class. The Big Hatchie Baptist Association helped pay his way to Union University. The women of Browns Creek Baptist, Big Black Creek Baptist, Maple Springs Baptist and Clover Creek Baptist all sold their eggs and milk gathered on Sundays to help support him, and later Lottie Moon. He was first ordained by the Big Black Creek Baptist Church in Denmark, Tennessee. Brother Obediah Dodson was his pastor and very passionate about missions.
Marriage and family
Crawford married Martha xx, who had become Baptist in 1845. She had studied at the Institute of Lafayette in Alabama. They married on March 12, 1851 at her home in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, a week after their engagement.Career
At the close of 1850 Crawford was appointed as missionary to Shanghai, China by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Posted initially to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1852, Crawford and his wife Martha moved to Dengzhou
Dengzhou
Dengzhou , formerly Deng County , is a city in Nanyang, Henan, China. it has an area of 2,294 km² and a population of 1,500,000. The urban area is 35 km², and the urban population is 300,000. The city is located in the southwest of Henan province, adjacent to the borders between Henan,...
in Shandong, perhaps to gain more independence from mission oversight. Crawford had a domineering character that caused much dissent; some Americans were concerned and he was rebuked by the American consul in Shanghai.
Crawford insisted that preaching was the sole duty of the missionary. He was dismayed by the fiasco involving Charles Gutzlaff’s Chinese evangelists. He thereafter insisted Chinese should never be paid out of mission funds. His friend Dr. George Burton’s becoming exhausted due to excessive medical work in Shanghai reinforced Crawford's entral conviction. Crawford itinerated widely around local villages (131 in 1875 alone). His singlemindedness meant that he closed down his wife’s school in 1879, perhaps out of jealousy at her success with Lottie Moon
Lottie Moon
Charlotte Digges "Lottie" Moon was a Southern Baptist missionary to China with the Foreign Mission Board who spent nearly forty years living and working in China...
at Shating.
He continued to criticize the mission board of the American Southern Baptist Mission
American Southern Baptist Mission
American Southern Baptist Mission is an American Southern Baptist missionary society that sent workers to countries overseas, such as China during the late Qing Dynasty...
, who he thought should have no say on mission matters. They disagreed and removed him in 1892.
Crawford formed the Gospel Mission, and eight (of fourteen) Southern Baptist missionaries joined him. By the turn of the century, the mission had grown to nineteen. All the Gospel missioners wore Chinese clothing, lived in Chinese houses, and solely preached the gospel. This was similar to the practices of the missionaries of the China Inland Mission
China Inland Mission
OMF International is an interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society, founded in Britain by Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865.-Overview:...
. Southern Baptist Convention missionaries struggled with Crawford's "unattractive social philosophy and his refusal to give sensible leadership to the Christian Chinese." (Hyatt, 1976:59)
Martha Crawford remained loyal to her husband, although she disagreed with several of his views. In 1867 she formed a boys’ school in their home. Several of the students went on to become pastors at the successful Huangxian and Pingdu
Pingdu
Pingdu is a county-level city of Qingdao sub-provincial city, Shandong Province, China.It is located in the centre of the Shandong Peninsula. It has an area of 3,166 km2 and a population of 1,340,000 people....
stations. She also wrote The Three Maidens, a book for children, which was subsequently widely used throughout China. At the Second Missionary Conference (1877), she spoke on ‘Women’s Work for Women’, stressing missionary wives should visit house-to-house, personally instruct local women, and prepare suitable literature for them.
In his book The Patriarchal Dynasties, Crawford announced his conviction that in 1876 the world was 14,376 years old. He believed that the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
was a theocratic confederacy
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
, with a population of 1,174,405,120.