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TARLETON PERRY CRAWFORD,
MARTHA FOSTER CRAWFORD

By Joseph H. Borum, 1880
      Elder T. P. Crawford, of Tung Chow, China, is fraught with the deepest interest to us all, not only in Tennessee, but to Baptists throughout the world. Nor would we separate his noble wife from him, in this interest -- Martha Foster Crawford will be remembered as long as the sun and moon endure.

     The writer, in order to procure biographical sketches of these highly important characters, corresponded with them, through a brother-in-law, (Dr. J. G. Montgomery, of Rutherford, Tenn.,) who married her sister. Believing that their responsive communications will give more satisfaction to the reading public than anything he could write, hereby inserts them:

"TUNG CHOW, CHINA, July 18, 1876.

      Dear Brother:
      I can only give you a few facts connected with my history. To write such an autobiography as you ask for is out of the question, as I have neither time, thought, nor inclination to attempt it.

      "I was born in Warren county, Ky., May 8, 1821. My parents (John and Cretia), were Baptists, and blessed with a family of seven sons and three daughters, of whom I am the fourth. They have been dead many years.

      "I professed religion at home, under the instruction of my mother, in the spring of 1837, and in July was baptized into the fellowship of Sinking Spring church, by Elder Ephraim H. Owing, of Callaway county, Ky. I felt called to the ministry from the day of my conversion, but made a seven years' struggle against the impression.

      "About that time I united with the Bird's Creek church, Henry county, Tenn., and began, at Clark's Institute, to study, preparatory to entering the ministry, in company with John Bateman and Granville Martin, where I continued one year. My funds were exhausted; I taught a session and then took up my studies again. Rev. Peter S. Gayle, (blessed be his memory), having heard of my efforts, invited me to come to Denmark, Madison county, Tenn., and live at his house, and pursue my studies in the academy there. I gladly accepted his offer and continued them, there and elsewhere, without interruption, till able to enter college. After a four years' course at Union University I graduated in the session of 1850-1.

      "During my course I received aid from the Board of the West Tennessee convention, which I shall always remember with the deepest gratitude. Before my graduation the Big Hatchie association adopted me as their missionary, agreeing to support me in China, instead of Rev. Henry Goodale, who had died in Africa. At the end of 1850 I was appointed to Shanghai, by the Foreign Mission Board, at Richmond, Va. March 12, 1851, I was married to Miss Martha Foster, of Alabama, and we began our life-work together.

      "April 28, 1851, I was ordained by Denmark church, of which I was a member, by the following council of ministers: Rev. Champ C. Conner, pastor of the church and moderator of the Big Hatchie association; Henry L. Pettus, Archibald Maclay, D. D., of New York; George Tucker, pastor of the church at Jackson, Tenn.; Abraham Whitson, George E. Thomas, Hugh Coffey and William Nolen.

      "We were set apart by the Southern Baptist convention, at Nashville, in May, and sailed in the ship Horatio from New York, November 17, 1851. We reached Shanghai on the 30th of March, 1852, where we labored until August, 1863, when, from failing health, we removed to the salubrious climate of Tung Chow Foo, on the gulf of Pechell, where, our health being fully restored, we have since continued to labor in the gospel without serious interruption. We have aided in establishing churches in China; have preached the gospel to millions of people; taught many youths of both sexes; made and distributed many books -- all we have done and suffered for the cause of God, during these twenty-five years, can never be told. What remains for us in the future is known only to God, our Heavenly Father, to whom we have consecrated our entire lives. During about six years of the war times we had to support ourselves. This was done without interfering with our work.

      "I send you a rough drawing of our chapel. I remember Brother Borum and other dear brethren of West Tennessee with great pleasure, and hope to meet them in heaven, where I may lecture on China, but I can not write on it much while in this world.

Yours very truly, T. P. CRAWFORD."

      "NOTE. -- Messrs. Starke & Ryland, of Richmand, Va., are publishing, for me, a small work, with the following title: 'The Patriarchal Dynasties from Adam to Abraham,' shown to cover a period of ten thousand five hundred years; and 'The Highest Human Life only 187 years,' by Rev. T. P. Crawford, of Tung Chow, China."

      The following stanzas were composed by Elder Crawford: in September, I871:

"FOR SUFFERING SAINTS
I.
Pass under the rod,
Thou servant of God,
Pass under the rod,
Designed for thy good.
His wisdom believe;
His teaching receive;
Nor murmur nor grieve;
But keep to thy place,
And quicken thy pace,
Recipient of Grace;
Thy sphere is above.

II.
Then bow to the rod,
Thou servant of God,
And say not a word --
'Tis all for thy good.
Though bid from thy sight,
Thy mansion is bright,
And filled with delight.
There glories untold,
That ravish the soul,
Forever unfold,

And beckon thee on.

III.
Ah! servant of God,
That kingdom above,
That region of love,
In which we must move,
Hath heights so sublime.
And joys so divine,
With life so refined,
That we must be trained,
Through labor and pain,
Its portals to gain;

Its pleasures to share.
TUNG CHOW, CHINA, September, 1874.

MARTHA FOSTER CRAWFORD
      This noble woman and devoted servant of God, and missionary to China, was born in Jasper county, Ga., January 28, 1830. She is the fourth living child of Deacon L. S. and Susan Foster. She was educated partly in Tuscaloosa county, partly in Lafayette, Chambers county, and at Mesopotamia Female Institute, Eutaw, Ala., and was baptized by Rev. James Davis, of Georgia, in Lafayette, Chambers county, October, 1845, uniting with that church. She removed her membership a few months afterwards, on returning home, to Grant's Creek church, Tuscaloosa county, Ala., which was then and has been ever since under the pastoral care of Rev. John C. Foster. She was married to Rev. T. P. Crawford March 12, 1851, at Carthage, Ala., by Rev. Dr. B. Manly.

      I quote some paragraphs from her letter, written to her sister, Mrs. Dr. Montgomery, of Rutherford, Tenn., which will doubtless be interesting to the reader. The letter is dated July 15, 1876:

"Sometimes my cares and responsibilities almost overwhelm me. I can only flee to the one great source of all comfort. These anxieties are mostly in connection with our work, and cannot be well understood by one away from the field.

Of personal anxieties I have not had more than my share. 'Wars and rumors of wars' have often caused us some solicitude, and no very long period elapses without something in this line. But God seems to have allowed England to bind the dragon. Were it not for the fear of the consequences restraining this government and people, our heads would not remain for a day upon our shoulders. The bitter opposition to foreigners, from the European to the beggar, is ineradicable, and restrained only by fear.

* * *

Remember us kindly to Brother Borum and other friends you may meet. On a separate sheet we comply with your request for certain facts in part; to do it in full would require several months close writing. "A history of our life and labors in China!" What a lot of work that would require!

* * *

Yours affectionately,

M. F. CRAWFORD.

      Sister Crawford may be well classed with the noble women of the Bible. Such as Sarah, Dorcas, Eunice, Louis, and Claudia. When in her bright, joyous and blooming maidenhood she was impressed that it was her duty to become a missionary to the heathen; her young heart bled when she read of the atrocities and idolatry of the heathen; she longed to bear to them the Lamp of Life; and God, who works all things after the counsel of his own will, through his own power conducted her to her desired field of labor, to work for the salvation of lost, ruined heathen, idolatrous sinners. Her father in his ever-to-be-remembered speech before "The Southern Baptist Convention," at Nashville, May, 1851, stated that for years he had been praying to the Lord to put it into the hearts of Christians to bear the gospel to the heathen, not thinking that it was to be one of his children. But with thankful heart and tearful eyes he seemed never to have bestowed a thought on the subject of how his message was to be delivered. Still his piety, earnestness and zeal made him often very effective. His perseverance and unyielding determination that has characterized his missionary labors is only a development of those characteristics which he exhibited in early life.

* * *
      HOW HE GOT A NOBLE WIFE. -- Rev. J. B. Taylor, Corresponding Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board, received a letter from Rev. E. B. Teague, of Alabama, asking if the Board would send out as a missionary an unmarried lady, and commending in high terms Miss Martha Foster, who was anxious to consecrate her life to the salvation of the heathen in China. This letter being exhibited to Brother Crawford, appeared to him a providential indication, and he immediately set out for Alabama. I first met him in February 1851, on horseback on this journey, within twenty-five miles of the object of his search, and answered several questions about the way, then somewhat obstructed by swollen water courses, and parted with him without the slightest intimation of his name, place of residence, or purpose. Some three weeks later I accompanied him and his young bride from this county to Mobile and New Orleans, on their way to Tennessee.

      Mrs. Crawford is the daughter of Deacon John L. S. Foster, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., who fell asleep while a member of Grant's Creek church, of Alabama, in February, 1875, and of Mrs. Susan Foster, who resides with her daughter, Mrs. E. A. Foster, of Starkville, Miss. The nuptials were celebrated on the 12th of March, 1851. 'Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord.'

      MOVEMENTS. -- On January 6, 1851 Mr. Crawford was appointed a missionary to Shanghai, and an agent of the Board to collect funds in Tennessee, especially in the Big Hatchie Association, which had liberally offered to provide his support. On the 17th of November of that year he sailed with his wife for Shanghai, where they arrived March 30, 1852. In 1858 they returned to America. After an absence of a year and nine months they went back in 1860 to Shanghai. In 1863 they removed to Tung Chow, in the Shantung province. Of their abundant labors there we shall write in due time. In the meanwhile let us give to the faithful servants of God our earnest prayers and our generous contributions." T.

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[Biographical Sketches of Tennessee Baptist Ministers, By Joseph H. Borum, 1880; reprint, 1976, pp. 178-183. Scanned and formatted by JIm Duvall.]



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