Thomas Jackson Crawford
{{Short description|Scottish minister and professor of divinity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
File:Professor Thomas Jackson Crawford.jpg, 1840s]]
Thomas Jackson Crawford {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE}} (1812–1875) was a Scottish minister and professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh. He served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1867, the highest level within the Scottish church.
He wrote extensively on religious matters and was vocal in his adherence to the established Church of Scotland both during and following the Disruption of 1843.
Life
File:13 Great King Street, Edinburgh.jpg
File:Thomas Jackson Craword's grave, Dean Cemetery.jpg]]
He was born in St Andrews in Fife on 13th February 1812 the son of Agnes McDermeit and the Rev Prof William Crawford DD (died 1822), Professor of Moral Philosophy at United College at the University of St Andrews. Thomas was educated at the High School in Edinburgh and then returned to St Andrews to study divinity at the University, graduating with MA in 1831.{{Cite book |url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf |title=Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1783–2002: Part 1 (A–J) |author=C D Waterston |author2=A Macmillan Shearer |website=Royal Society of Edinburgh |isbn=090219884X |date=July 2006 |access-date=18 September 2015 |archive-date=24 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124115814/http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf |url-status=dead}}
In 1834 he became a minister in Cults, and in 1838, transferred to Glamis to the west. In 1844 he moved to Edinburgh as "second charge" minister of St Andrew's Church on George Street, firstly under Rev Thomas Clark then under Rev John Stuart.Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; by Hew Scott During the Disruption of 1843 within the church, he was a strong advocate and campaigner of remaining within the established Church of Scotland. In 1859, over and above his ministering duties, he was made professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh and continued in this role until 1875. At this time he was living at 13 Great King Street, a large Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh’s Second New Town.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1861-2
In 1861 he was made Chaplain in Ordinary to Queen Victoria.
In 1867 his eminence led to him being elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, succeeding Very Rev John Cook.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1871, his proposer being John Hutton Balfour.
He died in Genoa in Italy on 11 October 1875.
His body was returned to Edinburgh, where he was buried in Dean Cemetery on 12 January 1876 next to his wife, Mary Rankin (1830–1853) who had died young. The grave lies on the north wall of the original cemetery.
Publications
- Reasons of Adherence to the Church of Scotland (1843)
- An Argument for Jewish Missionaries (1847)
- Presbyterianism Defended Against the Exclusive Claims of Prelacy (1853)
- Presbytery or Prelacy (1867)
- The Fatherhood of God (1867)
- The Doctrine of Holy Scripture, Respecting the Atonement (1871)
- The Mysteries of Christianity (1874)
Family
He married twice: firstly to Mary Rankine (1830-1853) daughter of Robert Rankine, a Liverpool merchant, who died aged only 23; secondly to Elizabeth Robertson, daughter of William Robertson of Malta. He had two sons by the second marriage: William Thomas Crawford MD (d. 1925) and George William Crawford.Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; vol. 7; by Hew Scott
Artistic recognition
His marble bust, by William Brodie, is within the University of Edinburgh Art Collection.{{cite web|url=http://collections.ed.ac.uk/art/record/19517?highlight=*:*|title=Thomas Jackson Crawford|publisher=}} An early photographic negative (1843) by Hill & Adamson is held by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.{{cite web|url=http://cdm16490.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15531coll1/id/68|title=Prof Thomas Jackson Crawford :: Hill & Adamson Collection|publisher=}}
References
{{reflist}}
- Dictionary of National Biography:Thomas Jackson Crawford
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Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Category:19th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland
Category:19th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers
Category:Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Category:19th-century Scottish writers
Category:Academics of the University of Edinburgh
Category:People from St Andrews
Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Category:Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland