Matsu Crawford papers, 1923-1988.

ArchivalResource

Matsu Crawford papers, 1923-1988.

Correspondence, publications, clippings, prose and poetry, and research files re Presbyterian Church in the United States, especially the schism between conservative, liberal, constitutional, and theological factions; Ecumenical Institute (Chicago); National Council of Churches; and Peoples' Bicentennial Commission. Pre-war correspondence from Japan (Tokyo, Kochi, Okazaki, and elsewhere) includes Vernon Crawford's arguments against Laymen's Foreign Missionary Enquiry's proposal to end Presbyterian missionary work in Japan, transference of Carrie McMillan Home for Girls to Japanese church, the folly and foolishness of American isolationists, expulsion of Episcopal clergy and German-Japanese cooperation. Three printed circular letters, 1964-1966, of J.M.T. Winther, Lutheran Bible Institute and Theological Seminary, Kobe, Japan, re annual reports; and correspondence from Japanese friends, including letter, 16 Jan. 1966, from Takahiro Kozuka, Kobe, Japan, re Matsu Crawford's book, For Every Red Sea, and discussion of U.S. policy in Vietnam. Letters, 1970-1978, from Jamshid Dinsha Italia, India, re politics in India and visit to South Africa; photocopied letters, 11 Apr. - 30 May 1973, Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, S.C., from Rev. Gordon K. Reed, re division within Presbyterian Church; biographical sketch, ca. 1970, of Kate Vixen Wofford; and letter 11 Jan. 1979, Black Mountain, N.C., to Sen. Strom Thurmond, Washington, D.C., re Ecumenical Institute and stating concerns about the People's Temple and "the Jim Jones Group" in Jonestown, Guyana. Autobiography, 1988, written by Matsu Crawford, re the Wofford family and her childhood near Madden's Station in Laurens County, S.C., including recollections of her parents, siblings, early education, and farm life; copy of Solomon's Daughter, 1976, a bicentennial play re Dicey Langston; and undated corrected typescript of Secret in Sapporro. Works by other writers include a copy of unpublished autobiography, ca. 1940, by Azile M. Wofford (b.1896), a professor of Library Science at the University of Kentucky and sister of Matsu, Kate Wofford, and other siblings, re her childhood on the family farm in Laurens County, S.C., during early decades of 20th century; and book, published, 1974, She Smiles Forever: In Memory of Aoi, edited by Aoi's father, Katsu Hara (English and Japanese editions bound together), and including correspondence with the Crawfords. Scrapbook, ca. 1920-1976, with letters, clippings, programs and other items, records biographical information on Matsu and Vernon Crawford, some of their homes and haunts, such as New Prospect Baptist Church in Laurens County on its 125th anniversary in 1968; descriptions of their life in Japan, ca. 1930s and 1950s; and political issues within the Presbyterian Church, "Presbyterian Schism... is Explained..." (8 Feb. 1968, from unidentified newspaper, possibly in Greer, S.C.), re doctrinal differences among factions within the denomination, and noting several court cases in which churches in Savannah had withdrawn from the Presbyterian Church but had been allowed to retain ownership of Church property. Collection includes many booklets, pamphlets, and newsletters interfiled with correspondence (Box 1); these titles reflect causes that Crawford supported or opposed, as she grew concerned observing many social changes of the later 20th century; titles represented include: Church in mission (Atlanta, Ga.), at leat one issue (Dec. 1967); Concerned Presbyterian (Miami, Florida), "Dedicated to Returning the Presbyterian Church U.S. to its Primary Mission," at least two issues (Nov. 1967 and Oct. 1969); two publications of the Ecumenical Institute: I.E. (at least seven issues, 1971-1973), and Image (1 issue, 1969); Engage, at least one issue (June 1970), published by the Board of Christian Social Concerns of the United Methodist Church; News & Views (Wheaton, Ill), at least four issues (Sept. 1966, Oct. 1971, Nov. 1973, and Apr. 1976) published under the slogan "Eternal vigilance is forever the price of freedom"; Presbyterian Survey (at least one issue, 1968); and others.

921 items and 8 v. (2 cartons)

Related Entities

There are 14 Entities related to this resource.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sv1j9m (corporateBody)

Langston, Dicey, 1759-1827

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sx9g7m (person)

Kobe Union Church (Kobe, Japan)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63c4d75 (corporateBody)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S. Japan Mission

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6q0069v (corporateBody)

Crawford, Matsu, 1902-2006.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xd490k (person)

Mattie Sue "Matsu" Wofford Crawford was a Presbyterian missionary to Japan (1929-1940 and 1961-1964), a nonfiction writer and author of several Christian novels; Crawford published under her nickname acquired during her time in Asia: "Matsu," which is the Japanese word for "pine"; born, 1902, near Madden's Station (Laurens County, S.C.); resident of Florida during and after World War II; retired to Black Mountain, N.C. Wife of Vernon Crawford (1899-1978), a Presbyterian ...

Wofford, Azile, 1896-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6k08fqx (person)

Crawford, Vernon A. (Vernon Allen), 1899-1978.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kw8r3j (person)

Vernon Crawford, a Presbyterian minister, served as missionary to Japan for the Executive Committee of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S., 1929-1940, and as pastor of Kobe Union Church, in Kobe, Japan, 1961-1964. In Japan, Crawford and his wife Mattie Sue (Matsu) were stationed in Kochi, Okazaki, and Nagoya. From 1941 to 1960, Crawford served as pastor to congregations in Georgia and Florida. From the description of Vernon A. Crawford pap...

Wofford family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60q0dts (family)

Peoples Bicentennial Commission

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sz17s6 (corporateBody)

Jones, Jim, 1931-1978

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68p63n7 (person)

Jim Jones, charismatic cult leader, was born in Lynn, Randolph County, Ind. His religious career began in 1956 when he started the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis. In 1965 he moved his temple to Redwood Valley, Calif. and in 1970 to San Francisco, where the temple claimed 7500 members. In 1973 Jones began developing Jonestown in Guyana. In November 1978 Jones and his followers at Jonestown shocked the world by committing mass suicide by drinking poisoned Kool-Aid. From the description...

Hara, Katsu, 1908-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68d2wj4 (person)

Winther, J. M. T., 1874-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62r6tf2 (person)

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6fr3p36 (corporateBody)

Official name, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; informally known as National Council of Churches USA or variants; earlier name, Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America was organized in 1908; it was one of eight organizations which merged to form the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America on November 29, 1950. From t...

Wofford, Kate Vixen, 1894-1954.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6254j43 (person)