*Excerpt from Reuban Butchart's "The Disciples of Christ in Canada Since 1830", Chapter 10*
So far as known, the birth of this earliest leader was in the year 1787, on the island of Arran, Scotland, and he was the uncle of a later leader of the same name, Donald Crawford. The Crawford family in Arran were Congregational Independents and had come under the influence of the Haldane brothers, who at the beginning of the nineteenth century were conducting their remarkable efforts at reviving evangelical religion in Scotland. Theirs was a non-denominational, layman effort. Alexander Crawford was converted to Christ under their preaching in Arran. In their efforts to promote religion the Haldanes undertook no responsibilities about sending forth their student-preachers, and Crawford, doubtless fired with the new zeal that was breaking forth dedicated himself to the cause of Christ.
At his home in Arran later on he baptized his own parents, under circumstances requiring courage. In the year 1811, with his wife he came to Yarmouth, N.S., and learning of the spiritual needs of Prince Edward Island he removed there at the invitation of friends.1 He began, naturally, to work amongst other Independents. "He had no sooner entered the field than the word of the Lord began to produce inquiry in almost every section of the country visited . . . His discriminating mind, his extensive acquaintance with Holy Scriptures, and conscientious adherence to their authority, his perseverance and most exemplary piety adapted him for the place and time."
His preaching activities took him widely over the Island. He preached at Lot 48, at Three Rivers (Montague), East Point, Bedeque, Tryon (his home) and Belfast, and congregations of immersed believers were established. He is considered their founder. Some of these afterwards at his death continued as Baptists, although Lot 48 held out scripturally independent. He was the first person to administer the ordinance of Christian baptism in primitive fashion, John Stewart being the person, with seven others, of whom were Duncan Kennedy and Donald McGregor. For some years he was the only person who followed this practice.
In 1827 Crawford published a book called "Believers' Baptism as Opposed to Unbelievers' Sprinkling"; also one on the Abrahamic Covenant. He said that those who neglect baptism do not follow the scripture. R. W. Stevenson writes of him "that in doctrine he was a moderate Calvinist, taught the supremacy of the scriptures, ignored all human creeds and confessions of faith . . . yet he was not fully out on the design of baptism. His work on the whole led greatly toward the Restoration ideas of the Campbells, and his family afterwards became identified with the Church of Christ, showing plainly the tendency of the teaching of this man of God.
He had two sons and four daughters, of whom some were devoted to the Island work, and some went West. C. C. Morrison, founder of The Christian Century, Chicago, is a great grandson of this Disciple forerunner on "The Island."