CROW, Alexander, Very Rev (1866-1942)
Assembly memorial minute, 1942
The Very Reverend Alexander Crow was a minister of our Church for but a few years, but as he was a most distinguished son of our Church the Assembly honours itself by placing his name and record amongst the others more closely associated with its work.
He was born in Gisborne in 1866 in a home that gave a number of workers to the Church, though but one to the ministry. He was trained in Ormond College in 1889-1891, and was ordained and inducted in Darlington in 1891. Two years later he was called to Woodford where he laboured till his great life work began by his being called to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, in 1898, where he soon became not only the minister of Kalgoorlie, but the leader of the Church in the West, and continued as such to the end. He came to have such a knowledge of the vast Western State as very few of its residents ever attained to, as he lived in, worked in and visited different typical parts of the land and its industries and life—the goldfields, the capital, the Nor’-West, Albany, and, in his retirement, the beautiful hill country of Darlington where he ended his earthly career on February 3rd, 1942.
We have noted that he began his ministerial work in Darlington, Victoria, where he was ordained. He was never a very long time in any one charge and as he changed from place to place, each very different from the other, he acquired an intimate understanding of every phase of the inner life of the great State that he loved with an increasing love till he died in it, having given all his consecrated powers to it for the glory and Kingdom of the Master Whom he served. His outstanding work was the organising and developing of the Home Missions in our Church there. In spite of shortage of workers and shortage of funds—the greatness of the field made ceaseless demands on his powers—difficulties were overcome, the work under his care grew and the Kingdom of God advanced in the lonely places.
Another piece of his work was in leading the General Assembly where he was Convener of the Business Committee for many years. And he could write. His book, “Gum Leaves, ” reveals his wonderful insight into the ordinary things about him and he showed himself a wonderfully apt pupil of the Lord he loved in his power of turning the common things round him into parables for the little folks. The title of the book indicates the first chapter, the first parable, “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations, ” and the rest were all as good.
For a couple of years Australia claimed him from its Western State when it made him Moderator-General, 1928-1930, and many of his visits paid that year are still richly cherished. Few States, few Churches can regard two words as lovingly as the Presbyterianism of Western Australia regards the two words Alex Crow.
He leaves brothers and sisters in Victoria to mourn his passing, and he leaves his devoted life’s partner in her lonesomeness in Western Australia. To all of them the Assembly tenders its sympathy.
Gender
- Male