The Restoration Movement— John Allen Gano and Tolbert Fanning

In Search of the New Testament Church—

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, ac- curately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Many men made tremendous contributions A compassionate family took him in and nursed to the Restoration Movement in the 1800s. Two him back to health. During this period of recu- who stand out in the minds of historians are peration, Gano determined that he would be a 4 John Allen Gano and Tolbert Fanning. gospel preacher. Gano’s family was associated with the Bap- JOHN ALLEN GANO tists, but John had never become a member of the When B. A. Abbott listed the eight most Baptist Church. He heard both Barton W. Stone prominent men who gave temper, direction, and and Thomas M. Allen preach the gospel of the pace to the early Restoration Movement, he in- New Testament. In 1827, Gano attended a gos- cluded among them John Allen Gano (1805–1887), pel meeting and was so moved by the message an associate of Barton W. Stone. He referred to Thomas M. Allen preached that he responded, Gano as the “indefatigable evangelist.”1 Gano confessed Christ, and was baptized. deserves to be included among the most success- As devout Baptists, Gano’s sisters were con- ful of the pioneer preachers of the Restoration. cerned about his religious convictions. They sent He is reported to have baptized more than ten for a well-known Baptist preacher, Jacob Creath, thousand people and established a great number Sr., to reason with him. Creath traveled a distance of congregations of the Lord’s church.2 of seventy miles in order to bring Gano back into John was born in Georgetown, Kentucky, to the Baptist fold. John Gano’s son, Richard, later Richard M. and Elizabeth Ewing Gano. In his described that meeting: teens, Gano attended a school that was operated Entering his room and finding him seated at by Barton W. Stone, the pioneer gospel preacher. a little table with his Testament, Mr. Creath In his classes, Stone not only taught secular sub- said, “Brother John, I am glad you have de- jects, but he also taught his students the Bible. termined to devote your life to the service In commenting on Stone’s effectiveness, J. M. of Christ, but I think you had better have taken your stand with the church of your Powell said, “With his invincible logic flowing fathers; your family have been identified with from a heart of love, he influenced a number of the Baptist Church for probably a hundred outstanding men to become a part of ‘the good years, and your grandfather, John Gano, was cause.’ Among those stalwarts that he enlisted an eminent Baptist minister and chaplain in 3 the Revolutionary War under George Wash- was John Allen Gano.” ington, and immersed General Washington At age twenty-one, Gano obtained his license during that war.” John A. Gano replied, “If to practice law. He was on his way by steamboat you will show me in this Book,” laying his hand upon the Testament, “where it says, to Texas to set up his practice when he became ‘Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow very ill. The captain, not wishing to have a death your grandfather,’ I will follow mine while on his boat, put him off on the lower Ohio River. I live; but I read it, ‘Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ,’ and I intend to follow this teaching if it separates me from 5 1B. A. Abbott, The Disciples, An Interpretation all the kindred on earth.” (St. Louis: Bethany Press, 1924), 20. 2Jack L. Ray, “John Allen Gano,” Triumph and Trag- edy, ed. Paul Vaughn (Corinth, Miss.: By the Editor, n.d.), 222. 4Ibid. 3Ibid., 223. 5Ibid. Creath was an honest man and this discus- Church and was considered an intelligent woman. sion had such an impact on his life that he would He also heard preachers speak occasionally. Since never be the same again. Richard Gano wrote, his teaching came from Baptists, Fanning at first accepted the doctrine that a person cannot do They spent twelve hours in conversation and anything toward his own salvation. In fact, he the old minister was so impressed that he returned the next day and they renewed the was taught that he could not even understand conversation, and Jacob Creath, Sr., became the Bible without a special illumination from the convinced and soon after came out publicly Holy Spirit. Fanning was spiritually burdened and took his stand with the church that has under this hopeless Calvinistic teaching. When he no book or creed but God’s Word and will wear no name but the name of Christ, the was sixteen years old, he began to give attention only position on which the friends of Christ to two preachers who claimed to be “Christians can ever be united, and John Allen Gano went only,” E. D. Moore and E. J. Matthews. These men with all his might to preaching the Gospel of Christ and had success in winning souls to encouraged him to read the New Testament and Christ unequaled in that state.6 find for himself the will of the Lord. As he did so, his understanding of the plan of salvation In 1827, Gano married Mary Catherine Conn. took the place of his gloomy doubts. The ceremony was performed by Barton W. According to H. Leo Boles, Fanning attended Stone. As a wedding gift, the parents of Mary a gospel meeting in 1827 near Florence, Alabama, Catherine gave the young couple a valuable farm conducted by James E. Matthews. After hearing near Centerville, Kentucky. a sermon on “The Gospel and Its Conditions,” From 1827 to 1836, Gano traveled and young Fanning made the good confession of his preached with Thomas M. Allen. When Allen re- faith in Jesus and was baptized immediately turned to Missouri in 1836, Gano began traveling into Christ.8 and preaching the gospel with John T. Johnson. Earl West wrote a different account of Fan This association continued until Johnson died ning’s conversion. He said that B. F. Hall had in 1856. Many churches were established during come from Kentucky into Lauderdale County to these two periods. preach. Fanning, age seventeen, was present on Gano became critically ill in the fall of 1887. Sunday evening and heard the lesson. When the His last words, spoken to J. S. Sweeney, were invitation was given, Fanning came forward and “I am almost home.” He died on October 18, made the confession, but he was not baptized 1887, at the age of eighty-two. His funeral was until the next morning by James E. Matthews.9 conducted by J. W. McGarvey. Although the accounts vary, the end result was the same. That event completely altered the TOLBERT FANNING life of Tolbert Fanning. His next two years were Earl West wrote in his history of the Restoration spent primarily in studying the Scriptures and Movement, “Unquestionably, the most influential attending school. On October 1, 1829, he left home preacher in the Southland before the War between for the purpose of preaching the gospel to all who the States was Tolbert Fanning. There were other would listen to him. He was only nineteen and great men, of course. . . . but for lasting influence was inexperienced, but he was determined to Tolbert Fanning towers above them all.”7 preach Jesus Christ. His earnestness and zeal— When Fanning was eight years old, his parents along with his clear, logical manner of presenting moved to Alabama and settled in Lauderdale the truths of the gospel—attracted thousands of County, where he remained until he was nineteen people to attend his meetings. Large numbers years old. His father raised cotton, so young Fan- were delivered from the kingdom of darkness ning spent much of his time in the cotton fields. into the kingdom of light.10 He attended school from three to six months each Fanning entered Nashville University in year. He acquired a fondness for study early in 1831. Before his graduation in 1835, Fanning his life and excelled in his studies. was able to preach in several locations. He Fanning received his early religious training from his mother, who was a member of the Baptist 8H. Leo Boles, Biographical Sketches of Gospel Preach- ers (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Publishing Co., 1932), 6Ibid. 151. 7Earl West, The Search for the Ancient Order, vol. 1 9West, 108. (Carmel, Ind.: Religious Book Service, 1970), 108. 10Boles, 151. made preaching tours with Alexander Campbell tionalism. He wrote, “While we have the Bible, in Ohio, Kentucky, New York, and Canada. At we can see no authority or plausible reason for Perryville, Kentucky, he debated Nathan Lewis the existence of any church not designated and Rice, a denominational preacher. The debate was portrayed in the New Testament. . . .”12 When successful for Fanning, and it meant a great deal publication ceased, Fanning became the senior to the cause of truth in that area.11 editor of the Gospel Advocate. In 1866, he and Da- In 1837, Fanning married Charlotte Fall, the vid Lipscomb were listed together as editors. sister of Philip S. Fall, another early preacher of Later, Fanning began publishing a monthly Restoration principles. That same year, he opened journal called The Religious Historian. In this a female academy in Franklin, Tennessee. He journal he discussed the vital subject of church taught in the academy and also preached in the government. As a preacher, teacher, and writer, Nashville area through 1839. Then he moved Fanning was always clear and sound. about five miles from Nashville, where he di- Lipscomb said of Fanning, “It was not unusual rected another female academy until 1842. In for him to spend his day in the classroom, then 1843, Fanning spent most of his time preaching conduct his business interests on his farm for on tours through Alabama and Mississippi. several hours, and then sit up and write until Fanning established Franklin College and was midnight or later, and then get up in the morning elected the first president of the school in 1844. He to start the routine all over again.”13 also taught in the school for the next seventeen Fanning was a man of the Book. Religiously, years and then resigned for the purpose of rais- he was opposed to anything he could not find ing money to enlarge the school. That same year, authorized in the Bible. He was against man- 1861, the Civil War began, cancelling any plans made organizations such as missionary societ- for expansion. In 1865, the college building was ies, using instrumental music in worship, and destroyed by a devastating fire. After that, Fan- denominationalism. He was bold and courageous ning purchased the property of nearby Minerva in speaking out against error. He was, without College, which was renamed “Hope Institute.” question, one of the most effective men of God Both Fanning and his wife taught in the school. in his generation.14 While he was president of Franklin College, Fanning began publication of the Christian Review, 12Ibid., 153. which later became the Christian Magazine. His 13Ibid., 154. first article in this paper concerned denomina- 14This lesson was adapted from V. Glenn McCoy, Return to the Old Paths, A History of the Restoration Move- ment (Yorba Linda, Calif.: McCoy Publications, 1998), 11Ibid., 152. 283–92. Used with permission.