As the introduction says, this is Volume One of a two volume source of information on John Gano rather than a biography in the traditional sense. He was a North American Particular Baptist preacher who lived from 1727 – 1804, through the French and Indian War of 1754 – 1763 and the American Revolution of 1775 – 1783 in which he was army chaplain. George Whitefield heard him preach. He baptised George Washington.
The book contains the biographical account written from memory by Gano in his old age to which is appended an account of his death. Considerable portions of this are used again in a chronological biographical account covering Gano’s first two pastorates from 1755 – 60, his later two pastorates up to 1798 being dealt with in Volume Two. Volume One also contains some hymns of significance to the subject, a short account of his character by a contemporary, a sermon outline by him on Ephesians 1:6 and the sermon preached at his ordination in 1754. There are appendices containing an assessment of a critical appraisal of the Particular Baptists in North Carolina and some interesting biographical sketches of his children.
There is much to edify the reader: His conversion, call to the ministry, his courage and devotion in that work, his travels, the hardships he endured in war and peace, the effectiveness of a Particular Baptist ministry in the conversion of sinners, his part in the recovery of Baptist churches in North Carolina from an Arminian to a Calvinistic doctrinal position, his attitude in the sorrows of bereavements. The biographical sketch of his son Stephen, who also was a Particular Baptist covers similar profitable points. The appendix on the Particular Baptists of North Carolina deals with issues of doctrine, articles of faith, missionary work, church discipline and common criticisms of Particular Baptists.
There is much of historical and anecdotal interest with matters of considerable excitement or pathos often expressed in a straightforward matter-of-fact style: Personal experiences of the bloody battles of the various wars, the incursions of the Indians on the American settlers, the intrigues of the French and British powers, the practical matters confronted in moving from place to place and building dwellings with his own hands in those wild frontier days, the military experiences of several of his sons.
In the hardship endured in faithful preaching by Particular Baptists of the sovereign grace gospel and in the joys and sorrows of the Christian soldier’s path, this book is reminiscent of the accounts of Henry Dowling, John Bunyan McCure and Daniel Allen in the wild pioneering days of the nineteenth century Australia.

cbo
April 2002