Jessie B. Ferguson (1819–1870)

Jesse B. Ferguson became a preacher of the gospel in 1838. He preached for four years in Kentucky and established many congregations in the rural sections of that State. He was applauded there as a very brilliant and eloquent preacher. He soon became known over the State of Kentucky and was acclaimed as one of the best preachers in the entire State. He was brilliant, and he knew it. He was possessed with a very high degree of self-esteem, and fed his vanity until he developed into a very sophisticated preacher. Some claim that he was spoiled by the compliments that he received and the praises which were given him. Few men have possessed such conceit as he had. Of course, as he developed so much egotism, he lost in spirituality.

In 1842 the church at Nashville, Tenn., which numbered about five hundred members, was growing rapidly. Alexander Campbell had frequently visited the church and had greatly strengthened it. Dr. Wharton was serving as elder and also preacher of the church at that time. Philip S. Fall had labored with the church until he had built up a very strong congregation. In May, 1842, Jesse B. Ferguson was invited to hold a series of meetings. He had become quite prominent in Kentucky at that time. He came and preached for two weeks. He captivated his audiences, and his fame soon spread throughout the city and surrounding country. His audiences increased in number until the church house was filled to overflowing. He had many additions to the church during this meeting. At the close of the meeting he was invited to come and work with the church in Nashville. He was greatly flattered by the invitation, but did not accept it. Again, in 1844, by invitation, he visited the church and held another meeting, which was even a greater success than his former meeting. From the time that he closed the meeting in 1844 until February 24, 1846, he was constantly implored by letters to come and take up work with the church in Nashville.

In January, 1844, Tolbert Fanning began to publish the Christian Review, and continued the publication of this journal for four years. He was pressed with other duties, and he turned the publication of the Christian Review over to Jesse B. Ferguson. Brother Ferguson changed the name of the publication and became the editor of the Christian Magazine. The first issue of this paper was published in Nashville, January, 1848. Brother Ferguson had associated with Tolbert Fanning and B. F. Hall. The names of these brethren appeared as associate editors for only two issues. Brother Ferguson continued the publication of the Christian Magazine for six years. During the era of his popularity he was made a member of the Board of Trustees of Franklin College. His name appears on the list of the members of the board of Franklin College for 1848. No man had more honors thrust upon him by the brotherhood in Nashville and in Tennessee than did Brother Ferguson. He was the preacher for the largest congregation in the State; the most popular preacher in Nashville; a member of the board of trustees for Franklin College, which was presided over by Tolbert Fanning, who was a prince among educators in the brotherhood at that time; and the editor in chief of the Christian Magazine. Brother Ferguson had the qualities of a successful politician. He flattered all and was flattered by all. For several months he enjoyed the honor and distinction of being the youngest preacher in the city and the most famous one.

br>In April, 1852, in giving an exposition of 1 Pet. 3:19, he expressed the sentiment that all "whose place of birth and external circumstances prevented the hearing of the gospel in life would not be condemned without hearing it." This was published in the Christian Magazine, in the April issue. Alexander Campbell took issue with this exposition. Brother Ferguson became irritated and highly incensed that any one should contradict anything that he should write or preach. He began at once to defend his position vigorously, and finally took the position that 1 Pet. 3:19 taught that people would have a second chance after death to obey the gospel. Alexander Campbell exposed his theory, and finally Brother Ferguson went into Universalism and spiritualism. He was so popular that he carried a very large percentage of the church in Nashville with him. Many other churches in Tennessee were affected by his teaching. Alexander Campbell continued to expose him, and he continued to flounder and drift until he left the tenets of the faith and blasphemed the church of our Lord. One says of him that he "rose to such a height in the estimation of his hearers, and especially his own, that his head became giddy, and, being no longer able to preserve his religious equilibrium, he was precipitated doctrinally into the region of departed spirits, where he immediately attempted to immortalize himself by new discoveries." The church in Nashville was completely destroyed by his influence.



There were a few brethren in the church who continued to hold to the faith of the gospel. They were driven from the church house and were not permitted to worship in the house. Suit was instituted by these brethren to claim the house. The matter went into court and was finally decided in favor of the few brethren who had remained loyal to the New Testament teaching. A day or two after the suit was decided, April 8, 1857, the church house was burned. The fire was discovered about six o'clock that morning. Many thought that it was set on fire by some of Jesse B. Ferguson's admirers. Mr. Ferguson continued for a while in Nashville, but began to lose his influence. He published a book on "Spirit Communion," in which he gives a record of some supposed communication which he had had with the "spirit spheres." Later he went to Mississippi, and thence to New Orleans, preaching the doctrine of spiritualism and then Universalism. He continued to lose his influence and finally quit preaching. He dropped out of public notice and died in obscurity. We find the following in the Nashville Union and American, a daily paper published in Nashville at that time, issue of September 4, 1870:

We are pained to chronicle this morning the death of our eminent fellow citizen, Rev. J. B. Ferguson, who died at his residence yesterday morning, three miles from the city, after a lingering disease. Some years ago, when Mr. Ferguson was pastor of the Christian Church, he enjoyed a reputation for pulpit oratory second to no man in the South. He commenced life as a printer's boy, and was emphatically a self-made man, having by studious attention, while employed at the printing business, fitted himself for the ministry. He was a man of popular manners, warm and open-hearted in his nature, and generally esteemed by a large circle of friends.