Len G. Broughton

Leonard Gaston Broughton (December 5, 1865 – February 22, 1936) was a fundamentalist Baptist minister and medical doctor. He founded the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia and later the Tabernacle Infirmary, which became Georgia Baptist Hospital.

Early life Broughton was born in 1865 on a farm in Wake County, North Carolina, His father was a poor farmer who served as an officer in the 26th North Carolina Regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, was captured by Union troops at the Battle of Gettysburg, and was held prisoner until the end of the war. After his return from the war, the family moved to Raleigh where the children, including Len, were schooled via the aid of a wealthy uncle, Needham B. Broughton.

Broughton was a first cousin of State Librarian Carrie Lougee Broughton and U.S. Senator and Governor of North Carolina J. Melville Broughton.

At the age of fourteen, Broughton was baptized into his faith at what was later known as Tabernacle Baptist Church in Raleigh.

Broughton attended Wake Forest College with his brother Charlie In the year and a half he was there, the church gained one hundred members. He became known for this and other churches sought his services. On March 5, 1899, a church structure was dedicated On March 9, 1910 the cornerstone was laid on a huge new four-story structure to house the church. (This structure still stands, it is now used as a music venue). Broughton had a long and successful tenure as pastor of this church, creating many new programs including Tabernacle Infirmary in 1901 (which would later become Georgia Baptist Hospital) and the largest Bible Conference in the South at the time. He died in 1936 and was buried in Knoxville.

Selected bibliography