SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                         Washington, D.C.  20549


                           -------------------


                                 FORM 8-K

                              CURRENT REPORT
                  PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                     SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


    Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  
           November 21, 1995 (November 7, 1995)



                           Thomas Nelson, Inc.
    ------------------------------------------------------------  
         (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

    Tennessee                 0-4095             62-0679364
   ----------------       ---------------       ------------
   (State or other       (Commission File      (I.R.S. Employer
   Jurisdiction              Number)            Identification
   of Incorporation)                                 No.)


                  Nelson Place at Elm Hill Pike
                       Nashville, Tennessee                 37214
    -------------------------------------------------------------
                      (Address of Principal            (Zip Code) 
                        Executive Offices)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  615/889-9000



Item 2.   Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

     This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed by Thomas    
Nelson, Inc. (the "Company") to report the consummation of the    
acquisition of The C.R. Gibson Company ("C.R. Gibson"), a    
Delaware corporation, in accordance with the terms of that    
certain Tender Offer and Merger Agreement, dated as of September  
13, 1995, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of    
October 16, 1995 (as amended, the "Merger Agreement"), by and    
between the Company, Nelson Acquisition Corp. (the "Offeror"), a  
Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent, 
and C.R. Gibson.  C.R. Gibson is a leading designer, manufacturer 
and distributor of paper gift products, including baby and    
wedding memory books, stationery, gift wrap, greeting cards and   
other products.  

     The acquisition consisted of a two-step transaction,    
including a cash tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares  
of C.R. Gibson common stock for $9 per share, net to the seller   
in cash (the "Offer"), and a merger of the Offeror with and into  
C.R. Gibson, with C.R. Gibson being the surviving corporation    
(the "Merger").  The Offer, which expired at 12:00 Midnight, New  
York City Time, on Monday, October 30, 1995, resulted in the    
valid tender and acceptance for payment of 7,189,837 shares of    
C.R. Gibson common stock, resulting in total ownership by the    
Company and the Offeror of approximately 92.7% of the outstanding 
shares on a fully diluted basis.  The Merger became effective on  
November 7, 1995, upon the filing of Articles of Merger with the  
Delaware Secretary of State.  As a result of the Merger, C.R.    
Gibson is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.  Total    
consideration to be paid in the acquisition will be approximately 
$67.4 million.

     The source of funds for the C.R. Gibson acquisition was    
obtained through an amendment to the Company's existing unsecured 
bank credit facilities (the "Credit Facilities") to increase the  
funds available thereunder by $60 million from $105 million to    
$165 million, pursuant to that certain Fifth Amendment to Credit  
Agreement, dated as of October 31, 1995, among the Company,    
SunTrust Bank, Nashville, N.A. (formerly known as Third National  
Bank in Nashville), First National Bank of Louisville, First    
American National Bank in Nashville, NationsBank of Texas, N.A.   
in Dallas, and Creditanstalt-Bankverein in New York.


Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro forma Financial Information   
          and Exhibits.


(a)  *Financial Statements:

          Report of Independent Auditors

          Consolidated balance sheets of C.R. Gibson as of
             December 31, 1993 and 1994.  

          Consolidated statements of income, cash flows and
             shareholders equity of C.R. Gibson for each of the
             years ended December 31, 1993 and 1994. 

          Notes to Financial Statements

          Unaudited consolidated balance sheet of C.R. Gibson as
             of September 30, 1995

          Unaudited statements of income, cash flows and
             shareholders equity of C.R. Gibson for the nine
             month period ending September 30, 1995.

(b)  *Pro Forma Financial Information:

          Pro Forma consolidated balance sheet of Thomas Nelson, 
             Inc. as of September 30, 1995 giving effect to the
             acquisition of C.R. Gibson as of September 30, 1995.

          Pro Forma consolidated statements of income of Thomas 
             Nelson, Inc. for the twelve months ended March 31,
             1995 and for the six month periods ended September
             30, 1994 and 1995 giving effect to the acquisition
             of C.R. Gibson as if such transaction had occurred
             as of April 1, 1994.

     *The financial statements and pro forma financial
     information required by Items 7(a) and 7(b) are not being
     filed at this time.  The Company anticipates filing this
     information under an amendment to this Form 8-K on or about
     January 21, 1996.

(c)  Exhibits:

     (2)  Tender Offer and Merger Agreement, dated as of
          September 13, 1995, as amended by Amendment No. 1,
          dated as of October 16, 1995, among the Company,
          Offeror and C.R. Gibson (filed as Exhibits (c)(1) and
          (c)(14) to the Company's joint Tender Offer Statement
          on Schedule 14D-1/Schedule 13D filed September 19,
          1995, as amended, and is incorporated herein by
          reference).


                            SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act  
of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed  
on behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                         THOMAS NELSON, INC.



                                    By:    /s/ Joe L. Powers
                                       -------------------------
                                            Joe L. Powers         
                                       Executive Vice President
Date:  November 21, 1995

0404397.02