The Core of Johnny Appleseed

by Silverman, Ray; Poes, Nancy

• ISBN13: 9780877853459
• ISBN10: 0877853452
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-11-01
• Publisher: Swedenborg Foundation

Summary

Recent biographies of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, have portrayed him as anything from a schizophrenic wandering ascetic to a hedonistic pleasure-seeker. But who was the real man behind the misconceptions? In this spiritual biography, Ray Silverman explores the stories and the popular misconceptions about Johnny Appleseed as well as the truths behind the legends. As a businessman, Chapman owned nineteen nurseries and twenty other land holdings throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, brokering deals that belie the popular image of him as a wandering nomad with a tin pot on his head. But it is only once we talk about Chapman's spiritual convictions that we come to the core of who he was: a thoughtful and also joyful Christian who was deeply moved by the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. The picture that emerges is of a lighthearted person whose convictions led him to seek harmony not only in nature but in the spiritual realms also-and to share his bounty with as many people as he could.

Excerpts

Many of the talented researchers who have devoted substantial time and energy to uncovering the true story of Johnny Appleseed have not been students of [Emanuel] Swedenborg. Admittedly, it takes many years and thoughtful study to thoroughly understand Swedenborg’s theology. While the basics are simple (love God, love your neighbor), the explanations are complex and vast. This is perhaps why Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) was inspired to say, “The most remarkable step in the religious history of recent ages is that made by the genius of Swedenborg. A colossal soul, he lies vast abroad of his times, uncomprehended by them, and requires a long focal distance to be seen. . . . He is not to be measured by whole colleges of ordinary scholars."

In some cases, the inability to fully comprehend Swedenborg’s theology has resulted in mistaken ideas about the true nature of Johnny Appleseed. Scholars have conjectured about why he never married, why he lived in the woods, why he was a vegetarian, why he wouldn’t harm a mosquito, and why he wore a cooking pot on his head. Their conclusions are based on stories that have been handed down through the generations. For the most part, these stories are childhood impressions and dim recollections, passed down in a historical version of “whisper down the lane.” And many are “tall tales” told merely to amuse children, but later retold as fact.

To reason about Johnny in this way is to draw conclusions based on his outward appearance and not on his essence. It would be like judging a book by its cover, an apple by its peel, or a person by a story about them. In this book, we will go beyond the outward appearance and take a new look at Johnny Appleseed. We will examine the peel (what people saw), enjoy the fruit (what he did), and discover the core of Johnny Appleseed (who he really was).