The Core of Johnny Appleseed - Swedenborg Foundation

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came to town he amused the children by putting his cooking poton his head sideways—like wearing your baseball cap backwards.Some say that it was a publicity stunt to draw attention to his business.Others say that he wore the pot on his head to protect thereligious tracts that he carried with him. But if you put a pot onyour head and try to walk around with it, you will soon discoverthat it is very difficult to do, especially because the pot will keepsliding off your head.Q: Did Johnny ever get married?A: As far as we know, Johnny never married.Q: Did Johnny refuse to marry for religious reasons?A: Yes and no. Johnny was a Swedenborgian who believed that whenthe souls of people are united, their union cannot end with death.So, if the woman he was in love with died before they had a chance tobe married, he may have believed that their souls were still united.This would be a “religious reason” for not marrying anyone else.But Johnny was not against marriage, nor did he believe that youcould attain a higher level of spirituality by choosing not to marry.While this is taught in some religions, this would not have beenJohnny’s belief.Q: Can you say a few words about Johnny’s religion?A: Johnny Appleseed was a “Swedenborgian.” Just as Lutherans,Calvinists, and Methodists follow the teachings of Martin Luther,John Calvin, and John Wesley, Swedenborgians have a high regardfor the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, an eighteenth-centuryscientist and revelator. Swedenborg taught many things aboutheaven, angels, and how to lead a good life on earth—basically, byFrequently Asked Questions 83
elieving in God and keeping the Ten Commandments. He was adevout Christian, but astonished the world by saying you do notneed to be a Christian to go to heaven. Basically, Swedenborgianismis about love, wisdom, and useful service—a message that probablymatched the love in Johnny’s heart. No wonder Johnny called it“Good news right fresh from heaven.”Q: So, what can we learn about the story of Johnny Appleseedthat can help us today?A: That’s a good question. In order to answer it, I have asked variouspeople, “What does the Johnny Appleseed story mean to you?” Theanswers are always different, even as every person is different. Butthere are common themes. For example, one person was impressedwith how insightful Johnny was, how he was thinking ahead andplanning for the future. Another person said, “For me, Johnny isa wonderful example of doing what you think is right, all the whileremembering to treat all people with respect and dignity.”Someone else said, “When I think of Johnny Appleseed I justthink about ‘spreading’—about spreading what one has to offer,whatever it is. It’s about sharing with others.”A father of a large family said, “It means so much! We sing theJohnny Appleseed song every night for grace. It’s so much fun,and the harmonies are getting outrageous. It’s a sweet song, and itreminds us that the Lord is good to us.”One thing is certain. The Johnny Appleseed story will continueto mean different things to different people. To some it will meansharing what one has; to others, it might mean being kind to animalsor caring for the environment. Some people will view it as a greatlesson on the importance of living at peace with all people; and somewill see it as a helpful reminder that it is possible to be extremelyhappy and contented with only a few things. To some people,84 The Core of Johnny Appleseed
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The Core ofJohnny Appleseed
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© 2012 by Ray Siverman. All rights
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I saw gray Johnny Appleseed at pray
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As you can imagine, when a man has
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I could go on, but I think it’s t
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1 §The Open RoadAfoot and light-he
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Because of the complexity of these
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As the Disney version continues, we
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quer the frontier, kill its animals
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In the Disney cartoon, Johnny’s a
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Spring Blossoms or Autumn LeavesThe
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Miss Wheeler also found the birth d
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tinue and in God’s due time be re
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1800. Johnny is in his mid-twenties
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Especially when he spoke about the
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Johnny’s carefree, fun-loving nat
Page 45: the winter.” 33 His arrival was a
Page 48: Johnny was especially concerned abo
Page 51 and 52: A Moveable EnterpriseJohnny’s ini
Page 53 and 54: Apple tree order with Johnny's sign
Page 55 and 56: settlement the entire territory nor
Page 58 and 59: In the dusk of the evening we saw s
Page 60 and 61: Declining other accommodations, hes
Page 62: On a monument in Dexter City, Ohio,
Page 65 and 66: “Touched by the Great Spirit”Wh
Page 67 and 68: James Glen’s advertisementfor his
Page 69 and 70: United States Continental Congress.
Page 71 and 72: just thirty miles east of Pittsburg
Page 73 and 74: Johnny not only delivered the lette
Page 76 and 77: ice with bare feet. And this time t
Page 78 and 79: 160 acres of land in exchange for S
Page 81: In one case, Johnny even took it up
Page 84 and 85: Johnny was not a pantheist, believi
Page 86 and 87: Conclusion: While little is known a
Page 88 and 89: spirit moves us. In short, we can l
Page 90: Johnny Appleseed—and the good new
Page 93 and 94: Virginia, or Ohio. Finally, when hi
Page 95: is an exaggeration. That would amou
Page 100 and 101: Appendix aJohn Chapman’s Ancestry
Page 104 and 105: Appendix bJohn Chapman’s Nurserie
Page 106 and 107: Richland County:on the west bank of
Page 108: Huron County:in New Haven Township,
Page 111 and 112: $57; 1828, $115; 1829-36, $19.20 ye
Page 113 and 114: Shanesville, between the Little Lan
Page 115 and 116: Petition for the ordination of Sila
Page 117 and 118: the earliest of the human race held
Page 119 and 120: pressed and we further represent th
Page 121 and 122: ut she also shared precious family
Page 123 and 124: Her brilliant insights and percepti
Page 125 and 126: the core of Johnny Appleseed. I fee
Page 127 and 128: 3. Another “great gateway” was
Page 129 and 130: in heaven. While on earth, they fre
Page 131 and 132: clusive. However, those who are int
Page 134 and 135: 32. Norton, History of Knox County,
Page 136 and 137: Straight,” in Johnny Appleseed: A
Page 138 and 139: D. Haley’s 1871 Harper’s magazi
Page 140: easily ‘separated’ into individ
Page 143 and 144: cause he injures his body, and thus
Page 145 and 146: Dowd, Jane Frances. Official Roster
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_____. Delitiae Sapientiae de Amore
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Black Fork, 93Blanchard River, 94Br
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Indians. See American IndiansIOU is
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Swedenborg, Emanuel, xi, 17. See al
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