idea of sect in religious beliefs. I want the Christian Church to open its eyes
to the necessity of unity and not waste its energies on sectarianism. In this
matter Protestants – I dislike that word – could take a lesson from the Roman
Catholics.” (New York Herald, October 8, 1911.)
John Bigelow was never worldly wise. Some little anecdotes which there
is not space to relate here, which he himself tells, intimate his heedlessness in
matters of mere money, and that his first love was for doing uses. Beginning
life as a lawyer, a profession not altogether to his taste, it was deserted after a
dozen years for journalism, when he became joint editor and proprietor with
William Cullen Bryant of the New York Evening Post.
In its first year this new engagement gave him an income of $1,500 a year.
In 12 years this had increased to $25,000 a year. In the year 1860 he sold out
his interest with the intention of retiring to his library and literary work with
a modest competence. But with the opening of the Civil War he was sent by
President Lincoln as representative of the United States to France, first as
Consul at Paris, and later as Minister to France. After his return in 1867 his life
was passed in what might be called active retirement.
He records of himself that there has not been a time since he left the
editorial chair that he was not collecting materials for some projected literary
work. He was a trustee under the will of Samuel J. Tilden, and at the time of
his death president of the trustees of the New York Public Library. But of these
external interests of his life this is not the place to speak. They belong to public
record, which is amply made elsewhere.
Although he was in his 95 th year at the date of his death, he was never
an old man. A youthful spirit, intense intellectual vigor, and active work
continued almost up to the last day of his life in this world.
(Portrait) John Bigelow;
Library of Congress
Editor’s note: We are indebted to Marvin Clymer,
Digital Collections Supervisor for the Swedenborg
Library in Bryn Athyn, for passing along this article.
He notes that Bigelow’s book, The Bible That Was
Lost and Is Found, is available in the Library and also
in its New Church Digital Collections. (Go to www.
swedenborglibrary.org/digital, browse to Archives,
then New Church People, then Bigelow, John –
courtesy of SwedenborgStudy.com. Another book
describing Bigelow’s life – Forgotten First Citizen:
John Bigelow – by Margaret Clapp, is also available in
the Library.
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