I hope in thy word." Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: "I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may Psalm cxix, 81, 116, 125. + NEW YORK NEW-CHURCH BOARD OF PUBLICATION 1912 арн INTRODUCTION. While John Bigelow was yet visibly among us, he was frequently besought to give wider publicity to the account which he prepared for the inner circle of his family and spiritual companions of how he came to have such an abiding faith in Emanuel Swedenborg as a divinely commissioned interpreter of the Sacred Scriptures and a revelator of truths of angelic wisdom. Those of us who were privileged to know him well, and who loved to hear him converse on spiritual themes, know that he treasured this part of his life's experiences as something that was peculiarly sacred. Implicit as was his faith, unbounded as was his enthusiasm, there never was the slightest trace of self-confidence or pride of intelligence. Firm in his belief, he was never dogmatic. He was unflinchingly loyal to the system of truth to which he felt he owed so much of his life's happiness, but he was extremely catholic. The spirit of sectarianism was not in him. He longed, rather, to see the truths which had made the Word of God a veritable lamp to his feet and a light to his path available to all who might profit by them, irrespective of any claims of denominationalism. He found satisfaction in going Sunday after Sunday to the Church on East Thirty-fifth street; and, while he never faltered in his attachment to it, truth compels me to say that his interest and his hopes were never confined to the local 761285 organization which prized his spiritual fellowship, and for which he did so much. It was in the spring of 1911 that I went to Mr. Bigelow and asked him, for the sake of the good that might be accomplished, to allow me to edit this present volume. I urged that at the time when the tercentenary of the Authorized Version of our English Bible was being celebrated, it was peculiarly fitting that he should make public his testimony as to how the Bible had been established for him as the veritable Word of God. He listened to me patiently as I tried to persuade him that the narration of his religious experiences might be helpful to many outside of his own immediate circle of friends. He was unfeignedly modest on this point, but he promised to consider the matter. A few days later he wrote that he felt he had no right to withhold anything that might prove useful, and that he would leave the matter entirely in my hands. He sent me a copy of his "Bible That Was Lost and Is Found," in which he had indicated changes and additions that should be made, and with it a large number of letters from friends who had received copies of the original edition. In his characteristic way he said that he felt I was entitled to any assistance he could place at my disposal, inasmuch as I was willing to act as a midwife in the birth of this new progeny. A little later, at a time when he felt that the last hours of his earthly life were drawing to a close, he dictated the following lines: "I am very ill. It is doubtful whether I shall ever see you again in this world, or live to see the little book you have so kindly volunteered |