George Bush (1796-1859) was a prominent biblical scholar, preacher and controversialist. After graduation from Dartmouth in 1818 and study at Princeton Theological Seminary, Bush was ordained at the Salem Presbytery in Indiana (1825) and was appointed pastor of a church in Indianapolis. His religious views, described as 'liberal' or 'progressive,' rapidly came into conflict with those of his more conservative parishioners and in 1828, this conflict culminated in his termination, following a statement in which he disputed the scriptural authority of Presbyterian church government.

From 1831 to 1847, Bush was Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Literature at New York University and pursued a prolific publishing career that established a strong scholarly reputation. His contributions include The Life of Mohammed (1830), A Grammar of the Hebrew Language (1835), an extensive series of commentaries on books of the Old Testament, and the highly controversial Anastasis: or, the doctrine of the resurrection of the Body, rationally and scripturally considered (1844), all showing the marks of Bush's encyclopedic knowledge and his highly rationalistic approach to theological and scriptural questions. His fame as a preacher and educator blossomed at N.Y.U., and during this time, too, he also became a committed advocate for the immediate abolition of slavery.

In the early 1840's, Bush developed what was to become a lifelong interest in the New Jerusalem Church, to which he converted in 1845, and in spiritualism and mesmerism. Although he rejected ecclesiastical rites, he consented to ordination in the New Church in 1848. With an international reputation already established in the basis of his scholarship, Bush soon became one of the most prominent spokesmen of New Church views, and he made significant contributions to the spread of the church in both the U.S. and Britain. Bush served as editor for the New Church Review and the spiritualist magazine, The Hierophant, and he authored and helped disseminate a large number of Swedenborgian tracts, including the widely read Statement of reasons for believing the doctrines and disclosures of Emanuel Swedenborg (1846) and Mesmer and Swedenborg (1847). Bush continued his promotional work for the New Church until his death, following a protracted and debilitating illness, in 1859.

Scope and contents:

The Bush collection is strongest in: 1) documenting the beliefs and practices of Swedenborgians, mystics and spiritualists during the 1840's and 50's; and 2) containing a small number of letters concerning anti-slavery movements. Bush's correspondence provides insight into Swedenborgian religious views (e.g., their conception of the soul: item 13) and documents a diversity of viewpoints among members of this 'non-traditional' sect (e.g., items 2, 18). His correspondence also provides insight into how New Church views were propagated and received in the US and Britain (e.g., items 23, 43, 20).

Although the collection contains only four items concerning anti-slavery movements, these represent a wide range of opinion. Thus Joseph Tracy (of the American Colonization Society; item 14) has very negative comments for the tactics of William Lloyd Garrison, while the New Church clergyman Richard K. Crallé suggests that the evil ("if evil it be") of slavery does not warrant imperiling the spread of the New Church in the south by taking a strong, public pro-abolition stance.

M-2431
Cat. 2/89 rsc

Bush, George. Anastasis... (NY : Carlton & Philips, 1855)

• Buhr: BT 871.K55 1855

___________ . "Davis' Revelations" revealed... (NY : John Allen; Boston : Otis Clapp, 18__)

• Clements Book Div.

___________ . Ezekiel's Vision... (Cincinnati : M'Calla & Davis, 1829)

• Clements Book Div.

___________ . A Grammar of the Hebrew Language, 2nd ed. (NY : Gould, Newman & Saxton, 1839)

• Grad: 822.45.B978 1839

___________ . Illustrations of the Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia : Lippincott, 1854)

• Buhr: BS 511.B98

___________ . Letters to a Trinitarian (Boston : Otis Clapp, 1850)

• Buhr: BX 8729.T8 B98

___________ . The Life of Mohammed (N.Y. : John Allen, 1830)

• Grad: BP 75.B98

___________ . Mesmer and Swedenborg (N.Y. : John Allen, 1847)

• Clements Book Division
• Buhr: BF1156.S9 B98 1847

___________ . The Millenium of the Apocalypse (N.Y. : Dayton & Newman, 1842)

• Buhr: BT 890.B98 1842

___________ . Reasons for Embracing the Doctrines and Disclosures of Emanuel Swedenborg... (London : J. Speirs, 1885)

• Buhr: BX 8721.B98 1885

___________ . The Valley of Vision (N.Y. : Saxton & Miles, 1847)

• Clements Book Division.

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Exodus (Andover : Gould & Newman, 1841)

• Buhr: BS 1245.B97

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Exodus (N.Y. : Ivison, Phinney, 1867)

• Buhr: BS 1245.B97 1867

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Exodus, 9th ed. (N.Y. : Newman, 1850)

• Buhr: BS 1235.B98 1850

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua (N.Y. : Saxton & Miles, 1844)

• Buhr: BS 1295.B98 1844

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the book of Leviticus (N.Y. : Newman & Ivison, 1852)

• Grad: BS 1255.B98 1852

___________ . Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Numbers (N.Y. : Ivison & Phinney, 1858)

• Buhr: BS 1265.B98

Dymond, Jonathan. Essays on the Principals of Morality. (N.Y. : Harper, 1855). Preface by George Bush.

• Grad: BJ 1006.D99 1855

The Hierophant; or, Monthly Journal of sacred symbols and prophecy. v. 1, no.1-12; June 1842-May 1843. N.Y. : M. H. Newman.

• Grad Microforms: Film X423 Reel 388

Tafel, Johann Friedrich Immanuel. Documents Concerning the Life and Character of Emanuel Swedenborg, New edition with additions by George Bush (N.Y. : John Allen; Boston : O. Clapp, 1847)

• Grad: BX 8748.T123

Le Boys des Guays, Jean François Étienne. The True System of Religious Philosophy, 3rd ed. revised and corrected by George Bush (Boston : Otis Clapp, 1850)

• Buhr: BX 8721.L453 1850

Subject index to the George Bush Papers

Index of writers in the George Bush Papers

Back to brief guide

Return to:

Homepage	Manuscripts	Collections	Staff	Hours and policies