The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-12-10
EXECUTION OF JOHN BROWN.

HIS LAST LETTER TO HIS FAMILY.

HIS LAST LETTER TO HIS FAMILY.
CHARLEsTowN Prison.
JEFFERSON Co.. Va, Nov 80, 1859
I; My Dearly Beloved Wife, Sons and
Daughters, EUery one
As now begin what is probably the
last letter shall ever write to any of you,
L conclude to write to all at the same time.
i will mention some little matters particu-
5i1stiy tsPPii~etiv 10 littlo P.oP0rsJ-
! in another place.
| recently received a letter from my
/ wife, from near Philadelphia, dated Novem-
Der %, by which it would seem that she
WAS about giving up the idea of seeing me
again | had written her to come ON if
she felt equal to the undertaking, but
lido not know tibet she will get my letter in
thine. 1t was on her own account chiefly
THAT l asked her to stay back. At first |
4 had most strong desire to see her again,
but there appeared to be very serious OBJ
Elections; and should we never meet in this
fife, trust that she will in the end be sat-
listed it was for the best at least, if not
most for her comfort. / enclosed in my
] last letter to her draft of fifty dollars from
John Jay, made payable to her order. |
ahave now another to send her, from my ex-
scellent old friend Edward Harris, of Woon-
socket, r. l., for one hundred dollars,
which | shall also make payable to her
order
/ am waiting the hour of my public MUIR
der with great composure of mind and
! cheerfulness, feeling the strong assurance
! that in no other possible way could l be
used to so much advantage to the cause of
dGod and humanity, and that nothing that
either I or all my family have sacrificed or
! suffered will be lost The reflection that
! wise and merciful, as well as just and Holy
sGod, rules not the affairs of this world, but
I of all worlds, is a rock to set our feet upon
{ under all circumstances even those more
severely trying ones into which our feelings
land wrongs have placed US. have no
doubt but that our seeming disaster will ul-
atimately result in the most glorious sue
scess; so, my dear shattered and broken
family, be of good cheer, and believe and
I trust in God with all your heart, and with
3all your soul; for he doeth all things well.
do not feel ashamed on my account, nor
for one moment despair of the cause or
grow weary of well doing. | bless God
never felt stronger confidence in the GER
tain and near approach of a bright morn
ling and glorious day, than | have felt,
and do now feel, since my confinement
here am endeavoring to return, like a
poor prodigal as / am, to my Father,
against whom | have always sinned, in the
hope that he may kindly and forgivingly
meet me, though very great way off.
Obi my dear wife and children, would
Ito God You could know how / have been
for you all, that no one of you
may fail of the grace of God.
Through Jesus Christ-that no one of
you may be blind to the truth and glorious
light of his Word, in which life and immor-
tality are brought to light, beseech you
every one, to make the Bible your daily
and nightly study, with childlike, honest,
candid, teachable spirit of love and respect
for your husband and father.
And ] beseech the God of my fathers to
open all your eyes to the discovery of the
truth You cannot imagine how much you
may soon need the consultations of Chris
tian religion. Circumstances like my own
for more than amonth past have convinced
me beyond all doubt of our great need of
some theories treasured up when our prejudi-
ces are excited, our vanity worked up to
the highest pitch. OH do not trust your
eternal all upon the boisterous ocean with
!out even helm or compass to aid you in
steering. l do not ask of you to throw
away your reason; only ask you to make
IA candid, sober use of your reason.
My dear young children, will you listen