Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-12-22
From the Wooster Republican.
Letter from John Brown.

By permission of the Rev. ]. w. McFar
land, of Wooster, to whom it was address
ed, we copy, from the original, the follow.
ing letter written by JOHN BRowN, in an
swer to one received by him, from Mr.. Nc
Farland. The letter. like all the Others
written by BRowS since his imprisonment
speaks the spirit of true hero and martyr
John Brown meant well-he wa shonest ,un
selfish, and risked his all to benefit the slave
and, like man, met the penalty of his
wrong-doing, his terrible mistake. The
letter will be read with deep interest by
all.
JAIL, CHARLEsrowN, Nov, %, 1859.
Rev. MCFARLAND.
DEAR FRIEND Although you
write to me as stranger, The spirit you
show towards me and the cause for which
am in bonds, makes me feel towards you
as dear friend. l would be glad to have
you or any of my liberty loving ministerial
friends here, to talk and pray with me. ]
am not stranger to the way of salvation
by Christ. From my youth, I have stud
led much on that subject, and at one time
hoped TO be a minister myself, but God
had another work for me to do. To me it
is given in behalf Of Christ, not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for his
sake, But while trust that l have some
experimental and saving knowledge of reli-
gion, it would be great pleasure TO me to
have some one better qualified than my
self, to lead my mind in prayer and med
titation, now that my time is SO near a
close, You may wonder, are there no
ministers of the gospel herei l answer no.
There are no ministers of Christ here
These ministers who profess to be Christian,
and hold slaves, or advocate slavery, / can
not abide them. NY knees will not bend
in prayer with them while their hands are
stained with the blood ofsouls. The subject
you mention as having been preaching on,
the day before you wrote to me, is one
which | have often thought of since my
Imprisonment. think l feel as happy as
Paul did when he lay in prison. He knew
ifthey killed him it would greatly advance
the cause of Christ, that was the reason
he rejoiced so. On that same grond, 81
do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice" Let
them hang me, l forgive them. and msy
God forgive them, for they know not what
they do. Ihave no regret for the trausac-
tion for which l am condemned. went
against the laws Of men, il is true, but,
"wbether it be right to obey God or nssn,
Judge ye." Christ told me to remember
them that are in bonds, as bound Nth them,
to do towards them as would wish them
to do towards me in similar circumstances.
My conscienc bid me to do that. tried
to dol but failed. Therefore have no
regret on that score. have no sorrow
either as to the result, only for my wife
and children. They have suffered much,
and it is hard to leave them uncared for.
But God will be a husband to the widow,
and Father to the fatherless.
/ have frequently been in Wooster, and
if any of myold friends from about Akron
are there, you can show them this letter.
1 have but few more days, and I feel anx-
ious to be away, "where the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at rest"
Farewell.
Your friend and the friend of all friends
Of Liberty. JOHN BROWN. i