The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-28
JOHN BROWNS FAITH.
Hitherto Unpublished Letter, Written a
Week Before His Execution.

Week Before His Execution.
New York Tribune.
Below is printed for the first time q strik
ing and characteristic letter written by John
Brown from the Charleston jail, week be-
fore his execution, to his kinsman, the Rev.
Dr. Heman Humphrey, the prominent
clergy man and author who was at one time
president of Amherst College. This letter
has been kindly furnished to the Tribune
for publication in advance of its appearance
in DR.. f. Humphreys genealogy OF the
Humphrey family.
CHARLESTON, Jefferson Co, Va,
% Nov, 1859.
Rev. Heman Humphrey D. D.:
My Dear and HonOred Knsman-YOur very
sorrowful, kind and faithful letter OF the 2Oth
ness. 1 nave honestly endeavored to profit by
the faithful advice it contains. Indeed. snch
advice could never come amiss. You will allow
me to- say that deeply sympathiZe with you,
and all my sorrOwing friends, in their grief and
terrible modification feel ten times more af-
fcted on their account than on account of my
own circumstances. But l must say that ! an
neither conscious OF being INFATUATED or mad"
You will doubtless agree with me in this, that
neither imprisOnmenG, irons nor the gallows fall
ing TO ones lot, are OF themselves evidence OF
either guilt ''infatuatiOn or madness"
discover tn at you labor undera mistaken i'm
preston to some important facts, which
my peculiar circumstances Will in all probability
prevent the possibility of my removing, and
do not propose to take up any argument to prove
that any mOtiOn act of my life is right. But
VIII gere state, that know it to be wholly my
own fault rs leader that caused our disaster
or this you have no proper means of Judging, not
being on the grouDG, or a pracucal soldier.
will only add that it was in yielding to my feel
ings of humanity Gf | ever exercised such "a feel
inel, in leaving my proper place, and mlngling
with my prisoners TO quiet their fears, that oc-
casinned our being caught. firmly believe that
Goo reigns, and that hS OVerrules all things IN
the best possible manner, and in that view of
the subject. | try to be IN some degree
aeGonc fdes 70 oye U y"n 5ses
on the spot and could he with me, by day and
by night, and know the facts and how my time
is spent mere. think you would find much to
reconcile your own mind to the ignOminious
death lam about to suffer, and to mitigate your
sorrow. am, to say the least, quite cheerful
'He shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand
of the Phlistines." This was sad of n Door err.
ing servant many years ago, aud for many years
have felt q strong Impression that God had
gwen me powers aud faculties unworthy L
was. that he intended to use for Similar pur-
pose. This most unmerited honor, he has seen
fit to bestow, and whether, like the poor
fra man to whom allude, my death may not
be of vastly more value than my life is, l think
quite beyond all human foresight. really have
strong hopes that Notwithstanding all my
many sins, too, may yet die ''in
faith" II you do not believe I had a murder
Gus intention (while / know 1 had mott why
grieve so terribly on my account The scaffold
mas but few tefrOrs for God has often COW
cred my head in the day of battle, and granted
me many times deliverances, that were almost
so miraculous, that can scarcely realize their
truth, and now, when 1t seems quito certain that
he intends to use me i'll different way, shall
not most cheerfnlly go2 may be deceived. but
humby trust that he will not forsake me "till
have showed His favor TO this generation ana
His strength to every one that Is TO JOme." Your
letter is most faithfully and kindly written, and
mean to profit by it. | am certainly quite
grateful for it. feel that a great responsibility
rests upon ne, as regards the lives of those vino
have fallen, and may yet fall l must i'll that
view cast myself on the of Him "whose
mercy endqrsth 1oreyer" If the cause in wa l,
to he "intnitely better" than the one in which,