The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-09-15
JOHN BROWNS LAST LETTER
Penned to a Cousin a Short
Time Before His Execution.


following unpublished letter from
the pen of the great hberator, John
Brown, will be of unususl interest
The letter was written TO al old
friend and relative, Rev. Luther
Humphreys, of Windham, o. a
short time before his execution and
while Brown was under sentence of
death. The letter follows:
Charlestown, Jefferson county,
Va, November Is, 1S59.-Rev. Luz
Their Humphrey, Windham, O: Ny
Dear Friend-Your kind letter of
August % Is now before nae, So
far as my knowledge goes as to our
mutual kindred, L suppose 1 am the
first since the landing of Peter
Brown from the Mayfower that has
either been sentenced TO imprison
ment or to the gallows But, my
dear old friend, let not that fact
grieve you. You can not have for
gotten how and where our grand
father Capt. John Brown fell in
1916, and that he, too, might have
persisted on the scaffold had circum.
stances been but very little different.
The fact that the man dies, under
the hands Of the executioner or
otherwise, has but little to do with
his true character.
John Rogers, a great and good
man. as l suppose, persisted at the
stake, but his doing so does not
prove that any other man who died
in the same way was good or other
wise. Whether l have any reason
to be of good cheer or not, in view
of my end, can assure you that / |
feel so, and that am totally blinded |
If | do not really experience that
Strengthening and consolation you
so faithfully implore in my behalf
The God Of our fathers reward your
fidelity. / neither feel mortified
degraded nor in the least ashamed
OF my Imprisonment, my chain nor
my near prospect of death by hang
ing 1 feel assured that not one
hair shall fall from my head without
the will of my heavenly Father 1
also feel that l have long been en-
deavoring to hold exactly such a
fast as God has chosed- See the
passage IN Isaiah, which you haYe
quoted No part of my life has been
more happily spent than l have
spent here, and humbly trust that
no part has been spent to better
purpose. 1 would not say this hest
tatingly, but thanks be to unto God,
who giveth Us the victory, through
infinite grace
1 should be so years old were to
live until May 9, 1860. I have en-
ioyed much of life as it is, and have
been remarkably prosperous, having
early learned to regard the welfare
aud prosperity of others. / have
never, since can remember. requir-
ed great amount of sleep, so that 1
conclude that 1 have already enjoyed
an average number Of waking hours
as those who reach their three score
years and ten. I have not as vet
been driven to the use of glasses,
but can see to read and write quite
More than that,
have generally enjoyed remarkably
good health. l might go on to
recount unnumbered and unmerised
blessings, among which would be
some severe sffiictions, and those
thh most needed blessings of all :
And now, when / think how easily |
might be left to spoil all 1 have done
or suffered IN the cause OF freedom,
hardly dare wish another voyage.
even If L had the opportunity 1t is
q long time since we met, but we
shall soon come together 10 our
Father house, 1 trust Let u
hold fast that we already have"
remembering We shall reap in due
time if faint not
Thanks be ever unto God, who
giveth Us thu victory through Jesus
Christ, our Lord And now. nv
DID. warm hearted friend. good bv.
4 long farewell. Your affectionate
cousin. JOIN BBeuv"