The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-18
HIS LAST letter.

NOONtlAtOO T AOAAA : o9O 0--@-Z
the last letter he wrote. At least.
that 10 the tradition in the Brown
family Here Is the letter:
The Letter.
"Charlestown. Jefferson County, Va
NOV. 10. 1859.
Tho Rev. Luther Humphrey.
my dear Friend: Your kind letter
Of the 18th inst. IL now before me. so
far as my knowledge goes as to our
first since the landing of Peter Brown
from the Mayfiower, that has either
been sentenced to imprisonment or 10
the gallows. But. my dear old friend.
let not that fact alone grieve you. You
cannot have forgotten how and where
our grandfather. Capt. John Brown.
fell in 1875, and that he, too. might
have persisted on the scaffold had cir
cumstances been but very little differ
ent.
THE fact that a man dies under the
hand Of an executioner. or otherwise.
has little to do with his true charac-
ter, as I suppose. John Rogers per-
ished at the stake. a great and good
man, as I suppose, but his being so
does not prove that any other man
who has died in the Same way was
good or otherwise.
"Whether 1 have any reason to be
Of good cheer or not, in view Of my
end, I can assure you that I feel SO.
and that 1 am totally blinded IL I do
not really experience that strengthen
ing and consolation you so faithfully
implore in my behalf God Of our
fathers, reward your fidelity.
IT neither feel mortified, degraded.
nor in the least ashamed OF my i'm
prisonment, my chain, nor Of my near
prospect of death by hanging. I feel
from my head without my heavenly
Fathers knowing it. 1 also feel that
have long been endeavoring to hold
exactly such a part as God hath
chosen. See the passage in Isaiah
which you have quoted.
mo part of my life has been moro
happily spent than that I have spent
here, and humbly trust that no part
has been spent for better purpose. I
would not say this boastingly. but
victory through infinite grace
Had Enjoyed Life.
II should be sixty years old should
live to May 8, 1880. I have enjoyed
much of life as it is, and have been
remarkably prosperous. having early
prosperity of others as my own.
have never. since I can remember. re-
quired a great amount OF sleep, so
that I conclude have already en-
joyed full an average number OF
waking hours with those who reach
Il have not. as yet. been driven to
the use of glasses, but can still see to
| read and write quite comfortably but,
more than that. I have generally en-
joyed remarkably good health. I
might go on to recount unmerited and
unnumbered blessings. among which
would be some very severe Affections.
and those the most needed blessings
Of all.
"And now, when think how easily
might be left to spoil all I have done.
or suffered in the cause of freedom,
hardly dare risk another voyage even
II had the opportunity.
cit is a long time since we met, but
we shall now soon come together in
! our Fathers house, trust. Let US
hold fast that we already have re-
| membering that we shall reap in due
| season II we faint not. Thanks be
unto God who giveth us the victory
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
"And now. my old, warm hearted
friend, goodby. Your affectionate
| cousin, JOHN BROWN"
| In the public park in Tabor there
Is a bronze tablet erected by the wom-
| en- Of the city to the memory of its
one-time citizen. and the inscription
reads:
John Brown Camping Ground,
1853. Erected by the Women's Club
Of Tabor, 1910"
It was from Tabor that John Brown
set out upon his last long journey
the one which ended in his attack
| upon Harper's Ferry. his capture and
] death.