Akron, Ohio, Aug. 6, 1852.
Dear SON John, — I had
just written a short letter to you, directed and sealed it, when I got yours of
the 1st instant. I am glad to hear from you again, and had been writing that I
could not remember hearing anything from you since early last spring. I am
pretty much laid up with the ague, and have been for more than a month. The
family are about in their usual health. Your mother is not well, but is about
the house at work. The other friends are well, so far as I know. After
something of a drouth, the weather has become very unsteady; yet we have not
had a great amount of rain. We get a little so often that we progress slowly
with our haying, of which we have yet considerable to do; we have also some
late oats to cut. Have our wheat secured. Our corn we had to plant over once;
it now looks promising. The prospect for potatoes, since the rains have begun
to come, is good. Our sheep and cattle are doing well; we think of taking some
to Cleveland to show. Have not heard from Henry and Ruth since June 26, when
they were well. Mr. Ely of Boston writes us that our trial there will come on
about the 21st September, and that we must then be ready. He says Mr. Beebe had
not returned from Europe July 24, but is expected this month. We want you
without fail to have your business so arranged that you can go on and be there
by that date, as we cannot do without you at all. We have not yet sold our
wool. I hope your corn and oats will recover; ours that was blown down last
year did in a good measure. One word in regard to the religious belief of
yourself, and the ideas of several of my children. My affections are too
deep-rooted to be alienated from them; but “my gray hairs must go down in
sorrow to the grave” unless the true God forgive their denial and rejection of
him, and open their eyes. I am perfectly conscious that their eyes are blinded
to the real truth, their minds prejudiced by hearts unreconciled to their Maker
and Judge; and that they have no right appreciation of his true character, nor
of their own. “A deceived heart hath turned them aside.” That God in infinite
mercy, for Christ's sake, may grant to you and Wealthy, and to my other
children, “eyes to see,” is the most earnest and constant prayer of
Your affectionate father,
John Brown.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of
John Brown, p. 150-1
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