o believed himself
commissioned of God to redeem the Holy Sepulchre from the hands of
infidels; greater than Joanna Southcote, who deemed herself big with
the promised Shiloh; greater than Ignatius Loyola, who thought the Son
of Man appeared to him, bearing His cross upon His shoulders, and
bestowed upon him a Latin commission of wonderful significance;
greater than Oliver Cromwell, the great Republican Protector; and
greater than John Hampden,--he deserves to rank with William of
Orange.

John Brown was nearly six feet high, slim, wiry, dark in complexion,
sharp in feature, dark hair sprinkled with gray, eyes a dark gray and
penetrating, with a countenance that betokened frankness, honesty, and
firmness. His brow was prominent, the centre of the forehead flat, the
upper part retreating, which, in conjunction with his slightly Roman
nose, gave him an interesting appearance. The crown of his head was
remarkably high, in the regions of the phrenological organs of
firmness, conscientiousness, self-esteem, indicating a stern will,
unswerving integrity, and marvellous self-possession. He walked
rapidly with a firm and elastic tread. He was somewhat like John
Baptist, taciturn in habits, usually wrapped in meditation. He was
rather meteoric in his movements, appearing suddenly and unexpectedly
at this place, and then disappearing in the same mysterious manner.

When Kansas lay bleeding at the feet of border ruffians; when Congress
gave the free-State settlers no protection, but was rather trying to
drag the territory into the Union with a slave constitution,--without
noise or bluster John Brown dropped down into Osage County. He was not
a member of the Republican party; but rather hated its reticency. When
it cried Halt! he gave the command _Forward, march_! He was not in
sympathy with any of the parties, political or anti-slavery. All were
too conservative to suit him. So, as a political orphan he went into
Kansas, organized and led a new party that swore eternal death to
slavery. The first time he appeared in a political meeting in Kansas,
at Osawatomie, the politicians were trimming their speeches and
shaping their resolutions to please each political faction. John Brown
took the floor and made a speech that threw the convention into
consternation. He denounced slavery as the curse of the ages; affirmed
the manhood of the slave; dealt "middle men" terrible blows; and said
he could "see no use in talking." "Talk," he cont