John brown was an american abolitionist, who is widely known for his anti-slavery views and acts of armed insurrection. His radical views and willingness to take action made him an iconic figure of the 19th century and a powerful symbol of the anti-slavery movement. John brown quotes continue to inspire and motivate people today. Here are some of the most inspiring and thought-provoking quotes by john brown.
John Brown Quotes About Government, Country, And Sacrifice
✅ “I am quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away, but with blood. I had, as I now think vainly, flattered myself that without very much bloodshed it might be done.” — John Brown
✅ “Had I so interfered on behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great, or on behalf of any of their friends… every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment.” — John Brown
“There is a shrine in the temple of age, where lie forever embalmed the memories of such as have deserved well of their country and their race.” — John Brown
✅ “Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children, and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit: so let it be done!” — John Brown
✅ “Talk is a national institution, but it does not help the slave.” — John Brown
✅ “The angels are ministering spirits; they are not governing spirits.” — John Brown
✅ “I will have nothing to do with so mean an act. I would sooner take my gun and help drive you out of the country.” — John Brown
John Brown Quotes About Slavery
✅ “I don’t think the people of the slave states will ever consider the subject of slavery in its true light till some other argument is resorted to other than moral persuasion.” — John Brown
✅ “I want you to understand that I respect the rights of the poorest and weakest of colored people, oppressed [to deny others their rights or liberty] by the slave system, just as much as I do those of the most wealthy and powerful. That is the idea that has moved me, and that alone.” — John Brown
✅ “Whereas, Slavery, throughout its entire existence in the United States, is none other than a most barbarous, unprovoked, and unjustifiable War of one portion of its citizens upon another portion; the only conditions of which are perpetual imprisonment, and hopeless servitude or absolute extermination; in utter disregard and violation of those eternal and self-evident truths set forth in our Declaration of Independence.” — John Brown
“When I strike, the bees will begin to swarm, and I want you to help hive them.” — John Brown
✅ “It is not a case we are treating; it is a living, palpitating, alas, too often suffering fellow-creature.” — John Brown
✅ “I have only a short time to live, only one death to die, and I will die fighting for this cause. There will be no peace in this land until slavery is done for.” — John Brown
John Brown Quotes About God
✅ “Now let us thank the eternal power, convinced That Heaven but tries our virtue by affliction: That oft the cloud that wraps the present hour Serves but to brighten all our future days.” — John Brown
✅ “So far as I ever observed God’s dealings with my soul, the flights of preachers sometimes entertained me, but it was Scripture expressions which did penetrate my heart and in a way peculiar to themselves.” — John Brown
“Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!” — John Brown
✅ “Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervors, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.” — John Brown
✅ “I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done…in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right.” — John Brown
Timeless And Personal John Brown Quotes
✅ “I think every family should have a dog; it is like having a perpetual baby; it is the plaything and crony of the whole house. It keeps them all young.” — John Brown
✅ “Be mild with the mild, shrewd with the crafty, confiding to the honest, rough to the ruffian, and a thunderbolt to the liar. But in all this, never be unmindful of your own dignity.” — John Brown
✅ “These men are all talk; What is needed is action – action!” — John Brown
✅ “Symptoms are the body’s mother tongue; signs are in a foreign language.” — John Brown
✅ “The intent and not the deed is in our power; and, therefore, who dares greatly, does greatly.” — John Brown
✅ “I will answer anything I can with honor, but not about others.” — John Brown
✅ “The same eye cannot both look up to heaven and down to earth.” — John Brown
✅ “I cannot remember a night so dark as to have hindered the coming day.” — John Brown
More John Brown Quotes
✅ “I am gaining in health slowly, and am quite cheerful in view of my approaching end, – being fully persuaded that I am worth inconceivably more to hang than any other purpose.” — John Brown
✅ “I have been whipped, as the saying is, but I am sure I can recover all the lost capital occasioned by that disaster; by only hanging a few moments by the neck; and I feel quite determined to make the utmost possible out of a defeat.” — John Brown
✅ “No man, with a man’s heart in him, gets far on his way without some bitter, soul-searching disappointment. – Happy he who is brave enough to push on another stage of the journey, and rest where there are living springs of water, and threescore and ten palms.” — John Brown
✅ “I was shot down by a fifth ball, which struck me squarely in the face, and passed out.” — John Brown
✅ “Tis mean for empty praise of wit to write, As foppling’s grin to show their teeth are white.” — John Brown
✅ “Caution, Sir! I am eternally tired of hearing that word caution. It is nothing but the word of cowardice!” — John Brown
John Brown Quotes On Slavery
✅ “I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.”
✅ “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!”
✅ “In the first place, I deny everything but what I have all along admitted, the design on my part to free the slaves.”
✅ “…Slavery, throughout its entire existence in the United States is none other than a most barbarous, unprovoked, and unjustifiable War of one portion of its citizens upon another portion; the only conditions of which are perpetual imprisonment, and hopeless servitude or absolute extermination; in utter disregard and violation of those eternal and self-evident truths set forth in our Declaration of Independence.”
✅ “There will be no peace in this land until slavery is done for.”
✅ “Talk, is a national institution, but it does not help the slave.”
John Brown Abolitionist Quotes
✅ “I never wanted to fight against the Union, but could not turn my back on Virginia.”
✅ “I don’t think the people of the slave states will ever consider the subject of slavery in its true light till some other argument is resorted to other than moral persuasion.”
✅ “The intent and not the deed is in our power; and, therefore, who dares greatly does greatly.”
✅ “I have only a short time to live, only one death to die, and I will die fighting for this cause.”
✅ “I acknowledge no master in human form.”
✅ “I never had any design against the life of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason, or excite slaves to rebel, or make any general insurrection.”
✅ “…If it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit…”
✅ “I bring you one of the best and bravest persons on this continent — General Tubman as we call her.”
✅ “I believe that to have interfered as I have done, as I have always freely admitted I have done in behalf of His despised poor, is no wrong, but right.”
✅ “Caution, Sir! I am eternally tired of hearing that word caution. It is nothing but the word of cowardice!”
John Brown Famous Quotes
✅ “I see a book kissed here which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament. That teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do to me, I should do even so to them.”
✅ “Tis mean for empty praise of wit to write, As fopplings grin to show their teeth are white.”
✅ “…I respect the rights of the poorest and weakest of colored people, oppressed by the slave system, just as much as I do those of the most wealthy and powerful.”
✅ “[Holiness] consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.”
✅ “These men are all talk; What is needed is action — action!”
✅ “Be mild with the mild, shrewd with the crafty, confiding to the honest, rough to the ruffian, and a thunderbolt to the liar.”
✅ “I will answer anything I can with honor, but not about others.”
✅ “I am worth inconceivably more to hang than for any other purpose.”
✅ “I cannot remember a night so dark as to have hindered the coming day.”
✅ “Had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, the so-called great… every man in this court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment.”
✅ “I…am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land can never be purged away but with blood. I had, as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed, it might be done.”
✅ “I am gaining in health slowly, and am quite cheerful in view of my approaching end — being fully persuaded that I am worth inconceivably more to hang than any other purpose.”
✅ “Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities…”
✅ “…Never be unmindful of your own dignity.”
Final Thoughts
The quotes attributed to john brown are a powerful and inspiring reminder of the struggle for civil rights, freedom, and justice. John brown quotes are a testament to the deep commitment and courage of individuals to stand up for what they believe in and to inspire others to do the same.