The Salem Witch Trials II

4. The ministers of New England . did not approve of the proceedings.

Cotton Mather and the majority of the pastors of New England vigorously opposed the manner of the proceedings in Salem. The only ones to support the trials were the pastor of Salem church, Samuel Parris (whose daughter and niece initiated the excitements) and two neighboring ministers.

Mather openly denounced the admission of spectral evidence and mote the judges asking them not to admit it in the trials. The ministers in the area drew up a list of cautions for the assistance of the judges:

"We judge, that in the prosecution of these and all such witchcrafts, there is need of a very critical and exquisite caution: lest by too much credulity for things received only upon the devil's authority, there be a door opened for a long train of miserable . consequences, and Satan get an advantage over us; for We should not be ignorant of his devices.

"As in complaints upon witchcrafts, there may be matters of inquiry which do not amount unto matters of presumption, which yet may not be reckoned matters of conviction; so 'tis necessary that all proceedings thereabout be managed with an exceeding tenderness towards those that may be complained of: especially if they have been persons formerly of an unblemished reputation . . .

"Presumptions, whereupon persons may be committed, andmuch more convictions, whereupon persons may be condenmed as guilty of witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more considerable, than barely the " accused person's being represented bya spectre to the afflicted: inasmuch as it is an undoubted and a notorious thing, that a demo!1 may, by God's permission, appear to ill purposes in the shape of an innocent, yea, and a virtuous man: nor can we esteem alterationS made in the sufferers, by a look or touch of the accused, to be an infallible evidence of guilt: but

20 f THE COUNSEL of ChaIcedon ~ October! Nbvember, 1994

frequently liable to be abused by the devil's legerdemains." (Mather, Magnalia, vol. II, pp. 211)

This counsel was seconded by Increase Mather who was then president of Harvard College: He did , "with demonstrations of incomparable reason and reading, evince it, that$atanrnayappeatm the shape of an innocent and a virtuous person, to afflict those that suffer by the diabolical molestations: and that the ordeal of the Sight, and the touch, is nOt a conviction of a covenant with the devil..." (Ibid.)

The French and Dutch ministers of New York also confirmed thiS to be their view: "theapparitionofa person afflicting another, is a very inSufficient proof of a witch; nor is it inconsistent with the holy and righteous goverrunent of God over men, to

permit the affliction of the neighbors, by devils in the shape of good men; and that a good name, obtained by a good life, should not be lost by mere spectral accusations." (Ibid., p. 212)

Cotton Mather wrote to John Foster (who was a memberof.tl:te Governor's Council) on August 17, that "spectral evidence was inSufficient for conviction and that devils could' assume innocent forms. Reprieve should be granted whenever the judges were uncertain, and bail should be granted those jailed on spectral evidence only. As far as those actually convicted, Mather suggested exile rather than death as a punishment. In conclusion, he hinted that 'a famous divine or two' might be seated on the court." (House, op. cit., p. 148)

The Puritan clergy, far from being the cause of the problems, set themselves squarely against the" excesses of the trials .

5·. The proceedin.gs Were not allowed to run their course. The

pressure from the New England ministers finally began to have an effect and the newly appointed governor, General William Phips, stopped the trials. Reaction began to set in as the people lost confidence in the integrity and intelligence of the judges and turned against those who had been foremost in making accusations.

Three years later, on]anumy 15, 1696, Samuel Sewall, one

of shedding innocent blood; though it was done, "ignorantly and unWittingly." Later, in 1711, the General Court of Massachusetts approved money indemnities of a total of 578 pounds, 12 shillings, to be distributed among the survivors of those who had been executed. (House, op. cit., pp. 149,150)

Conclusions: It is easy to be self-lighteous, level-headed, and wise

"2, The quality of several of the accused was such as did bespeak 'better things, and things that accompany salvation;' persons, whose blameless and holy lives before did testify for them; persons that had taken great pains to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; such as we had charity for, as for our own souls

of the judges who presided at the trials, stood before his congregation while his pastor, Samuel Willard, read his confession and repentance for his part in them:

"Samuel Sewall, sensible of the reiterated strokes of God upon himself and family, and being sensible that as to

liThe true cause for Salem's troubles was

ignorance of the Word of God and the lack of

appreciation for Christ Jesus. JJ

"3, The number of the afflicted daily increased, until a bout fifty persons

. were vexed by the devil. This gave just ground to suspect some mistake, which gave advantage to the 'accuser of the brethren' to make a breach upon us.

"4, It was considerable, that nineteen were executed, and all denied the crime to the death, the guilt contracted upon

the opening of the late Commission of Oyer and Terminer at Salem, he is, upon many accounts, more concerned than any that he knows of, desires to take the blame and shame of it, asking pardon of men, and especially desiring prayers that God, who has unlimited authority, would pardon that sin and all his other sins, personal and relative. And according to His infinite benignity and sovereignty, not visit the sin of him or of any other, upon hilnself or any of his, nor upon the land. But that He would powerfully defend him against all temptations to sin for the future, and vouchsafe him the efficacious, saving conduct of His word and Spirit." (Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Ughtand the GIOJY, p.238)

Twelve jurymen also signed a similar statement confeSSing their sin

after the fact; especially if the fact is almost 300 years old. The hypOcritical cries of dismay from unbelieving historians over the "unspeakable horrors of Salem" must be taken with more than a few grains of salt. But what should we say by way of evaluating this sad incident?

There were many excesses and errors throughout the entire episode. Colton Mather summalizes them for us: "It may be quelied, How doth it appear that there was a going too far in this affair?

"A. 1, By the numbers of the persons accused, which at length increased to about an hundred; and it cannot be imagined that in a place of so much knowJedge, so many in so small a compass of land, should so abominably leap into the devil's Jap all at once.

and some of them were knowing persons, and had before this been accounted blameless livers. And it is not to be imagined but that, if all had been guilty, some would have had so much tenderness as to seek mercy for their souls, in the way of confession and sorrow for such a sin ...

"5, When this prosecution ceased, the Lord so 'chained up Satan,' that the afllicted grew presently well: the accused are generally quiet; and for five years since, we have no such molestation by them." (Mather, op. cit., p. 477)

These excesses must be seen in the context of the events of the day. There were many incidents which seemed to point to no other explanation than demonic activity or witch craft. These reports were bolstered by the confessions of so many people in such a short period.

October/ November, 1994 l' THE COUNSEL of ChaIcedon f- 21

Further, those whom we would Spiritual indifference lays the normally expect to exercise a foundation for deception and restraining influence (the ministers confusion. Such waS unquestionably of Salem and the immediate area) the case in Salem. did not discourage the proceedings For this reason we must conclude and were perhaps too gullible and that the basic problem was not Satan credulous. The Governors at all. The true cause for Salem's (Bradstreet and Phips) were either troubles was ignorance of the Word too · old (Bradstreet) or too of God and the lack of appreciation preoccupied (Phips, with the French for Christ Jesus. Biblical truth had and Indian War). . been replaced by popular

Finally, though we surely must superstition. They had rejected the acknowledge the influence of local Light and, for a season, had to "hysteria," we cannot overlook the stumble in the darkness. They had effect that dabbling in the occult been mightily blessed by God, but had in Salem. If there was not thcirblessings brought forth not visible demonic activity, there surely increasmg faithfulness bu t growing was invisible activity. Sin-darkened indifference. Cotton Mather hearts are not discerning hearts. described what occurred by using

MERICA he First 350Years

an old Latin aphorism, "Religio peperit Divitias, Filia devoravit Matrem" or, "Religion brought forth prosperity, and the daughter destroyed the mother." (quoted by Sidney Ahlstrom,A ReligiOUS History ·of the American People, p : 164)

So it always is (and always will be) for cultures that neglect and reject the Word of God.n

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22 ~ THE COUNSEL of ChaIcedort ~ October! November, 199,.