"There are such Devils in the Church: Not only sinners but notorious sinners; sinners more like to the Devil than others…If ever there were Witches, Men & Women in Covenant with the Devil, here are Multitudes in New-England." Samuel Parris, Sermon
We continue with the last installment of this series.
As we started to contemplate this article, we had not envisioned the extensiveness of this event in regards to its effect on Baptists of the time. WE apologize for the length of this second part. But we believe it is well worth the readers time. - ed.
Some of the central figures in this event are:
In a book written in 1887, titled Account of the Life and Character of Rev. Samuel Parris of Salem Village, the author appears to take a naturalist approach to the vent in 1692, calling it the "witchcraft Delusion". As for the supposed tension between Parris and Burroughs, he states:
It has been said that Parris had a rival in Rev. George Burroughs, who had friends in Salem Village, desirous of his settlement ; and that was a sufficient reason why Parris should appear at the Courts against him. We have never seen any proof of this rivalship between these clergymen.
Here is a short sample of Parris's sermons:
There are such Devils in the Church: Not only sinners but notorious sinners; sinners more like to the Devil than others…If ever there were Witches, Men & Women in Covenant with the Devil, here are Multitudes in New-England.
The Reverend Hale writes of the fits these girls went through:
...these Children were bitten and pinched by invisible agents; their arms, necks, and backs turned this way and that way, and returned back again, so as it was impossible for them to do of themselves, and beyond the power of any Epileptick Fits, or natural Disease to effect.
These kinds of movements frequently accompany accounts of demonic possession. The ministers all sought the opinion of the common sources on witchcraft:
These men sought the advice from the best known sources of the time. Those sources included Bernard’s Guide to Grand-Jury Men, John Gaule’s Select Cases of Conscience Touching Witches and Witchcrafts (1646), and William Perkins’s A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft (1608).Mercy Lewis
She is considered be a central figure in the spreading of the phenomena. Wikipedia states:
Lewis played a crucial role during the Salem witch trials in 1692, when 20 people were executed for witchcraft, including her former master, George Burroughs. Like the accusation placed on Elizabeth Proctor on March 26, 1692, Mercy was accountable for hindering Mary Eastey's release from prosecution and eventual execution after all other charges against Eastey had been dropped.[3] Accusations were made against Elizabeth Proctor that she tormented both Abigail Williams and Mercy Lewis in their homes.
Lewis was purported to suffer from epileptic attacks. Again the "Devil's Book" is mentioned:
In early April 1692, Lewis claimed that Satan had appeared to her, offering her "gold and many fine things" if she would write in his book; shortly thereafter, Satan appeared to her in the form of Burroughs, who she reported "carried me up to an exceeding high mountain and showed me all the kingdoms of the earth, and told me that he would give them all to me if I would write in his book.
Cotton Mather
Mather wrote a book on demonology titled, The Wonders of the Invisible World. This book is one which mort Christians would agree with. We would agree with Mather that Satan exists; that his demons can cause harm to humans; that they can appear in many different forms, as a dead relative, etc.
Yet, he had the typical view of Puritans and other Reformed groups, that they could capture territories from Satan, ignoring the words of Paul in Ephesians, that we fight a spiritual warfare and not a physical one. Here is a typical example of that kind of thinking:
The New-Englanders are a People of God settled in those, which were once the Devil's Territories; and it may easily be supposed that the Devil was exceedingly disturbed, when he perceived such a People here accomplishing the Promise of old made unto our Blessed Jesus, That He should have the Utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession. There was not a greater Uproar among the Ephesians, when the Gospel was first brought among them, than there was among, The Powers of the Air (after whom those Ephesians walked) when first the Silver Trumpets of the Gospel here made the Joyful Sound. The Devil thus Irritated, immediately try'd all sorts of Methods to overturn this poor Plantation...
Here, Mather erroneously thinks that Satan can be kicked out of certain lands. He forgets that Satan and his demons, roam the earth, and as the Prince of the Power of the air, he goes anywhere, until Jesus casts him into hell. All of the Puritans held this view of "Christian lands". Baptists were persecuted due to this view!
Thus it is not surprising that Mather would speak in the same way about any dissenters from those who baptize children:
Mr. Burroughs was carried in a cart with others, through the streets of Salem, to execution. When he was upon the ladder, he made a speech for the clearing of his innocency, with such solemn and serious expressions as were to the admiration of all present; his prayer (which he concluded by repeating the Lord's Prayer) was so well worded, and uttered with such composedness as such fervency of spirit, as was very Affecting, and drew tears from many, so that it seemed to some that the spectators would hinder the execution. The accusers said the black man [Devil] stood and dictated to him. As soon as he was turned off [hanged], Mr. Cotton Mather, being mounted upon a horse, addressed himself to the people, partly to declare that he [Mr. Burroughs] was no ordained Minister, partly to possess the people of his guilt, saying that the devil often had been transformed into the Angel of Light. And this did somewhat appease the people, and the executions went on; when he [Mr. Burroughs] was cut down, he was dragged by a Halter to a hole, or grave, between the rocks, about two feet deep; his shirt and breeches being pulled off, and an old pair of trousers of one executed put on his lower parts: he was so put in, together with Willard and Carrier, that one of his hands, and his chin, and a foot of one of them, was left uncovered.
She was the inherited Indian slave of Samuel Parrish brought over from Barbados, after his father died. This video is both good and bad. It does provide some interesting points which have validity. But it fails to understand that Satan could have been using all hatreds, suspicions, economic and political indications. As for Tituba's confession, there is the possibility that she was telling the truth!
The Examination of Titibe:
(H) Titibe what #(sp) evil spirit have you familiarity with(T) none
(H) why doe you hurt these The Real Tituba - Part 2children,
(T) I doe not hurt them
(H) who is it then #(the de)
(T) the devil for ought I #(ken) know
(H) did you never see the devil,,
(T) the devil came to me and bid me serve him
(H) who have you seen)
(T) 4 women #(and) sometimes hurt the children,
(H) who were they?
(T) goode Osburn and Sarah good and I doe not know who the other were Sarah good and osburn would have me hurt the children but I would not shee furder saith there was a tale man of Boston t#(w)hat shee did see
(H) when did you see them)
(T) Last night at Boston
(H) what did they say to you they said hurt the children
(H) and did you hurt them #(no)
(T) no there is 4 women and one man they hurt the #(s) children and then lay all upon hure and they tell me if I will not hurt the children they will hurt me
(H) but did you not hurt them
(T) yes but I will hurt them no more
(H) are you not sorry you did hurt them.
(T) yes.
(H) and why then doe you hurt them)
(T) they say hurt children or wee will doe worse to you
(H) what have you seen a man come to me and say serve me
(H) what service
(T) hurt the children and last night there was an appearnce that said #(K) Kill the children and if I I would no go on hurtang the children they would doe worse to me
(H) what is this appearance you see
(T) sometimes it is like a hog and some times like a great dog this appearance shee saith shee did see 4 times
(H) what did it say to you
(T) #(it s)the black dog said serve me but I said I am afraid he said if I did not he would doe worse to me
(H) what did you say to it
(T) I will serve you no longer then he said he would hurt me and then he lookes like a man and threatens to hurt me. shee said that this man had a yellow bird that keept with him and he told me he had more pretty things that he would give me if I would serve him
(H) what were these pretty things
(T) he did not show me them
(H) what else have you seen
(T) two cats a red cat and a black cat
(H) what did they say to you
(T) they said serve me
(H) when did you see them last
(T) Last night and they said serve me but #(shee) said I would not
(H) what service
(T) shee said hurt the children
(H) did you not pinch Elizabeth Hubbard this morning
(T) the man brought her to me and made #(hur) me pinch her
(H) why did you goe to Thomas putnams Last night and hurt his child
(T) they pull and hall me and make goe
(H) and what wold have you doe Kill her with a knif Left. fuller and others said at this time when the child saw these persons and was tormented by them that she did complain of a knif that they would have her cut her head off with a knife
(H) how did you goe
(T) we ride upon stickes and are there presently
(H) doe you goe through the trees or over them
(T) we see no thing but are there presently
(H) why did you not tell your master
(T) I was afraid they said they would cut off my head if I told
(H) would not you have hurt others if you cold
(T) they said they would hurt others but they could not #(sh)
(H) what attendants hath Sarah good
(T) a yellow bird and shee would have given me one
(H) what meate did she give it
(T) it did suck her between her fingers
(H) Did not you hurt mr Currins child
(T) goode good and goode Osburn told that they did hurt mr Currens child and would have had me hurt him two but I did not
(H) what hath Sarah Osburn
(T) yesterday shee had a thing with a head like a woman with 2 leeggs and wings Abigail williams that lives with her uncle mr Parris said that shee did see this same creature #(with goode osburn and it turned into the shape of goode osburn & yesterday being(?)) and it turned into the shape of goode osburn
(H) what else have you seen with g osburn
(T) an other thinge hairy it goes upright like a man it hath only 2 leeggs
(H) did you not see Sarah good upon elisebeth #(Williams) Hubbar last Saterday
(T) I did see her set a wolfe upon her to afflict her the persons with this maid did say that shee did complain of a wolf
(T) shee furder said that shee saw a cat with good at another time
(H) what cloathes doth the man #(we) go in
(T) he goes in black cloathes a tal man with white hair I thinke
(H) how doth the woman goe
(T) in a white whood and a black whood with a top knot
(H) doe you see who it is that torments these children now
(T) yes it is goode good she hurts them in her own shape
(H) & who is it that hurts them now
(T) I am blind now I cannot see
"I desire to be humbled before God for that sad and humbling providence that befell my father's family in the year about '92; that I, then being in my childhood, should, by such a providence of God, be made an instrument for the accusing of several persons of a grievous crime, whereby their lives were taken away from them, whom now I have just grounds and good reason to believe they were innocent persons; and that it was a great delusion of Satan that deceived me in that sad time, whereby I justly fear I have been instrumental, with others, though ignorantly and unwittingly, to bring upon myself and this land the guilt of innocent blood; though what was said or done by me against any person I can truly and uprightly say, before God and man, I did it not out of any anger, malice, or ill-will to any person, for I had no such thing against one of them; but what I did was ignorantly, being deluded by Satan. And particularly, as I was a chief instrument of accusing of Goodwife Nurse and her two sisters, I desire to lie in the dust, and to be humbled for it, in that I was a cause, with others, of so sad a calamity to them and their families; for which cause I desire to lie in the dust, and earnestly beg forgiveness of God, and from all those unto whom I have given just cause of sorrow and offence, whose relations were taken away or accused.
[Signed]
"This confession was read before the congregation, together with her relation, Aug. 25, 1706; and she acknowledged it."
We should note that Putnam does not view herself as hysterical. She does not deny that Satan deceived her. Indeed he did. It makes perfect sense, Biblically that Satan would appear in the form of an innocent individual in order to cause havoc and to hurt innocent professing Christians. She believed that apparitions had appeared to her. In an opinion of 12 ministers in Boston, including Increase Mather, they advised the court about using spectral evidence:
Presumptions whereupon persons may be committed, and, much more, convictions whereupon persons may be condemned as guilty of witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more considerable than barely the accused person's being represented by a specter unto the afflicted; inasmuch as it is an undoubted and notorious thing, that a demon may, by God's permission, appear, even to ill purposes, in the shape of an innocent, yea, and a virtuous man.
The effective book was that of Robert Calef, a member of the Baptist church in Boston. It was entitled: "More Wonders from the Invisible World"; was finished in 1697, but there was no publisher in Boston who dared to issue it. It finally appeared in England in 1700. It created a sensation in Boston.
Christian goes on to write:
When the book reached Boston, November 5, 1700, Cotton Mather spent the day in fasting. For the fifth month, the second day, 1701, he writes: "The enemies of the churches are set with implacable enmity against myself, and one vile fool, Robert Calef, is employed by them to go on with more of his filthy scribling."
Both Calef (it seems), and Mather observed a Mary Rule, who we believe had true demonic possession. First a description of phenomena by Calef:
Margaret Rule would sometimes have her jaws forcibly pulled open, whereupon something invisible would be poured down her throat; we all saw her swallow, and yet we saw her try all she could, by spitting, coughing and shrieking, that she might now swallow; but one time the standers-by plainly saw something of that odd liquor itself on the outside of her neck: she cried out of it, as of scalding brimstone poured into her, and the whole house would immediately scent so hot of brimstone that we were scarce able to endure it - whereof there are scores of witnesses; but the young woman herself would be so monstrously inflamed, that it would have broke a heart of stone to have seen herf agonies.
Mather also observed phenomena affecting this woman, writing about it in the Part 1 of his Wonders of the Invisible World:
I do testify that I have seen Margaret Rule, in her afflictions from the invisible world, lifted up from her bed, wholly by an invisible force, a great way towards the top of the room where she lay; in her being so lifted, she had no assistance from any of her own arms or hands, or any other part of her body, not so much as her heels touching her bed, or resting on any support whatsoever. And I have seen her thus lifted, when not only a strong person hath thrown his whole weight across her to pull her down, but several other persons have endeavoured, with all their might, to hinder her from being so raised up; which I suppose that several others will testify as well as myself when called unto it. Witness my hand, Samuel Aves...Robert Earle, John Wilkins, Daniel Williams
In a letter to Cotton Mather, dated November 24, 1693, Calef probably gives the overall view of the Baptists in regards to witches:
That there are witches is no the doubt; the scriptures else were vain, which assign their punishment to be by death; but what this witchcraft is, or wherein it does consist, seems to be the whole difficulty: and as it may be easily demonstrated, that all that bear that name cannot be justly so accounted; so that some things and actions, not so esteemed by the most, yet upon due examination will be found to merit no better character.
Calef goes on to state succinctly and insightfully, how Satan is involved in the Witch Trials, in a manner that the judges do not understand:
...and why not accuse the innocent, as bewitching them? having pretence to divination to gain credence. This being reasonable ro be expected from him who is the father of lies, to the end he may thereby involve a country in blood, malice and evil-surmising, which he greedily seeks after, and so finally lead them from their fear and dependency upon God, to fear him and a supposed witch, thereby attaining his end upon mankind...
As a true predestinarian, Calef understood the relationship between the devil and almighty Yahweh:
...believing that the devil's bounds are set, which he cannot pass; that devils are so full of malice, that it cannot be added to by mankind; that where he hath power he neither can nor will omit executing it; that it is only the Almighty that sets bounds to his rage, and that only can commisionate him to hurt or destroy any...
Calef goes on to question some of the medieval superstitions of Europe and the Catholic Church:
What need of praying that the afflicted may be able to discover who it is that afflicts them? or what need of searching for teats for the devil to suck, in his old age; or the experiment of saying the Lord's prayer, &c. with a multitude more, practised in some places superstitiously inclined?
Isaac Backus, in History of New England, Vol. 1, pg. 442 writes that the Devil asked them to renounce their infant baptism, thus in the opinion of Rev. Hale (a Congregationalist), legitimizing infant baptism. The Devil is an odd individual to legitimize anything righteous. Backus writes:
We cannot find that the Baptists had any hand in those confused and bloody proceedings; yet much pains have been taken to turn the same against them. A late minister of Danvers, the place where those delusions began says, "It is reported of witches, and those that hold unlawful commerce with evil spirits, that in order to their entering into confederacy with them, they are solicited to renounce their baptism, even though received in infancy; which shows that such a renunciation of baptism, which Dr. Gill pleads and commends, is a matter of great impiety."
William Milburne, also a Baptist of the First Baptist Church of Boston, objected to the Salem Witch Trials. Christian writes of him:
It is everlastingly to the credit of the Baptists that they opposed this procedure. On June 25, 1692, William Milburne, a Baptist preacher, was summoned before the Court for reflecting upon the administration of public justice. His crime was the circulation of a petition for signatures of persons who opposed the further prosecution of suspected witches or specter testimony." "The innocent will be condemned," he said, "a woeful chain of consequences will follow, inextricable damage will be done this province. Give no more credence to specter testimony than the Word of God alloweth."
According to Wikitree, Milburne the elder brother of a Jacob Milburne, was a Baptist minister in Boston.
Milborne, a member of a radical family of English dissenters, was a son of Rev. Luke Milborne, one of the thirteen "Fanatiks of East Sheen" (along with former Lord Mayor of London, John Ireton). ...William Milborne, was a notorious "Fifth Monarchist" (an extreme Puritan sect) Bermuda Councilor.
His involvement in the Salem Witch Trials is important. He petitioned the Massachusetts General Assembly against spectral evidence:
Petition of William Milborne To the Grave and Juditious ye General Assembly of the Province of ye Massachusets Bay in New-England the humble petitions of several Inhabitants of the Province aforesd may it please the honorable Assembly that whereas several persons of good fame and of unspotted reputation stand committed to several gaols in this Province upon suspistion of sundry acts of witchcraft only upon bare specter testimonies many whereof we cannot but in Charity Judge to be Innocent and are sensible of their great Affliction and if sd. specter testimonie pass for evidence have great grounds to fear that the Innocent will be condemned upon ———. A woeful chain of consequences will undoubtedly follow besides the uncertaintie of ye exemption of any person from ye like accusation in ye said Province—the serious consideration whereof WE HAVE HUMBLY TENDERED TO YOU IN OUR HUMBLE ADDRESS IN ANOTHER PAPER; such peculiar matter of fact therein asserted and we have sufficent testimonie ready to aver ye same: therefore request that ye validitie of specter Testimonie may be weighed in ye balance of your grace and solid Judgments it being the womb that hath brought forth inextricable damage and misirie to this Province and to order by your votes that no more credence be given thereto than the word of God alloweth by which means God will be glorified their Majesties honored and the Interest and welfare of the Inhabitants of ye Province promoted and your Petistioners in duty boune shall dayly pray.
His petition was not received well:
Order for the Arrest of William Milborne Saturday June 25th 1692./. There being laid before his Excy. and Council, Two Papers directed unto the Assembly, One of them Subscribed by William Milborn of Boston and Several Others, conteining very high Reflections upon the Administrations of Publick Justice within this their Majesties Province; The said William Milborne was sent for, and upon Examination Owned that the said Papers were of his writing, and that he Subscribed his Name to One of them. Ordered. That the said William Milborne be committed to Prison, Or give Bond of Two hundred pounds, with two Sureties for his personal appearance at the next Superiour Court, or Court of Goal delivery to be held at Boston, to Answer what shall be Objected against him. on their Maties behalfe for framing, contriving, writing and publishing the said Seditious and Scandalous Papers or writings, and in the meantime to be of good Behaviour:/. William Phips.
The Baptists were against the use of the civil government to stamp out a spiritual problem. They were on the right side of history
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