The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-09-01
WHEN WITCHES WROUGHT.

WHEN WITCHES WROUGHT.
Salem, Mass, is always connected
readily with the memory Of innocent
persons executed as witches. But
this colonial town had no monopoly
on those outrages, which were common
enough throughout the world during
the 18th century. The life of the
early colonists of New England was
such as to give rapid growth to the
doctrine ofpossession by devils brought
from the old world. The Indians
were believed by many to be children
of Satan, and many thought the wild
beasts were sent by the powers of evil
to torment the elect. The theology OF
the time was Of gloomy s'rt, and its
Interpretation by leaders of the church
was the greatest cause of the trouble.
An impetus was given to the belief in
witchcraft by books by learned men.
At first these works were imported
from Europe, and then the colonial
clergy fell in line and wrote similar
books of their own. BY the latter
part of the 18th century these influ.
ences were at work among the Gem
mon people, and cases of possession"
were reported at Boston, Springfield,
Hartford, Groton and other colonial
towns, followed at times by death
sentences.
In the year 1854, Increase Mather
published book. Remarkable Prov
idences," laying stress upon diabolic
possession and witchcraft. This book
was approved in England, which added
to its power in the colonies. In 1888
poor family Of Boston was afflicted
by demons; four children, the eldest
thirteen years of age, began leaping
and barking like doga, or purring like
cats. and complained of being pinched,
pricked and cut. To relieve matters,
an old Irish woman was accused and
executed.
But the greatest single influence in
this evil course was Cotton Mather,
son of Increase, strong man of great
ability and piety. This man was in.
terested in his flock, and he seemed far
in advance of his time in accepting
many of the works of science, such az
Newtonian astronomy, and inntcula-
ton to prevent disease. But he cluDg
to the witchcraft theories of his father
and others, and his acceptance welded
power. He also published book on
Memorable Providences," and recon-
mended his work to the ministers of
the colonies. Out of all these causes,
and particularly from the latter, came
the worst outbreak of possessions and
executions in Salem.
The Rev. Samuel Paris was the
minister of the church of Salem. He
was possessed of high ideas of his own
infallibility, and had also a love of
Of prying and spying into
the affairs of others. Paris had
trouble with some of his Pensioners
who objected to mis- ways. There we're
quarrels in his church, and some of the
accusations doubtless grew out of
these. Two girls in the family of Mr..
Paris first became possessed, and
these placed the blame on an old
Indian woman. Mr.. Paris imme.
diately summoned two magistrates. |
The Indian woman was flogged until
she confessed, and other accusations |
followed, and other confessions, brought
about by torture Of one kind and |
At first the charges w.r.
mostly against poor and vagram old
Women. whose execut;ou, r,lIl
but, embroidered BY their success, they
lttacked larger game. struck at some
# the leading people of the commu-
'ity, and did not cease until some of.I
hese had been condemned to death
N most of these cases frenzy was
mixed with trickery. There was
method in their madness. Manv of
he witches had been engaged in a