On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
woman who first confessed , that she was whipped and terrified into that confession ; and the no less important acknowledgment of sorrow and repentance on the part of one of the children under his influence , who made the very first accusation . It appears from the nature of the acknowledgment of the woman , that the child was under the influence of delusion . Alas ! for him who deluded her ! Mr . Noyes , at that time junior pastor of the first church in
Salem , was * one of the most distinguished ministers of the age , ' and was esteemed by the university and people of New England as * a principal part of their glory . ' This gentleman busied himself much in the delusion , one of his practices being to remain on the ground whenever there was an execution for witchcraft , for
the purpose of quenching any sympathy which might be kindled by the words or the demeanour of the sufferers . When Mary Easty , one of the most enlightened and heroic of the martyrs , ( as may be seen from her petition in favour of truth , —not of herself —and from the character of her last interview with her husband
and children , ) was hanging with seven others , Mr . Noyes turned towards the bodies and exclaimed , —( bless him for his compassion !)— ' What a sad thing it is to see eight firebrands of hell hanging there I' When Mr . Proctor , a man of excellent character , was on the eve of execution , he requested Mr . Noyes to pray
with him . One would have thought this the least that could be done for a man in such circumstances , especially as his spirit was weighed down with grief for his eleven children who had been stripped of every thing , even to the food which was preparing for their dinner , but Mr . Noyes refused to pray for the convict unless he would confess himself guilty !
A member of this gentleman s congregation was convicted and sentenced under circumstances of the grossest injustice . The jury acquitted her at first , but were threatened by the judge and by a committee of gentlemen , who had determined to let no witch escape , till they reversed their verdict . On the communion-day which preceded her execution , Mr . Noyes moved a
sentence of excommunication against her , had her brought in chains into the meeting-house , and there , in the presence of a
vast assemblage , proclaimed her expulsion from the church , pronounced upon her a sentence of eternal death , formally delivered her over to Satan , and consigned her to the flames of hell . The tables were turned in time to give the persecutor an opportunity of redeeming his character , and we hope his peace of mind , by awakening him to a sense of his awful guilt . The church re-(versed the sentence upon the innocent woman , and erased the censure which was recorded in an hour of darkness and .
temptation , ' imploring forgiveness of God for its cruelty . The jury published a humble acknowledgment of their guilt ; and Mr . Noyes made the best reparation in his power . * He came out
Untitled Article
552 On Witchcraft .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1832, page 552, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1818/page/48/
-