The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's DreamStowe, Harriet Beecher
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The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism: With Dr. Doddridge's Dream
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Spiritualism; Upham, Charles Wentworth, 1802-1875. Salem witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Massachusetts -- Salem
We have a glimpse of her in her home when the first conception of her
impending fate opened upon her. Four esteemed persons, one of whom was
her brother-in-law, Mr. Cloyse, made the following deposition, in the
prospect of the victim being dragged before the public:
"We whose names are underwritten being desired to go to Goodman Nurse,
his house, to speak with his wife, and to tell her that several of the
afflicted persons mentioned her; and accordingly we went, and we found
her in a weak and low condition in body as she told us, and had been
sick almost a week. And we asked how it was otherwise with her; and
she said she blessed God for it, she had more of his presence in this
sickness than sometimes she have had, but not so much as she desired;
but she would, with the Apostle, press forward to the mark; and many
other places of Scripture to the like purpose. And then of her own
accord she began to speak of the affliction that was among them, and in
particular of Mr. Parris his family, and how she was grieved for them,
though she had not been to see them, by reason of fits that she formerly
used to have; for people said it was awful to behold: but she pitied
them with all her heart, and went to God for them. But she said she
heard that there was persons spoke of that were as innocent as she was,
she believed; and after much to this purpose, we told her we heard that
she was spoken of also. 'Well,' she said, 'if it be so, the will of the
Lord be done:' she sat still awhile being as it were amazed; and then
she said, 'Well, as to this thing I am as innocent as the child unborn;
but surely,' she said, 'what sin hath God found out in me unrepented
of, that he should lay such an affliction upon me in my old age?' and,
according to our best observation, we could not discern that she knew
what we came for before we told her.
ISRAEL PORTER, DANIEL ANDREW,
ELIZABETH PORTER, PETER CLOYSE."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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