The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
"The Spirit which acted him in these Matters is expressed in a Sermon
he preached to the Convention of the Colony from 2 Chron. xv, 2. It was
printed under the Title of, _The Way to Prosperity_.
"A few Days before this, the Inhabitants of Boston assembling together
to chuse Representatives for that Convention, it was apprehended,
that the different Persuasions of the People, about the next Steps
to be taken for our Settlement, would have produced a Fury near to
Bloodshed; and therefore Mr. Mather was desired to be at their Meeting.
The Meeting began with dangerous and horrible Paroxysms, which when
he saw, he upon it made an affectionate and moving Speech to them, at
which many fell into Tears and the whole Body of the People present
immediately united in the Methods of Peace Mr. Mather proposed unto
them."
From what is here given it is not difficult to decide whether Mr.
Mather was for or against Andros and his Government. It is a Pity the
Author did not revise his Work in his mature Years, as well for his own
Credit as a Writer as for his Father's Honor. It is the poorest of all
his Performances.
The Convention before mentioned having ordered a Thanksgiving, for that
"It having pleased the God of Heaven to mitigate his many Frowns upon
us in the Summer past, with a Mixture of some very signal Favours,
and in the midst of Wrath so far to remember Mercy; That our Indian
Enemies have had a Check put upon their Designs of Blood and Spoil,
... and especially in the happy Accession of Their Majesties our
Sovereigns, King William and Queen Mary to the Throne. It was therefore
ordered that Thursday the 19th of December, 1689, be kept as a Day of
Thanksgiving." This Order was dated Dec. 3d, 1689.
On this Thanksgiving Occasion Dr. Mather delivered one of his most
elaborate Sermons, occupying, with a brief Appendix, _sixty-two Pages_,
16mo. In it he refers to the Revolution under various Heads; comparing
it to an Earthquake, one having then but recently nearly destroyed
Lima. And more terrible Pictures it would be difficult to conceive
of, than he has drawn, of what would have been the Condition of New
England, had not the Revolution succeeded.
The next great Event in the Life of our Author was the Witchcraft
Delusion. As his own Work upon that memorable Chapter in New England's
Annals is to be given in Connection with this Biography, any Apology or
Remarks upon his Participation in it from the Editor could be of but
little Value or Interest, no more will be done here than to extract
what his Biographer-Son has favored the World with. That, as will be
seen, is apologetical, and is far better told than the Part he took in
the Revolution. It is indeed about all that can be said in Extenuation
of one thus circumstanced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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