Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern SpiritualismPutnam, Allen
Religion
Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism
Putnam, Allen
Spiritualism; Witchcraft -- New England
When the two brethren of the church, going forth on their solemn,
self-imposed mission, had arrived at her home, Madam Corey welcomed them
_with a smile_; notwithstanding she possessed and expressed very exact
knowledge of the ominous nature and the purpose of their call. Her
saluting words were, "I know what you are come for. You are come to talk
with me about being a witch; but I am none. I cannot help other people's
talking of me." This probably had reference to Ann Putnam's saying that
she was afflicted by this speaker. She soon asked the men whether Ann,
whose accusations had prompted their call, "had described the clothes she
then wore." Learning that her dress had not been described, "a smile came
over her face." Somebody's consciousness of power, issuing from her form,
to obscure the child's vision, probably expressed itself in that smile;
and the reflection that the child was operated upon by forces within or
action through Mrs. Corey's own form, and therefore not necessarily by the
devil, and inference thence that the girl was not necessarily bewitched,
was followed by her saying, "she did not think there were any witches."
She knew enough of spiritual things to enable her to observe the broad
distinction, overlooked by her cotemporaries, that may exist between some
spirits and the devil; and also between persons whose inner senses were
cognizant of spirit presence and action as naturally as the outer eye was
of the sunlight, between these and such other human beings, could there be
any such, and she thought there could not, who made a covenant with the
devil, which covenant was a necessary preliminary to being a witch. "She,"
very reasonably, "did not think there were any" such "witches;" and only
_such_ were sought for by her visitors and the startled public.
This woman was intelligent, courteous, and devout--was capable of
understanding that _witch_, as then defined, necessarily meant a person
who had voluntarily entered into a distinct compact with a factitious
devil. Her _sensings_ in spirit spheres found no native-born monstrosity
there, and she could say in good conscience that she did not believe there
existed any such witches as her visitors and fellow church members were on
the hunt for. At the same time she may have known, probably did know, that
her own spirit and the spirit of little Ann Putnam could come into such
communings as would give them accurate and conscious mutual perception of
many unspoken thoughts and experiences in each other.
Mrs. Corey, as we view her, was very mediumistic, and was also a woman
whose habitual aspirations were after things true, pure, and excellent.
But no amount of good or bad moral and religious qualities either
constitutes or nullifies ability for mutual visibility and rapport between
mediumistic persons. All such are impressible more by virtue of their
organisms and native properties, external and internal, than by any
intellectual and moral acquisitions, whether good or _bad_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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