Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern SpiritualismPutnam, Allen
Religion
Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism
Putnam, Allen
Spiritualism; Witchcraft -- New England
He did not impeach the witnesses. Omission to do that, under the
circumstances, argues more convincingly to us, in favor of the literal and
exact truth of the statement by Mather and six others, that the girl was
raised from her bed by invisible powers up to the ceiling at the top of
the room, than would Calef's own distinct assent to what they affirmed. He
was no _timid_ advocate, and since a man as strong and brave as he,
circumstanced as he was, omitted attempt to discredit either the character
or competency of Mather's backers, the presumption is, that Calef's own
sense of justice and the judgment of the town regarded them as
unimpeachable. The girl was lifted, as they affirmed. What they stated is
credible.
We, personally, possess lack of incredulity rivalling that of Mather. For,
when our own senses testify to us calmly and deliberately, under
circumstances which exclude both illusion and delusion, we are accustomed
to repose very much confidence in the truth and accuracy of what they
say; and, in illustration of our lack of incredulity regarding what our
own senses witness, or, if one prefers different phraseology, in
illustration of our credulity, that is, of our ability and willingness to
believe what is thus learned, we give the following account of one of our
own interesting and instructive experiences:--
Several years ago, from fifteen to twenty, in a chamber of the residence
of Daniel Farrar, Esq., Hancock Street, Boston, to which he had invited us
and several others, we clasped the left hand of Rollin H. Squires in our
own right, took position with him in the center of a large room, several
feet distant from any other person or any article of furniture, when,
promptly upon shutting off the gas-light, his hand began to draw ours up,
gently and steadily, till our own right arm, its hand clasping his, was
extended to its full length above our head. Then we moved our left hand
across our chest, and it came in contact with the young man's boot at rest
by our side, and simultaneously we heard a scratch upon the ceiling above,
which was at least ten feet from the floor of the room. Soon he began to
descend as gently as he had ascended, and when he had reached the floor
and light had been let on, we saw a red chalk-mark at least three feet
long on the ceiling over the spot on which we had stood up together. The
mark was not there previous to the extinguishment of the light, for the
whole company present had been informed that he would have chalk in his
hand in order that he might give evidence to all present that he had been
lifted up. Consequently all of us carefully observed the overhead ceiling
up to the extinguishment of the light.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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