The Wonders of the Invisible World edition by Cotton Mather SelfHelp eBooks
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The Wonders of the Invisible World
Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately
Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account
of the Tryals of the New-England Witches
Excerpt
INTRODUCTION.
The two very rare works reprinted in the present volume, written by two of the most celebrated of the early American divines, relate to one of the most extraordinary cases of popular delusion that modern times have witnessed. It was a delusion, moreover, to which men of learning and piety lent themselves, and thus became the means of increasing it. The scene of this affair was the puritanical colony of New England, since better known as Massachusetts, the colonists of which appear to have carried with them, in an exaggerated form, the superstitious feelings with regard to witchcraft which then prevailed in the mother country. In the spring of 1692 an alarm of witchcraft was raised in the family of the minister of Salem, and some black servants were charged with the supposed crime. Once started, the alarm spread rapidly, and in a very short time a great number of people fell under suspicion, and many were thrown into prison on very frivolous grounds, supported, as such charges usually were, by very unworthy witnesses. The new governor of the colony, Sir William Phipps, arrived from England in the middle of May, and he seems to have been carried away by the excitement, and authorized judicial prosecutions. The trials began at the commencement of June; and the first victim, a woman named Bridget Bishop, was hanged. Governor Phipps, embarrassed by this extraordinary state of things, called in the assistance of the clergy of Boston.
There was at this time in Boston a distinguished family of puritanical ministers of the name of Mather. Richard Mather, an English non-conformist divine, had emigrated to America in 1636, and settled at Dorchester, where, in 1639, he had a son born, who was named, in accordance with the peculiar nomenclature of the puritans, Increase Mather. This son distinguished himself much by his acquirements as a scholar and a theologian, became established as a minister in Boston, and in 1685 was elected president of Harvard College. His son, born at Boston in 1663, and called from the name of his mother's family, Cotton Mather, became more remarkable than his father for his scholarship, gained also a distinguished position in Harvard College, and was also, at the time of which we are speaking, a minister of the gospel in Boston. Cotton Mather had adopted all the most extreme notions of the puritanical party with regard to witchcraft, and he had recently had an opportunity of displaying them.
The Wonders of the Invisible World edition by Cotton Mather SelfHelp eBooks
If you want to learn more about religious thought and ideas during Colonial times, give this one a shot. It's a bit of a labor for the modern reader to work through some books written during this time, but once you get started they flow pretty well.Product details
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The Wonders of the Invisible World edition by Cotton Mather SelfHelp eBooks Reviews
Great book !
Warning The archaic language does make it a challenging read. The title is merely a taste.
H. P. Lovecraft includes this book in the villain's library of 'forbidden books' in "The Dunwich Horror" and several of his other stories. As this was a well-known text at the time of his writing, Lovecraft included it along with his fictitious books, like 'The Necronomicon' and the 'Book of Eibon'. This blending of real and fictional texts imparted legitimacy to the fictional texts as his readers would go, "I've heard of that one and that one and that one. I don't recognize that one. I should look it up."
Also, Lovecraft used this book as research for his writing. Since I am planning to write some Cthulhu Mythos tales myself, I thought I should check out Lovecraft's own sources of inspiration!
The book povides an insight of the Salem witch trials from a puritan minister's viewpoint and tells about the society of the Boston area in the seventeenth century.
A piece of American History written by an observer/ participant. Very insightful easy read. Gives a balanced look at our puritan ancestors.
Interesting, provoking
Fascinating glimpse into another time and place. Shows how much even Christianity has evolved since the days of early English settlements in America.
It is important to understand the thoughts and drive of people during different times in history and reading the materials that were driving peoples thoughts, actions and what philosopies and lines of reasoning people were using at the time teaches us a lot about the human condition and history. Mather's are among important reads, not to follow his reasoning, but to avoid repeating histories mistakes and teach ourselves not to be followers.
If you want to learn more about religious thought and ideas during Colonial times, give this one a shot. It's a bit of a labor for the modern reader to work through some books written during this time, but once you get started they flow pretty well.
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