It is not to be denied or concealed, that the clergy were instrumental in bringing on the witchcraft delusion in 1692.  As the supposed agents of the mischief belonged to the supernatural and spiritual world, which has ever been considered their peculiar province, it was thought that the advice and co-operation of ministers were particularly appropriate and necessary.  Opposition to prevailing vices and attempts to reform society were considered at that time in the light of a conflict with Satan himself; and he was thought to be the ablest minister who had the greatest power over the invisible enemy, and could most easily and effectively avert his blows, and counteract his baleful influence.  This gave the clergy the front in the battle against the hosts of Belial.  They were proud of the position, and were stimulated to distinguish themselves in the conflict.  Cotton Mather represents that ministers were honored by the special hostility of the great enemy of souls, “more dogged by the Devil than any other men,” just as, according to his philosophy, the lightning struck the steeples of churches more frequently than other buildings because the Prince of the Power of the Air particularly hated the places where the sound of the gospel was heard.  There were, moreover, it is to be feared, ministers whose ambition to acquire influence and power had been allowed to become a ruling principle, and who favored the delusion because thereby their object could be most surely achieved by carrying the people to the greatest extremes of credulity, superstition, and fanatical blindness.

But justice requires it to be said that the ministers, as a general thing, did not take the lead after the proceedings had assumed their most violent aspect, and the disastrous effects been fully brought to view.  It may be said, on the contrary, that they took the lead, as a class, in checking the delusion, and rescuing the public mind from its control.  Prior to the time when they were called upon to give their advice to the government, they probably followed Cotton Mather:  after that, they seemed to have freed themselves generally from his influence.  The names of Dane and Barnard of Andover, Higginson of Salem, Cheever of Marblehead, Hubbard and Wise of Ipswich, Payson and Phillips of Rowley, Allin of Salisbury, and Capen of Topsfield, appear in behalf of persons accused.  To come forward in their defence shows courage, and proves that their influence was in the right direction, even while the proceedings were at their height.  Mr. Hale, of Beverly, abandoned the prosecutions, and expressed his disapprobation of them, before the government or the Court relaxed the vigor of their operations, as is sufficiently proved by the fact that the “afflicted children” cried out against his wife.  Willard, and James Allen, and Moody, and John Bailey, and even Increase Mather, of Boston, openly discountenanced the course things were taking.  The latter circulated a letter from his London correspondent, a person whose