An Essay on Demonology 20
The Reformation of the 16th century, although it in a great measure
broke the shackles which bound the human intellect, and taught men to
think, did not altogether eradicate heathen and popish absurdities,
even from the reformers themselves. What, but a spirit of bigotry,
could influence the great mind of Martin Luther gravely to declare
that he experienced several personal encounters with the devil, in
consequence of his being engaged in reforming the abuses of the
Catholic Church, and particularly that his 'Satanic majesty entered
his bolted chamber one night, stole his hazel nuts, and cracked them
on his bed-post, to his no small annoyance?'
The Rev. Mr Whitman, in his ingenious lecture on Popular Superstition,
relates, that 'Not many years ago, a man was suddenly missing from a
certain town in this commonwealth. The church immediately sent one of
her members to consult the far-famed fortune-teller, Molly Pitcher.
After making the necessary inquiries, she intimated that the absent
person had been murdered by a family of negroes, and his body sunk in
the deep waters behind their dwelling. Upon this evidence, the
accused were forthwith imprisoned, and the pond raked in vain from
shore to shore. A few days previous to the trial, the murdered man
returned to his friends safe and sound.' The church would have done
themselves more credit, had they taken the legal means for the
punishment of the fortune-teller in the penitentiary for defamation.
I cannot omit to communicate the following excellent remarks in the
language of my amiable and learned friend and correspondent, Thomas
Miner, M. D. of Middletown, Conn.
'That demons could ever work miracles, seems to be incredible; but
mind as well as matter was evidently subject to different laws
anciently, from what they are at present. This principle may perhaps
help to a satisfactory solution of many things otherwise involved in
inextricable perplexity in the scriptures. God never _violated_, and
can never violate, known laws, but he can change them at pleasure.
Every geologist knows he has changed them since the creation, for by
no law now existing, can we account for the organic remains of
tropical animals, and plants in arctic and temperate regions. There
have, therefore, been miracles, or variations, or suspensions, or
additions, to the common laws of nature, as respects the physical
world. Science teaches this, particularly geology, and this cuts, or
rather unties, the gordian knot in the material world. The analogy is
complete in the world of mind; at least, revelation informs us that
the ordinary laws of mind, and of matter too, have been occasionally
varied, suspended, or have had supplementary additions, as is the fact
in all the miracles recorded in scripture. If Hume had only been a
modern geologist, he would have seen the futility of his reasoning
against the possibility of miracles, for he would have had facts
staring him in the face, demonstrating that matter had at times been
governed by laws very different in kind or in degree, or in both, from
any that are now known to exist. Analogy shows that this may have been
the case with mind; scripture says it has been.
'I must confess, I am very cautious in explaining away a single
miraculous event recorded in the scriptures, since if I begin I know
not where to stop; but if I only admit this principle, that though the
general laws of matter and mind have always been the same, yet the
Creator has frequently, for great and wise purposes, deviated from
them himself, and permitted, or authorized, or empowered others,
sometimes, on important occasions, to deviate from them, (as we know
has been the fact in the material world) nearly every difficulty in
the interpretation of the marvellous part of revelation, at once
becomes of easy solution. Perhaps it may be objected that this does
not solve the difficulty concerning the miraculous agency of bad men
or other depraved beings. But revelation does mention cases of bad men
prophesying, working miracles, and performing other wonders, whom the
Saviour _never_ knew. True science, wherever it is properly applied,
must destroy superstition and fanaticism, but as is the case with
geology, showing that miracles or changes of the laws of nature have
existed, it serves to support real religion, and demonstrates the
immoveable basis on which it is founded. Philosophy shows that
miracles have existed, revelation records the time, place, and
occasion. After all, I would speak with great caution concerning the
ancient demoniacs, whatever side of the question we take, much
remains that is mysterious and perhaps incomprehensible by our present
imperfect faculties.
'In most points of view, we live in the best age the world ever saw;
but we live in an age of excitement. Every, almost every project, is
begun and pursued with enthusiasm. The difficulty is to keep from
running into complete fanaticism. Mere duty or expediency, however, is
a cold thing, and never alone does much, unless it is attended with
some zeal, some ardor, some earnestness of feeling. These latter
emotions should resemble the steady, but gentle breeze; but passion,
especially, when protracted into fanaticism, is like the hurricane and
tornado. I know of no way to insure the golden mean with any prospect
of success, except by giving the rising generation a stable education,
founded upon the sure basis of the morality and religion of the
gospel. The sermon on the mount contains the best rules of duty, and
the thirteenth chapter of the first Corinthians, the best exposition
of them, anywhere to be found. The great law of love, enforcing a
disposition to do to others as we would wish them to do to us, is
practically exemplified in the charity which is so much insisted on
by Paul.'
It is incumbent upon us as patriots and philanthropists, as far as in
our power, to guard the rising generation against every species of
superstition, by a strong bulwark laid deep and early in the minds of
our children. It is our children that are to be entrusted with our
character, our acquirements, and our sentiments; whether fraught with
pure wisdom, or tinctured with brain-sick infirmities, future
generations will know how to appreciate their worth. If we wish
posterity to enjoy true and permanent happiness, let them be taught to
cultivate their intellectual powers, and fortify their minds against
deceptive illusions and imaginary evils. Spectral illusions may be
experienced while the intellectual faculties remain entire, as is
exemplified in the cases of Nicolai and the Scottish lady, related in
a former part of this work. The celebrated Dr Samuel Johnson, was
prone to superstition, and occasionally afflicted with paroxysms of
hypochondriacal illusions. He relates, that as he was one day at
Oxford, turning the key of his chamber, he heard his mother (who was
at Litchfield) distinctly calling 'Sam.' From which he had wrought up
his mind to expect the most woful tidings of his beloved parent, but
was entirely and happily disappointed.
Let our youth be taught that the whole phalanx of ghosts, apparitions,
witches and wizards, charms and enchantments, second sight, omens and
auguries, astrology and fortune telling, vulgar miracles, and vulgar
prophecies, should be classed with other vulgarisms, the legitimate
offspring of perverted imaginations, and ought to be reprobated as
degrading to the human understanding. Those who disdain to believe in
their existence, will never be molested by them. 'Resist the devil and
he will flee from you.' Firmly resist a belief in witchcraft, and you
may bid defiance to all the witches that ever traversed the air or
haunted a dwelling.
Strongly impress on the minds of our youth, that superstition and
bigotry are derogatory to the cause of genuine religion, giving
countenance to inadequate conceptions of the deity, illiberality, and
uncharitableness, religious frenzy, tumultuous excitements, fanatical
disquietudes, unreal or doubtful conversions, melancholy, gloom, and
despair. These evil results are diametrically opposed to that
honorable and happy character which the christian religion is so
admirably calculated to form and sustain.
We may confer great benefit on our youth, by directing them to a
proper course of reading. In a library, without advice, they are in
the condition of a stranger in a city without a guide. The world is
almost inundated with books; a choice may be made to answer every
requirement and to suit every genius and taste.
Popular education has now become almost universally a darling pursuit.
Seminaries of learning and improved school institutions, are extending
more and more, and will soon be diffused throughout the land, and
their benefits equally enjoyed by all classes of our youth. Numerous
Lyceums have, within these last few years, been established in New
England, and the public voice bespeaks an abundant increase in their
numbers; they abound in the best means to excite emulation and diffuse
general knowledge. It is auspicious to the public welfare when our
citizens are wise, and sober minded, patriotic, chaste, and virtuous,
appreciating the free institutions of our fathers, as rich boons from
heaven, and the freedom of mind as of inestimable value. The avenues
which lead to the fountains of honor and intelligence are as wide and
easy of access as those which overwhelm in vice and misery, and those
who prefer the former need not pass through life unacquainted with the
mighty wonders which the world contains.
It is with regret, that, in 'A Dictionary of important names, objects,
and terms found in the holy scriptures, intended principally for
youth,' recently published by Howard Malcolm, A. M., the following
definition is found.
'_Witch_ is a woman and _Wizard_ is a man that is supposed to have
dealings with Satan, if not actually entered into formal compact with
him. That such persons are among men is abundantly plain from
scripture; and that they ought to be put to death.'
It can scarcely be believed that this can be intended as an item in
the code of instruction for the rising generation in the 19th century.
Our children, it is presumed, have, in these enlightened times, been
taught lessons better calculated to instil into their tender minds
the principles of moral wisdom and philanthropy. The author has not
favored the public with the rules and signs by which witches and
wizards are to be designated, and the evidence by which they are to be
convicted. Had he lived in witch-hanging times, he might have
witnessed with what sang-froid ghosts and spectres could consign
witches and wizards to the gallows. Has the author been so fortunate
as to ascertain whether the sin of witchcraft, as understood in modern
times, is actually denounced as punishable in the holy scriptures?
In all countries, improvements in literature and the arts and
sciences, have been impeded, not only by superstition and bigotry
among the ignorant, but by the absurd edicts of sovereigns and
legislators, as if to bid defiance to all the energies of progressive
knowledge. In the 16th century, the Emperor Charles V. of Spain,
although himself addicted to crimes of the blackest stain, ordered an
assembly of divines to deliberate, whether it were lawful in point of
conscience to dissect a dead body. During the prevalence of a
malignant fever in Barcelona, the court of Madrid wrote the
prescription to be used, and by command of his Catholic Majesty, the
physicians were ordered to adhere to it in all cases, and forbidden to
prescribe any other remedy.
In the days of bitter intolerance, Servetus, a learned Spanish
physician, discovered the course of the blood through the lungs,
called the lesser circulation; and was afterwards cruelly burnt at the
stake, with his books, in consequence of a religious controversy with John Calvin.
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