In the seventeenth century, much of the biblical import of witch and
witchcraft, as well as of demon, had been either perverted or dropped, and
belief was prevalent, especially outside of the Catholic Church, that none
but _evil_ spirits could come to men; and also that "the days of miracles,
or special manifestation directly from the Almighty, had ceased." Then,
too, a personal devil, heaven-born but apostate, and perhaps also myriads
of other heaven-born but rebellious and banished angels, could, and only
such base spirits could, get access to our external world; and they could
effect entrance only through human beings who voluntarily consented and
agreed to co-operate with them. It will be apparent on future pages, that
any spirit then seen by clairvoyant eyes, whatever the sex, form,
features, complexion, or aspect, was either the devil himself, or some
apparition formed and presented by him or his, and he was held responsible
for its presentation. Our fathers attained to and held firm conviction
that all channels for inspirations and mighty works, available since the
days of Jesus and his apostles, were avenues for the influx of none but
poisonous waters. This was a sad mistake; for, could they have perceived
the groundlessness of their faith that supernal springs of truth, purity,
and benevolence had been dammed against the emission of good waters
earthward,--groundlessness of their belief that the possibility and
feasibility of such works and inspirations as they called miracles had
ever been restricted by anything but natural conditions,--that perception
would have rendered it apparent to themselves that they ought to make
wizards of Abraham and Lot, of Moses and Samuel, of Daniel, Ezekiel, and
John the Revelator, since each one of those communed with spirits.
Our American predecessors in the seventeenth century believed it
impossible that good spirits could come to man from bright
abodes,--doubted perhaps, perhaps disbelieved, that departed men and women
ever did return to earth, excepting "by the immediate agency of the
Almighty;" and their writings and actions justify us in saying, that with
them, _witchcraft was injection of occult forces and teachings upon man,
through consenting mortals, for malicious purposes solely, and by
invisible intelligences_.