The Wonders Of The Invisible World Sparknotes
A Different Perspective
Explaining an experience to others, that could only be truly understood had they been present, is difficult. The Salem Witch Trials would qualify for such as excuse. Instead of simply being considered a huge mistake in early American history, there is an explanation that requires a certain amount of understanding. Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World”, serves as a written account of encouragement to persecute suspected evil. This book can provide insight to the mindset of the community and the influence behind Mather’s words that influenced this dark period of history.
Mather projected himself as a respectable leader in the puritan community in which, sought to create an existence of utopia in the new world, separate from secular society (19). The puritans were a community of faith that …show more content…
believed in communal accountability. Seeking favor with God in a society that was feared to be progressing away from the puritan path, Mather gave a stern warning to his fellow believers. The language in “The wonder of the invisible world” is motivated through fear. Mather called the Puritan communities to unite and defend themselves against Satan’s ploys to destroy the Godly. “We are to unite in our endeavors to deliver our distressed neighbors from the horrible annoyances and molestations with which a dreadful witchcraft is now persecuting of them”. Mather mentions the second coming of Jesus and having to endure the final devastation from Satan (40). Mather predicts, “When the devil perceives his time is but short, it puts upon him Great wrath”. The entire community was warned of spiritual warfare and was called to destroy any and all transgressors among them.
A literal interpretation of spiritual warfare within scripture was used to measure the fate of new world inhabitants. Consequently, Mather believed their faith and pure living would invoke spiritual warfare. Satan would inhabit, inflict and wage war on their community. Events or actions that did not have a known explanation were credited to malicious attacks from Satan. Mather provided countless examples of individuals being afflicted with demonic forces that provided the guidelines of persecution. The spiritual warfare Mather warned his readers against, gave reasons to fear neighbor and personal infliction. “…It’s possible, for persons to be unwittingly attended with officious demons, bequeathed unto them, and imposed upon them.” His words of condemnation and the ability of claiming others guilty left these warnings of evil subject to human direction. During the time in which this book was written, the law was weighed on religious principles and salvation was measured publicly through behavior.
Although Mather denounced some means of discerning witchcraft as superstition, the remaining tools of persecution were mere one or more witness accounts.
Mather also provided a list or guidelines of gauging suspected individuals of witchcraft. “V. If after enmity, quarrelling or threatening, a present mischief does follow; that also is a great presumption.” This is perhaps, the basis of which Mather has shouldered a great deal of responsibility for the witch trials. Although Mather admits to not being present to any of the accounts he made mention of, except for one, he gives a one-sided account of seven trials (134). It is entirely plausible that personal interests played an important role in who was suspected and tried for witchcraft. Accusation spread like a disease. The objective was to defend the community from evil but, the individuals executed for witchcraft seemed to have been mere victims of fear, opportunity or malice. Mather’s definition of a fair trial varies greatly from the processes of the modern day justice system. The successful prosecutions were based on theatrical witness testimony rooted in superstitious
claims.
Mather believed in every word he wrote, and even after time had provided considerable evidence of the damage his written encouragement had caused, never retracted his work. In 1978 Reviews in American History published a biography of Mather that noted, although Mather’s own father fought the judgments of the witch trials, Mather always defended the judges (497). Understanding how the motives behind “The Wonders of an Invisible world” can help reach a greater understanding of why such religious based persecutions occurred. As an outsider, it is difficult to understand the reasoning’s behind such barbaric prosecutions for crimes that are now a matter of personal choice. Even more difficult to understand is Mather’s motivation for encouraging an entire community to condemn one another. It is important to remember that these events occurred prior to the separation of church and state. Legalities were open to religious interpretation and conviction. From Mather’s perspective, he was gifting his community of faith with a tool in which to defeat or defend against evil.
Explaining an experience to others, that could only be truly understood had they been present, is difficult. The Salem Witch Trials would qualify for such as excuse. Instead of simply being considered a huge mistake in early American history, there is an explanation that requires a certain amount of understanding. Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World”, serves as a written account of encouragement to persecute suspected evil. This book can provide insight to the mindset of the community and the influence behind Mather’s words that influenced this dark period of history.
Mather projected himself as a respectable leader in the puritan community in which, sought to create an existence of utopia in the new world, separate from secular society (19). The puritans were a community of faith that …show more content…
believed in communal accountability. Seeking favor with God in a society that was feared to be progressing away from the puritan path, Mather gave a stern warning to his fellow believers. The language in “The wonder of the invisible world” is motivated through fear. Mather called the Puritan communities to unite and defend themselves against Satan’s ploys to destroy the Godly. “We are to unite in our endeavors to deliver our distressed neighbors from the horrible annoyances and molestations with which a dreadful witchcraft is now persecuting of them”. Mather mentions the second coming of Jesus and having to endure the final devastation from Satan (40). Mather predicts, “When the devil perceives his time is but short, it puts upon him Great wrath”. The entire community was warned of spiritual warfare and was called to destroy any and all transgressors among them.
A literal interpretation of spiritual warfare within scripture was used to measure the fate of new world inhabitants. Consequently, Mather believed their faith and pure living would invoke spiritual warfare. Satan would inhabit, inflict and wage war on their community. Events or actions that did not have a known explanation were credited to malicious attacks from Satan. Mather provided countless examples of individuals being afflicted with demonic forces that provided the guidelines of persecution. The spiritual warfare Mather warned his readers against, gave reasons to fear neighbor and personal infliction. “…It’s possible, for persons to be unwittingly attended with officious demons, bequeathed unto them, and imposed upon them.” His words of condemnation and the ability of claiming others guilty left these warnings of evil subject to human direction. During the time in which this book was written, the law was weighed on religious principles and salvation was measured publicly through behavior.
Although Mather denounced some means of discerning witchcraft as superstition, the remaining tools of persecution were mere one or more witness accounts.
Mather also provided a list or guidelines of gauging suspected individuals of witchcraft. “V. If after enmity, quarrelling or threatening, a present mischief does follow; that also is a great presumption.” This is perhaps, the basis of which Mather has shouldered a great deal of responsibility for the witch trials. Although Mather admits to not being present to any of the accounts he made mention of, except for one, he gives a one-sided account of seven trials (134). It is entirely plausible that personal interests played an important role in who was suspected and tried for witchcraft. Accusation spread like a disease. The objective was to defend the community from evil but, the individuals executed for witchcraft seemed to have been mere victims of fear, opportunity or malice. Mather’s definition of a fair trial varies greatly from the processes of the modern day justice system. The successful prosecutions were based on theatrical witness testimony rooted in superstitious
claims.
Mather believed in every word he wrote, and even after time had provided considerable evidence of the damage his written encouragement had caused, never retracted his work. In 1978 Reviews in American History published a biography of Mather that noted, although Mather’s own father fought the judgments of the witch trials, Mather always defended the judges (497). Understanding how the motives behind “The Wonders of an Invisible world” can help reach a greater understanding of why such religious based persecutions occurred. As an outsider, it is difficult to understand the reasoning’s behind such barbaric prosecutions for crimes that are now a matter of personal choice. Even more difficult to understand is Mather’s motivation for encouraging an entire community to condemn one another. It is important to remember that these events occurred prior to the separation of church and state. Legalities were open to religious interpretation and conviction. From Mather’s perspective, he was gifting his community of faith with a tool in which to defeat or defend against evil.