the French War, he went to Canada as a volunteer,
for a threefold purpose,--so that he might accompany
a number of his own parishioners, act as
chaplain for one of the regiments, and fight when
his aid was needed.
Living during the witchcraft trials, he was one
of the first to be convinced of the mistaken course
pursued. We are not certain as to his approval or
disapproval of the progress of the excitement in
regard to witchcraft until it became intensely personal
to his own family. His wife was, fortunately
as the results proved, accused by some misguided
person of being a witch. The well-known nobility
of her life, and her lovely character, at once convinced
all who knew the circumstances that some
terrible mistake had 'been made by her accuser.
And if a mistake had been made in her case, why
not in others? At once the deadly power of the
delusion was broken and, happily, the tide turned
back forever. There was no question after this
of the Rev. Mr. Hale's viewpoint as to witchcraft.
In the very darkest depths of the witchcraft
delusion, some illustrations of splendid courage
and noble unselfishness were exhibited. Grew-some
as it is, we cannot forbear quoting the example
of one Giles Cory, condemned to die as a
witch, who knew that if he did not confess he had
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