''Remarkable Providences'' is an essay by

Increase Mather Increase Mather (; June 21, 1639 Old Style – August 23, 1723 Old Style) was a History of New England, New England Puritan clergyman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the sixth President of Harvard University, President of Harvard College (la ...

, first published in 1684 under the title ''An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences''.Keller 1917, p. 722. The work was produced by

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

. It is a record of reports on

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

, supposed

Satanism Satanism refers to a group of religious, ideological, or philosophical beliefs based on Satan—particularly his worship or veneration. Because of the ties to the historical Abrahamic religious figure, Satanism—as well as other religious ...

, sea-deliverances, accidents,

apparitions Apparition may refer to: Supernatural *Apparitional experience, an anomalous, quasi-perceptual experience * A vision, something seen in a dream, trance, or religious ecstasy *Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear ...

, and unaccountable phenomena in general. The work also contains elements anticipating the

Spiritualist Spiritualism may refer to: * Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community * Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at least ...

movement, with reports of rappings, tippings,

trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...

s, and

second sight Extrasensory perception (ESP), also known as a sixth sense, or cryptaesthesia, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was ado ...

. The work is thought to have influenced

Cotton Mather Cotton Mather (; February 12, 1663 – February 13, 1728) was a Puritan clergyman and author in colonial New England, who wrote extensively on theological, historical, and scientific subjects. After being educated at Harvard College, he join ...

, the writer's son, in his involvement with

witch trials A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the Middle East. ...

in colonial New England.

Background

In 1681, when the agitation in the

Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1628–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around Massachusetts Bay, one of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of M ...

over the questions respecting the imperilled colonial charter was rapidly approaching a climax, and the public mind was already feverishly excited, the ministers sent out a paper of proposals for collecting facts concerning

Synopsis

This resulted three years later (1684) in the production of a work by President

, which was originally entitled ''An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences''. Into this book President Mather had gathered up all that was known or could be collected concerning the performances of persons supposed to be leagued with

the Devil Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or 'e ...

. The book also contains a remarkable of sea-deliverances, accidents,

, and unaccountable phenomena in general; in addition to the things more strictly pertaining to witchcraft.

Legacy

Palfrey A palfrey is a type of horse that was highly valued as a Horses in the Middle Ages, riding horse in the Middle Ages. It was a lighter-weight horse, usually a smooth horse gait, gaited one that could ambling, amble, suitable for riding over long ...

the historian believes that this book had an unfortunate effect upon the mind and imagination of President Mather's son, the Reverend

; and that it led him into investigations and publications supposed to have had an important effect in producing the disastrous delusion which followed three years later.Keller 1917, p. 723.

Helen Rex Keller Helen Rex Keller (August 13, 1876 – January 21, 1967) was an American librarian and author of reference books. Her works included a two volume dictionary of dates.(November 20, 1934)Kirkus Reviews (Dictionary of Dates) ''Kirkus Reviews'' Kell ...

writes, "It is rather remarkable to learn from this work that modern spiritualistic performances — rappings, tippings, trances, second sight, and the like — were well known to the grave fathers of

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

, although they unfortunately looked upon them as far more serious matters than do their descendants to-day."

References

Sources

* * Attribution: * {{Authority control 1684 essays 1684 non-fiction books 1684 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Witchcraft treatises Harvard University publications Demonological literature Apparitions

Background

Synopsis

Legacy

See also

References

Sources