Oliver Cowdery

“ Society is deprived of a large number of persons who are generally very busy week—days for their board and incomes, or rather for their keeping. It is to be hoped that a large number of them may make a lengthy visit to this little spot of earth, so delightfully situated in the middle of East River, and to be regretted that, many others have not been favored with a pass to that Castle long ago—it would have saved much trouble no doubt. ”

“ But, in our country, where all these stories are afloat, the public forewarned of the previous conduct of Catholics, if accounts are true, I cannot see why, if young ladies in the face of all this, are so minded, cannot be permitted to absent themselves from the society of this wicked world, and live secluded, if they are disposed.—I own, as an individual, the idea is unpleasant; but different people think differently, and of course, women may be lead to do that which men esteem folly—in the mean time, however, if they were permitted to come out when they wished. ”

“ The accusers cried out that Aldin pinched them, then, when he stood upon the chair, in the sight of all the people, a good way distant from them. One of the magistrates bid the marshall to hold open Aldin's hands, that he might not pinch those creatures.—Aldin asked them why they should think that he should come to that Village to afflict those persons that he never knew or saw before.—Mr. Gidney bid Aldin confess, and give glory to God. Aldin said, he hoped he should give glory to God, and hoped he should never gratify the devil ”

“ Nothing is wanting to show the subtle and predetermined plan of the accusers, to take life, nor arguments to prove the total want of righteousness, on the part of judges, to receive such bare faced falsehoods against a helpless, harmless babe, who had never committed a sin in its life! ”

“ The good people here, being very tenacious of right, as well as the tradition of their ancestors, thought it doing God a service to burn a Catholic convent, because of Catholic religion was different from their own. ”

“ I am aware that the fact is familiar with us all, but the matter of fact is not. The first appearance of any thing of this nature, was in the family of a priest, by the name of Parris, who, it is said, could not make money fast enough by merchandizing, therefore undertook the traffic in men's souls—he lived in Salem. ”

“ After the afflicted seemed to be out of their fits, they would look steadfastly on some one person, and frequently not speak; and then the justices said they were struck dumb, and after a little time they would speak again: then the justices said to the accusers, Which of you will go and touch the prisoner at the bar! Then the most courageous would adventure, but before they had made three steps would ordinarily fall down as in a fit. The justices ordered that they should be taken up and carried to the prisoner, that she might touch them ”

“ Boston, you know, takes the lead in these parts. A large state house on the highest ground of the city, overlooks the same, and the country adjacent this is a place of considerable business, and a great deal of ready wealth, fast improving. Charlestown, Roxbury, Cambridge and South Boston, are so near, and the spirit of building so prevalent, that, undoubtedly, in a few years, no other name will be known but Boston. Cambridge, you know, is the place where they make "Doctors."
Having just returned from a visit to the navy yard, Bunker hill monument and the burnt convent, in company with bro. ”

“ Mr. Noyes asked Aldin why he would offer to speak of the providence of God: God by his providence (said Mr. Noyes) governs the world, and keeps it in peace; and so went on with discourse, and stopt [stopped] Aldin's mouth as to that. Aldin told Mr. Gidney, that he could assure him that there was a lying spirit in them, for I can assure you that there is not a word of truth in all these say of me.—But Aldin was again committed to the marshall, and his mittimus written, which was as follows:
To Mr. John Arnold, keeper of the prison in Boston, in the county of Suffolk. ”

“ The inhabitants as I learned are generally wealthy and the almost entire business of the place is commercial. Marblehead, Beverly & Danvers, in the immediate vicinity, and in sight, are said to contain as many more inhabitants. Between Boston and Salem, say eight miles from the former, is Lynn, an industrious manufacturing town, fast increasing in wealth and population. ”

“ John Aldin was examined in Salem, and committed to Boston prison. The prison-keeper, seeing such a man committed, of whom he had a good esteem, was after this the more compassionate to those that were in prison on the like account and refrained from such hard things to the prisoners, as before he had used. ”

“ To be sure, we read many horrifying accounts of the Roman Inquisition, of the seduction of innocent females, by a priesthood, who live in celibacy,—much may be true and much untrue—if any part is true, so much to be deplored, and so much more can we see the corruption of the human heart, and the need of the gospel. ”

“ The moment the bell rings, a general rush is made for the Cabin door—"first come first served"—but wo be to the man who is so feeble that he cannot crowd his part. If ever a greater rush, anciently and bustle occurred when prisoners were released from incarceration, or freightened [frightened] fugitives fled from devouring flames, the individual unable to have a dozen others on his back, ought certainly to have been pitied—one is a fair sample for the other. ”

“ But as each is a stranger to each, and no one knows as he may meet with any of his company again, it matters not whether he is a man or a brute. If men were as egar [eager] to press themselves into the Kingdom of heaven, surely they would "take it by force." ”

“ Accordingly he came to me after the examination was over, and told me I had now an opportunity to speak with the said accuser, viz. Abigail Williams, a girl of 11 or 12 years old; but that we could not be in private at Mr. Parris' house, as he had promised me; we went therefore into the alehouse, where an Indian man attended us, who it seems was one of the afflicted: to him we gave some cider: he showed several scars, that seemed as if they had been long there, and shewed [showed] them as done by witchcraft, and acquainted us that his wife, who also was a slave, was imprisoned for witchcraft. ”

“ PER JOHN ALDIN.
At the examination, and at other times, it was usual for the accusers to tell of the black man, or of a spectre, as being then on the table, &c. The people about would strike with swords, or sticks, at these places. One justice broke his cane at this exercise: and sometimes the accusers would say, they struck the spectre, and it is reported several of the accused were hurt and wounded thereby, though at home at the same time. ”

“ John Aldin, senior, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, mariner, on the 28th day of May, 1692, was sent for by the magistrates of Salem, in the county of Essex, upon the accusation of a company of poor distracted or possessed creatures or witches ”

“ The prisoners were placed about seven or eight feet from the justices, and the accusers between the justices and them: the prisoners were ordered to stand right before the justices, with an officer appointed to hold each hand, lest they should therewith afflict them; and the prisoners' eyes must be constantly on the justices: for if they looked on the afflicted, they would either fall into their fits, or cry out of being hurt by them. After an examination of the prisoners, who it was afflicted these girls, &c. ”