[Vision2020] Rev. Steve Wilkens and the Salem Witch Trials

[Edward Sebesta]

Rev. Steve Wilkens has a tape study set titled, "America: The First 350
Years." Copyright 1988, Covenant Publications. It has a study book that
goes with it. 

Starting on page 26 is a section titled "The Salem Witch Trials," which
goes with Lecture #8. This lecture is supposed to correction
misconceptions about the Salem witch trials. 

Page 27

Wilkins wants people to know that hundreds were not burned at the stake.


"Only 23 people died as a direct result of the trials. Three died in
prison, one was crushed to death during questioning, and nineteen were
hung (no one was burned."

"In all, only around 100 people were actually accused, of whome 50 (by
some counts) confessed their guilt. To be sure, some of these
confessions were coerced and others may have been motivated by
self-interest, (confessors were not tried or executed). Still the fact
remains, that many were in fact guilty of occult practices."

On page 27 and page 28 Wilkins tells us:

"There are a number of things which help to give us a proper
understanding of what went on in Salem"

Which he gives as 

"1. There was a large amount of occultic experimentation at this time."

"2. There were a number of seeminly inexplicable events which took place
in Salem in 1692."

"3. There were a number of excesses and errors committed during the
trials."

No where does Wilkins say that there shouldn't be trials for witchcraft.
To Wilkins these trials for witchcraft were improperly conducted,
botched, but somewhat understandable since there was occultism. As
Wilkins says in his conclusion.

"-- Though were surely must acknowledge the influence of local
'hysteria', we cannot overlook the effect that dabbling in the occult
had in Salem."

Ed Sebesta