“Before I was baptized (you know, sir), I was desirous of communion at the Lord’s Table, but not yet; I was afraid of going so far:  but since my baptism I find my desires growing to the Lord’s Table, and I am afraid to turn my back upon that ordinance, or to refuse to partake thereof.  And that which moves me now to desire full communion, which I was afraid of before, is that of Thomas, 20 John 26, &c., where he, being absent from the disciples, though but once, lost a sight of Christ, and got more hardness of heart, or increase of unbelief.  And also those words of Ananias to Paul after his conversion, 22 Acts 16, ’And now why tarriest thou?  Arise,’ &c.  So I am afraid of tarrying.  The present time is only mine.  And God having, beyond my deserts, graciously opened a door, I look upon it my duty to make present improvement of it.

“Sab:  and Sacrament Day, 30 Aug. 1691.—­Sister Han:  Wilkins’s motion (before the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was begun) was mentioned or propounded to the church, and what she said to me (before hinted) read to them, and then their vote was called for, to answer her desire if they saw good; whereupon the church voted in the affirmative plentifully.”

The foregoing passages illustrate Mr. Parris’s propensity to magnify the operations of the church, and to bring its movements as conspicuously and as often as possible before the eyes of the people.  It is evident that the humble and timid scruples of this interesting and intelligent young woman might have been met and removed by personal conference with her pastor.  As her old grandfather seemed to think, there was no difficulty in the case whatever.  The reflections of a few days made the path plain before her.  But Mr. Parris paraded the matter on three sabbaths before the church, and on one of them at least before the congregation.  He called her to come forth, and stand out in the presence of the “full assembly.”  As the result of the ordeal, she owned the covenant; the church voted her in, as to full communion; and the pastor pronounced her a member of the church, and baptized her as such.  Her sensible conversation with him the next Friday was evidently intended for the satisfaction of him and others, as explaining her appearance at the next communion.  But another opportunity was offered to make a display of the case, and he could not resist the temptation.  He desired to create an impression by reading what she had said to him in his study, before the church, if not before the whole congregation.  To give a show of propriety in bringing it forward again, he felt that some action must be had upon it; hence the vote.  Accordingly, Hannah Wilkins appears by the record to have been twice, on two successive Lord’s Days, voted “plentifully” into the Salem Village Church, when there was no occasion for such an extraordinary repetition, as everybody from the first welcomed her into it with the cordial confidence she merited.  I have spread out this