three persons, John Putnam the son of Nathaniel, and John Tarbell, were two of the three.  Another seat for three was occupied by James and John Putnam, sons of John, and by Thomas Wilkins.  Thomas Putnam and Samuel Nurse were placed in the same seat; and so were the wives of Thomas Putnam and Samuel Nurse, and the widow Sarah Houlton.  The widow Preston, daughter of Rebecca Nurse, was seated with the widow Walcot, mother of Mary, one of the accusing girls.

We see in this the effect of the wise and decisive course adopted by Mr. Parris’s successor, the Rev. Joseph Green.  Immediately upon his ordination, Nov. 10, 1698, he addressed himself in earnest to the work of reconciliation in that distracted parish.  From the date of its existence, nearly thirty years before, it had been torn by constant strife.  It had just passed through scenes which had brought all hearts into the most terrible alienation.  A man of less faith would not have believed it possible, that the horrors and outrages of those scenes could ever be forgotten, forgiven, or atoned for, by those who had suffered or committed the wrongs.  But he knew the infinite power of the divine love, which, as a minister of Christ, it was his office to inspire and diffuse.  He knew that, with the blessing of God, that people, who had from the first been devouring each other, and upon whose garments the stain of the blood of brethren and sisters was fresh, might be made “kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven” them.  In this heroic and Christ-like faith, he entered upon and steadfastly adhered to his divine work.  He pursued it with patience, wisdom, and courageous energy.  No ministry in the whole history of the New-England churches has had a more difficult task put upon it, and none has more perfectly succeeded in its labors.  I shall describe the administration of this good man, as a minister of reconciliation, in his own words, transcribed from his church records:—­

“Nov. 25, 1698, being spent in holy exercises (in order to our preparation for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper), at John Putnam, Jr.’s, after the exercise, I desired the church to manifest, by the usual sign, that they were so cordially satisfied with their brethren, Thomas Wilkins, John Tarbell, and Samuel Nurse, that they were heartily desirous that they would join with us in all ordinances, that so we might all live lovingly together.  This they consented unto, and none made any objection, but voted it by lifting up their hands.  And further, that whatever articles they had drawn up against these brethren formerly, they now looked upon them as nothing, but let them fall to the ground, being willing that they should be buried for ever.

“Feb. 5, 1699.—­This day, also our brother John Tarbell, and his wife, and Thomas Wilkins and his wife, and Samuel Nurse’s wife, joined with us in the Lord’s Supper; which