By C. Rommial Butler
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At a local bookstore, I nabbed a reprint of Cotton Mathers’ On Witchcraft. He was one of the judges who presided over the Salem Witch Trials, and the book is his justification for the proceedings. I outright reject his justifications as prevarication—which is to say that he was a liar.
There is no justification for the murder of innocents. But I submit, though not in his defense, that he was likely lying to himself first and foremost, and therefore, in our peculiar human way, sincerely believed he was telling the truth.
It is important, for precisely the reason of rooting out this foible of human consciousness, that we keep such documentation of it so as to better understand the mechanisms by which it transmits itself; but it is not for this reason that I wrote this essay. I began with this aside so as NOT to be construed as a supporter of witch hunts of any kind.
I want to highlight an event mentioned in the book as an example of synchronicity.
synchronicity: noun: the simultaneous occurrence of events which appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.
Mathers describes it:
“To say no more, there is a published and credible Relation; which affirms, That very lately in a part of England, where some of the Neighborhood were quarreling, a Raven from the top of a tree very articulately and unaccountably cry’d out, Read the Third of Colossians and the Fifteenth! Were I myself to chuse what sort of Bird I would be transformed into, I would say, O that I had wings like a Dove! Nevertheless, I will for once do the Office, which as it seems, Heaven sent that Raven upon; even to beg, That the Peace of God may Rule in our Hearts.”
Colossians 3:15—“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
Ravens are mimics. They can reproduce animate and inanimate sounds, including speech. It would not have been such a miracle for a raven to overhear a sermon in puritan England inciting someone to read a passage from the Bible… so there isn’t much here that is unaccountable. Had a dove, or any other non-mimic bird, however, uttered the same, it would indeed have been a miracle.
Not a miracle, no; but what makes it synchronicity?
It is likely that a raven would overhear a sermon where an English minister exhorted his congregation to read Colossians 3:15. It is possible that the raven would retain and mimic that line; but what are the odds that among all the things the raven would mimic, and of all the places the raven would repeat it, it would be that line with that message in that situation?
Some place more significance on these circumstantial connections than others. One person might get the heebie-jeebies, another an ecstatic experience of the divine, and yet another might dismiss the whole affair with a shrug.
So long as a case can be made for the significance of the relations, it counts as synchronic; but the significance we read into the matter depends on a variety of factors that must form an internal coherence from external context for the individual.
I must admit that I vacillate between these poles myself. Some instances feel more significant than others, and sometimes I’m sure it’s because I don’t care what the universe is trying to tell me. I am determined to find out the hard way.
Do. Not. Recommend! *ahem*
Anyhoo, let’s complicate the example above. Ravens are pretty smart—as are many birds!—and we are starting to realize they are conscious in their own right. They retain memories, solve puzzles, and preplan tasks!
Could a raven have been perched up in a tree and listened to some sermons and understood what the preacher was saying?
Could the raven have been trying to point out to these Christian quarrelers that they were violating their own edicts?
In any event, despite my general disagreement with Cotton Mathers on the point of the necessity of witch trials, and despite the fact that I am not a Christian, I will also do the office on which Heaven sent the Raven, and say that we will surely benefit from having peace in our hearts, whether it comes from the mouths of babes or birds, from ancient tomes or happy homes, or from whatsoever else might inspire it!
I know that, as a parent, I am far less concerned with how my kids come to understand important things than I am that they do understand, even if that sometimes means I end up playing the fool!
If it’s even possible that a bird could understand so simple a thing, then what are we fighting about, eh?
Now… here’s a third possibility.
This one I saved just for you, dear reader, the horror hound sitting in the shadows, drinking up the hoary, the eldritch, the profane arcane, and transmuting it by an inner alchemy into something meaningful and pure, a purpose in your own life to sow the seeds of wisdom that the earth may flower and bear fruit, that the soul may not only weep at that which it must destroy but reap that harvest which brings back joy!
What if… the Raven was a witch’s familiar, and, seeing through his eyes, speaking from his mouth, she uttered unto her own persecutors the fated words that would end their quarrel?
How very tongue-in-beak!
Could one man’s synchronicity be a wisewoman’s silent complicity?
Nah.
I’m sure it’s all just a coincidence…
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One last thing: I picked up Cotton Mathers’ On Witchcraft at my local bookstore, the old brick and mortar variety, Red Dog Books.
Arrr! I don’t know why I’m a pirate now but be sure to support your local libraries and bookstores or you’re walking the plank!
Seriously though, every person who retains a library of physical media retains a part of history. Your private collection could hold some real gems that, up the road, might give fodder to weirdos like me for essays like this…
Or maybe even help some real historians!
In any event, dear reader, thanks for coming along on another Horror to Culture adventure with me!
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C. Rommial Butler is a writer, musician and philosopher from Indianapolis, IN. His works can be found online through multiple streaming services and booksellers. More original articles can be found HERE.
