It seems that the trials tore the church apart. There were
many who wanted to rebel. We know this because in Act IV, Parris is feeling the impact
as the minister of the society's rebellion. The preceding night, he found a dagger that
had fallen from atop his door. Here is another comment that bears weight into how the
trials are affecting the town:
Parris: I tell you what is said here, sir.
Andover have thrown out the court, they say, and will have no part in witchcraft. There
be a faction here, feeding on that news, and I tell you true, sir,
I fear there will be riot
here.
A more
literal application regarding HOW the trials affected the church has to do with the new
responsibility that has been heaped on people who are not yet dead or in jail. These
people have to take care of extra children, extra crops and extra livestock. Some of it
is just going uncared for:
Hale: Excellency, there are orphans wandering
from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting
crops hangs
everywhere.
Obviously, this
is a townspeople, a church body severely inflicted by this great evil going
on.
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