Matthew Hopkins

This is Great Yarmouth minster, a huge church in the seaside town upon the Norfolk coast. Sadly, the place was targeted 400 years ago by Matthew Hopkins, the infamous Witchfinder General. Touring the country during the disruption of the civil wars, an accusation of witchcraft either from him or reaching him, was essentially to receive a death sentence. While real men and godly saints were fighting for the Parliament or their King, this fellow was hounding old women and vulnerable men. Here in the town's courthouse, below, many were tried and condemned. 

In nearby Norwich, the Witchfinder General wrote of a Mr Meggs:

“Meggs, a baker submitted himself voluntarily to be searched for marks which were subsequently found resulting in his execution.”

He offered himself, poor fool. Hopkins found some scar or birthmark, which neatly fitted his assumptions that witches have some special signs on their bodies. How could an age so steeped in Biblical knowledge have tolerated this charlatan’s dangerous and ludicrous activities? Abusers and manipulators will often claim scripture to justify their crimes and doings, but a more careful examination will always expose them for what they are. Whether it be the pederastic priest, fake faith-healers, self-appointed prophets or simpering deniers of Christ’s miracles, all false teachers, crooks and imposters stumble on God’s Word. By that alone can they be unmasked, defrocked and uncovered.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15