Explore "The Humbugs of the World" by P.T. Barnum on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Ordeals -- Duels -- Wager of battle -- Abraham Thornton -- Red hot iron -- Boiling water -- Swimming -- Swearing -- Corsned -- Pagan ordeals.
Ordeals belong to times and communities of rudeness, violence, materialism, ignorance, gross superstition and blind faith. The theory of ordeals is, that God will miraculously decide in the case of any accused person referred to Him. He will cause the accused to be victorious or defeated in a duel, will punish him on the spot for perjury, and if the innocent be exposed to certain physical dangers, will preserve him harmless.