In the days of the Puritans, church officials were ordained by God and were held in the highest positions of authority. In the Author Miller's play, "The Crucible," Reverend John Hale of Beverly is one of the leading experts on spotting witchcraft and is also well respected among the people of Salem. In the beginning of the play, the citizens of Salem Town and Village ask Rev. Hale to help them find the cause of the "afflicted" girls illnesses. When Rev. Hale comes to Salem and begins to search out the Devil in all the "afflicted" girls, when he goes to the Proctor's house to question them, and when he begs John to confess to witchcraft, prove that an authoritative figure can sometimes be wrong and can see the mistakes that he has made.
Rev. Hale comes to Salem feeling like a "young doctor on his first call," eager to make a diagnosis and to give a prescription. He discovers Betty Parris sick in bed and finds that she has tried to fly out of her window. He tells the people that this is a sure sign of witchery. The Salemites look up and respect his decisions because they know he knows what he is doing. When Goody Ann states "Mr. Parris's slave (Tituba) has knowledge of conjurin"" Rev. Hale asks to see Tituba so he may question her about witchcraft. While questioning her, Tituba, fearing for her life, admits to conjuring spirits and "calls out" others who, she claims, she has seen with the Devil. Hale then tells Tituba "God will bless you for your help" and this inspires Abigal and the other girls to admit to witchcraft and to "call out" the names of others they had seen with the Devil.
After warrants are signed for the arrest of these "witches," Rev. Hale goes out into the town and village to question others that were mentioned in the court. He finds himself sitting in John and Elizabeth Proctor's house questioning their Christianity. When Elizabeth makes the remark "If you think that I am one (a witch), then I say there are none.
