I n 1853 the Christian Church in Sideling Hill, Fulton County, was presented with a strange predicament.

One of the congregation had been ill for some time. She publicly announced that the cause of her sickness was a spell placed upon her by a fellow congregant whom she claimed to be a witch.

A meeting was called whereupon the minister preferred formal charges against the accused witch. The problem remained, of course, as to how they would prove it.

Believing that witches couldn't step over broomsticks (no idea where that came from!) they laid one on the floor and asked the accused to walk across it. She did so with no problem.

Likely starting to feel foolish, the church elders needed a new plan and fast. They decided that the word of God - in the form of the bible - would certainly carry more weight than a witch... literally. So they took the accused to a nearby mill and erected a set of scales. On one side was the supposed witch, on the other the Holy Bible. But the witch outweighed the word.

Surmising that it was her clothing that gave the accused the weight advantage, they added a bushel of corn to the scale holding the bible.

The woman once again proved heavier.

All charges were dismissed. 💀

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