Feature Writer: Unknown

Feature Title: Halloween and the story of Stingy Jack

Link #1: Daniel 8:23-25

Link #2: Stingy Jack

 

Halloween and the story of Stingy Jack

The day witches celebrate above all others is October 31, which is Halloween, a form of All Hallows Eve — It is believed that on this night Satan and his witches have their greatest power.

“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.”

[Daniel 8:23-25]

Daniel 8:23-25 describes the religion of Antichrist. It is Black Magick Witchcraft. Halloween is the ultimate celebration of Black Magick Witchcraft. And as global events show us how rapidly the world is getting ready for the actual appearance of Antichrist, Christians are encouraged to participate in the (Black Magick) Halloween. Thus, when the Antichrist really steps onto the world scene, people who consider themselves to be Christian will be predisposed to accept the Man of Perdition, because they have already accepted his High Holy Sabbath (Halloween).

Thus is Halloween, or at least our modern notion of it. Hallow, itself, is a verb meaning to make holy, and its roots lie in the Middle English halowen and the Old English halgian (Merriam-Webster on-line).

According to the book, Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers, All Hallows Eve; All Saint’s Day (November 1); and All Soul’s Day (November 2) are all Christian in etymology. Curiously, though, only Halloween (All Hallows Eve, Hallow Evening, then Hallowe’en) has older pagan roots that were never really overshadowed by the subsequent Christianization of that time of year.

Though some historians point to Roman ties, most agree that Halloween probably comes from the Celtic festival of Samhain (sow-an), literally meaning summer’s end. A sort of bookmark to separate the chapters of summer and winter, Samhain was kind of an agricultural festival with decidedly supernatural overtones. For the Celts, the dark season of winter came with dark spirits, so autumn, while a time of harvest, was also a time when the souls of the dead wandered the earth and eventually crosses over to the other world. To combat all of these agitated ethereal forces, the Irish built up huge bonfires, perhaps wore masks, and possibly threw in a sacrifice or two for protection.

Nevertheless, according to Jack Santino, in an article for the Library of Congress, the Christian feast of All Saints was meant to substitute for Samhain, to draw the devotion of the Celtic people, and, finally, to replace it forever. Assigned to November 1st, and meant to incorporate the night before, the holiday honored every Christian saint, especially those that did not otherwise have a special day devoted to them.

But the powerful symbolism and imagery of the Celtic festival was never fully absorbed or erased by the Christian version as hoped, and the idea of a night when the living and the dead commingled was too strong. (Another holiday based on powerful and oppositional forces coming together in one time and space is New Year’s.)

So Halloween became a bit of a mixed observance, carrying all of the weight, imagery, and tradition of the pagan festival while incorporating Christian constructs, like the Devil, angels, demons and lost souls.

All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day (a day for praying for all of the lost souls in purgatory), one the other hand, are decidedly Christian in origin, making the time a year an interesting integration of historic influences that is perhaps best brought to light by the story of Stingy Jack.

Story of Stingy Jack

As the story goes, several centuries ago among myriad towns and villages in Ireland, there lived a drunkard known as “Stingy Jack”. Jack was known throughout the land as a deceiver, manipulator and an otherwise dregs of society. On a fateful night, Satan overheard the tale of Jack’s evil deeds and silver tongue. Unconvinced (and envious) of the rumors, the devil went to find out for himself whether or not Jack lived up to his vile reputation.

Typical of Jack, he was drunk and wandering through the countryside at night when he came upon a body on his cobblestone path. The body, with an eerie grimace on its face, turned out to be Satan. Jack realized somberly this was his end; Satan had finally come to collect his malevolent soul. So Jack made a last request: he asked Satan to let him drink ale before he departed to Hades. Finding no reason not to acquiesce the request, Satan took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with many alcoholic beverages. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked Satan to pay the tab on the ale, much to Satan’s surprise. Jack convinced Satan to metamorphose into a silver coin with which to pay the bartender. Satan did so, impressed upon by Jack’s unyielding nefarious tactics. Shrewdly, Jack stuck the now transmogrified Satan (coin) into his pocket, which also contained a crucifix. The crucifix’s presence kept Satan from escaping his form. This coerced Satan to agree to Jack’s demand: in exchange for Satan’s freedom, he had to spare Jack’s soul for ten years.

Ten years later to the date when Jack originally struck his deal, he naturally found himself once again in Satan’s presence. Jack happened upon Satan in the same setting as before and he seemingly accepted it was his time to go to Hades for good. As Satan prepared to take him to hell, Jack asked if he could have one apple to feed his starving belly. Foolishly Satan once again agreed to this request. As Satan climbed up the branches of a nearby apple tree, Jack surrounded its base with crucifixes. Satan, frustrated at the fact that he had been entrapped again, demanded his release. As Jack did before, he made a demand: that his soul never be taken by Satan into Hades. Satan agreed and was set free.

Eventually the drinking took its toll on Jack, and he died. Flaky Jack’s soul prepared to enter Heaven through the gates of St. Peter, but he was stopped. And Jack was told by God that because of his sinful lifestyle of deceitfulness and drinking, he was not allowed into Heaven. Jack then went down to the Gates of Hell and begged for admission into underworld. Satan, fulfilling his obligation to Jack, could not take his soul. To warn others, he gave Jack an ember, marking him a denizen of the netherworld. From that day on until eternity’s end, Jack is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip (“turnip” actually referring to a large rutabaga) to light his way.

There are many different versions of this story.