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IPSWICH — Legend says that on Tuesday, September 30, 1740, the Devil was hiding behind a mirror in the North Congregational Church.
Young George Whitefield preached with such fire that the mirror shattered. The Devil burst out. A fight broke loose. They battled up the steeple. Whitefield cast him down. The Devil fled, leaving a single scored hoofprint in the stone.
The rock is still there. The story is still told. And every generation adds its own voice.
This year, the First Church in Ipswich is adding its voice to the story. On Sunday, September 28, the church will host a festival celebrating the 285th anniversary of the legend on Meetinghouse Green.
The festival will bring together neighbors, scholars, musicians, and storytellers to reflect on how folklore shapes our community.
It will kick off with live music by Clay Pigeons at 11 a.m. At noon, there will be a Devil’s Lore panel discussion featuring Rev. Rebecca Pugh, Salem State history professor Margo Shea, and Peter Muise, author of Legends and Lore of the North Shore.
After the discussion, there will be a reenactment of the historical sermon and a dramatic performance of the battle, staged with the support of Mark Warner’s Professional Martial Arts Academy. More live music and food will follow.
The event is not about honoring George Whitefield or the Devil, the church said. It is about exploring how a single tale has lived on in our town, passed from one generation to the next.
Old stories can open new conversations about what we fear, what we resist, and what we still need to confront together.
Organizers say, “Come celebrate the strange, the spiritual, and the storied.”
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit firstchurchipswich.org/the-devils-footprint/
