ABSTRACT
ALL ordeals were intimately connected with religion or superstItIOn. For centuries it was considered that the human body, under the influence of the gods, could withstand fire. For this reason a guilty person was unable to secure divine protection, while an innocent individual could go through any ordeal unscathed. The leading ecclesiastics held these beliefs most firmly, as did also many of the so-called scientists of those days. We see an indication of this trend of thought in the Biblical stories of Abraham escaping unscathed from the fiery furnace into which he was hurled by Nimrod; and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who, bound and helpless, were cast, at the command of Nebuchadnezzar, " into the midst of the burning fiery furnace," walking forth without "an hair of their heads singed," although the fire was so excessively hot that the flames" slew those men" that threw in the God-protected trio.
