A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Magdalen, (Mary)
MAGDALEN (MARY).
It was an opinion of the Jewish Rabbis, that the world was governed by ministering spirits. Good actions or the immediate commands of God performed by angels, and the contrary by devils. In the latter class were diseases: and when it is said in the scripture that out of Mary Magdalen our Saviour cast seven devils, it is allowed by divines to mean so many different mental or bodily diseases. Her gratitude for this benefit induced her to become his disciple. She was present at his crucifixion, saw him laid in the tomb, carried perfumes thither to embalm him, and was the first person to whom he appeared after his resurrection. Mary Magdalen attempted to detain him, and to kiss his feet, but Jesus said unto her, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my father." He ordered her at the same time to announce his resurrection to his apostles and disciples. She is believed to have died and been buried at Ephesus. She was not the sister of Martha, for the scripture always distinguishes them; nor was she the sinner mentioned in the Gospel, who was a common woman of Nain, whose name is not mentioned, and who only appears to have seen Christ when she anointed his feet, and was dismissed by him with these words: "Go in peace, and sin no more." Nothing of this is applicable to Mary Magdalen, of whom there is no reason for the presumption that she had led a bad life, though the mistake has been perpetuated from age to age.