The meeting-house was very near, and the mare was brought over regularly when there were religious services, and fastened in the near vicinity of the other more sober and orthodox horses, that she might learn how to behave and perhaps the evil spirit be thus induced to abandon one so constantly exposed to the doubtless unpleasant sounds (to it) of psalm and prayer and sermon.
A horse is an imitative animal, and very susceptible to impressions,--both of a material and a mental character--and I must confess that these proceedings of the minister's were very well adapted to the object he had in view.
The minister also had gone farther--but of this no one at the time knew but himself.

He had gone into the stable on a certain evening, when his servant John Indian was off on an errand; and had pronounced a prayer over the possessed animal winding up with an exorcism which ought to have been sufficient to banish any reasonable devil, not only from the mare, but from the neighborhood.

As he concluded, what seemed to be a huge creature, with outstretched wings, had buffeted him over the ears, and then disappeared through the open window of the stable.

The creature was in the form of a big bat; but then it was well known that this was one of the forms which evil spirits were most fond of assuming.
The minister therefore had strong reasons for supposing that the good work was now accomplished; and that he should find the mare hereafter a Susannah not only in name but in nature--a black lily, as it were.

But of course this could not be certainly told, unless some one should attempt to ride her; and he suggested it one day to John Indian.