Why is reverend parris praying and weeping as the play Crucible begins?

In the beginning of the play "The Crucible," Reverend Samuel Parris is praying and weeping because he is troubled by the strange behavior of his daughter, Betty, and the other young girls in the village of Salem. Betty has fallen ill, and the doctors have been unable to determine the cause of her affliction. Parris is also concerned about the gossip and rumors that are circulating about the girls' behavior, and he fears that they will bring shame upon his family and the community.