Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-15
DRUlDlSM REDIWvUs.

that the report is true.
0RUI0isM RE0IMvUs.
Attempted Revival OF am Old Time and
LonE.Haired Religion.
From the New York Times.
American inventive genius is addicted to
expressing itself in the invention of new
religions. In that direction, however, we
have not been as successful as we have been
in the invention of labor saving machines.
Mormonism has attained q certain degree
of material success, but neither in point of
originality or good taste can it be honestly
prai ed. Its two chief dogmas-that every
body should have a good many wives, and
that a few men should make all the money
are copied, the one from Mohammedan-
ism and the other from our insurance and
banking system. Shakerism is doubtless
we'll adapted for the dissemination of gar
den-seeds and apple-sauce, but lar cannot
live by apple-sauce alone, and garden-seeds
fail to satisfy the ~longings of the immortal
soul. MI. rockingham, who constantly
brings out new serial religions in weekly
parts, is certainly ingenious, but his reli-
gions have failed to active popularity, and
though Professor Adler has founded an en-
tirely new religion, based upon the compre-
hensive dogma that we should disbelieve
everything, he has been even less successful
than Mr.. rockingham. To the thoughtful
mind it is evident that there is no general
demand for new religions and that the revi-
val of old religions offers much more pros
pect of success. Mr.. Beecher's revival of
Universalism has attracted very wide atten.
ton, and this fact together with the modern
tendency to revive all sorts Of old, ugly, and
neutrality-suspicious. of household furniture,
is very suggestive.
Mr.. Price, q Welshman residing near Car
diff, has stolen a march upon our country
men by reviving Druidism. 1t is perhaps
fitting tt at Druidism should be first revived
in its ancient Welsh stronghold. but it pos
sesses go many features adapted to meet the
views of those of our fellow citizens who
find it difficult or announcement to believe in
christianity, that it ought to meet with an
enthusiastic reception here. In TIE first
place, as every one knows who has studied
Norma" Druidism is full Of delightfully."-
solemn ceremonies conducted by large
priests with bass voices and white cotton
robes. The ventures of the ritualis's are
very nice in their way, but they are not half
so imposing as the sweeping robes of Oreve-
60 aud his assistants. Then Druidism is
eminently a long-haired religion, and thus
appeals powerfully to the aspirations of the
average Spiritualist. The magnificent boards
of the Druid priests and the ~unequalled
back hair of the priestesses surpass the very
best capillary displays of a Spiritualist con-
gress. A Spiritualist picture is rarely apic-
turesque affair, but a Druidical picnic on its
way up the North River, with a score OF
priestesses perpetually singing "Casta Diva
on the upper deck, and an equal number Of
priests taking the auspices by examining the
interior Of ham sandwiches at the lunch
counter, would be a most imposing specta-
Gle.
In addition to their belief in long cotton
night-gowns, unlimited hair, and Bellini's
music, the Druids believed in a larger COL
lection of miscellaneous things than the
widest Spiritualist ventures to believe in.
Their priests held intercourse with the most
fashionable spirits, and could read the future
by the simple and easy process of inspect
ing a mans interior organs with the aid of a
scalpel and a compound microscope. Not
only were the priests able to converse with
spirits, but the priestesses were also accom-
plished "mediums"- for they did not fat
ter their Roman conquerors by calling
themselves 'media"-and could raise the
dead with as much facility as Mr.. Gilman
displayed in rising certificates of stock.
When q priestess wished to surround herself
with a few choice ghosts of departed Brit
ons she removed her garments, and painted
herself sky blue, and howled until swarms
Of ghosts appeared and offered to say or do
anything she might ask, on condition that
she would put on her robes and conduct her.
self in a more quiet manner. We thus see
that q revival of Druidism would give a
magnificent field to the energies of a GER
tain class of spiritual mediums. The Or
binary programme, according to which a
medium withdraws into a cabinet and falls
into q trance, is tedious and prosaic in COM
parison with that of the Druidical priestess,
and there is nc doubt that were a gifted and
beautiful trance medium to adopt the Druid
ical ritual she would add vastly to the vari-
ETY. and interest of her seances-provided,
of course, she used a good quality of blue
paint.
While the revival of Druidism would
thus satisfy the hottest aspirations Of the
professional Spiritualists, it would prove a
remarkably cheap and inexpensive religion.
The Druids never built coetly churches, and
then employed Mr.. Kimball to offer their
parishioners the choice. of paying off a heavy
mortgage or of listening to him from 7:3iO
O'Clock on Sunday evening until Monday
morning. All the Druids needed was a nice
oak grove, a few paving stones arranged in a
circle, and . good, substantial altar on which
to sacrifice the largest sized human beings.
have any quantity Of groves and paving
stones, and there is no lack of persons who
are admirably adapted for burnt or raw Of
ferings, as the case might be. For example,
with how much enthusiasm would our citi-
zens without distinction of creed or party,
witness the improving spectacle Of Mr.. Stan
ley Matthews, decorated with blue ribbons,
led q willing sacrifice to the Druidical altar;
and what valuable facts as to the future Of
the silver bill ye might learn BY = carful
inspection Of his interior; Should the sup
ply Of eminent statesmen of the Matthews
variety run short, there are enough plumbers
and common councilmen in our cities to fur
nish . Druidical altar every day in the year.
Such . religion is far better adapted to
win popularity in this country than are the
crude creeds OF Mormonism and Hhakerism