, 1891-11-04
CALEDONIANS.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE HALLOW.
ZEN FESTIVAL.
Extracts From the opening Ad-
dress J. MI. swan, Chtef Of the
0twnamia GaIa6nV,Sa eyRwh

Extracts From the opening Ad-
dress y. MI. swan, Chtef Of the
Olympia Caledonia Club.
Chief ]. NJ. Swan in his interesting ad-
dress before the Caledonians of Olympia
and their guests on Halloween said:
In regard to Halloween as festival to be
yearly celebrated by Scottish people, and by
Scottish people only, would at leastimply
thatitis purely Scottish festival and strict
lyofScottish origin. Here would naturally
arise the query; When, where, why and
by whom was this festival ordained and its
periodical celebration perpetuated contin-
uously for very many ages up to the pres
ent day? To answer this query time ad-
monishes me to be brief and to omit sun
dry details tending to more fully auth
enticate the origin and purpose of this an
nual festival.
THE ORIGIN OF HALLoWEyE
as an annual festival is lost in remote an
tiquity. 1t is known to have been one Of
the sacred or religious festivals celebrated
by the Celts, who inhabited the north
ern part of Britain, (kncwn in modern
times as Caledonia, or Scotland). Druid
ism being the ancient religion of the Celts.
their religious festivals were celebrated un-
der the direction and supervision of their
priests, and were conducted with many
mysterious rites and ceremonies which
have been lost to modern times since the
advent OF the Christian religion into Great
Britain, in the fourth century of the Chris
tian era.
In regard to Halloween, it il. one of the
festivals that were annually celebrated by
the Druids. Of two of those festivals
brought down to modern times, one was
celebrated about the first of May and was
known as sBaal-teine,' held in special
honor of their god Baal, or Baul, to pro
pitiate his favor in their behalf at the be-
ginning Of the agricultural season, that
their efforts might be rewarded with album
dant crops. The celebration Of this festi-
val has in modern times been nearly, if not
quite wholly, neglected. The other festi-
val, known to our times and IN our modern
language as Halloween, was celebrated
about the 31st of October, and in the an
cient language of Caledonia is known as
''Samh-telne," or more properly, "Tamh-
telne, and much rejoicing and amuse-
ments
CELEBRATED WITH BoNFIREs
at the close of their working season when
their crops were all secured and they were
ready to enter on and enjoy season of
rest, and Withal in gratitude to their God
as the glyer of all good, for bountiful
harvest.
In the celebration of our own Thanks
giving, Americans may lin point of time
and object) consider how appropriate was
the celebration of Halloween by the an
cient Celts. This is the festival that we
(modern Scots) and our guests are met
here this evening to celebrate. The re-
peated lnVasiOns of Great Britain first by
the Romans thn Vna ,Iar
julius C9ezar, who subjngated the greater
part Of the island and held it as a Roman
colony for about four hundred years; next
it was invaded by the Danes, who settled
in the country, and held much of it for
some time. When they had to yield to the
Saxon invasion who in turn had to yield to
the Norman invasion under William the
Conquerer. These several in yasions and
cOnquests by people from the extremes of
Europe, of diverse manners, habits, Gus
toms and | might say religion, rendered
to obliterate all special characteristics of
the ancient inhabitants. That part of the
British Isle
KNOWN AS CALEDONIA,
has ever been exempt from these inyasions.
1t is today the proud boast of every Scot,
that his brave Caledonia has never been
conquered; that the intrepidity and brave
~ OF his ancestors has ever kept his dear
Caledonia free from the feet Of an invading
toe. Even the proud and powerful Roman,
King Of the World, advanced to her
threshold, where he was met by the Gale
donian Celt, and told that so far thou
mayest come but no farther, nor did he.
The Caledonians, whether as ancient
Celts or Modern Scots have ever been in
dependent and free and lovers of liberty
wherever they be; this love of freedom con
tributes largely to the love of country that
anlmates all the sons and daughters of
"Bonny Scotland" as has been well ex-
pressed by the poet in the following lines
My Highland home where tempests blow,
And cold thy wintry looks;
Thy mountains crowned with driven snow,
And ice-bound are thy brooks
But colder fairs the Scotsman's heart
However far he roams,
TO whom no joy those words impart,