The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-25

creaslng hocks and herds. They did
nothing OF the kind. They lived idle
thoughtless lives, rich in all but wis.,
dom.
BY and by when those Brtons
thought of this idea of ploughing and
planting they used oxen to draw a rude
instrument called plough. They
planted corn (not Indian corn), all
grain was corn; rye and barley were
the species of grain first raised in Brit
on, introduced by the more intelligent
Gauls. They learned to sow corn,
brew ale and make butter and cheese.
After long time of savage life they
learned gradually by watching the
Gauls, by experience, cutting and men
tally striving to initiate their neigh
bors, they soon constructed implements
to build better dwelling places. They
used the stalks of corn for matching
the roofs Of their cabins instead of
using hides of sheep, oxen and other
wild animals. They used the wool of
the sheep for coarse kind of clothing
which was fashioned like socks drawn
round their necks, and fastened with
strings made from hemp, or the in
wards of animals twisted after drying
in the sun. These were also used for
their nets and other things needed by
the men.
After they learned to cultivate the
land they divided it into farms, and
each family had a cabin on their lots
made of straw and clay and whitened
with powdered chalk. All were of the
rudest and most simple kind but it
gave signs of a more civilized condi-
ito of the people,
The men to whom those farms and
cottages belonged got near together for
better defence from danger by storms
and wild animals. They felt the need
of defending themselves, and sensed
the truth that there was strength in
numbers against a common foe, and in
this manner villages We're formed.
These people soon became far more civ
ilized than the shepherds. Agricultur-
al beauty had kindled the flame of CIV
ilization and increased their mental
strength, showing the first signs of
| wisdom.
| These people were termed husband
men by the shepherds who did not try
| to initiate them. There were three
classes on the ancient Isle of Britons,
the savages, shepherds and husband
men. The knowledge of God was still
| lacking, though they conceived the idea
of several gods, one of medicine, anoth-
| er for taking care of their cattle and
| herds. The medicine god was Apollo,
| the other one was Mercury, and still
| another, the god of battles, was Mars.
| They worshipped the sun and moon,
| and after a long time they imagined
their gods dwelt in forests and were
under the influence of one great sun
/ god. They had priests who We're called
Druids. Their temples We're in the
| hearts of a great forest of oak trees,
where circles of immense stones We're
! built, some of them as high as a mans
| head. Into this circle came a large
| crowd kneeling in silence, or standing
as the space allowed. Far off another
| smaller circle contained the priests
with long gray boards, dressed in white
| robes made of lambs wool. Those
| priests played upon harps and chanted
/ low psalms in a language the people
! could not understand. There was deep
| solemnity in it all, for the people We're
still as death. The music was like a
dirge or a dead march Soon they
/
age of a man, an image as tall as the
/ stones of the temple. 1t was made of
asher twigs bound together the inside
being hollow, and into this image
crowded men, one above another until
| it was filled to the very top or head
! All the people We're deadly silent and
then came the head one of the priests,
and with great ceremony lighted the
image with a TORCH and while the peo-
pie in the image offered prayers and
| cries in their agony the arch priest
would chant songs in deep bass voice
| louder and still louder till the temple
fairly shook with the agony of the dy-
| ing and the diabolical chant of the
priests. 1t was human offering to
the gods Apollo and Mercury. They
often made great feasts beneath a ma
jestic oak and worshlpped the God of
the forests imprisoned in the oaks and
fed on mistletoe.
Their ignorance was so great that
| they had more reverence for trees than
for human beings. They offered men
as sacrifices instead of birds and ami
mails, and yet they were trying to serve
the God they believed in, and We're
jealous in their devotion.
From one period to another or one
age to another, they went on still hold
ing the forests and mountains sacred
till there came against them the Ro-
mans. Through the valleys and across
the hills the cry was sounded. The
priests made human offerings and
chanted louder than ever. Cattle and
sheep were driven to the forest shell
ters. Corn was cut down and gathered
in, downs and fields We're laid bare and
all the tribes of the Briton warriors
hurried to the conflict The great Gaze
sar of Rome was on the march. Rome
had conquered all the nations and was
determined to kill the Britons, who be-
friended the Gauls. But the great Gaze
sar wanted the riches, the iron and tin,
and best of all the copper mines and
mineral wealth of the Britons, and I'M
justly came to rob them of their land,
sheep and cattle. But in the end the
Britons were taught to see that nature
is God of the forest and the trees were
Gods first temple. The forests are still
sacred to the heart of a true Briton.
The oaks of the hills where the Druids
built their first temples was the shrine