The Irish standard., 1898-12-24

Art, was formulated and defined what
is known in history as the brehon code,
which was afterwards purified and per-
fected in the time of ST. Patrick. and is
known as the famous "Senchus Nor"
OF the religion of the Druids nothing is
definitely known. In order to insure the
establishment of Christianity St. Pat
rick and his disciples succeeded in de-
stroying almost every vestige Of the pa
gan religion Of Ireland, hence at the
present day it is difficult to determine
the precise tenets and dognas of the
Druid religion. According to the most
in many respects similar to that of the
ancient Persians. 1t is certain they
worshiped the sun, fire and other di-
whites, and from the number of altars
OF massive stone seen to this day in
many parts of Ireland it is certain they
offered sacrifice to their deitles. Many
trace the origin of the round towers Of
Ireland back to the fire-worship of the
Druids. 1t is also certain that the wor-
ship of fairy gods or Gives was common
amongst the people. A curious example
of this is seen in the life of st. Patrick
where it is related that when he and his
priests assembled near IL fountain at
the rising of the sun, two princcsscs, the
daughters of Laeghare MacNeill, came
ut nn,,11, l,1
bathe, as was their custom, and en-
countcrcd the assembly of clergy in their
white vestmcnts and their books before
them, and wondered much at their
strange appearance. They thought they
might be men from the hills; that is,
faily-mpn of phantoms. They question:
ed 81. Patrick therefore saying, Whence
have you come? Whittier do We go?
Are ye men of the hills, or are yc gods"
10 which st. Patrick answered, 1T would
be better for you to believe In God than
to ask of what race we are The elder
daughter asked, Who is your God and
where is He? Is He in the heavens or
is He in the earth, or under the earth, or
upon the earth, or in the sea or
in the streams or in the mountains, or
IN the valleys? Has He sons and
daughters? Has he gold and silver? Is
there abundance of all sorts of wealth
in his kingdom?' TO these questions St
Patrick made suitable answers and his
tory records that the end of this CONVEX
sation was the conversion of those noble
princesses to the faith The Druitls had
no temples. properly so called, as they
deemed it unworthy of the author of all
space to circumscribe his presence by
walls or human architecture They con-
Quoted their religious services in groves
and high places under the shade of the
widc-sprcading oak. Hence the tree
was sacred in their eyes. Their
dwellings were surrounded with oak
groves whose dark foliage threw II SOM
her and solemn shade over the altars up
on which they offered sacrifice. Accord
ing to the most reliable authorities the
Druids were very learned body Of men
and women. Laertius. in his Life Of
Aristotle" ana his discourse on phio-
sophy, says. "'rhe Greeks had the origin
OF their theology and the most sublime
parts of their philosophy from the Celtic
Druids.' They had several immrlse
academies for the education of tho no.
bility and those who nspirel to the
to obtain the several degrees preparatory
to becoming Il hard WAS from ten to
twelve years, and for becoming Druid
about twelve years longer. Hence be-
tween twenty and thirty years close ap-
plcation was required for one who u.s.
pired to the highest degree of the Druid
&c order. The bnrls were chosen f.'um
the most stately and beautiful of the
noble youths, and the Drliids were select
cd from the .allest AMI most learned of
the bards. and We're remarkable tor lLeir
strength and graccfulncss of person. The
daughters of Ireland, who were always
the pride of womanhood, being renowned
for their virtue and hcrOisn. were even
in those remote ages the peers and
equals of the men of Ireland. We find
them occupying the highest positions in
the councils and assemblies of the most
learned Druids, and were often elect
ed in preference to men to the
highest Offices of the Druidic profession
Whilst music, eloquence and poetry en-
bclished their minds, the exercise of the
chase, archery and throwing the lance
served to give their bodies that health
vigOr and beauty which have always
been the characteristics of the Celtic la
dies. The tencts of the Druid religion
were kept an eternal secret from the
people. Every Druid, on being admitted
was obliged to swear by the circle OF the
sun, the irregular moon, by the stars and
all the hosts of heaven, that he would
never dlvulgc what was taught to him.
but retain it in memory only, and when
he died his secret died with him. Tho
Druids celebrated three great feasts of
the year. Their New Years day was
about the 10th of March and their great
ceremony on that festival was the cut
ting of the mistlGtOe from the sacred
oak. The 1st Of May was celebrated in
honor Of the sun-gOd November eve
woe held pSNopia1 11v in honor of tho fairv