The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

and Bronze Ages. In some respects more
Impressive even than these relies are the
supentltious customs which still survive
In the Western Islands. and have probably
desoended unlnterrnptsdly from pagan
times such, for instance, az the practise
OF walking around wells and other places
three times from east TO west, ~ the sun
moves, and the practise Of leaving offerings
AZ the springs which are resorted 10 for
curative purposes. Some Of these customs
were continued by the early Celtic Church,
persisted afterward through the Roman
catholic period, and even now, In spite OF
all the efforts Of Protestant zeal, they have
not been wholly eItirpated.
IL Is especially In the Highlands that one
nnds vestiges Of the early Celtic Church
by which paganism was superseded. Even
where all visible memOFials'have long since
vanished. the nAms Of many q saint and
missionary still clings 10 the place where
he or she had q chapel or hermitage, or where
some cell was dedicated 10 his OF her mem
DRY. Our author says that the names OF
COLUMBIA. Bridget, oran, Donan and others
are as familiar on the lips Of modern High
landeS Is they were on those Of their fore
fathers, although the historical meaning
and Interest Of the names may be unknown
TO those who use them now, When, be-
sides the name attached TO the place, the
actual building remains With which the
name was first associated In the sixth OF
some later century, the interest deepens,
especially where the relic stands, a. many
a one does, on some small, desolate islet,
placed far amid the melancholy main, and
often for weeks together dinloult OF Inn
possible Of approach, even now. with the
douter boats Of the present day. With the
decay and dissolution OF the Celtic Church,
no doubt many Of the chapels erected by
that community were forsaken and allowed
TO fall into ruin. Some continued to be
used, however, and were even enlarged
or rebuilt when the Church Of Rome es-
tablished its rule over North Britain.
But architecture, meanwhile, had made
an onward step. The buildings erected
by the emissaries Of Rome presented
q strong contrast to those which they re-
placed for they were solldly oompacted
with lime, IN a much more ornate style,
with freer use Of sculpture and on much
larger scale. The Cathedral OF Iona would
hold some dozen Of the primitive Celtic
cells.
It may surprise some readers 10 learn
that the Roman Catholic faith, which onoe
prevailed universally over Scotland, still
keeps a foothold on some Of the islands,
part cularly Barra, Benbecula and South
Uist, and in certain districts Of the main
land. In Egg about half Of the population
is still Catholic, the other half being
divided between the Established and Free
Churches. Sir Archibald says that. in his
peregnnations through the Catholic dis
tricts OF the west Of Scotland, ne has often
been struck with some interesting con-
trasts between them and similar regions In
Ireland, where Catholics and Protestants
live together. The Scottish priests have
always seemed 10 me a better educated
class and more men Of the world than their
brethren in Ireland. Students who have
been trained abroad have their ideas
widened and their manners polished az
is hardly possible In the case Of those who
leave their villages to be trained at May
nooth, whence they are sent 10 recon-
menoe village life as parish priests II
also seems TO our author that in the West
Highlands there was far less OF the an
tagonism which In Ireland separates Catho-
hes and Protestants. The followers Of
the two religions dwell side by side ss
good neighbors, and unless an inquiry lie
made the vistor cannot discriminate be-
tween them.