The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-12-14

dent ceremonial. 10
consider that you were perpetuating
one OF the most hallowed and exalted
OF religious ordinances handed down
through the ages in rendering such
tender homage TO this orphan plant
Of wondrous BIRTH
And would II not surprise you TO
learn that our very word marry"
aud that our most impassioned OF the
graces OF Terpsichore-the wallis
are additionally enmeshed In the can
ny tendrils OF the peariy -berried mis-
tletoe?
parasite or excrescence. In Its en-
bryonic period II 10 said TO defy the
laws OF gravitation by pushing its
-radicles In the opposite direction to
the generality Of plants. Not only Its
berries but Its leaves grow In clusters
OF three united on one stock. hence
its sacred place In religious rites a.
a symbol Of the Holy Trinity.
II was believed by the Druids and
other ancient sects In northern and
western Europe that any tree TO
which the mistletoe attaches itself 10
selected by God himself for special
favor. and that all that grows on II 10
sent direct from heaven.
Contrary to the general belief. II 10
found more rarely on the oak tree
than on the apple. ash. elm. poplar.
willow and hawthorn. and II 10 due to
this scarcity that II was vested With
exceptional reverence when discovered
cllnging to the sacred tree OF the
Druids-a name derived from the
Greek word drus. or drucc. meaning
an oak.
Says Pliny: when II (mistlotoe
growing upon an oak) 10 discovered II
Is treated with great ceremony. They
called II by n name (guthil, or gutheyl
good heal), which in their language
signifies the curer OF all Ills" After
they have well and duly prepared
their festival cheer under the tree.
they bring hither n milk.white COW
and a bullock, hitherto unyoked; then
the priests In white vesture climb into
the tree and prune on the sacred herb
with a gold hook. bill or sickle. the
branches falling beneath into a white
the ground. The common people re-
main at a distance, formed In a circle.
while the priests approach with treIn-
bling awe the bloody victims. which
were carried around the omen fire.
After this the animals are slaughtered
as a sacrifice-doubtless TO the god.
dess Of fecundity. for the mistletoe Is
a symbol Of the prolific.
In the myths Of all nations we find
holy tree" world tree" Among
the Druids. as well as among other
creeds, this tree was the oak: and II
II a very Interesting thing TO know
that our word chdrch-from kirk
finds its root In quervus. the generic
name for the oak. This tree was
cherished as the mother and nurse OF
man. and was supposed to be the
dwelling place OF the food-dispensing
god. The ominous rustling OF the
leaves and the mysterious notes Of
the feathered songsters signallzed the
presence OF the divinity 10 the awe.
struck votaries who consulted the IN.
dwelling oracle. burning odoriferous
fumes In homage. The Dodonean
oak and its oracle are celebrated In
epic. myth and story. Its mystic ritual
being zealously perpetuated by the
Druids. They danced circular dances
In consecrated groves. and the rem.
nants OF an old chant still preserved
by the Celts-Hey Derry Down Dey.
'in a circle the oak moves around"-
reveals the archtyps Of our modern
waltz.
Anoussr reminder that 'the groves