From the book "Celt,
Druid and Culdee"
(1973)
by
Isabel Hill Elder
Druidic services were held while the sun was above the horizon;
the performing of ceremonies at any other time was forbidden by
law.(40) The Chief Druid, or the Archdruid when he was present,
occupied a position by a large central stone, approaching it with
a sword carried by its point to signify his own readiness to
suffer in the cause of truth.(41) This central stone
called 'Maen Llog,' or the Stone of the Covenant, and now
distinguished by the name of Cromlech, was in Ireland called
'Bethel.'(42) or the house of God. Near to it was another, which
received in a cavit water direct from the clouds. This water, and
the waters the river Dee (called Drydwy, the Divine water), the
Jordan of ancient Britain, were the only waters permitted to be
used in Druidic sacrifices.
In the 'Faerie Queen' Spenser speaks of the:
' . . Dee which Britons long ygone
Did call divine, that doth by Chester tend.'
For centuries after Druidism had merged into Christianity the Dee
continued to be regarded as a sacred river. A striking instance
of folk-memory is recorded in connection with the Battle of
Britain, A.D.613, when Dionoth, Abbot of Bangor, delivered an
oration to the defeated Britons (who had retreated along the
banks of the river), and concluded by ordering the soldiers to
kiss the ground in commemoration of the body of Christ, and to
take up the water in their hands out of the river Dee and drink
it in remembrance of His sacred blood. This act gave the men
fresh courage; they met the Saxons bravely, and Ethelfrid, the
Northumbrian invader, was defeated.(43)
The Bards of Britain, whose office it was to cultivate the
art of music and poetry as well as literature are referred to by
Strabo as hymn-makers,(44) they were responsible for the temple
music and for the conduct of the musical part of the temple
services. On these occasions they wore white robes - from this
custom has descended our English Church custom of clothing the
choristers in white surplices.(45)
It was not until the fist century A.D. that the Jews
introduced the wearing of surplices into their services.
Josephus states: "Now as many of the Levites as were singers of
hymns persuaded the king (Agrippa) to assemble a Sanhedrin and to
give them leave to wear linen garments as well as the priests;
for, they said, this would be a work worthy of the times of his
government, that he might have a memorial of such a novelty as
being his doing; nor did they fail of obtaining their
desire."(46)
Referring to Stonehenge, Hecataeus, a Greek writer, 320 B .C.,
says that the people living these islands worshipped in a
beautiful temple, whose minstrels hymned with their golden
harps,(47) the praise of the god they adored, and whose
priesthood was a regular descent from father to son.
While every British subject was entitled at birth to five
British(ten English) acres of land for a home in the hereditary
county of his clan, priests were entitled to ten acres (twenty
English),(48) exemption from combative military service,
permission to pass unmolested from one district to another in
time of war, maintenance when absent on duty from their home, and
contribution from every plough in their district.
The ceremonial dress of the Archdruid was extremely gorgeous, no
metal but gold being used on any part of it. The Cymric Cross was
wrought in gold down the length of the back of the robe; he wore
a gold tiara and a breastplate of the same precious metal.(49) A
breastplate was found in an excavated cist at Stonehenge, on the
skeleton of an important Briton,(50) Five similar breastplates
have been found in Britain and Ireland.
The Chevron Bead, a bead encased in gold was worn by the
Archdruid as a symbol of the Deity(51) and designated by the
Roman historians the 'Druid's Egg', around which so much legend
has been woven by the imaginative uninformed, who saw in the
symbol only a talisman endowed with most magical powers.
The stories that are told and believed of human sacrifice by
the Druids are pure inventions of the Romans to cover their
own cruelty and to excuse it. The Druids sacrificed sheep, oxen,
deer and goats; charred remains of these have been found at
Avebury, Stonehenge and in the vicinity of St.Paul's Cathedral.
NO TRACE OF HUMAN SACRIFICE HAS EVER BEEN DISCOVERED IN
BRITAIN(52)
(The modern authority on the Druids, Peter Ellis, upholds Isabel
Elder's words that human sacrifice by the Druids was an invention
of the beastly Roman mind - who were indeed far more to be
involved in human sacrifice via their blood-thirsty games and
gladiator spectacles, and later Christians thrown to the lions
etc. than anything near this ever taking place where the Druid
order prevailed - Keith Hunt).
It is very generally believed that the Celts were nature
worshippers, that they gave Divine honours to rivers, mountains
and woods. It is entirely a mistake to believe that they did so.
They were nature love - never nature worshippers; neither had
they a multitude of gods and goddesses, as is often affirmed. The
gods and goddesses were mere mascots, and even their
descendants(53) 53 mascots and charms have lost none of their
popularity.
Other nations never obtained a proper comprehension of Druidism;
they corrupted what they had learned of the Druidism of Britain,
blending with it religions less pure. It is recorded by Caesar
that those in Gaul who wished to be perfectly instructed in
Druidism crossed the sea to what they believed to be its birth-
place.
In the Christian era St. Patrick used the shamrock to instruct
the people in the doctrine of the Trinity, and in earlier days
the Druids used the oak for same the same purpose. They sought a
tree having two principal arms springing laterally from
the upright stem, roughly in the form of a cross. Upon the right
branch they cut the name Hesus; upon the middle or upright stem
Taranis; upon the left branch Belenis; over this they cut the
name of God - Thau.(54) The Hebrew prophets, it will be noted,
referred to their expected Messiah as 'The Branch.'
The mistletoe was another form of representation to them of their
Hesus, to whose coming they looked forward with as great
expectancy as did the Jews in the East to their Messiah - the
Britons were actually in advance of the Jews, for while the
Britons believed in the resurrection of the body, many of the
Jews did not. (It is indeed remarkable that one branch of God was
called "Hesus" - it is only a very small step to the word
"Jesus." And maybe when we understand all that Isabel Elder
writes about here, we can gain a better insight into how and why
we had "wise men" coming from the East, to worship Jesus the baby
who was born to be King Messiah. These wise men of the East (and
the Druids we have seen came originally from the "east") knew a
whole lot more than most of the rest of the world about the
things of God and His word and His prophecies of the one who was
"the Branch."
"The Druids," writes Caesar, 54 B.C. "make the immortality of
the soul the basis of all their teaching, holding it to be
the principal incentive and reason for virtuous life."(55)
(Yes the Druids like many religious orders from the East, held
the false doctrine of the immortality of the soul. I do not want
you to think the Druids had some "perfect" religion and
understanding of the full truths of God, they did not! I just
want you to realize the Druids were not in many respects the way
many have assumed they were or have been misled to believe they
were by the scanty writings of some, who really had never studied
in any detail, the FULL historical facts on what the Druids were
all about - Keith Hunt).
The similarity of the Semitic and British forms of worship has
been commented upon by archaeologists and others who have
explored megalithic remains in this country.
Sir Norman Lockyer states:
"I confess, I am amazed at the similarities we have come
across,"(56)
and Edward Davies:
"I confess that I have not been the first in representing the
Druidical as having had some connection with the patriarchal
religion.(57)
William Stukeley, from a close study of the
evidence affirms:
"I plainly discerned the religion professed by the ancient
Britons was the simple patriarchal religion"(58) an opinion which
every critical and candid student of Druid ritual, customs, and
teaching must endorse.
The unity of the Godhead was the very soul and centre of
Druidism, and this unity was a Trinity.
Procoius of Caesarea, A.D. 530, states :
"Jesus, Taran, Bel - One only God. All Druids acknowledge one
Lord God alone."(59)
The indisputable fact is that the Druids proclaimed
to the universe, 'The Lord our God is One!' WHEN CHRISTIANITY
PREACHED JESUS AS GOD, DRUIDISM HAD THE MOST FAMILIAR NAME OF ITS
OWN DEITY PRESENTED TO IT!!
In the ancient British tongue Jesus had never assumed its Greek,
Latin or Hebrew form, but remains the pure Druidic Yesu. It is
singular that the ancient Briton never changed the name of the
God he and his forefathers worshipped, nor has he ever worshipped
but one God.(60)
In the Cornish folk-lore whole sentences were treasured up
(without being understood), and when written down were found to
he pure Hebrew, Three of these rendered into English are:
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting
doors, and the King of Glory shall come in"; "Who is this King of
Glory?"; "The Lord Yesu, He is the King of Glory."(61)
(Wow....to hear all this makes my heart take a leap....God KNEW
that His people Israel, the House of Israel, would one day be
centred in the British Isles, that NT Christianity would FLOURISH
in Britain, that the Kingdom would be taken away from the Jews,
and given to a people to protect and proclaim....yes not only the
spiritual Israel, but spiritual Israel centred in the British
Isles, and from there Christianity would be preached, published,
and proclaimed around the world. The English speaking people have
done MORE to teach and proclaim God's Holy Word and the New
Testament, than any other peoples in the last 2,000 years. We
shall see in further studies the truth that Christianity came to
the British Isles not many years after Jesus had died and was
resurrected again. God was already in ancient Britain preparing a
people, parts of his people Israel who had broken away from the
main trunk centuries before, to receive Christianity and the New
Testament Word of God - Keith Hunt).
Druidism with its self-evident Old Covenant origin, which latter
was, indeed, the great 'oral secret' transmitted by Druid sages
from generation to generation, its doctrine of the Trinity,
worship entirely free from idolatry, furtherance of peace and
contribution to the settling of disputes among the laity, high
moral tone, and insistence on the liberty and rights of the
subject, was a perfect (the word "perfect" maybe an over-
statement, but how Britain received and welcomed Christianity,
and the news of Hesus or Jesus, cannot be over-stated, for all
historical writings and facts, only prove it to be so - Keith
Hunt) preparation for the reception of Christianity.
Upon the introduction of Christianity the Druids were called
upon, not so much to reverse their ancient faith, as to "lay it
down for a fuller and more perfect revelation." No country can
show a more rapid, and natural merging of a native religion into
Christianity, than that which was witnessed in Britain in the
first century A.D. The readiness with which the Druids accepted
Christianity, the facilities with which their places of worship
and colleges were turned to Christian uses, the willingness of
the people to accept the new religion are facts which the modern
historian has either overlooked or ignored.(62)
1. Ed.Davies, "Celtic Researches," pp.171,182.
2. Diogenes Laertius in proem., p.5. In proem., p.6.
3. Macpherson, "Dissertations," p.341.
4. Gomer.A Brief Analysis of the Language and Knowledge of
Ancient Cymry. London,1854.
5. Matthew Arnold, "Celtic Literature," p.254.
6. Triodd Braint a Defod, Walter, op. cit. p.33. Lloyds "History
of Cambria," ed. Powell, praef. p.9.
7. Myvy Arch., II, 57.
8. "Traditional Annals of the Cymry," p.27. Triad H. Sharon
Turner,"History Anglo Saxon," Vol.1.
9. Gildas, MS. (Julius, D.XI), Cottonian Library. Morgan's
"British Cymry."
10.John 18:38.
11."Diggers for Facts," pp.226-229.
12.Strabo, I, IV, p.197. Caesars Comm. Lib. V. Sueotonius, V.
Calegula. E. Campion, "Account of Ireland," p.18.
13.See Toland's "History of the Druids," p.50.
14.De Bell Gall. VII, 15, x6.
15.Vol. I, Chap. II, p.142, Amm. Marcel, "History," IV,9.
16.De Bell Gall, VI, 13,14.
17.Pompon Mela, III, 2,
18.Philosoph, I.
19.O'Curry's "Manners and Customs of Anc. Irish," Vol. II. School
of Simon Druid on O'Mulconry's Glossary: M.S.H. 2, 16 (Coll.
116),in Trinity College Library, Dublin. See also Reeve's
"Adamnan," p.48.
20.Stanihurst, "De Rebus in Hibernia," p.37.
21."Book of Lecain," folio 168. Toland, "History Druids," p.223.
22.J.Smith, "Gal. Antiq," p.8o.
23.S.Lysons, "Our British Ancestors," p.44.
24.Hecat. ab. Diod. Sicul, Lib. III. Avienus, "The Britannia."
Smith, "History of the Druids," pp.69,70, Cartes, "History
England," Vol.I, p.52.
25.See note 3,p.35.
26.Lib. III.
27.Vide Sir Norman Lockyer, "Stonehenge," 1906.
28.Wm.Stukeley, "Stonehenge," p.1l.
29.Strabo, Bk. XVIL Chap. I, Sir G. Cornwall. Lewis "Ast. of the
Ancients," p.198.
30.Triad,32.
31."History of Architecture," p.73.
32."Momumenta Historica Britanica," p.12
33."History of England," Vol.1. p,6
34."Stonehenge," p.254.
35."Standing stones and Maeshowe of Stennes," 1894.
36.Stukley, "Abury," p.40.
37.P.Llyod, "Island of Mona," p.41.
38.Origen on "Ezekiel," Homily 1V.
39.Josephus, "Jewish Wars," Bk.V, p.132.
40.Myo.Arch., Vol.III (laws of dynwal Moelmud).
41.Ibid.
42.Vallancy, "Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicus," p.211. Lysons,
"Our British Ancestors," p.196.
43.King's "Vale Royal," p.2. Annales Cambriae, CLXIX.
44.Strobo, "Geogr," 1V, 4,5; XV, 1,5.M.F. Cusack, "History of
Ireland," p.116, note.
45.E.Wilson, "Light and Shadows," p.262. Triad 233.
46.Josephus, Antiq., Bk.XX, p.9.
47.Dio.Sic.Tom.I, p.158. Taliesen, "Bards and Druids of Britain,"
Nash,p.15.
48."Ancient Laws of Cambria" (British Museum).
49.Crania Britannicaw, Vol.I,p.78.
50.Ibid.
51.See E.Wilson's "Lights and Shadows," pp.6,7.
52.Hulbert's "Religions of Britain," p.37. Hen.Huntingdon
History, Lib.III, apud res Anglia Script, p.322, ed. Saville.
53.See Stukley, "Abury," pp.2,38,49,76.
54.Schedius, "Treatise de Mor. Germ," XXIV. Thomas Maurice,
"Indian Antiquities," Vol.VI, p.49.
55.De Bell. Gall.Lib., VI, chap.XIII.
56."Stonehenge and other British Monuments," p.252.
57."Mythology and Rites of the British druids as ascertained from
National Documents," Pref. p.vii.
58."Abury," Pref. p.i. G.Smith, "Religion of Ancient Britain,"
p.43.
59.Origen on "Ezekile." (Richardson's "Godwin de Presulibis.")
60.Dr.Henry, "History of Great Britain," I, 2.
61.Rev.Dr.Margoliouth, "Jews in Britain," Vol.1, p.23; Vol III,
p.198.
62.Rolleston, Mazzaroth, 113.
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