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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 612, 18 October 1913, Page 3

e; 3 hia remarks he siuitsd that the cult; of ihe Druijy had for objects the ascertaining of the iViia of the Divine Being and ihc revolution of ths sterc. They sought to be fensve and to-.do injury to none, pretended to be acquainted with the constitution ot the whole universe; and the retirement :n which they lived helped them in their pretensions. The sou! they considered immortal, regarded death as a certain means of arriving at a more happy fate. Those who died at home amongst peaceful surroundings were buried without pomp, but those who died in battle were praised and songs were mads in their praise—they were to taste never-ending happiness. They regarded as condemned to perpetual forgetfulness those who died un« credited with any public service and w?:o had not fought in battle, these beliefs agreeing with the warlike customs of the Gauls. The Draids taught weekly that all things would one day be destroyed by fire or water. They believed in the transmigration of souls. The dead were burnt and their ashes deposited in urns; articles of value even accounts owing to the departed were buried with them and letters written and thrown into the graves were be lieved to reach the shades. Knowledge Druidical as communicated morally, in verse, and never committed to writing fifteen or twenty years being required for proper learnings of the sagas. The Druids cultivated the science of medicine, professed to read the stars and look into the future. At a late date in their history they dabbled in magic. Their knowledge of herbs was limited and was supplemented by superstitions as to the manner and time in which they were to be plucked. A Greek writer describes the plucking of sedge. An instrument might not be used the person plucking it was to be dressed in white, cover the right hand with hia garment and transfer the plant to the other hand when plucked—having first offered a particular sacrifice. Vervain was credited with miraculous powers. The deaths of illustrious persons were responsible for storms and tempescs; the rolling of thunder, comets, all extraordinary phenomena were attributed to the same causes. The Druids suffered the belief amongst their followers that they had the power to change their forms at will or to disappear in the air. The sacrifice of human victims was part of their creed and necessitated the blotting of the Druids in Roman days. One of the most solemn rites of the Druids was thnt of gathering the mistlstoe. which often grows i n the oak hut sometimes on other tree?. The Gcda were tnonglit to have granted She mistletoe tii the oak and it was bought assiduously by the Druids who, however, cm;ld only gather it in the month ol December, on the rixth day of the moon. On the appointed day they assembled themselves in the most solemn manner, all the peuple advancing into the woods, with the Druids in front, singing hymns, and songs of praise. The Arch-Druid, in white followed three Druids, then the concourse of people. The Arch-Druid culled the mistletos with golden scythe. Two white bullß were sacrificed and the people feasted and prayers for good fortune were offered. On the first day of the year they blessed the mistletoe and presented it to the people.