The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

Ill
LECTURE VII.
PLACES OF INITIATION INTO THE CELTIC MYSTERIES.
IN attempting to reduce the Celtic Mysteries to order
and regularity, the inquiry will be confined almost,
exclusively to Druidism as practised in Britain, which
contains the essence and perfection of the system; for
Cesar informs us that the principles of Druidism were
better understood in Britain than in Gaul ; and that it
was customary for the inhabitants of the latter country,
who wished for more perfect information on the intricate
subject of their mysterious doctrines and practies, to
pass over into Britain, where accurate instruction was
alone to be obtained. 1
The name of these extraordinary priests 2 has been
variously derived. The most commonly received opinion
is, that its origin must be ascribed to the Greek ^QVS, an
oak, because this tree was esteemed peculiarly sacred by
the Druids; 3 and from its spontaneous production of the
sacred misletoe, 4
had selected
they believed that the deity
1 Ces. de bel. 1. Gal., vi.,
c. 12.
2 Mr. Reuben Barrow, in the second volume of the Asiatic Researches,
(p. 489,) says. "That the Druids of Britain were Brahmins
is beyond the least shadow of a doubt ; but that they were all murdered
and their sciences lost, is out of all bounds of probability ; it is
much more likely that they turned schoolmasters, Freemasons, and
fortunetellers, and, in this way, part of their sciences might easily
descend to posterity, as we find they have done." With what feeling
towards Masonry Mr. Barrow said this, I have not the means of
determining, nor does it in the least alter the character of his assertion.
I shall consider the opinion as tending to illustrate the anti-
quity of the science. The Druids were schoolmasters, fortunetellers,
and Freemasons also, though the name was not known in the ages
when they flourished. They certainly did practise a science derived
from Freemasonry, and applied to the same object, the worship
of the
deity ; but deteriorated, as all institutions must necessarily be, when
the vital principle is wholly discarded.
3 Plin. Nat. Hist., 1. xvi.. c. 4.
4 The misletoe was invested with a character so holy, that it was
accounted a profanation to touch it with the finger.
The ceremonies