The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

150
LECTURE IX.
SYMBOLS AND DOCTRINES OF THE DRUIDS.
THE initiations were finally completed at day-break ;
and at the rising of the sun, an awful period with those
who practised the Sabian idolatry, as a decisive proof
of his cabalistic attainments, the adept was required to
exhibit his skill in the art of divination. These mystical
performances were of various liinds. On high occasions
the entrails of sacrifices afforded them every information
they could desire on all subjects which came under their
consideration. They predicted future events from the
flight of birds T
; by white horses 2
; by the agitation of
water, or hydromancy, and by lots. 3 The latter process,
being the most celebrated, may merit a brief description.
One hundred and forty-seven shoots were cut from the
apple tree, with many superstitious ceremonies ; they
were exactly of the same length, but with a varied
diversity of branchings and ramifications, each being a
secret symbol representing a word, a letter, or an idea.
These were the elementary principles by which the
result was effected. Being cast into a white napkin,
after certain incantations the divine will was ascertained
on any specified subject by taking an indifferent number
of these tallies indiscriminately from the napkin, and
skilfully developing the mysterious ideas which they
appeared to convey. Of all the secrets of Druidism,
this appears to have been the most highly esteemed. It
1
Taliesin. Mic Dinbych. Welsh Archseol., vol. i., p. 67.
2
Borl. Ant. Corn., p. 134.
3
Taliesin. Kadair Teyrn On. Welsh Archseol., vol. i. p. 65.
Sir R. C. Hoare discovered in a tumulus near Stonehenge, amidst
some ashes and burned bones, four small bone trinkets, which he
supposes were used for casting lots. They are oblong, about three
quarters of an inch one way, by half an inch the other, and about
one-eighth of an inch in thickness. One side is flat and the other
convex, and they are each adorned with a separate and distinguishing
device. This great antiquary ranks them amongst the most
eminent curiosities which he had been fortunate enough to discover
in all his laborious and comprehensive researches; and considers
them as forming a step towards the use of letters.