The History of Initiation - The Masonic Trowel

154 HISTORY OF INITIATION.
The lowest degree of the mysteries conveyed the
power of vaticination in its minor divisions. Borlase
says, 16 " The Eubates or vates were of the third or lowest
class; their name, as some think, being derived from
Tlwda, which, amongst the Irish, commonly signifies
magic, and their business was to foretell future events ;
to be ready on all common occasions to satisfy the inqui-
ries of the anxious and credulous." The Druids practised
augury for the public service of the state 17 while ;
the
Eubates were merely fortune-tellers, and dealers in
charms and philtres, to recover lost treasure, or to excite
the soft passion of love and ; they were the authors of
an abundance of ridiculous superstitions and absurd ceremonies
to promote good fortune or avert calamity, many
18
of which remain to this day.
the con-
Symbolical instruction is recommended by
stant usage of antiquity ; and retained its influence
throughout all ages, as a system of mysterious communication.
Even the Deity himself, in his revelation to
man, condescended to adopt the use of material images
for the purpose of enforcing sublime truths, as is evident
made me very apprehensive the equilibrium might be destroyed ;
balanced that there was
but, on examining it, I found it was so nicely
no danger of it falling. The construction of this equipoised stone
must have been by artists well skilled in the powers of mechanics."
Dr. Borlase has described these stones with much minuteness (Ant.
Corn., b. iii., c. 4).
16 Ant. Corn., p. 67.
17 u We have many instances," says Stukeley (Itin. Cur., vol. ii.,
p. 14), " of Druid men and women endued with the spirit of prophecy.
I shall mention but one out of Josephus (Ant. Jud., xviii.). The
Jewish Agrippa fell into the displeasure of Tiberius, who put him in
bonds. As he stood leaning against a tree before the palace, an owl
perched upon that tree: a German Druid, one of the Emperor's
guards, spoke to him to be of good cheer, for he should be released
from those bonds, and arrive at great dignity and power but bid him
;
remember that when he saw the bird again, he should live but five
days. All this came to pass. He was made king by Caligula St.
;
Paul preached before him and ; Josephus speaks of his death agreeably
to the prediction."
18 The system of vaticination was ultimately prostituted by the
Druids themselves to unworthy purposes, in which fraud and pecuniary
emolument appear to be the most striking features. Dr. Borlase
and Meyrick have enumerated, at great length, these glaring impositions
on a superstitious and abused people, and their respective works
may be referred to by those who feel any curiosity on the subject.
(Ant. Corn., b. ii., c. 21. Meyrick. Hist. Cardig, Introd.)