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—————306 NOTES.THE DRUIDIC CHICLES CONSIDERED AS TEMPLES,When Piukarton asserts (7. 1. p. 405.) that Druidisrn was ofPhoenician origin, and again, (ibid. p. 407.) that the Druids hadno temples, but worshipped in groves, he shews his utter ignoranceof ancient history. The Carthagenians (see HnnVs ReligiousRites and (Jeremonies^ p.28.), the Tjiians, the Phtcnicians,the Philistines, and Canaanites, v. ere one and the samepeople, and had one and the same religion. The Moabites,Phccnicians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and even the Hebrews, wereworshippers of Baal.!f56.)See Browii^s Dictionary 0f the Bihle^ (p.The worship of Baal (ihe same as the Celtic Beal) wasthe faTOurite sin of the jews; and hence, in the sacred records,which I consider as the best of ail evidence, many interestingparticulars are preserred respecting this worship.Moies, at thefoot of Mount Sinai, bnilt an altar, and surrciinded it wifh twelveitonc pillars. See Exodus^ ch. 24. v. 4. As Moses had hither.to received no express command respecting a temple, itmay bepresumed he took the model of this one from his Ethnic neigh-Ix^crs. It is worthy of remark, that by far the greater numberof the Druidical temples are surrounded hj twelve pillars.children of Israel servedBaal and AshtarothBaalim.i. e. the sun and the moon.They served Baalim and the groves.and grove of Baal are mentioned Jiidgis 6. ^5.serveJudg. 10. 6.TheJiidg. 2. 11. They servedJudg, 2, IS.JvA^, 3. 7. The altarThe IsraelitesBaalim and Ashtaroth, and a long list of other gods.1st Sam. 7. 4.The Israelites put away Baalim and Ashtaroth.—Ahab reared up an altar for Baal in the Houseof Baal, which he had built at Samaria. This is, at least, oneinstance of a temple. Jehu decoyed the priests and worshippersof Baal into the house of Baal, and slew them. He broke downthe images of BaaV, and the house of Baal, and went to the cityof the house of Baal. In this instance we find Baal had not onlya house, (temple) but even a city dedicated to him. Manymch instances might be condescended on.Moses, who certainly knew something of the matter, ccmiaa;ijl5the jews ta d^stfoy tkeir aiUus, io break down their