Welsh Journals

THE & a u a M AND PEOPLE'S FRIEND. CONTENTS. Pa*e. Druidism (continued).......49 A Golden Article....... 50 The intellectual, moral, state of "WreSham . A "Welsh Moral . . . Conscience .... and religious 52 54 54 Retrospect of the Month.....55 Local Affairs......... 56 Emigration, (Letter 2.)..... 59 Church-Rat.es........ 61 Remarks on Mr. T. Francis's Evidence , 62 Church Establishments..... 63 Dissenting Funerals....... 63 Sunday-School Philosophy .... 64 No. 4. Vol. 1.1 NOVEMBER 1st, 1848. Peice Id. DRUIDISM : OR THE RELIGIOUS, MORAL, AND SOCIAL STATE OE THE WELSH BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY AMONGST THEM. (continued from page 34.) As a peculiar badge of their office, each Druid had an artificial egg, called a snake's egg, as an image or symbol of the Ark. An egg the Druids considered a proper emblem of the ark, hecause an egg had within it the principles of vitality—as the ark had within it, during the deluge, the elements for re-peopling the earth. This artificial egg contained within it a ring of glass, of an appropriate colour; hut of a superior form or make to the usual golden rings. They were manufactured by the Druids themselves; and were called snake stones. They were much prized Dn account of the great virtues they were supposed to possess. The Bard's rings were of a blue colour; the Druid's white; and the Ovate's green: and those of each of these a Gibsou's Camden. Owen's Diet. colours, or the tricoloured ones, were peculiar to their Disciples." The Druidical religion, a system of superstition based upon the Patri- archial religion, prevailed for many centuries in this country. And its Deities were only departed heroes. Although the Druids were not al¬ together ignorant of the existence and providence of the only true God, yet they served him not as God ; neither did they acknowledge their dependence upon Him for their ex¬ istence and support; but as the other Heathen, — worshipped a host of false deities, and instructed the people to offer up human sacrifices to them.6 For ages after the arrival of the Welsh in this Island, human beings, or departed heroes, were their deities. b Taliesin. Aneurin. Julius desar.