Forlong - Rivers of Life

Tree Worship.
Europe is today. See, in confirmation of this, the conclusions of Barlow in his
“Symbolism.” Borlase sees much similarity between the Magi aud our Druids, and
Strabo did the same; both earried in their hands during the celebration of their rites a
bunch of plants, that of the Magi was of course the Hom, called Barsom; Asyrian
and Persepolis sculptures substantiate this. The Hom looks very like the mistletoe,
and the learned Dr Stukely thinks that this parnaite is meant as being on the tree
mentioned in Isaiah vi. 13. It is generally agreed that the Tiel tree of the translators
should be rendered an oak, or a species of holy lime which has purple “flowers, like
those of the vine, growing in bunches, with a fruit of ruddy purple, the size of a juniper
berry.” 1 It will be noticed that it is winter time with this tree, a.nd the Doctor
says we should translate the passage, “As an oak, whose plant is alive upon it,”
which, says Isaiah, “shall be eaten,” so that here we have the same idea in regard to
the All heal, or mistletoe, as in the case of the Homa. No doubt from the Homa, or
sacred wine, arose the practices of consecrating or offering an oblation to a god, a tree,
a ship; pouring wine over holy stones and hills, pledging oaths in drinking and over a
bottle, a bowl, or a glass of wine. Madame Genlis says that in her day the Maypole,
the Summer Holly-tree of our children, but formerly of very manly men, was commonly
sprinkled with wine, and the same idea which so abundantly decorates it with
triangles or seva, arks or teeba, is still seen in the rags and potsherds which rustics
throw to solitary and mystic-looking trees.
Canute, in the eleventh century, was induced to forbid Tree worship, but the
councils of the churches may be seen inveighing against it down to the fifteenth century.
“As late as the latter part of the eighteenth century it existed in Livonia, and
traces of it may still be found in the British isles” (Barlow, p. 118).
Fergusson, in his beautiful work on “Tree and Serpent Worship,” puts the Tree
as the first of faiths, although not very clearly so. He says that “long before the
Theban gods existed, Tree and Serpent faiths flourished. The Methidy tree was
brought into the later religion, to shade with holy reverence the tomb of Osiris; the
Sycamore was holy to Netpe and the Persea to Athor, whilat the Tamarisk played an
important part in all the rites and ceremonies of Osiris and Isis; and all who are
orthodox will acknowledge that Abram seemed to consider that he could not worship
his Jove till he had planted his grove and digged a well (Gen. xxi. 33). His Oak or
“Terebinth” on the plains of Mamre, was commonly worshipped till the fourth
century A.C., and it is revered by Jews to the present hour. Jacob did nought without
erecting his pillars nor could Adonijah, the rebellious son of David’s old age, make war
without sacrificing by the stone of Zoheleth (1 Kings i. 9). When speaking of the
caves of Westem India (Arch. II. 33), Fergusson writes to the effect that long ere
Boodha or his saints were represented by images and adored, long ere the caves and
temples of that faith had sanctuaries for holy reIics, the first actual symbol-worship he
1 Marginal reading of Isaiah vi. 13.—Bagster’s Comprehensive Bible.
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