IDOL-WORSHIP.
SOME Irish writers, from a spirit of patriotism, have expressed the opinion that, though English, French, Germans, &c. may have bowed before idols. their country-men had never been subject to that error.
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While professing a derivation from Spain, they have ignored the fact that Iberian idolatry was well known. They equally ignore the testimony of St. Patrick and other missionaries in Erin, the writings of Irish Saints, and the evidence of objects which are substantial witnesses.
Roman authors had no doubt of the presence of idols among the Celtic inhabitants of Gaul; and any visitor to Hotel Cluny, in Paris, can soon satisfy himself as to the truth, by a glance at the images stored in that noble museum of French history.
Vallencey said, "The Irish Druids were not idolaters, had no graven images." O'Kearney admits that "the pure monotheism of the Druids had dwindled down into a vulgar polytheism, previous to the date of the Fenian era." But O'Curry denies alike images, human sacrifices, and sun-worship. Arthur Clive could write--"There is abundant reason to suppose that there were no idols in use among the ancient Irish, no carved representations of the gods."
In the Museum Catalogue of the Irish Academy, it is written--"The ecclesiastical chroniclers of the period, in their zeal for the establishment of Christianity, would appear to have altogether ignored the subject of pagan worship." But Ennius distinctly records that when Patrick went to Cashel, "all the idols fell prostrate."
In St. Patrick's Confession we read--"Whence is it that in Ireland, those who never had the knowledge of a God, but worshipped even filthy idols," &c. Petrie declares it was "not unusual for St. Patrick to dedicate pagan monuments to the true God." In the Fiacc Hymn it is said--"There was darkness over Erin, they adored things of Faery." The Tripartite Life speaks of this adoration; the Confession says the adorers "shall unhappily fall into eternal punishment."
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