Her second name was Scotia Major, and Scotland was Scotia Minor, and
England was Tarshish, and Dannoii and Baratamac, or Land of Tin. Yar in
Eirin means the land of the setting sun. Hibernia is an Hebrew word, and
means from beyond the river of waters.
Two colonies settled in Ireland; the first, the Phoenicians, who were the
Philistines or ancient Canaanites; the second settlers were the Tuath de
Danan, meaning the Tribe of Dan. The words are Hebrew, yet in Irish.
For further information let any one read "Pinnock's Catechism on
Ireland." The Phoenicians were a sea-faring people; pressed by Israel,
Egypt, and Assyria, they finally left Canaan, and settled in Ireland. We
find nine-tenths of Irish historians agreeing on this. Then the
monuments teach the same--ancient inscriptions, one of which written was,
"We are Canaanites who have fled from Joshua, the son of Nun, the
robber." The people who show tourists the seven churches of
Glendenlough, say they are Hittites and Hivites. Again, ruins of Baal
temples, Cromlechs, round towers, go to confirm the same. Customs--Baal
fires, on May eve, in Irish Ninna-baal-tinne; funeral wakes, or cup of
consolation, forbidden to Israel when they sought to copy after the
Philistines. "Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to
drink for father or mother" (Jer. xvi. 7). The Irish language came from
the Phoenician, the alphabet of both being composed of sixteen letters
originally, the only alphabet in the world so agreeing. From the Irish
came the Gaelic, Welsh, Cornwall, and the Manx from them all.
The second settlement of Ireland is what puzzles historians of
to-day--not the old historians, for they, nine out of ten, admit that the
Formorians, Firbolgs, and Tuath de Danans, were one and the same people.
They were a divine folk. The Tribe of Dan was a sea-faring Tribe,
trading from Tyre to Tarshish for tin, and so became acquainted with the
British Isles, and during Ahab's persecution many of them fled; so of the
Simeonites who settled in Wales. This shows us why the North and South
of Ireland should be so distinct to this day in religion, enterprise, and
general characteristics. When the Tribe of Dan finally left Palestine,
they with the other Nine Tribes went North, settling in Denmark, as in
the North of Ireland, leaving their names on rivers, hills, cities, and
things.
It is this that accounts for so many words of an Hebrew origin being
found in the Irish language. General Vallancy has compared thousands and
finds them thus related to the Hebrew. Instance: Jobhan-Moran, Chief
Justice; Rectaire, Judge; Mur-Ollam, School of the Prophets; Ollam-Folla,
Divine Teacher; Mergech, a Depository; Tara, Law; Tephi, Prince of the
East; Lia-Fail, Stone of Destiny; Eden Gedoulah, Precious Stone.
If to Irish history we join Bible history, all is plain. God promised
David repeatedly that he should always have his throne and on it his
seed. The permanence of David's throne makes it a fit type of Christ's.
Now, Jeremiah took charge of Zedekiah's daughter when Nebuchadnezzar took
the Jews captive. He went to Egypt, then escaped, God promising to keep
him whithersoever he went. So he disappears. No account of his death in
the Bible. He had charge of the ark of the covenant, royal seed and
Jacob's pillow--the stone of Israel. Irish histories, some twenty of
which we find agree, say that about 585 B.C., a divine man landed in
Ulster, having with him the king's daughter, stone of destiny, and ark,
and many other wonderful things. The people of Ulster, of Dan,
understood the old adventurer. Jeremiah married Tephi, Zedekiah's
daughter, to Eoiacaid, who agreed to abandon Baal worship and build a
school for the prophets. So he did. He then assumed the title of
Heremon of Tara. From Tara, which was changed from Lothair Croffin into
Tara. From Tephi comes our goddess of Liberty, on old coins, sitting on
a lion. Now, at Tara, Jeremiah buried the ark of the covenant, tables of
law, &c., and instituted the nine-arch degree of Masonry, to keep in mind
its hiding-place,--so all may understand Jer. iii. 16: "And it shall come
to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days,
saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the
Lord; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it;
neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more." This
means that when the ark is found the ceremony will end; for the ark has
to be found and go before the Jews when they return to their own land.
Jeremiah was the first Grand Master. He, too, is the real St.
Patrick--simply the Patriarchal Saint, which became St. Patriarch, then
St. Patrick. The Roman Church introduced St. Patrick to offset the St.
Patriarch.
Jeremiah well knew where the Tribes of Israel were in his day. He knew
that Judah, Levi, and Benjamin, were in Babylon, filling in the seventy
years of captivity, and the small remnant that Nebuchadnezzar left of
them in Judah were scattered hither and thither. The Nine Tribes, or
Israel, were settled in Central Asia, and were spreading Northward and
Westward. This he knew, as easily as Peter did centuries after, when he
wrote his epistle to the brethren, scattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, and Asia; or as James, who dedicated his epistle to the
Twelve Tribes which were scattered abroad; or as the Blessed Master who
commissioned and sent His disciples after the lost sheep of the House of
Israel. The place and locality of the Nine Tribes were known to the
Jewish nation in the time of Josephus, the historian, for he speaks of
them, and gives them a fraternal letter which the House of Judah sent
unto the House of Israel. You are to keep in mind that it is after this
the Tribes of Israel are to be lost. All prophecies after 700 B.C., up
to this, our day, and till about 1882 A.D., that had reference to Israel,
plainly mark out the dwelling-place of these Tribes, and yet these
prophecies not being understood, till these latter days, Israel was as
actually lost as if there had been no such prophecies. These prophecies
were first sent North, then West, and then to the "isles of the sea."
The law of the Gospel of Jesus would be sent to these Tribes; till then
the "isles had to wait for the law." In due time this law was carried to
them by the missionary Tribe of Benjamin. This very thing and time the
prophet had foretold, for he says: "Wherefore glorify ye the Lord by the
Urim; the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands of the Western
sea." How true, indeed "the isles of the sea saw it and feared."
Jeremiah knew that the Tribe of Dan were a seafaring people, and in their
trading they had become acquainted with Northern Europe and the British
Isles. During the persecutions of Ahab thousands of them had left
Palestine, settling in Denmark--this word Denmark means the circle of
Dan. In course of time they crossed the sea and took possession of the
North of Ireland, settling in the province of Ulster. The Tribe of
Simeon, that had ever cast its lot with Dan, left Palestine and settled
in Wales. Read the prophetic benedictions of the patriarch Jacob in the
light of these historical facts, and they will stand out in sunlight
brightness. "Dan shall judge his people as _one_ of the Tribes of
Israel." In his _oneness_, all alone he shall go out first, mark out and
prepare the way of the other Tribes; and the royal seed, the ruling
power, shall hide itself in him. "Dan shall be a serpent by the way; an
adder in the path that biteth the horses' heels so that his rider shall
fall backward." Yes, Dan will be hid among the Gentiles. He will bite
them, sting them, frustrating their purposes. Then exclaims Jacob: "I
have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord." Dan did wait, until the prophet
Jeremiah landed in his midst with Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah,
the royal seed, with the ark of the covenant, the tables of the law, the
Urim and Thummim, which would enable Dan to judge his people, with the
stone of Jacob, the pillar witness, which is now in the royal chair in
Westminster Abbey; and also with the standard of Judah. Thus the
prophet, who was the rightful custodian of all these things, carefully
cared for the same, leaving them in charge of Dan. All but the stone
have been concealed till the latter day. For on this stone have been
crowned all the kings and queens of David's line.
Now just here we must take up history--especially Irish history--for in
this matter and at this very point, you will find profane and sacred
histories agreeing. One will beautifully explain the other; nor can
anybody understand Irish history unless they get the key from sacred
history. To take this key later writers have been unwilling, and,
therefore, they have been unable to solve the problem embodied in this
race and nation. No people on the face of the earth have been less
understood and more misrepresented. The real allophyllians of
Ireland--that is, the first native settlers--are unknown. The present
inhabitants are not autochthonal, no more than we are the first settlers
of this country. On one point all old historians are agreed--namely,
that Ireland has been settled by two distinct colonies of people; and
from these two colonies came the present Irish race. These two colonies
were distinct in features, manners, customs, enterprise, and religion,
and after all these centuries have passed away, these differences are
discernable in some degree, especially so in enterprise and religion.
And though, of course, in these latter years, they have become
considerably mixed, yet an appeal on either of these points will mark out
the Danite from the Phoenician. From the loud boasting of the Phoenician
Irishman in Ireland, when speaking of America, you would think that he
would pluck out his eyes and give them for a gift if need be. Well, a
few years ago, Chicago was bitterly scourged with a fire. The need and
distress thus caused appealed to the nations of the earth for help. The
response was grand and glorious. Even hateful old John Bull did well.
But what did Ireland do? Take two of her leading cities as an example;
one in the North, the other in the South. Belfast in the North, of the
Tribe of Dan; Dublin in the South, of the Phoenicians. Belfast sent
36,000 dols.; Dublin, 2,000 dols. Why this difference? We answer,
Forsooth, the people of Belfast are Danites; they of Dublin are
Phoenicians.
The Phoenicians, or Philistines, were the ancient Canaanites. They took
early possession of Ireland. On this point the old as well as the new
historians generally agree. But there was another early settlement in
the North of Ireland whom the historians called _Tuath de Danan_, which
simply means the folks of the Tribe of Dan. They introduced into the
Irish language hundreds of Hebrew words, with many customs and legends of
the Hebrews. They were very distinct in their enterprise and religion
from the other settlers. About the year 580 B.C. there appeared before
this people a strange man, whom the historians call _Ollam-Folla_, which
means a divine teacher; the name or title is in Hebrew. This man,
whoever he was, soon wielded great power in their midst. What he
commanded they seemed ready to do. He very soon inaugurated wonderful
reforms. He gave them a parliament, made them give up their idolatrous
customs. He founded a college to train students to teach and preach his
religion. It was called _Mur-Ollam_, school of the Divine. Here again
the name is Hebrew, although in Irish. This wonderful man had with him a
fair young princess, whose name in Hebrew-Irish was _Tea Tephi_, which
means the beautiful one from the East. This lovely princess was married
to the governor of Ulster, Heremon. He resided in the City of Lothair
Croffin. In the agreement of the marriage, among many things, he was to
accept her religion, give her joint authority, and build the Mur-Ollam,
or college, and sustain it. Also to change the name of his city from
_Lothair Croffin_ to _Tara_, which means law; to adopt her standard or
banner emblem, the harp and lion, and to be crowned on the wonderful
stone called in Irish-Hebrew, _Lia-Fail_, which means stone of destiny,
sometimes called _Eben Gedoulah_, the precious stone. From this Tea
Tephi we get our female goddess of liberty, who on old coins is seated
upon a lion with the Davidian harp in her hand.
Our text tells us that Jeremiah was to plant and build up. Here he
planted, and here he did build. He planted and built a throne, a
college, and a religion. Turn to Ezekiel, chapter xvi., and read the
famous riddle. Tea Tephi is the tender twig that was cropped off from
the high cedar, King Zedekiah, and planted among the merchants by great
waters on the mountain of Israel. She was the tender one that was to
take root downward. To Jeremiah, the Lord said, "Verily it shall be well
with thy remnant." Nay, more, He told him that He would give him his
life for a prey whithersoever he went. And in 2 Kings xix. 30, we read:
"And the remnant that is escaped of the House of Judah shall yet again
take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go
forth a remnant and they that escape out of Mount Zion; the zeal of the
Lord of hosts shall do this." And Ezekiel, in his captivity, sent forth
a prophecy referring to the wicked prince, Zedekiah, saying of his throne
in the name of Jehovah: "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it
shall be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it
Him." So was this throne overturned, and was never after established in
Jerusalem. You will notice that there are three overturnings, and as
Scriptural language is emphatic and not superfluous or tautological,
these overturnings mean something. Turn to history, and you will find
this throne has been turned over just three times--first, from Jerusalem
to Ireland; second, through King Fergus to Scotland, and, third, through
King James, from Scotland to England. This throne can never be turned
over again, for Jerusalem will be incorporated into the British Empire.
The throne has turned over till it got home again; hence, as surely as we
live, Palestine will go into the hands of England. The throne, religion,
and education established by the prophet have ever kept together. This
is the secret of Ireland's prestige and marvellous pre-eminence in
centuries past. The college of Armach could boast of 7,000 students at a
time. Missionaries went forth from Ireland through all Europe, teaching
Christianity, and founding schools. Few men can compare to Virgilus,
Eregina, Columbanus, and Columba. In olden times she was known as the
"Isle of the Saints." The day of Ireland's weakness and distress came to
her when she permitted her religion to be corrupted and controlled by
foreigners; and by these same Italian intriguers she is now impoverished
and enslaved. But for this the throne might have remained with her
to-day, and England and Scotland have been under her. But when a nation
loses her religion, she loses the right arm of power, and the ability to
preserve freedom.
Jeremiah was the patron-saint for Ireland for a long time. Simeon (the
Welsh) had and have David; and as surely as the Welsh have kept their
saint, so surely ought Ireland. St. Patrick is looked upon by many as a
mythical person. I believe, however, that he was a veritable man. The
best authorities make out that he was born at Bonavena, in ancient Gaul,
near what is now called Boulogne, some time about 387 A.D. He is
reported as having died March 17th, 465, in the county Down. His
father's name was Calpurnius. Young Calpurnius, or St. Patrick, as he
was afterwards called, had a hard life of it in youth. I believe him to
have been a Benjamite, a Christian; for the Benjamites began to fill in
that part of France about that period. This Tribe were by nature
missionaries. This prompted him to desire to redeem his brethren in
Ireland. In Ulster he began his labours. From this same Tribe others
had visited Ireland. History mentions four who preceded St. Patrick.
The name of St. Paul, by many, is connected with a visit to Ireland. It
is very easy to see how Jeremiah, the patron-saint of Judah, would be
installed in such a relation with the Danites after his death. He was
the real sainted patriarch of Ireland. And by a crafty design of Rome,
young Calpurnius was created sainted patriarch, or St. Patrick, and by
this means Rome linked the greater part of the Irish nation on to
herself. Anybody honest and familiar with history knows that St. Patrick
was a Christian, and in no sense of the word a Roman Catholic. The fact
is, Rome began early to covet Ireland. Once they got possession, it was
necessary for them to destroy the influence of Jeremiah. This they did,
in part, by substituting the name of St. Patrick in the place of the
prophet's; and more, they then set to work to destroy even the old and
famous capital city of Tara. In 565 St. Ruadham, along with a _posse_ of
bishops and chiefs of the South of Ireland, cursed the city, so that
neither King nor Queen might ever rule or reign therein again. They
forced the government, monarchy and people to abandon the place. From
thence Tara was deserted, and the harp sounded no more through Tara's
halls. The city thus cursed crumbled to ruins, and remains to this day
buried, awaiting a glorious resurrection. Rome caught her prize at last;
but neither Rome nor any other power ever enslaved or conquered Ulster.
Beyond the pale--that is, the dividing line, running from the Boyne to
the Shannon--Rome never got, nor never will. Irishmen clamour for
independence, to be free from England, and wonder why they are not. The
reason is that God cannot trust liberty to them; for a people that yoke
themselves to a foreigner, and give themselves over to be governed in
spiritual matters, would make a poor effort if trusted with their
temporal government. We all know that if Ireland had been free, she
would not long have remained so, for body, as well as soul, she would
have committed to the Italians. Why Irish Catholics should ask for
freedom when they so voluntarily bind themselves to a foreigner, I fail
to see. As the Protestants of the North have asked, and had granted,
spiritual freedom in the severance of Church and State, so let the men of
the South ask and demand, and stop not short of freedom from Rome. A
free religion is the parent of a free State, and a free State of free
school. A people who are not wise enough to take care of their own
religion, are very poorly prepared to be the guardians of liberty. My
belief is that Ireland ought to be free. She ought to be an independent
province, with responsible government, as other English provinces. And
once she becomes free religiously, it will not be long before she will be
free politically. Substitute Jeremiah for St. Patrick, and the Lord
Jesus for the Pope, then the day of freedom will not long tarry.
LONDON: PRINTED BY ROBERT BANKS, RACQUET COURT, FLEET STREET, E.C.
Footnotes:
{23} Essay on "Manasseh and the United States," by the author, published
by Robert Banks, price 2d.
{159} This Discourse we give to the reader as reported. In all the
others we have excluded the reporter's introduction and personal
references.