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The clan, being a family with the chief as its father, en- the Nativity expressed their joy on the bagpipes. The
couraged a personal relationship between its members ancient name for the instrument was pythaula, a word
which was very different from the modern develop- of ancient Greek origin. It is significant that the Celtic
ment of the State with its impersonal bureaucratic con- word is piob-mhala. A terracotta dated 200 B.C., on
trol. The aristocracy of the clans was similar to that of which was portrayed a piper, was found at Tarsus. An-
Homer's ancient Greeks with their intimate relation- other was discovered in ancient Nineveh. A Greek
ship between nobles and people, characterised by re- sculpture shows a piper, dressed like a Scottish High-
spect and dignity without servility. The snobbery which lander. A similar portrayal is found on Greek coins.
has so bedevilled modern society had no place in the Athenian shepherds played bagpipes and ancient histo-
patriarchal benevolence of the clan. rians claim that they were invented in Arcadia. A stone
found near Boness in 1870 showed a party of Roman
The law of succession amongst the clans was closely soldiers dressed in kilts being led by a piper. Of
related to the Divine law of succession given to Israel course, many Celts served in the Roman armies.
and recorded in the 27th chapter of Numbers. Under
Celtic law women could own land and a woman could The heraldry of the Scottish clans is considered by
be a chief. Chieftainship of a clan was transmissible many to be the purest in Europe. Experts agree that ar-
through a female, as with the Zelophehal law in ancient mory began on tribal standards and was reproduced on
Israel. Any attempt to introduce the Euro-Babylonian shields. We know from Scripture that the tribes of Is-
Salic Law in Scotland has inevitably been repudiated as rael had standards with emblems appropriate to "their
alien to her traditions. father's house." Many references to such standards are
found in ancient Celtic poetry and history. Every clan
The distinctive Highland dress did not originate in chieftain had his An Brataich -- hereditary standard-
Scotland but was brought by early colonisers, as the bearer. Many of the emblems found in clan heraldry --
sculptured stones testify. Virgil describes the tartan the lion; the wolf; the bull; the eagle; the unicorn; the
garments worn by the Celts: "Their cloaks are striped serpent; the hart; stars, arrows, galleys, mountains,
and shining." Tartan, a man's status within the clan was thistles and battle-axes are undoubtedly Scriptural em-
shown by the number of colours he wore. Servants blems used by Israel.
wore one colour; farmers -- two; officers -- three;
chieftain -- five; Druids -- six; the king -- seven. The The coming of Christianity did not greatly affect clan
ancient Celtic Church continued the tradition and the customs. The Celtic Church was a clan church: heredi-
clergy wore a quiet tartan. The original use of tartan in tary and monarchistic rather than episcopal. Historians
this manner perhaps throws light on the seemingly un- have compared the Druids and Celtic clergy with the
accountable jealousy aroused by the "coat of many col- Levitical priesthood. It is obvious that there was little
ours" bestowed -- perhaps prematurely -- by Jacob on opposition by the Druids to Christianity. Their religion
his favourite son, Joseph. was closer to Christianity than was any other. One pos-
sible reason for this high standard of the Celtic clergy
In their ministry, the clergy of the Scottish Church is that many of them had been Druids from noble fami-
wore a tartan robe consisting of eight colours to sig- lies, with centuries of hereditary religious tradition
nify that when engaged in spiritual matters their power behind them. The traditions of both the Druids and the
was above that of the king. In the Communion, the sa- Celtic Church were deeply rooted in their past and
cred vessels were covered with two tartan veils which many of them go back, surely, to the clans of Jacob --
related the sacrament to the clan. The wearing of tartan his tribe of Israel.
by the clergy was banned by the Reformers who, un-
fortunately, were unable to discern between Roman -- W.F. Finlayson
and Celtic traditions. Eventually the chieftain's tartan
became that of the clan and was worn by all its The Tribal Emblems of Israel
members.
Though short, the blessing of Asher does promise him
The bagpipes have been a favourite instrument with the some pleasant things, as we read in Genesis 49:20,
Scots from earliest times. Some historians believe that "Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield
they were used in the Temple at Jerusalem. An old tra- royal dainties." Just what is meant by "royal dainties" is
dition relates that the shepherds who were present at uncertain, but in that day it seems that they would

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