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Richard Shelton Arch-Druid of Ann Arbor
tant. Participation in a grove is only one way among many, even
[circa May 1976]
within Druidism. Being a Druid, even an active Druid, need not
involve attending services of any kind.
7. And one of our concerns is that Druids not active in groves not
be forgotten.
63
2. Druidism is open to anyone who wishes to be part of it, how-
The Epistle of Midsummer
ever imperfect in understanding. We require only the tasting of
(Carleton Apocrypha Only) the waters-of-life and an affirmation of the Basic Tenets.
3. No one can add any other test. No one can add to the Basic
An Epistle to the Druids assembled at Carleton Tenets. [Law 4-6 -Ed.]
On the Occasion of Midsummer 4. We are given to understand that these schismatics use words
In the Fourteenth Year after the Establishment of the Reform like outsider in their writings. That is an error. The words
outsider and insider have no meaning for Reformed Druids.
You cannot exclude anyone.
Chapter the FIRST
5. You may ask: Were there not Anti-Druids? Indeed there were,
1. Greetings and salutations in the name of the Earth-Mother; may
and likely are, and no doubt will be.
she always nourish you from her bounty.
6. They are distinguished by their acts of violence against Druid-
2. And may the radiance of Belenos brighten your spirits, and may
ism and their complete lack of understanding of Druidism.
he give you strength from his power, on this his greatest day.
7. They are Anti-Druids by their own choice; they have not been
3. It gives us great pleasure to greet you today, especially because
excluded by the Druids. Anyone may exclude himself from the
you are gathered at that great and hallowed seat of Reformed
fellowship of the Druids, but you must not sit in judgment.
Druidism; Carleton.
8. There is no need to name the Anti-Druids (they were not named
4. For us, Carleton and Druidism are inextricably intermixed. We
in the Chronicles), but you will know them when they appear.
cannot say which has made the greater contribution to the other
9. Again: you cannot exclude anyone. Whoever would exclude oth-
for us; Druidism to the fond memories we have of Carleton, or
ers is excluded.
Carleton and its very atmosphere to the delights we found in the
10. You may ask; Should we recognize the orders of the schismat-
Druid experience.
ics? Do they recognize yours?
5. We have not met you face to face. Yet were we present there with
11. All who have vigiled on the bosom of the Earth-Mother, who
you today, and it saddens us that we are not, we would meet as old
have tasted the waters-of-life, who have inscribed the Basic Te-
friends. For we have sat under the same trees on the same hilltops
nets on their hearts, and who have received their orders from the
at Carleton, and there we have met each other in the Mother.
hands of an Arch-Druid in the Council of Dalon Ap Landu,
6. But chiefly we are pleased to greet you for the mere fact that you
they are priests of Dalon Ap Landu.
are there to be greeted.
12. All such persons you should recognize as priests, provided only
7. In the early days of the Reform, we took no thought for the
that they also recognize all others.
future. We did not dream that Druidism would touch the lives of
so many, nor last for so long.
Chapter the FOURTH
8. We sought only to proclaim the Mother and assert our right to
do so. 1. You may ask; Is it not possible that the Council could become
9. When we paid least attention to finding new Druids, new Dru- perverted and transform Druidism so that we could not recog-
ids found us. nize it? But what authority does the Council have except what
10. While we gave little though to organizing, an organization ap- all Druids accept?
propriate to our needs evolved. 2. If the Council does what glorifies the Mother, what establishes
11. When rules were changed and our very reason for being seemed unity and harmony among Druids, and what promotes enlight-
to vanish, we turned to the Mother and in her we found new enment, then rejoice in the work of the Council and do not
meaning. concern yourselves with factions.
12. There is a paradox; if you would seek to save Druidism, you will 3. But if the Council does what does not glorify the Mother, what
lose it; but if you seek the Mother and what she can teach you, causes dissension and conflict, and what becomes a stumbling-
Druidism will grow and prosper to her glory and to your benefit. block for Druids, then it is not the True Council. Then the
Council will have passed away.
4. For it is an institution and like all institutions it will pass away, though
Chapter the SECOND
we know not whether the time be near or far. And when it passes away,
1. We would do well to remember this in these days. For word has
do not grieve for it, but rejoice in the Mother who will abide.
come to us on the wings of great birds that once again the Re-
5. And do not be concerned for the future of the Druids, for they
form is threatened with schism.
too will abide, at least for a time. Even so, the Mother will be
2. This is no new thing. You may read in the Early Chronicles
glorified in new and wondrous ways, for she is ever changing
how at the very dawn of the Reform there was the threat of schism.
even as she remains the same.
3. The schismatics were then led by Jan [Johnson], who wished to
6. You may ask; How can we preserve the True Council? That
impose on other Druids practices and doctrines which were re-
is a question not tending to edification.
pugnant to them.
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