condemns those who worship gods, and address themselves 
to trees and rocks, stocks and stones." 
Again, these pillars were used as places of justice. Thus 
Samuel went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and 
Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in ail those places, 
1 Sam. vii. 1G. This custom was not forgotten in Scotland 
in A.D. 1349. In that year a court was held " apud stantes 
lapides de Rane." 
Again, in 1380, a court was held "apud le standand 
stanys de la Rath de Kynquey Estir," and the Bishop of 
Moray, as a vassal, stood " extra circum." It was to this 
use of stone circles that Homer probably referred, when he 
spoke of the chiefs taking counsel, "t^u kvi kvk\u." Probably 
the Tynwald Hill, in the Isle of Man, is from the same origin; 
and there are several hills in Scotland of which the legend 
is, that chiefs were wont to promulgate their laws upon 
them ; and on some are the remains of stones, but in what 
position they stood I am unable to say. 
Again, these pillars were used for sepulchral purposes. 
Thus Jacob placed a pillar upon Rachel's grave (Gen. xxxv. 
20). So a pillar was placed on the tumulus of Ilus, son of 
Dardanus, king of Troy. So Plutarch relates that Alexander 
anointed with oil the pillar on Patroclus' cairn. Indeed, 
the whole account of the burial of Patroclus, as given by 
Homer, is so just an account of the cairns and tumuli of 
Scotland, that it is perfectly evident that one and the same 
idea in this matter pervaded Greeks and Celts. It was 
thus, also, that Sarpedon was buried, rv^a r* sr.Vj? re. There 
are many stones standing in various parts of Scotland of 
which the legend is, that they mark the burial place of 
kings or great heroes of historic times. This may be only 
legend, still it shews that such a feeling has existed, and 
does still exist. 
Again, these pillars were " inaugural." Saul was made 
