Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Converting the Isle of Lewis
On the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, the minister had a hard time convincing the inhabitants to give up the custom on the night of Hallowtide of wading into the sea up to the waist with a cup of ale brewed for the occasion and dumping it out with prayers to Shony, the sea god, whom it was believed exerted influence over the growth of crops. They then returned to the church and after a silence, extinguished the church candles and proceeded to the fields for a night of revelry.
