the Baptistery.

"Who perceiveth not that by this right way the Tapers came into the
Church, mysteriously placed with the Gospel upon the altar as an emblem
of the Truer Light?...

"The Funeral Tapers (however thought of by some) are of the same
harmless import. Their meaning is, to show that the departed souls are
not quite put out, but having walked here as the Children of the Light,
are now going to walk before God in the Light of the Living. The sun
never rose to the ancients, no, not so much as a candle was lighted,
but of this signification. '_Vincamus_' was their word, whensoever the
Lights came in; [Greek: phôs gar tên Nikên], etc., for Light (saith
Phavorinus) betokeneth victory. It was to show what trust they put in
the Light, in whom we are more than conquerors. Our meaning is the same
when, at the bringing in of a candle, we use to put ourselves in mind
of the Light of Heaven: which those who list to call superstition do
but 'darken counsel by words without knowledge.' _Job_ xxxviii.
2."--Gregorie's _Works_, 4th ed. p. 110. Lond. 1684.

I believe it is a fact, that in some churches (I hope not many) lamps or
candles are placed on the altar _unlighted_ during divine service. Now I
would not quarrel with persons who have objections to altar lights, &c.,
but I have no patience with that worse than superstition which would place
_unlighted_ candles on the altar,--if they symbolize any thing, it is
damnation, excommunication, misery, and dark woe.

Coming out of a church one time in which unlighted candles were
ostentatiously displayed, I was forcibly reminded of an hieroglyphical of
Quarles--an extinguished taper,--and under it the words, "_Sine lumine