or FRANKINCENSE, in the Materia Medica, &c. a dry resinous substance, known among authors by the names THUS and OLIBANUM.

Incense is a rich perfume, with which the Pagans and the Roman Catholics still perfume their temples, altars, &c.—The word comes from the Latin incensum, q. d. burnt; as taking the effect for the thing itself.

The burning of incense made part of the daily service of the ancient Jewish church. The priests drew lots to know who should offer it: the destined person took a large silver dish, in which was a censer full of incense; and being accompanied by another priest carrying some live coals from the altar, went into the temple. There, in order to give notice to the people, they struck upon an instrument of brass placed between the temple and the altar; and being returned to the altar, he who brought the fire left it there, and went away. Then the offerer of incense having said a prayer or two, waited the signal, which was the burning of the holocaust; immediately upon which he set fire to the incense, the whole multitude continuing all Inceptive all the time in prayer. The quantity of incense offered each day was half a pound in the morning and as much at night.

One reason of this continual burning of incense might be, that the multitude of victims that were continually offered up, would have made the temple smell like a slaughter-house, and consequently have inspired the comers rather with disgust and aversion, than awe and reverence, had it not been overpowered by the agreeable fragrance of those perfumes.