or FRANKINCENSE (thus and olibanum), a dry resinous substance, which when burnt (incensum) produces a pleasant perfume. Amongst ancient Pagan nations the perfume of incense was generally offered to the gods, and as the representative of God, the Persian sculptors exhibit incense burnt before the king. The word used to denote incense arising from spices (Exod. xxx. 1), is also used in Hebrew to describe the smoke arising from fat (Ps. lxvi. 15). Incense, as used by the Jewish priests, was a compound of stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense. This compound was to consist of equal parts of each ingredient, to be broken into very minute particles, and deposited before the ark. It was to be used specially in the service of Jehovah; and its use in private life was forbidden (Exod. xxx. 34-38). The origin of incense in the Jewish worship, according to Maimonides (in More Nevochim), was to prevent the disagreeable effects of having such numbers of animals slaughtered for sacrifice. He accordingly regards the precept for burning incense as conducing to the reverence which should be felt in the sanctuary. But beyond this, it is to be remembered that incense is symbolical of prayer. (Ps. cxli. 2; Rev. viii. 3, 4.) The burning of incense formed part of the daily service of the ancient Jewish Church. The priests having drawn lots to ascertain who should offer it, the person destined 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, where, 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 after which he set fire to the incense, the multitude continuing all the time in prayer.