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SPIRIT BASIS OF BELIEF AND CUSTOM.
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fire.67 Fire was carried before the Roman emperor, and, in the provinces, before the magis trates.68 Sacred fire was carried before the kings of Asia.co
in South-East Africa, Mashona boys greet the new-born moon by throwing lighted brand into the sky.70 In England, the birth-day cake is guarded by lighted candles, one for each your of the life of the hero of the day. Compare the Greek cakes to the lonely Full Moon callert amphiphontes because lighted candles were set round them.71 The fourth century Christian had baptismal lights. In a. D. 500, when certain Jews were baptized at Auvergne, candles blazed and lamps Rhone.72 At the baptism of Theodosins the Younger (A. D. 401), so many carried lights that the stars might be supposed to be seen on earth.73 Light was used to keep evil from the unbaptised. In the Hebrides, until it was christened, a flaming torch was three times a day carried round the new-born child.74 So the body of the baby-daughter of the Scottish king was swathed in fine linen and laid in a gilded casket with salt and a light.75 The Egyptian bride was escorted with torches and songs.76 At Roman weddings, many wax tapers were lighted at noon.77 In the fourth century, when nuns offered themselves to be veiled, they passed among the blazing lights of the neophytes as if to become the brides of Christ. One of the leading rites in the early Christian marriage was the wedding-pom. wben, with torches, lanterns and singing, the bride was led to the bridegroom's house.To At Japanese wedding, it is not lawful to snuff the candles.80 The Chinese bride is carried into her husband's house over a pan of live coals,81 The Scottish bride, on entering her husband's house, is given a pair of tongs to stir the fire.82 The Mongol bride is carried thrice round a fire, and is then led to her husband.83
The Greeks, except the Athenians, had their fanerals by day, for during the night furies and evil spirits were abroad. At the funeral, though it was day and thongh they buried and did not burn their dead, the mourners carried torches. A lighted lamp was also placed with the dead in the vault,84 a practice which was continued by the Christian buriers in the catacombs at Rome and by the placers of candles in Middle Age Christian coffins.85 The early object of these funeral torches is shewn among the Greenlanders, where a woman waves a fire-brand behind the corpse, and tells it not to come back, and by the Siberian Chuwashes who fling i red hot stone after the corpse to bar the soul's retorn.96 The Jews burna candle at the head of the dead.97 In every section of the early Christian Church, lights, both stationary and processional, were used at funerals. The lights round the body of the sun-worshipping Constantine (A. D. 340) made a show such as the world had never seen.99 At Chrysostom's funeral (A. D. 438), the mouth of the Bosphorus was covered with lamps.80 At the death of Justinian (A. D. 585), mournful bands carried funeral torches.s0 At Paris (A. D. 585), King Guntram buried his grandson with the decoration of innumerable candles.91 In the north of Scotland, a candle or two used to be burned near the dead.92 A light is kept burning when a dead Pârsi has been laid ont.93 A lighted candle is set near the Corean coffin. The Andaman islanders kindle a fire on their dead chief's tomb to keep off evil spirits.05 The burning of lamps and other lights at tombs is common to Hindus, Musalmans and Christians. "I'm sure," says Herrick, “the nuns 67 Cumming': In the Hebrides, p. 101.
Adam's Roman Antiquities, p. 144. 6 Ammianus Marcellina, A. D. 300, xxiii., 6, Yonge's Translation, p. 336. 70 Elworthy's The Evil Eye, p. 411.
11 Smith's Greek and Roman Antiquities, Vol. II. p. 181. 12 Smith's Christian Antiquities, pp. 995-96.
73 Op. cit. p. 993. - ** Elworthy's The Evil Eye, p. 64.
75 Napier's Folk. Lore of Scotland, p. 34. 76 Eber's Egyptian Princess, Vol. II. p. 358.
77 Pater's Marius the Epicurean, Vol. I. p. 248. 78 St. Ambrose (374 A, D.) in Smith's Christian Antiquities, p. 995. 79 Op. cit. p. 1109. 10 Titsing's Japan, p. 207.
81 Kidd's China, p. 324. 82 Gregor's An Echo of Olden Time, p. 119. Dalyell's Darker Superstitions of Scotland, p. 391. 84 Potter's Antiquities, Vol. II, pp. 192, 193 : Vol. II. p. 231; Baring Gould'e Strange Survivals, p. 31. 85 Smith's Christian Antiquities, p. 814. 86 Moncure Conway's Demonology and Devil-Lore, Vol. I. p. 53. 87 Illustrated Dublin Journal, Vol. I. p. 164; Moncure Conway's Demonology, and Devil-Lore, Vol. I. p. 4. * Smith's Christian Antiquities, p. 993. 9 Op. cit. p. 996.
* Op. cit. p. 995. 91 Op. cit. p. 995.
93 North Scotland, p. 139.
95 Notes on Parai Customs. # Ross's Corea, P. 330.
96 Reville Les Religions des Peuples Non Civiliats, Vol. II, p. 164.
