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In Christian and Mediæval Times: Church

Bees, as ministers of the Church, were not exempt from obedience to divine law.

According to a German legend, the good Lord willed that bees, like men, should rest on Sunday from their work. This command of the Creator the bees in their excessive zeal disregarded, overcome by temptation to gather the abundant honey of the red clover. As a punishment, God closed to them the blossoms of this flower, and never again were they able to gather its nectar, - a fact in nature which modern scientists have noted, but to which they have given a somewhat different interpretation.

Wax was much used in the early history of the church for other purposes than the making of candles. The followers of the new religion also had their votive images. These at first, while partaking of the magic of the pagan images, were put to a good instead of a bad use.

The devout believed that their wishes would be granted through the influence of wax images, and by means of them they gave thanks.