Importance of Golden Candlesticks

When John Proctor is defending his dislike for Reverend Parris in Act II, he describes Parris's greed, using golden candlesticks as an example: "Since we built the church there were pewter candle-sticks upon the altar; Francis Nurse made them, y'know, and a sweeter hand never touched the metal. But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin' but golden candlesticks until he had them" (Act II, p. 65).