THE

CORROBORATIVE TESTIMONY

OF

GOD'S STONE WITNESS

AND

PROPHET

THE GREAT PYRAMID IN

EGYPT

PREFACE TO STUDY X

A KINDLY COMMENT ON THIS CHAPTER
WHEN IN MANUSCRIPT, FROM THE PEN
OF THE ESTEEMED
PROF. C. PIAZZI SMYTH, F.R.S.E., F.R.A.S.
EX-ASTRONOMER ROYAL FOR SCOTLAND

Brother William M. Wright, on learning that this chapter on the Great Pyramid was written, requested that he might have the reading of it before it would be put into type, as he had already considerable knowledge of the Pyramid. This we gladly granted, assuring him of our desire for all the criticism possible. After reading the MS., Bro. Wright concluded that, as we desired criticism, the higher the standing of the critic the better. Accordingly he made a typewriter copy of the MS., and by permission mailed it to Prof. C. Piazzi Smyth, who is generally accorded a greater knowledge of the Great Pyramid's construction and measurements than any other man in the world, requesting that he examine the MS. carefully and note upon it any criticism he might have to offer in the interest of the truth. The Professor's answer to that letter, together with the MS. copy sent him, which bore his marks of criticism, when received were sent to the author. We thank Bro. Wright and Prof. Smyth for their kindness, and have followed the corrections indicated; which, however, only three in all, we were pleased to note were not of special importance. Only one of the criticisms was upon measurements, and it showed a variance of only one inch, which we gladly corrected.

Thinking it might be interesting to our readers we give below

Prof. C. Piazzi Smyth's Letter

Clova, Ripon, England, Dec. 21, 1890
Wm. M. Wright, Esq.,

Dear Sir: I have been rather longer than I could have wished in looking over the MS. of your friend, C. T. Russell of Allegheny, Pa., but I have now completed a pretty careful examination, word by word. And that was the least I could do, when you so kindly took the pains to send it with such care between boards by registered parcel, with every page flat, and indited by the typewriter in place of the hand.

At first I could only find slips of the said typewriter, but as I progressed through the pages, the powers, the specialties and the originalities of the Author came out magnificently; and there were not a few passages I should have been glad to take a copy of for quotation, with name, in the next possible edition of my own Pyramid book. But of course I did nothing of that sort, and shall wait with perfect patience and in most thankful mood of mind for when the author of Scripture Studies shall choose his own time for publishing. So I merely remark here that he is both good and new in much that he says on the chronology of various parts of the Pyramid, especially the First Ascending Passage and its granite plug; on the Grand Gallery, as illustrating the Lord's life; on the parallelisms between the King's Chamber and its granite, against the Tabernacle and its gold; and generally on the confirmations or close agreements between Scripture and the Great Pyramid, well commented on.

In the meanwhile, it seems that I am indebted to you for your kind gift of long ago of the first two volumes of Scripture Studies. I did not at the time get further than the first half of the first volume, finding the matter, as I thought, not quite so new as I had expected. But after having profited, as I hope, so much by a thorough reading of this advanced pyramid chapter of the third volume, I must take up the first two volumes again, de novo.

The parcel will go back between its boards, registered. I remain, with many thanks,

Yours respectfully,
C. Piazzi Smyth

STUDY X

THE TESTIMONY OF GOD'S STONE WITNESS
AND PROPHET, THE GREAT PYRAMID IN EGYPT

General Description of the Great Pyramid--Why of Special Interest to Christians--The Great Pyramid a Storehouse of Truth--Scientific, Historic and Prophetic--Bible Allusions to It--Why, When and by Whom Built--Importance of Its Location--Its Scientific Lessons--Its Testimony Concerning the Plan of Redemption--The Plan of the Ages--The Death and the Resurrection of Christ Indicated--The Downward Course of the World, Ending in a Great Time of Trouble-- The Nature of the Trouble--The Great Reformation Movement Marked--Length of the Jewish Age Indicated--The "High Calling" of the Gospel Church Shown--The Course of the Church's Consecration --The End of the High Calling Marked--Date of the Second Advent of Christ--How Restitution Blessings for the World are Indicated --The Course of the World During the Millennial Age--Its End--Contrast of the Two Conditions, Human and Spiritual, as Indicated in the Pyramid--The Pyramid Refutes Atheism, Infidelity and all Evolution Theories, and Verifies both the Plan of the Bible and Its Appointed Times and Seasons.

Viewed from whatever standpoint we please, the Great Pyramid is certainly the most remarkable building in the world; but in the light of an investigation which has been in progress for the past thirty-two years, it acquires new interest to every Christian advanced in the study of God's Word; for it seems in a remarkable manner to teach, in harmony with all the prophets, an outline of the plan of God, past, present and future.

It should be remembered that, aside from the Great Pyramid here referred to, there are others, some of stone and some of brick; but all of them are mere attempts to copy it, and are in every way inferior--in size, accuracy and internal arrangement. And it has also been demonstrated that, unlike the Great Pyramid, they contain no symbolic features, but were evidently designed and used as sepulchers for the royal families of Egypt.

If it was built under God's direction, to be one of his witnesses to men, we might reasonably expect some allusion to it in the written Word of God. And yet, since it was evidently a part of God's purpose to keep secret, until the Time of the End, features of the plan of which it gives testimony, we should expect that any reference to it in the Scriptures would be, as it is, somewhat under cover--to be recognized only when due to be understood.

This ancient structure being thus repeatedly referred to in the Scriptures, we cannot doubt that, if questioned, this "Witness" of the Lord in the land of Egypt will bear such testimony as will honor Jehovah, and fully correspond with his written Word. We thus introduce this "Witness" because the inspiration of its testimony will doubtless be as much disputed as that of the Scriptures, by the prince of darkness, the god of this world, and those whom he blinds to the truth.

Why, When and by Whom
was the Great Pyramid Built?

A few years after Prof. Smyth's return, came the suggestion that the Great Pyramid is Jehovah's "Witness," and that it is as important a witness to divine truth as to natural science. This was a new thought to Prof. Smyth, as well as to others. The suggestion came from a young Scotsman, Robert Menzies, who, when studying the scientific teachings of the Great Pyramid, discovered that prophetic and chronological teachings coexist in it.

Prof. Smyth has concluded that the Great Pyramid was built in the year 2170 B.C., reaching this conclusion, first, from astronomical observations. Perceiving that the upward passage angles correspond to a telescope, and that the "Entrance Passage" corresponds to an astronomer's "pointer," he set about to investigate to what particular star it could have pointed at any time in the past. Calculations showed that a Draconis, the dragon-star, had occupied a position in the heavens which looked directly down the entrance, at midnight of the autumnal equinox, B.C. 2170. Then, considering himself as an astronomer at that date, with his pointer fixed upon a Draconis, and considering the ascending passages as though they were a telescope, which they much resemble, he calculated what constellation or what notable star would have been before his telescope thus fixed at the particular date indicated by his pointer, and found that it must have been the Pleiades. So wonderful a coincidence convinced him that the date of the Great Pyramid's building was thus indicated; for a Draconis is no less a symbol of sin and Satan than Pleiades is a symbol of God and the center of the universe. The Great Pyramid thus indicates that its Architect knew of the prevalence of evil and of its domination over the downward course of mankind, and indicates also what lies beyond all human sight--that the only hope for the race is in Jehovah.

This conclusion of Prof. Smyth's as to the date of the Great Pyramid's building, was most abundantly corroborated, later, by certain measurements by which the Great Pyramid indicates its own date of construction. A realization of the fact that the Great Pyramid exhibits a wisdom of design which the Egyptians could not have possessed--a divine wisdom which must have been worked out under the supervision of some inspired servant of God--has led to the conjecture that Melchizedek was its builder. He was "king of Salem [that is, king of peace] and priest of the Most High God," and as a person and type occupied so high a position as to be a blesser of Abraham, who also paid him tithes. Of this we can know little, except that Melchizedek was a great and peaceful king, and that he lived about that time, and not far distant from the site of the Great Pyramid.

It is conjectured that Melchizedek, though not himself an Egyptian, used Egyptian labor for the construction of the Great Pyramid. And to some extent the traditions of Egypt support such a theory. They reveal the fact that Egypt had a peculiar invasion about this date by a people whom tradition merely denominates Hyksos (i.e., Shepherd Kings or Peaceful Kings). These invaders seem not to have attempted to disturb the general government of Egypt, and, after staying a time for some purpose not recognized by the tradition, they left Egypt as peacefully as they had come. These Hyksos or Peaceful Kings are supposed to include Melchizedek, and are assumed to have been the builders of the Great Pyramid--God's altar and "Witness" in the land of Egypt.

Manetho, an Egyptian priest and scribe, is quoted by Josephus and others as saying: "We had formerly a king whose name was Timaus. In his time it came to pass, I know not how, that the deity was displeased with us; and there came up from the East, in a strange manner, men of ignoble race [not warriors], Hyksos, who had the confidence to invade our country and easily subdue it by their power without a battle. And when they had our rulers in their hands, they demolished the temples of the gods."

Its Peculiar Location

The Great Pyramid is situated on an elevated rocky plain, overlooking the river Nile, not far from the city of Cairo, in Egypt. A remarkable thing in connection with its situation is, that the delta of the Nile forms a seacoast which in shape is a true quarter circle, with the Great Pyramid marking the inner angle.

This relationship of the Great Pyramid to the coast was discovered by Mr. Henry Mitchell, Chief Hydrographer of the United States Coast Survey, who visited Egypt in 1868 to report the progress of the Suez Canal. His observation of the regularity of the curvature along the whole of Egypt's northern coast led him to conclude that some central point of physical origination was indicated. On searching for this grand center, he found it marked by the Great Pyramid, which led him to exclaim: "That monument stands in a more important physical situation than any other building erected by man."

Its Scientific Lessons

Commenting upon the scientific testimony and the location of this majestic "Witness," Rev. Joseph Seiss, D.D. suggests:

*The beginning of the Jewish year, introduced by the Day of Atonement, as shown in Scripture Studies, Vol. II.

Its Testimony Relating to the Plan of Redemption

While every feature of the Great Pyramid's teaching is important and of interest, our greatest interest centers in its silent but eloquent symbolism of the plan of God--the Plan of the Ages. It would be impossible, however, to understand God's plan as illustrated by it, had we not first discovered that plan in the Bible. But having seen it portrayed there, it is strengthening to faith to see it again so beautifully outlined here; and to notice, further, that both the truths of Nature and the truths of Revelation are owned and testified to by the same great Author in this wonderful stone "Witness."

*See Vol. I, Chap. v; also the Chart of the Ages, Vol. I, x,y,z,W.

*See the Chart of the Ages in Vol. I.

A careful study of the accompanying diagram, showing the interior arrangement of this wonderful structure, is suggested. The Great Pyramid has but one proper "Entrance Passage." This passage is regular, but low and slanting, and leads down to a little room or "Subterranean Chamber," cut in the rock. This room is of peculiar construction, the ceiling being well finished, while the sides are only commenced and the bottom is rough and unfinished. This to some minds has suggested the thought, "bottomless pit," which term is used in the Scriptures to represent disaster, oblivion and extinction. This "Entrance Passage" fitly represents the present downward course of mankind toward destruction; while the "Subterranean Chamber," by its peculiar construction, illustrates the great trouble, disaster, destruction, the "wages of sin," to which the downward course leads.

On a level with the floor of the "Grand Gallery" at its lower end, there starts a "Horizontal Passage" under it, which leads to a little room commonly termed the "Queen's Chamber." At the upper end of the "Grand Gallery" is another low passageway, leading into a little room called the "Ante-Chamber" which is of very peculiar construction, and which to some has suggested the idea of a school--a place for instruction and testing.

But the chief room of the Great Pyramid, for both size and importance of location, is a little farther along, and separated from the "Ante-Chamber" by another low passageway. This room is known as the "King's Chamber." Over it are a number of small apartments called "Construction Chambers." The significance of these, if they have any significance, relates not to man, nor to any other creature which walks, but to spirit beings; for it will be observed from the diagram that though the sides and the top are squared and finished, there is no floor surface to any of them. The "King's Chamber" contains a "Coffer" or stone box, the only piece of furniture found in the Great Pyramid. Ventilation is provided in the "King's Chamber" by two air-passages which pierce its walls on opposite sides and extend to the outer surface--left for this purpose by the builders. It has been speculated by some that there are yet other rooms and passages for future discovery; but we do not share this opinion; to us it seems that the passages and rooms already discovered fully serve the divinely intended purpose in witnessing to the entire plan of God.

From the west side of the lower or north end of the "Grand Gallery," extending downward, there is an irregular passage called the "Well," leading into the descending "Entrance Passage." Its route passes through a grotto in the natural rock. The connection between this passage and the "Grand Gallery" is very disordered. It would appear that originally the passageway into the "Queen's Chamber" had been concealed, being covered by the flooring slabs of the "Grand Gallery"; and also that a stone slab covered the mouth of the "Well." But now the whole lower end of the "Grand Gallery" is torn away, opening the passage to the "Queen's Chamber," and leaving the "Well" open. Those who have been there and who have examined it say that it looks as though an explosion had taken place at the mouth of the "Well," bursting it open from beneath. It is our opinion, however, that no such explosion ever occurred; but that things were left by the builders as they are, purposely, to indicate the same thing that would be indicated by the supposed explosion, which will be referred to later. As a matter of fact, none of these stones are now to be found, and it would have been very difficult to remove them.

*Dr. J. Edgar's report.

The passageways and floors of the Pyramid are of limestone, as indeed is the entire structure, except in the "King's Chamber," the "Ante-Chamber" and the passage between them, where the floors and ceilings are of granite. The only piece of granite elsewhere in the structure is the granite "Plug," which is tightly wedged in the lower end of the "First Ascending Passage." As originally left by the builders, the "First Ascending Passage" was sealed with a close-fitting angular stone at its lower end, where it connects with the "Entrance Passage"; and this was so neatly done that the "First Ascending Passage" was unknown until, in "due time," the stone fell. Close to the lower end of this "First Ascending Passage," and just behind the sealing stone, was the granite "Plug," made slightly wedge-shaped, and evidently intended to remain there, as it has thus far resisted all efforts to remove it.

The Great Pyramid's Testimony
Concerning the Plan of the Ages

In a letter to Prof. Smyth, Mr. Robert Menzies, the young Scotsman who first suggested the religious or Messianic feature of the Great Pyramid's teaching, said:

"From the north beginning of the Grand Gallery, in upward progression, begin the years of our Savior's life, expressed at the rate of an inch to a year. Three and thirty inch-years, therefore, bring us right over against the mouth of the Well."

Years before this suggestion, that the "Grand Gallery" represents the Christian dispensation, Prof. Smyth had, by astronomical observation, fixed the date of the building of the Pyramid at B.C. 2170; and when Mr. Menzies suggested that the floor-line inches of the "Grand Gallery" represent years, it occurred to some one that, if that theory were true, the measuring of the floor-line backward from the lower edge of the "Grand Gallery," down the "First Ascending Passage" to its junction with the "Entrance Passage" and thence upward along the "Entrance Passage" toward the Pyramid's entrance, should discover some mark or indication in the passageway to correspond, and thus prove the date of the Pyramid's construction, and the correctness of the inch-year theory. This, though not unreasonable, was a crucial test, and the service of a civil engineer was obtained to visit the Great Pyramid again and make very accurate measurements of passages, chambers, etc. This was in 1872; and the report of this gentleman was confirmatory to the last degree. His measurements show the floor-line just described to be 2170 1/2 inches to a very finely ruled line in the walls of the "Entrance Passage." Thus the date of its construction is doubly attested, while the floor-lines of its passages are shown to be scrolls of history and chronology, which shall yet be generally heard as "a witness unto the Lord in the land of Egypt."

Here, thanks to the very accurate measurements of all the passages, furnished by Prof. Smyth, we are enabled to reach what to us are by far the most interesting features of the testimony of this "Witness" yet delivered.

When we first came to appreciate what we have already mentioned of the testimony of the Great Pyramid, we saidat once, If this, indeed, prove to be a Bible in stone; if it be a record of the secret plans of the Great Architect of the universe, displaying his foreknowledge and wisdom; it should and will be in full accord with his written Word. The fact that the Pyramid's secrets were kept until the close of six thousand years of the world's history, but that it now begins to give its testimony as the Millennial Dawn draws on, is in perfect harmony with the written Word, whose abundant testimony relative to the glorious plan of God has likewise been kept secret from the foundation of the world, and only now is beginning to shine forth in its completeness and glory.

Nor should any doubt the fact that the forty years of "harvest" began in the fall of 1874 because the trouble has not yet reached so portentous and unendurable a stage; and because, in some respects, the "harvest" period since that date has been one of great advancement in knowledge. Remember, too, that the Great Pyramid figures and illustrations including the diagram of the "Pit" were drafted by Prof. Smyth without any reference to this application.

The shape and finish of this lowest room or "Pit" are peculiarly significant. While the top and parts of the sides are regular, it has no floor--its rough, unfinished bottom dropping lower and lower to its eastern side, giving reason for the name, "Bottomless Pit," sometimes applied to it. This room speaks of liberty and freedom as well as of trouble, of elevation as well as of degradation; for, as the traveler reaches it, cramped and weary from the crouched position enforced by the smallness of the "Entrance Passage," he here finds not only a step downward into greater depths, and upon "a troublesome floor," very uneven and broken, but he finds a great elevation also, part of this room being much more lofty than the passageway to it, which is suggestive of greatly enlarged room for his mental organism.

Notice another item in this connection: The "Entrance Passage" has a regular slope downward until it nears the "Pit," when it ceases to slope and runs horizontally. Measuring backward from the entrance of the subterranean chamber or "Pit" to the juncture of the horizontal with the angling portion of the passage, we find the distance to be 324 inches; consequently, the beginning of the level portion of the passage marks a date 324 years before 1915, viz., the year 1590. This would seem to say that at that date (A.D. 1591) something transpired which had a great influence upon the course of civilization, and which in some measure arrested its downward tendency. What transpired at that time? What great movement, marked by that date, has had such an influence?

Unfortunately we find no exact measurements of this portion of this downward passage and we are convinced that Prof. Smyth's diagrams are not sufficiently accurate to justify confidence in "paper measurements" based upon them. An unconfirmed measurement is 324 Py. inches, which measured backward would indicate about the year A.D. 1590, or "Shakespeare's day." However, we attach no weight to this suggestion.

One thing is certain--that low downward passage represents the course of the world, as the upward passages represent the course for the "called" Church. The change from a downward to a horizontal path would therefore seem to imply moral or political enlightenment, or favorable restraint from the downward course.

The Protestant Reformation of the Sixteenth century certainly did accomplish much for the uplift of the world in every way, indirectly. It purged the moral atmosphere of much of its ignorance and superstition, and is admitted by Roman Catholics as well as Protestants to have marked a new era of universal advancement.

We are not claiming, as some do, that everything of our day is upward rather than downward. On the contrary, we see many things in our day to which we cannot give assent as even civilized, not to say in accord with the divine will. We see a broader "humanitarian" view prevalent in the world which, while far from the religion of our Lord Jesus, is far in advance of the ignorant superstitions of the past.

Indeed it is this social improvement of the world that has given rise to the "Evolution Theory" and caused many to conclude that the world is growing rapidly better and better, that it needed no Savior and his redeeming work, and needs no Kingdom to come with restitution work. Very soon the poor world will realize that uplift and the basis of pure selfishness means increasing discontent, and eventually anarchy. Only the Lord's people, guided by his Word, are able to see these things in their proper light.

Thus, exactly, does the stone "Witness" corroborate the testimony of the Bible, and show that the period from the exodus of Israel from Egypt until the full end of their national favor,* A.D. 36, was 1650 years. But let none confound this period with the period shown in the Parallels of the Jewish and Christian dispensations--showing the two ages to be each 1845 years in length, the one from the death of Jacob to A.D. 33, and the other from A.D. 33 to A.D. 1878.

*See Vol. II, Chap. iii.

And not only was this an ingenious way of hiding and yet furnishing the length of the period from the exodus to the birth of our Lord (to be, in due time, a corroboration of the Bible testimony), but the careful reader will readily see that it could have been done only in some such way, for two reasons: First, because the Jewish dispensation and favor not only began at the death of Jacob, before the exodus from Egypt, but also ran into and parallel to the Christian dispensation for the thirty-three years of our Lord Jesus' earthly life; and, second, because to have made the "First Ascending Passage" long enough to represent fully the Jewish age in year-inches would have necessitated the making of the Pyramid still larger, which in turn would have destroyed its scientific features and lessons.

Let us now examine the "Grand Gallery," at the end of the "First Ascending Passage," noting also its symbolic testimony. It is seven times as high as the "First Ascending Passage." It has seven courses of overlapping stones in its walls, of smooth, highly polished and once beautiful, cream-colored limestone. It is twenty-eight feet high, though very narrow, being only six feet broad anywhere, but contracted to three feet at the floor and less at the roof. Prof. Greaves, an Oxford professor of the Fifteenth century, describing it, wrote:

"It is a very stately piece of work, and not inferior, either in respect of the curiosity of art or richness of materials, to the most sumptuous and magnificent buildings....This gallery, or corridor, or whatsoever else I may call it, is built of white and polished marble (limestone), the which is very evenly cut in spacious squares or tables. Of such materials as is the pavement, such is the roof, and such are the side walls that flank it; the knitting of the joints is so close that they are scarce discernible to a curious eye; and that which adds grace to the whole structure, though it makes the passage the more slippery and difficult, is the acclivity and rising of the ascent....In the casting and ranging of the marbles (limestone) in both the side walls, there is one piece of architecture, in my judgment, very graceful, and that is that all the courses or ranges, which are but seven (so great are these stones), do set and flag over one another about three inches; the bottom of the uppermost course overflagging the top of the next, and so in order the rest as they descend."

And Prof. Smyth declares that it would be impossible fairly to represent it by pictures, saying:

"The circumstances are above the scope of orthodox pictures by reason of the narrow breadth, the lofty, vaulting height, and the very peculiar sloping angle of the long floor; a floor, when one looks from its north end southward, ascending and ascending through the darkness, apparently forever; and with such steepness that no artist's view of it, painted on a vertical plane, could ever hope to represent more than a small part of that floor, rising upward through the whole canvas and going out at the top. While, on looking northward from the south end of the Gallery, you lose the floor instantly, and see on the level of your eyes, in the distance, part of the steeply descending ceiling. Otherwise, it is the solemn overlappings of the high, dark walls, passing you by on either side; but all on an uneasy slant, speaking of toil in one direction, danger in another, and a mountain of strength everywhere."

The lofty height of this "Grand Gallery"--seven times the height of the passage representing the Jewish dispensation (seven being a symbol of completeness or fulness) --represents that fulness of blessing contained in the Abrahamic promise, which is actually set before the Gospel Church. The "King's Chamber," at the end of the "Grand Gallery," represents the end of the race to which the present high calling leads all the faithful; and this "King's Chamber," as we shall shortly see, is a most apt symbol of the ultimate destiny of the Church. By the "Well" (which represents the ransom), at the very entrance of this Gallery, and which all must recognize who enter upon this way, our justification is beautifully symbolized. Thus the Great Pyramid tells us, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."

The apparently interminable length of the "Grand Gallery" shows how long the Gospel age has appeared to individual members of the Church, while its narrowness well represents the "narrow way to life"; and its steepness, the difficulty with which the way is pursued, and the continual danger of backsliding to those who fail to watch vigilantly their steps. Yet, within the confines of these walls of divine favor is the safety and security of all those who continue in well-doing, who continue to grow in grace, to ascend the difficult way, to "walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."

Looking upward along the "Grand Gallery," we see that it has an end as well as a beginning. Thus we are told that the exceeding great and precious privileges extended during this Gospel age will some time cease--the wonderful high calling to joint-heirship with Christ, as his "bride," will terminate when a sufficient number to complete the "little flock" shall have accepted the call. That which this stone "Witness" thus points out in illustration, the written Word makes very plain, showing, as we have seen, that the privilege of running for the great prize of the "high calling" belongs exclusively to the Gospel age. It was never granted to any before--our Captain, Jesus, being the first to whom it was offered, the first to accept its conditions of sacrifice and the first to enter into its rewards. The south end of the "Grand Gallery" as positively marks the end or limit of the call to the divine nature as the north end of it marks the beginning of the offer of that great favor.

This low passage, representing consecration, being passed, we are in what is known as the "Ante-Chamber." Here the floor ceases to be limestone: from this point onward the tread is to be on solid granite, which may be interpreted as a new standing, or a standing as "new creatures." But when placing foot upon the granite floor, to enter upon the new standing as new creatures, a huge obstruction of granite is noticed: it is known as the "Granite Leaf." This, like a drop-door, partly closes the way, leaving only a low passage like the one just passed, forty-four inches high, so that we must stoop again before we can enjoy fully the privileges represented in the "Ante-Chamber." This "Granite Leaf" represents the divine will, and seems to say to one who has just passed the low passage representing the surrender of his own will, "It is not enough that you should sacrifice your will, plans and arrangements; you might do all that, and then take up the will and plan of another; you must not only sacrifice your own will, but you must bow to the divine will, and accept it instead of your own, and become active in God's service, before you can be counted a new creature and an heir of the divine nature."

The "King's Chamber," which can be reached only by way of the "Grand Gallery" and the "Ante-Chamber," is in every way the highest and noblest apartment in the Great Pyramid, and fitly symbolizes the divine nature. Mr. Henry F. Gordon, describing it, says:

"It is a very noble apartment, 34 feet long, 17 feet broad, and 19 feet high, of polished red granite throughout; walls, floor and ceiling in blocks squared, true, and joined together with such exquisite skill that no autocrat emperor of modern times could desire anything more solidly noble and refined. The only thing this chamber contains is an empty [granite] coffer [or stone box] without a lid; and it is worthy of notice that this coffer corresponds with the sacred ark of the Mosaic Tabernacle in capacity."

In the Great Pyramid granite is used to symbolize divine things or the divine nature, just as gold symbolized it in Israel's typical Tabernacle and Temple: the low passages leading into the "Ante-Chamber" and into the "King's Chamber" correspond to the veils before the Holy and the Most Holy; and the granite coffer, the only furniture in the "King's Chamber," corresponds to the Ark of the Covenant, which was the only furniture in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle and the Temple. What in the one was gold, in the other is granite, and of the same symbolic significance.

Nor is this all: we find that the same great truths which were symbolically represented in the two apartments of the Tabernacle and the Temple, the Holy and the Most Holy, and their separating veils, are exactly matched in the Great Pyramid by the teachings of the two apartments, the "Ante-Chamber" and the "King's Chamber," and their low separating passages. The "Ante-Chamber," like the Holy of the Tabernacle, represents that condition of relationship to God, as a reckoned new creature, and joint-heir with Christ of the divine nature and glory, which the believer enters when, after accepting forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God through the ransom, he presents his justified self a living sacrifice to God's service. As the first veil of the Tabernacle represented the consecration or resignation or death of our own will, and the full submission to God's will, so the low entrance to the "Ante-Chamber" symbolizes this same great event, which begins the newness of life in all who will ever be members of the royal priesthood.

This test, representing the laying of our all upon the altar, having been passed, the believer is no longer reckoned as a human being, but as a "new creature," a "partaker of the divine nature." Though, as a matter of fact, he will not be made an actual sharer of the divine nature until he shall have faithfully learned the lesson of obedience to the divine will, in the actual experiences and daily sacrifices and schoolings of the present life (represented in the "Ante-Chamber" walls, of peculiar construction, and in the Table of Shew-bread, the Golden Candlestick and the Incense Altar in the Holy of the Tabernacle); and not until he shall have passed through death itself (represented by the second veil of the Tabernacle and by the second low passage leading into the "King's Chamber" of the Pyramid); and until, by a share in the First Resurrection, he shall have entered with Christ into the fulness of the promised divine nature and glory--his everlasting portion, symbolized in the "King's Chamber."

Thus the Great Pyramid witnesses, not only the downward course of man in sin, but also the various steps in the divine plan by which preparation is made for his full recovery from the fall, through the way of life, opened up by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

It will be noticed from the illustration that the granite floor does not reach quite to the front of the "Ante-Chamber," while the granite of the ceiling reaches the full length of the room. This seems to teach a lesson in harmony with what we have already seen to be a feature of the divine plan, as it relates to those called-out ones who are seeking to enter upon the divine nature. The first low passage symbolizes the consecration of the believer's human will, which really gives him entrance into the "Holy" or sanctified condition as a prospective heir of glory and immortality, represented in the "Ante-Chamber," whose granite ceiling now covers him; yet such a one is not to be considered as having entered fully into the new nature until "quickened" into activity and newness of life; and this test is represented by the "Granite Leaf," which, from its peculiar position, hanging, as though ready to drop and thus block all further progress, seems to say, "Pilgrim, even though you have come thus far and have consecrated yourself to God, unless you become quickened by the spirit of the truth to activity in his service, you will still have no real standing in the divine nature to which you have been called or invited." The three steps by which the called ones of the Gospel age are to enter the glory of their Lord are thus marked in the Great Pyramid as well as in the Scriptures. They are (1) Consecration, or begetting of the spirit through the Word of truth, symbolized by the low passage into the "Ante-Chamber"; (2) Quickening to active service and sacrifice through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, symbolized by the low passage under the "Granite Leaf"; (3) Birth of the spirit into the perfect likeness of our Lord by a share in the First Resurrection, symbolized by the low passageway into the "King's Chamber."

The Natural and Spiritual Natures Shown

The "Queen's Chamber," representing the perfection of humanity after the Millennial age shall have restored all the obedient and worthy ones to the moral likeness of the Creator, teaches, by the fact that its back or farthest wall is on a line with the Pyramid's axis, that, thus restored to God's image and likeness, though still human, mankind will be close to the divine nature--as close as one nature could be to another nature of which it is a likeness. And all the upward passages leading in the direction of that axis teach that the desires and efforts of God's people are all to be toward human perfection, while those of the called-out Church of the Gospel age are to go beyond human perfection. They, as joint-heirs with Christ, are to enter into the fulness of the divine nature.

The fact that the "Subterranean Chamber" or "Pit," representing trouble and death, does not lie wholly on the same side of the vertical axis as the "Queen's Chamber" and its passage does not militate against this interpretation; for, strictly speaking, it is no part of the Pyramid structure at all. It lies under the Pyramid, far below its basal line. But it may have another lesson to impart. A vertical line from its farthest wall would pass exactly along the farthest wall of the "Ante-Chamber"; and the lesson drawn might be, in harmony with the Scriptural warning, that it is possible for some who have entered the "Holy" or sanctified condition (who have been begotten by the word of truth, and who have even been quickened by it) to commit the sin that is unto death--the second death.

So, then, the relation of the location of the "Pit" to the axis, if it have any significance in connection with the arrangement of the Pyramid above it, would seem to indicate that the second death--endless, hopeless destruction--will be the penalty, not only of the wilful sinfulness of men who, during the Millennial age of blessed opportunity, will refuse to go on to human perfection, but also of any of those sanctified during the Gospel age, who wilfully reject Christ's proffered and previously accepted robe of imputed righteousness.

Another item worthy of note in connection with the vertical axis of the Great Pyramid's structure above its basal line is this: our Lord's first advent and his death, marked by the "Well's" mouth, are on that side of the Pyramid's axis which represents the human nature; and its location on the same level as the passage leading to the "Queen's Chamber," which symbolizes human perfection, is also noteworthy. The Great Pyramid thus seems to say: "He was made flesh"--the man Christ Jesus gave himself "a ransom for all"; yet he knew no sin, was holy, harmless, separate from sinners, and had no part whatever in the downward, sinful course of Adam's race (symbolized in the passage to the "Pit"). Moreover, the location of the "Grotto" and the fact that it was natural and not hewn are significant. It evidently symbolizes the death of our Lord Jesus. The fact that it was natural teaches that the Lord's sacrifice of himself was not an expediency, but a foreordained, prearranged matter in Jehovah's plan, before the outworking of the plan symbolized by the Pyramid began. The fact that it is located above and not below the basal line of the Pyramid seems to teach another lesson in harmony with the Scriptures--that though our Lord died as a ransom for sinners, he did not descend into sin and degradation, but even in his death was within the limits and bounds of the divine plan, as symbolized in the Pyramid structure above the basal line.

Now a question of great interest arises: Will the Pyramid's testimony concerning the time of the close of the high calling corroborate the testimony of the Scriptures on this subject? Will it show the end of the "Grand Gallery" at the exact time the Scriptures assure us that God's call to this favor ceased? Or will it contradict what we have learned from the Scriptures, and show either a longer or a shorter period of calling to the divine nature?

This will be another "crucial test," not however a test of God's Word and its wonderful testimony, which is paramount to all others, but a test of this stone "Witness." Will it further prove its divine architecture by confirming the Scripture testimony? or will it show more or less of a discrepancy? Should it corroborate the Bible account particularly and minutely, it would indeed well merit the name given it by Dr. Seiss--"A Miracle in Stone."

Well, we can say nothing less of it; for its testimony agrees fully and in every detail with the entire plan of God as we have learned that plan from the Scriptures. Its wonderful correspondencies with the Bible leave no room for doubt that the same divine inspirer of the prophets and apostles inspired this "Witness" also. Let us examine some of these harmonies particularly.

Call to mind that the Scriptures showed us that the full end of Gentile power in the world, and of the time of trouble which brings its overthrow, will follow the end of A.D. 1914, and that some time near that date the last members of the Church of Christ will have been "changed," glorified. Remember, too, that the Scriptures proved to us in various ways--by the Jubilee Cycles, the 1335 days of Daniel, the Parallel Dispensations, etc.--that the "harvest" or end of this age was due to begin in October, 1874, and that the Great Reaper was then due to be present; that seven years later--in October, 1881--the "high calling" ceased, though some will be admitted to the same favors afterward, without a general call being made, to fill the places of some of the called ones who, on being tested, will be found unworthy. Then look at the manner in which the stone "Witness" testifies to those same dates and illustrates the very same lessons. Thus:

Now we inquire, If the inches of the floor-lines of these passages represent a year, each, as claimed and admitted by Pyramid students, what date would these measures of the "Grand Gallery" indicate as the end of the high calling to the divine nature, which the "Grand Gallery" symbolizes? We answer, that in applying these inch-years to our present reckoning of time, we must remember that our date A.D. is one year and three months behind the actual date, as shown in Vol. II, pages 54-62. And while this would make no difference in calculating a period from a fixed date B.C., or from a fixed date A.D., it should be recognized in this case. Where the same event, the birth of Jesus, is the starting point, the error in our date A.D. must be allowed for, to reach correct results. For simplicity we will take our erroneous A.D. as the standard, and will scale down the Pyramid figures to correspond, by deducting one and one-fourth inches from them, so that they will correspond with our common reckoning. Thus reduced, they would show (a) 1875 less 1 1/4 equal 1873 3/4; (b) 1882 less 1 1/4 equal 1880 3/4; and (c) 1911 less 1 1/4 equal 1909 3/4, and give the dates (a) October, 1874, (b) October, 1881 and (c) October, 1910 A.D.

*Prof. Piazzi Smyth's report.

And let it be remembered, too, that we who understood the Scriptural presentation of these times and seasons had nothing to do with the taking of these measurements of the Great Pyramid; and that they who took the measurements knew nothing of our application of the prophecy at the time the measurements were taken, nor do they yet, so far as we know. We ask, therefore, Could such exactness in matters which concern six thousand years of history on the one hand, and thousands of inches of Pyramid measurements on the other, be a mere accidental coincidence? Nay; but verily truth is stranger and more wonderful than fiction. "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."

Now if we adopt the clearly marked close of the special call and favor of the Gospel age, 1881, as the date at which the call to restitution blessings was due to have a beginning, and if we regard the lower terminus of the "Well" as marking that date (1881), we find something of interest by measuring back along that "Entrance Passage" to the original entrance of the Pyramid. This distance we find to be 3826 pyramid inches, thus representing 3826 years. And if our supposition be well founded, 3826 years before A.D. 1881 some notable event must have occurred. And as we search the historic records of God's Word to see if any notable event occurred at that time, we find a remarkable confirmation of our supposition; for, just 3826 years before A.D. 1881, which would be B.C. 1945, Isaac, the typical seed of promise, became the heir of all his father Abraham's wealth, and was thus in position to bless all his brethren -- Ishmael, the son of Hagar (type of fleshly Israel), and the many sons and daughters of Keturah, Abraham's second wife (typical of the world in general).

As the upper apartment, known as the "King's Chamber," represents the divine nature, and the "Grand Gallery" represents the call to it, so the one under it (the "Queen's Chamber") represents the perfect human nature; and the way to it illustrates the path to life in which the world must walk to reach human perfection during the Millennium. Both of these ways, and hence both of these ultimate results, were opened up and made possible by the ransom-sacrifice which the Mediator gave on behalf of all: all of which is forcibly indicated in the Pyramid by the "appearance of an explosion," which opened the mouth of the "Well," and gave access to the two passageways (intended to symbolize the call of the Church now, leading to the divine nature, and the call of the world during the Millennium, leading to the restitution of human perfection).

Is it asked whether any have walked in this way during the past six thousand years? We answer, Yes; by faith some have walked in it. It is the way of justification of human nature, though wholly different from the way and calling of the Gospel Church, which, though through justification, is to the new, divine nature. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the faithful prophets walked that way--entering by the "Well"--by faith in the ransom-sacrifice of Christ, which they represented by typical sacrifices before our Lord's death, and before the stone "Witness" pointed to it; for in God's purpose and revelation Christ was the slain Lamb of atonement from before the foundation of the world.

And this way to the "Queen's Chamber" agrees well with the Bible record concerning the way to perfect human nature and life during the Millennium. The length of time needed to reach perfection will differ in individual cases, according to the rapidity or slowness of the individual to submit his heart and life to the conditions of the New Covenant. It will no longer be a struggle upward, continually opposed by downward tendencies within and without, as it has been during the Law and Gospel dispensations; but it will be a way in which everything will favor the traveler, and facilitate his rapid progress toward full perfection of restitution-life, with all its resultant blessings.

As the "King's Chamber," by its ventilating tubes, indicates that it symbolizes a permanent residence, an everlasting condition, so the "Queen's Chamber" symbolizes the fact that the condition of human perfection, when reached, may be made an everlasting state; for it also has similar ventilating tubes or air passages provided. In one case we may say it symbolizes a permanent condition, and in the other that it may be made a permanent or everlasting condition, because this is the fact as indicated both by the Scriptures and by the testimony of the stone "Witness." The Scriptures say of those who attain the condition represented by the "King's Chamber," that they partake of the divine nature, and are immortal, or proof against death -- that they cannot die thereafter. And they show that those others who reach the full restitution, and stand the last test of loyalty, at the end of the Millennial age, though they will not possess that quality termed Immortality, which is essentially an element of the divine nature only, will be supplied with life everlasting under provisions already arranged by the great Architect of the plan of salvation. If they abide in harmony with God and in obedience to his will, they will live forever.

The Great Pyramid declares these same truths; for while the "King's Chamber" had open ventilators, the ventilators in the "Queen's Chamber" were originally peculiarly covered. The air-tubes were complete from the outside of the Great Pyramid to within about five inches of the surface of the inner walls of the "Queen's Chamber," the stones on either side of the "Queen's Chamber," except the said five inches in thickness, having been chiseled out, showing design on the part of the Great Pyramid's Architect, just as every other feature shows it. Mr. Waynman Dixon made this discovery while examining the walls of the "Queen's Chamber." He noticed that the wall at a certain spot sounded hollow, and, breaking through the surface, he found one ventilating tube; and then by the same process he found its mate in the opposite wall. Thus the Pyramid, in harmony with the Scriptures, declares that ample provision has been made, whereby the perfect human condition, represented by the "Queen's Chamber," may be an everlasting condition to each one who conforms to its regulations and laws.

"Men may sneer, but they cannot laugh down this mighty structure, nor scoff out of it the angles, proportions, measures, nature references and sacred correspondencies which its Maker gave it. Here they are in all their speaking significance, stubborn and invincible beyond all power to suppress them."