times. For this precise and scientific day God has provided. Science
and the Bible are interlocked in this building; they agree, they testify
for the same God, yet they witness to the same Christ, the Providence and
history of His chosen people. This stone book could not be read till
now; it even takes the most precise scientific men of the day to read it.
For thousands of years there has been no one in the court of the world
able to question and interpret this witness of the Lord in Egypt. The
scientists have been asking for some other revelation than the Bible, for
the supernatural in a scientific form, for something beyond man, for
something all could see, for something that would answer to pure science,
for something that could be seen, handled, measured, tested, and amenable
to mathematics; something superhuman, for something in which the human
and the Divine blend. Thank Heaven, all they ask is granted in this
stone monument. Here we have science forecast for thousands of years;
here we have the grandest of problems in science solved, and the
sublimest phenomena of religion and science crystalised, symbolising and
teaching the most marvellous facts in religion, sociology, and astronomy.
It is not a tomb, nor granary, nor temple, but a pillar and witness unto
the Lord of hosts. Think of a few facts. 1. Its location, the centre of
the land surface of the whole earth. Hence the best zero point on earth
for meridianal and latitudinal calculations. Central to clime--here is
no rust, moss, nor frosts to destroy, nor earthquake--a well-chosen spot
for such a pillar. 2. Its form and size--symbolising the earth quantity
in its weight of five millions of tons--the freight of 1,250 of the
largest steamers leaving New York. Its shape, or inclination from base
to apex, the same as from the pole to the equator. To express this the
builder sloped in ten feet for every nine in height. On this building
the sun can shine upon the whole of it twice a year without a shadow.
This building is the most correctly orient of any structure on the earth.
It is the highest, largest, and oldest building on earth, rising to the
height of 486 feet and a fraction, which height if multiplied by ten nine
times gives the distance of the earth from the sun; or pile a thousand
million pyramids one on the other, and the last would touch the sun. As
it stood perfect it was the circle squared; for the height is the radius
of a circle, whose circumference, if divided into four equal parts, each
part would equal one of the surface sides of the base--closer in
approximation than Walli's Indivisibles, or Newton's Fluxions, or
Liebnitz's Calculus. The door of entrance was some forty-nine feet from
its base, and 300 inches East of the centre, so as at once to express the
tilt of the earth's axis from the plane of its orbit, and by its height
from the ground express the Precession of the Equinoxes. What a witness
outwardly, when complete, of polished marble, covering some thirteen and
a half acres, within and without clean and free from idolatrous marks.
But God foretold the place and purpose of this huge pile through the
prophet Isaiah (xix. 19, 20): "In that day shall there be an altar to the
Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border
thereof to the Lord. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto
the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt." Here we see the _altar and
pillar_ are _one_ and the same, and a scientific fact is expressed when
the prophet says it shall be in the midst and on the border. The
position of the Pyramid is such, being at the sector point of Upper and
Lower Egypt, thus being on the border of both, yet in the midst. The
sector point of the arm is where the wrist joins the hand. The spreading
hand represents Lower, and the arm Upper Egypt. (See on frontispiece the
sector plate.)
May we ask what the pillar and witness--the Pyramid--has to say on the
Jewish question, for it has not left this fact unnoticed? At the
junction of the first ascending passage with the Grand Gallery, on the
left-hand side, or East, there is a horizontal passage-way leading to
what is called the Queen's Chamber. This chamber is on the twenty-fifth
course of masonry. Now, it is allowed, the Grand Gallery expresses the
time of Christ's advent and fulness of time--enlarged liberty. The
ascending passage being only four feet high, men were cramped in passing
up, but on reaching the Grand Gallery they were free, for it is
twenty-eight feet high.
The passage to the Queen's Chamber is only four feet, and is it not
strange that it is altogether Jewish? This low horizontal passage
terminates in a grand Sabbatic room, which symbolises the Jewish
Sabbath-week, feasts, and time periods.
From this passage we learn that the Jews rejected Christ, and went off by
themselves, refusing the liberty of Christ. So as truly as the coming of
Christ had been forecast in this Pyramid, so had His rejection by the
Jews.
The very mortar in this chamber is mixed with salt. The chamber is
seven-sided. The last seventh of the passage-way sinks down, giving more
room to move in. Salt was an article used freely with the Jews in
sacrificing. Seven was a sacred number. The sinking of the last seventh
part of the passageway floor may mean the enlarging privilege of the Jews
in this latter day. Of the civilised nations, only Russia and Spain
forbid them citizenship. Even Turkey admits them now as citizens.
The Jews have been represented as being blind in part. The passage-way
and chamber have been difficult to explore because of foul air, there
being no ventilating tubes as in the King's Chamber.
But, strange to say, a gentleman exploring this chamber a short time ago,
found two tubes by an accident in striking the side wall with a hammer.
The tubes had been left entirely closed over with a thin unbroken scale.
These tubes extended inward through the masonry, and into the stones
forming the walls of the room, all nicely cut, but for about one inch
they were not cut through into the room itself. Thus the whole was
designed is evident. This thin scale no doubt symbolises the condition
of the Jew. His eyes are now open, the time of his wandering nearly
spent, as told by this Pyramid.
The curses foretold upon the Jews have been terribly fulfilled. So shall
the blessings foretold now in reserve. It was foretold that he would
reject Christ; so he did. But it is also foretold that he will yet look
upon Him whom he pierced, and mourn and repent, and accept the true
Messiah. Lo-ruhamah represents Lost Israel; Lo-Ammi represents cursed
Judah; Ruhamah represents Israel found; Ammi represents the curse removed
from the Jews. So now we must say, as the prophet Hosea long ago
instructed us--we Saxons--"Say ye unto your brother, Ammi," and you Jews,
"say to your sisters, Ruhamah."
We have esteemed the Jews as cursed; we will soon esteem them blest. The
Jews have never thought we were their brethren, the descendants of
Abraham. But God is revealing in this latter day His own great plan; and
Christ will be the Saviour of both.
"In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more
say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of
Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up, and which led the seed of
the House of Israel out of the North country, and from all countries
whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land" (Jer.
xxiii. 6-8).
Glorious times are near at hand for the Church and the world. Great
things hath God promised, all of which He will in His own good time bring
to pass.
The very dimensions of the doorway are of thrilling import, expressing in
square inches the time of the Adamic world, which, when added to other
figures, forecast the time of the end, or the 6,000 years, and point out
the date of the beginning of the Millennium morn, or Sabbath of the
earth--the period spoken of by Daniel when he says, "Blessed is he that
waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty
days." This period we approximated in our last Discourse, and made it
out to be about 1,957. The door-way in square inches is 1,949; take
these inches for years, and we have, before the building of the Pyramid,
of years 1949 A.M., time of building 2170 B.C., and length of Grand
Gallery, 1,882, and we get a total of 6,001. This is indeed a close
approximation.
SIGNS AND WONDERS.
DISCOURSE XVIII.
THE STONE PROPHET IS THE WILDERNESS--NO WAR FOR FOUR YEARS--THE GREAT
STRUGGLE TO COMMENCE IN 1882--PRUSSIA ANCIENT ASSYRIA--ENGLAND, GERMANY,
AND EGYPT TO BE ALLIES--THE FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD--THE PHILISTINES
THE SOUTHERN IRISH--WHO THEIR GREAT ANCESTOR WAS, ETC.
"The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is His name. Great in
counsel, and mighty in work; for Thine eyes are open upon all the
ways of the sons of men; to give every one according to his ways, and
according to the fruit of his doings; which has set signs and wonders
in the land of Egypt, even unto this day."--Jer. xxxii. 18-20.
Egypt is intimately connected with Palestine in providential history,
both past, present, and future. No student can have a proper knowledge
of the Jewish and Israelitish nation unless he be familiar with the early
civilisation and power of Egypt. From this land went forth the Caphtorim
to settle Palestine, led forth by the great and good Melchisedek, after
he had built the Pyramid. Under his reign they first settled Palestine,
built and made Jerusalem their capital. On the death of Melchisedek they
lost their allegiance to God, they became an idolatrous people, and were
rejected by Jehovah as His special agents. They are known in after
history under the name of Philistines, which simply means the followers
or subjects of Philitis--a name which the early historians of Egypt gave
to the builder of the Pyramid, which was none other person than
Melchisedek. By the Israelites they were driven out of Palestine, and
finally settled in the South of Ireland, as Irish historians allow.
Another member of the family of Shem was called--namely, Abraham, from
whom came God's chosen people--Israel and the Jews. They also had to
sojourn in Egypt, and they, too, were sent to Palestine, and graffed on
to the purpose of God, where the Philistines had been broken off.
"Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the
Philistines from Caphtor?" (Amos ix. 7).
Egypt has played a noble part in the providence of God through
Melchisedek, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Even the blessed Jesus is said
to be called from this land. "Out of Egypt have I called My Son." The
Egyptians gave to the world the first translation of the Hebrew Bible,
and it was for centuries the stronghold of Christianity after the
destruction of Jerusalem. The best of the Christian fathers were
Egyptians, and in the coming struggle, the great war, which will begin
about 1882, again Egypt will become conspicuous with England and Prussia.
For the Prussians are the Assyrians as the English art the Lost Tribes of
Israel. Bismarck may manoeuvre as he please, and be as pro-Russian as
Dr. Storrs, yet when the time comes he and his people will fall in with
the providential purpose, and become an ally with Israel-England; and
timid and bankrupt Egypt will then come forth to take her place once more
among the nations of the earth as an independent Power. Hear what the
prophet Isaiah says in chap. xix.: "And the Lord shall smite Egypt, He
shall smite and heal it, and they shall return even to the Lord, and He
shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there
be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into
Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with
the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with
Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts
shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of
My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance."
"_In that day_" refers to this day, now at hand. To this the Great
Pyramid is witness. For in verses 19 and 20 of this chapter we read: "In
_that day_ shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land
of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. And IT shall
be for a SIGN and for a WITNESS unto the Lord of hosts in the land of
Egypt."
The word translated pillar is from the Hebrew word Matzaybhah, and means
a large structure--some monument that is pre-eminent. The Hebrew word
Ammood is translated pillar also, and corresponds to the English word
pillar much better.
The word _altar_, in Hebrew, means lion, carrying with it the same
meaning as pre-eminence. And is not this Pyramid preeminent? and is it
not the lion of monuments, pre-eminent as being the oldest, pre-eminent
as being the highest, pre-eminent as being the largest, pre-eminent in
location--being _central_ to all the land surface of the earth,
pre-eminent in construction, unlike any other buildings, except such as
have been modelled after it, pre-eminent in orientation--that is, being
exactly East, North, West and South.
Perfect orientation men in past ages and countries have tried to express
in temples, churches, observatories, and monuments, yet none have
succeeded so well as the Pyramid builders.
The famous Uranibourg Observatory, built by aid of the European
Governments, under the skilful supervision of the learned Tycho Brahe,
was found to be five minutes of a degree askew in its orientation when
finished.
A few years ago our Government determined to have one perfect point of
orientation, fixing upon Mount Agamenticus in the State of Maine. They,
at a great cost, and time, and labour, concluded their work, and found
they were in error somewhere about the four-hundredth part of a second;
although they tried to solve the problem by three distinct
processes--namely, differences of zenith distance, absolute zenith
distances, and by transits in prime vertical.
How then came these ancient architects so early in the world's history
and progress to build so skilfully? How were they able some 4,000 years
ago to find the poles, and determine the latitude and longitude so
precisely? Answer, ye godless scientists, and tell us how these
monkey-men were so skilled. How did they know without your instruments
and instruction which parallel of latitude to choose so as to be on that
line which would mark the half-way of the world's surface between the
equator and the poles?
And why did they lay bare and make smooth the lime-stone table rock on
which they built close to its Northern edge? Why press so closely to the
brink of the hill on the North side when there was plenty of room on the
South side?
Truly this witness of God is against you. In this building are "signs
and wonders" even to this day, and as surely also are the eyes of Jehovah
open upon all the ways of the children of men.
Know ye not that the accumulated forces and results of centuries have
been bequeathed to the present generation as a legal heritage for culture
and profit?
Happily for us God has not left Himself without witnesses. Long before
God made bare His arm through Moses, and wrought miracles to convince
Pharaoh and the Egyptians, He had wrought one miracle, a miracle which
would cover the ages; not to be seen by a few only, or last for a day,
but to be seen by the millions and last for centuries.
In this Pyramid we have a valuable inheritance. Its finish, its beauty,
its magnitude provokes our criticism, and yet must command our
admiration. This watchman on the walls of time, this sentinel in charge
of the secrets and treasures of the sires of long ago, this prophet in
the wilderness in rugged garb, proclaiming the will of Heaven, as then
made known, and now manifest, this Daniel who can interpret for us the
future, this mile-stone of the ages, we do revere.
By it we are enabled to adjust our chronological dates, rectify history
in some of its most important points, and judge more correctly of the
attainments of our ancestors; nay, more and better, to form a truer
estimate of ourselves and discern the finger of God in the manipulations
of men, and an overruling Providence in the rise and fall of nations.
These signs and wonders confirm God's Word, for they prove inspiration a
fact; inspiration of a kind and in the very manner demanded by the
unbelieving scientists. Here is a building superhuman, and of course in
part supernatural, like the Bible. In this building the human and the
Divine blend.
If any deny this, it remains with them to account for it, and show how a
people so far back in the world's history could be so wise and learned;
how they could embody so much of the sciences. One thing is certain, if
the Divine had nothing to do with this building, then we are left to the
conclusion that man was much superior to what the Darwinian theory
admits. If void of the Divine, then the development theory is destroyed.
If we admit the Divine, then it follows that inspiration is a fact.
The building is there, and it was there in the day of Egypt's oldest
historians. It has been counted as one of the seven wonders of the
world.
It did not embody the ideas of the Egyptians in science, astronomy,
meteorology, or religion. As their historians allow, it was built by
foreigners which they hated.
Nothing idolatrous was carved on it, within or without. It was a witness
pure and clean. The Egyptians proclaimed and believed the earth to be
square--this building proclaimed the earth round. The builders bevelled
the face of the rock in a ratio of eight inches to the mile--the very
quantity that science to-day admits to be the curviture of the earth--and
accepts in surveying. It was their knowledge of this fact that kept the
building sound, without the cracking of a joint, through centuries,
though so high. The Egyptians did not use the sacred amma, or cubit,
which is about twenty-five of our inches. They used a profane cubit, as
Sir Isaac Newton shows.
This sacred cubit was a well and easily established proportion of the
earth's diameter--the very standard now used by the English Government in
surveying.
The stones of the Pyramid were twelve feet long, eight feet broad, and
five deep, making twenty-five total. The building itself was a
five-faced figure. The Egyptians hated five. No wonder that Moses
harnessed the Israelites in fives as they left Egypt, or that he should
divide his book into five parts.
No wonder that the Queen's Chamber should be on the twenty-fifth course
of masonry, and the King's Chamber on the fiftieth course, which is the
year of jubilee, or deliverance--which year, as indicated in the Pyramid,
is the year 1935.
The Egyptians calculated from the moon in their chronology. But this
building takes its calculations from the sun circle. The Egyptian year
was 354 days, with an intercalary month of thirty-three days added every
three years.
The year embodied in the Pyramid was 365 days, five hours, forty-eight
minutes, forty-seven and seven-tenths seconds. If a person took a rod of
a cubit length, and measured one of the base sides of the Pyramid, he
would find this twenty-five inch measure to be contained as often as
there are days in the year, with the same fraction in inches as the
hours, minutes, and seconds.
Is it impious to ask how these builders knew the solar year so
completely? They knew the sun's circle of 448 years, which completes a
circle of time without any excess or deficiency. This they ran into
weights and measures as God's religion does.
The Pyramid, having four sides, would divide this circle into four parts,
which make 112 pounds, or a hundred-weight; or, if multiplied by five,
the faces of the Pyramid, 448 would give 2,240, or a ton.
In the descending and ascending passages a person must stoop to pass
through them, but when the Grand Gallery is reached, they can stand
upright, for this gallery enlarges seven times the proportions of the
others. The first passages are only four feet high; this is
twenty-eight.
The first ascending passage is 1,542 inches in length--the time, taking
inches for years, from the exodus of Israel from Egypt to Christ.
Christ brings enlarged liberty. He was symbolised by the ton--the end of
weight scale. "When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His
Son."
Again, thirty-three inches in this gallery is an open sepulchre with
fifty-six empty graves in miniature, carved out, telling, again, by a
strange coincident, the life years of the Saviour and His resurrection;
also the number of those who rose immediately after. For "the graves
were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out
of the graves after His resurrection" (Matt. xxvii. 52).
Another remarkable feature is, that at the end of this gallery, the wall
bulges forward about four inches, as if it were going to fall in. This
gallery, on the floor is 1,882 inches; on the roof, 1,878 inches. This
explains to us our very times. The shadow of war--Russia and England
appearing as if they would fight every day. But they know not the
counsels of God, nor His sublime purpose. Surely, as the text declares,
"Our God is great in counsel and mighty in work; and His eyes are open
upon all the ways of the sons of men." More next Sunday evening, God
willing, about His own marvellous witnesses. Let us praise and adore
Him.
"_And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles_, _in the
midst of many people as a_ LION _among the beasts of the forest_, _as
a_ YOUNG LION _among the flocks of sheep_: _who_, _if he go through_,
_both treadeth down and teareth in pieces_, _and none can
deliver_."--Micah v. 7.
[Picture: Coat of Arms with Lion and Unicorn]
"_His glory is like the firstling of his bullock_, _and his horns
like the_ HORNS OF UNICORNS: _with them he shall push the people
together to the_ ENDS _of the_ EARTH."--Deut. xxxiii. 17.
THE THRONE OF DAVID.
DISCOURSE XIX.
ENGLAND'S PROPHECY FULFILLED IN THE BERLIN CONGRESS--THE HARP OF TARA THE
HARP OF ISRAEL--THE FUTURE EUROPEAN ALLIANCES--ROYAL SUCCESSION OF THE
HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
"I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more,
until He comes whose right it is; and I will give it Him."--Ezekiel
xxi. 27.
The closing of the famous European Congress will now freely permit us to
canvass the work and results of the same, and to compare the sequences
with the teachings of the prophets and intentions of Providence. The
results of the Congress have taken the world by surprise. The very fact
that one should have been held under the enforced conditions of the
crownless king, Disraeli, was a wonder in itself. But the wonder is not
confined to the meeting and work of the Congress, for outside of, and in
spite of the Congress, a treaty has been made which converts wonder into
amazement. Back in the middle of last May (1878), England and Turkey
formed an alliance, offensive and defensive. Nay, more, for Turkey cedes
to England the fruitful and strategic island of Cyprus. What a triangle
of strongholds--Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar! Shades of Bonaparte!
Where is France in these days? She is renewing her strength, and is
wisely standing aside so as not to oppose Providence. In all this there
is nothing new or strange to the prophetic student. For long ago it was
written of Israel that she should be a company of nations, and possess
the gates of her enemies.
It is not by might, nor power of human origin, that these events must be
judged, or that they come to pass. But surely by the Spirit of God.
"There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it
understanding." Here Job gives us the key to unlock the mysteries of the
crownless king and his success. The apothegm of Bonaparte is as false as
he was unsuccessful--namely, that Providence is always on the side of the
strongest battalions. In Israel, in time of old, this was seldom true.
In fact, it was not true in the experience and campaigns of Bonaparte.
The logic of such a faith has been the ruin of lovely France more than
once, and will be again. For it must needs be that France break her
alliance with England, though now they are friends. France in a few
years will ally with the Beast, the Roman Church, in its last struggle
for rule and supremacy; and she will join hands with Anti-Christ. France
will repeat the follies of '93. She will again seek to dethrone
Religion, and enthrone Reason. Her Marats, Desmoulens, Herberts,
Clootzes, and Robespierres are at hand ready to overturn. And the Church
of her choice is patiently waiting to re-enact the scenes of blood and
terror of St. Bartholomew. Her time of opportunity will appear to have
come in a few years. Bismarck and Kaiser William will be out of the way,
and Germany will languish for want of two equal successors. And France
will not forget to pay back the debt of revenge she owes to Germany, and
seek to reclaim her prestige in councils, and especially to restore her
lost influence over Egypt, Turkey, and the Mediterranean.