The communication next discussed some others amongst the many and
diversified matters which Professor Smyth fancifully averred to be
typified and symbolised in the Great Pyramid.
One, for example, of the chambers in the Great Pyramid--the so-called
Queen's Chamber--has a roof composed of two large blocks of stone
leaning against each other, making a kind of slanting or double roof.
This double roof, and the four walls of the chamber count six, and
typify, according to Professor Smyth, the six days of the week, whilst
the floor counts, as it were, a seventh side to the room, "nobler and
more glorious than the rest," and typifying something, he conceives, of
a "nobler and more glorious order"--namely, the Sabbath; it is surely
difficult to fancy anything more strange than this strange idea.[272] In
forming this theory liberties are also confessedly taken with the floor
in order to make it duly larger than the other six sides of the room,
and to do so he theoretically lifts up the floor till it is placed
higher than the very entrance to the chamber; for originally the floor
and sides are otherwise too nearly alike in size to make a symbolic
_seven_-sided room with one of the sides proportionally and properly
larger than the other six sides. Yet Professor Smyth holds that, in the
above typical way, he has "shown," or indeed "proved entirely," that the
Sabbath had been heard of before Moses, and that thus he finds
unexpected and confirmatory light of a fact which, he avers, is of
"extraordinary importance, and possesses a ramifying influence through
many departments of religious life and progress."
He believes, also, that the corner-stone--so frequently alluded to by
the Psalmist and the Apostles as a symbol of the Messiah--is the head or
corner-stone of the Great Pyramid, which, though long ago removed, may
yet possibly, he thinks, be discovered in the Cave of Machpelah; though
how, why, or wherefore it should have found its way to that distant and
special locality is not in any way solved or suggested.
GREAT PYRAMID ALLEGED TO BE A SUPERHUMAN, AND MORE OR LESS AN INSPIRED
METROLOGICAL ERECTION.
Professor Smyth holds the Great Pyramid to be in its emblems, and
intentions and work "superhuman;" as "not altogether of human
origination; and in that case whereto" (he asks) "should we look for any
human assistance to men but from Divine inspiration?" "Its metrology
is," he conceives, "directed by a higher Power" than man; its erection
"directed by the _fiat_ of Infinite Wisdom;" and the whole "built under
the direction of chosen men divinely inspired from on high for this
purpose."
If of this Divine origin, the work should be absolutely perfect; but, as
owned by Professor Smyth, the structure is not entirely correct in its
orientation, in its squareness, etc. etc.--all of them matters proving
that it is human, and not superhuman. It was, Professor Smyth further
alleges, intended to convey standards of measures to all times down to,
and perhaps beyond, these latter days, "to herald in some of those
accompaniments of the promised millennial peace and goodwill to all
men." Hence, if thus miraculous in its forseen uses, it ought to have
remained relatively perfect till now. But "what feature of the pyramid
is there" (asks Professor Smyth) "which renders at once in its
measurements in the present day its ancient proportions? None." If the
pyramid were a miracle of this kind, then the Arabian Caliph Al Mamoon
so far upset the supposititious miracle a thousand years ago--(of course
he could not have done so provided the miracle had been truly
Divine)--when he broke into the King's Chamber and unveiled its
contents; inasmuch as the builders, according to Professor Smyth,
intended to conceal its secrets for the benefit of these latter times,
and for this purpose had left a mathematical sign of two somewhat
diagonal lines or joints in the floor of the descending passage, by
which secret sign or clue[273] some men or man in the far distant
future, visiting the interior, should detect the entrance to the
chambers; and which secret sign Professor Smyth himself was, as he
believes, the first "man" to discover two years ago. The secret,
however, thus averred to be placed there for the detection of the
entrance to the interior chambers in these latter times, has been
discovered some 1000 years at least too late for the evolution of the
alleged miraculous arrangement. And in relation to the Great Pyramid, as
to other matters, we may be sure that God does not teach by the medium
of miracle anything that the unaided intellect of man can find out; and
we must beware of erroneously and disparagingly attributing to Divine
inspiration and aid, things that are imperfect and human.
* * * * *
The communication concluded by a series of remarks, in which it was
pointed out that at the time at which the Great Pyramid was built,
probably about 4000 years ago, mining, architecture, astronomy, etc.,
were so advanced in various parts of the East as to present no obstacle
in the way of the erection of such magnificent mausoleums, as the
colossal Great Pyramid and its other congener pyramids undoubtedly are.