the symbolic prophecy of the great pyramid
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THESYMBOLICPROPHECYOFTHEGREATPYRAMID
H.SpencerLewis
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Copyright©1936,1963and2015SupremeGrandLodgeOfTheAncientandMysticalOrderRosaeCrucis.AllRightsReserved.
Thispublicationisforyourpersonal,privateuseonly,andmaynotbeusedforanycommercialpurpose.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,distributed,displayed,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,includingphotocopying,recording,orotherelectronicormechanicalmeans,includinginformationstorageandretrievalsystems,withouttheexpressandpriorwrittenpermissionofSupremeGrandLodgeOfTheAncientandMysticalOrderRosaeCrucis,exceptinthecaseofbriefquotationsembodiedinreviews.Forpermissionrequests,pleasecontact:SupremeGrandLodgeOfTheAncientAndMysticalOrderRosaeCrucis,Inc.,RosicrucianPark,1342NagleeAve,SanJose,California95191.
Theinformationinthisbookisdistributedonan“asis”basis,withoutwarranty.Althougheveryprecautionhasbeentakeninthepreparationofthiswork,neithertheauthornorthepublishershallhaveanyliabilitytoanypersonorentitywithrespecttoanylossordamagecausedorallegedtobecauseddirectlyorindirectlybytheinformationcontainedinthisbook.
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TableofContents
CoverPage
Preface
IAVisittotheLandofMystery
IIMysteriousTraditions
IIITheGeographicalSignificance
IVTheAmazingConstruction
VSymbolicMeasurements
VITheProphecyofEvents
VIITheSecretPassagewaysofthePyramid
VIIIStrangeFacts
IXTheMysteryInitiations
XWhenceCameThisKnowledge?
Appendix
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DEDICATED
totheMemoryofDR.JAMESHENRYBREASTED
whohasgiventotheworldsomuchtruthregardingtheantiquitiesofEgypt.
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BuildingtheGreatPyramidofGizeh.Itisestimatedthatonehundredthousandmenwereemployedtwentyyears
toerectit.Theabovepictureisafamousartist'sconceptionofthemammothtask.
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TheSphinx,guardianoftheages.Betweenitspawsstandsanaltarbeforewhichcandidatesofthemysteryschools,inantiquity,tooktheirobligationspriorto
beingledbysubterraneanpassagewayintotheinitiatorychambersoftheGreatPyramid(showninbackground).
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TheillustriousPharaoh,Akhnaton,of1350B.C.,thefirsttoconceiveandpostulateamonotheisticreligion.HisreligiousviewsinfluencedthereligiousliteratureofthecaptiveJewsandputanindeliblestampuponthe
Christiandoctrinescenturieslater.
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PREFACETherehavebeensomanybooksandpamphlets
writtenabouttheGreatPyramidofGizehinEgyptthatitwouldseemthatonemoreonthesubjectwouldbeuseless.Thegreatdivergencyofopinionsexpressedinthesebookswouldtendtoleadthereadersofthemtofeelthateachnewbookisbutanotherpresentationofpersonalopinions,andthatthemultiplicityofopinionsleavestheseekerfortruthgreatlypuzzled.
Afterall,anydescriptionofthePyramidislikeadescriptionofabeautifulsunsetorofamagnificentpainting.Eachdescriptionisaslightlydifferentpictureofwhatisintheeyesofthebeholder.Thosewhowouldbenefitbysuchdescriptionsmusttakefromeachwhatseemstobeinagreementwiththeothersandwhatcreatesintheirmindsalogicalconception.
CertainitisthatthePyramidintotocanbedescribedfrommanydifferentviewpoints.Thearchitect,thestructuralengineer,thebuilder,thelaborer,theartist,andtheartisanwillfindinthePyramidelementstoholdtheirattention,commandadmirationandrespect,andfurnishmaterialforelaborateandenthusiasticdescriptions.
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Thentherearethehistorian,thephilosopher,thescientist,andthemystic.EachofthemwillfindinthePyramidthatwhichhecanadmireanddwelluponwithecstasy,enthusiasm,orcoldmechanicalrespect.
ThethesisofthispresentbookisthepresentationofthemysticalsideofthePyramidandthesupportofthecontentionpresentedinmanyancienttraditionsthattheGreatPyramidwasbuiltnotasatombforakingwhosoughttoaggrandizehimselfimmediatelybeforeandlongafterhistransition,butasaplacedesignedentirely,andusedexclusively,formysticalceremoniesofinitiationand,incidentally,orcoincidentally,asamonumentforthepreservationofwisdomandtobeeverlastinglyaprophetofthefuture.
Forthisreasonthisbookdoesnotdealexhaustivelywiththemechanical,engineering,scientific,orotherfeaturesofthedesignandstructureofthePyramid,exceptinsofarastheycastlightuponitsmysticalsymbolismanditspracticalusefulnessinaccordancewiththethesisreferredtoabove.
Eventheso-calledreligioussideofitssignificanceistoucheduponbutlightlybecausemanyotherbookshaveelaborateduponthisphaseofthesubject,oftentofanatiCalextremes.Itistooeasytogoastrayandallowone'simaginationandfancytoassociatemanythingsfoundinthe
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PyramidwithstatementstobefoundintheChristianBibleinboththeOldandNewTestaments.ThisisnotduetothefactthattherearesomanydoubtfulorunprovedelementstobefoundinthePyramidwhichmaybeexplainedbyextremeresorttotheimagination,buttothefactthatsomanypagesintheChristianBiblearesusceptibleofvariousexplanationsandinterpretations,oftenthroughelaboratediscussionsoftheprecisemeaningofsomewordinasentence—regardlessofthefactthatmanysuchwordswerearbitrarilychosenbytheinterpretersandtranslatorsoftheBiblewithouthavinginmindtheuniqueapplicationthatmightbemadeoftheshadesofmeaningattributivetosuchwords.
Becauseinancientwritingswefindreferencesto"thefourcornersoftheearth,"weshouldnotassumethattheoriginalwritersofthewords—notthetranslatorsorinterpreters—intendedtoimplythattheearthwassquareandactuallyhadfourcorners.Butsuchphraseseasilylendthemselvestothefanatical,moderninterpretersinwritingabouttheGreatPyramid,whowouldarguethatthePyramidrepresentsthesquarenessoftheearthandthatinthebeginningoftimetheearthmusthavebeensquarebecausetheBiblespeaksofthefourcornersoftheearthandthePyramiditselfhasfourcorners.
Thesameistrueinregardtothemannerof
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interpretingmanyofthepropheticindicationsinthePyramidtoincidentsrelatedintheBible.ByalittlestretchoftheimaginationandtheinsistenceuponcertainshadesofmeaningattributedtowordsdescribingthelifeandactsofJesus,theextremistswouldhaveusbelievethateveryincidentinthelifeofJesusisprophesiedinthePyramid,andthatthefuturelifeofman—asoutlinedintheChristiandogmasandcreeds—isfirmlyestablishedinthepredictionsfoundinthePyramid.ThiswouldmakethePyramidexclusivelyaChristianmonumentwhichmusthavebeen,therefore,designedandcreatedbyChristianstoemphasizetheChristianreligionandtointimatethatonlyChristianswouldfindwisdominitsrevelations.ThefactthatthePyramidwasdesignedandbuiltlongbeforetheChristiandoctrineswerepresentedtomanisnoembarrassmenttotheseextremistswhoexplainthisdifficultybystatingthatthedesignersandCreatorsofthePyramidknewinadvanceofthecomingofJesustheChrist,theteachingsHewouldpresent,theactsHewouldperform,andtheeventualChristianizingoftheentireworldby"theonlytruereligion."
Ichoosetoleavetotheindividualreadersofthisbookthepersonalchoiceofmakingsuchreligiousinterpretations,andthedecisionastowhetherornottheGreatPyramidprophesiestheChristianizingofthewholeworld.Thisisamatter
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thatisentirelyoutsidethescopeofthepresentwork.
TheauthorhasvisitedtheinsideandoutsideofthePyramidandhasstudiedmanyplansofitsmeasurementsanddelineation,andexaminedformanyyearsancientandmodernrecordscontainingtheoldtraditionsandthepresentsecretwritingsandreportsregardingtheoriginalpurposeofthePyramidanditsoccupationanduse.
Mostofthestatementsmadeinthisbook,therefore,arenotthemerepersonalopinionsoftheauthorbutthepersonalopinionsofmultitudesofpersonswhohavebeenincontactwiththoseassociatedwiththePyramidinthetimeofitsmysticaluse,orwhohavemaderecentstudiesofitspresentconditions.Theopinionsofsomemodernwriters,scientists,andinvestigatorshavebeenaddedinsupportoftheancienttraditionsandEndings.Thisbook,therefore,isahandbookofthemysticalsideoftheGreatPyramidandarguesitsthesisfromthepremiseofmanyestablishedfacts.IfanyreaderthereofdesirestoadoptanopposingopinionandtoinsistthattheGreatPyramidofGizehwasnotwhatthisthesisclaims,.heisentitledtohisopinionandtheburdenofproofrestsuponhimtosupporthiscontentionsandatthesametimeexhausthimselfinattemptingtonegatetheoutstandingfacts,well-established,whichsupporttheideaspresentedinthisbook.
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ThebookisconsequentlyachallengeandatthesametimeaninterestingdescriptionofthePyramidasitwasandasitistoday.
THEAUTHOR
February1,1936.
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T
ChapterI
AVISITTOTHELANDOFMYSTERY
OUNDERSTANDandappreciateboththearchitecturalmagnificenceandthemysticalsignificanceoftheGreatPyramid,onemust
understandsomethingaboutmysteriousEgypt.Amongvariousreligiousdenominationsof
moderntimesEgyptisstillcalled"TheLandofDarkness."Tothestudentsofcivilization,andculturalandintellectualdevelopment,Egyptevertypifiestheonetimecenterofworldculture.Tothestudentofmysticismandallthatisweird,alluring,fascinating,andintriguing,thebanksoftheNileremainincreasinglypopularandinteresting.
Whysomeshouldcallit"TheLandofDarkness"isdifficulttounderstand,unlesswelookatEgyptinoneperiodofitsverylonghistoryandwronglyselectthatperiodastypifyingitsspirit.Therearemanylandsintheworldtodaywhichatonetimerosetogreatheightsincultureandintellectualdevelopmentandthendroppedtoa
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verylowplace,butnoneoftheseiscommonlyreferredtoasalandofdarkness.FromareligiouspointofviewtheChristiansandthoseofmoremodernformsofreligionpointoutthefactthatChristianityhasmadelittleheadwayinEgyptinthepastfewcenturies,andfromtheChristianpointofviewthiswouldseemtoindicatealandofreligiousdarkness.ButsuchpersonsforgetthatEgyptwasalandinwhichChristianitydevelopedoneofitsearliestfoundations,andfromwhichitderivedmuchofitscultureandethics.
Tothemystic,orthosemysticallyinclined,Egyptdoesnotpersonifyalandofdarkness,butalandofsleeping,potent—thoughdormant—power,withahidden,secretwisdomandculturethatmaybefannedtoagreatflameandbecomeaninspiringsourceofilluminationatalmostanyperiodofthepresentandfutureyears.Initsownwayitishighlyreligious,andmeasuredfromthebroadstandardsofreligionitisnotwithoutitsbeautifulidealsandwonderfulcontributionstomoralandethicaldevelopment.
ThepeoplesoftheWesternWorldhavedevelopedmanyerroneouspicturesandideasregardingEgyptanditspeople,andtherearetwosourcesofinformation,ormisinformation,whichareresponsiblefortheseerroneousideas.Thefirstarethereportsofthepoliticalsituationthere,withconstantintimationsinthesereportsthatEgyptisa
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landofpeopleincapableofproperlygoverningthemselvesandneedingthecontinuedsurveillance,"protection,"and"guardianship"ofamoremodernnation.Thesecondsourceofmisinformationarethepopularstoriesandtalestoldaboutthecountryinbooksorlectures,magazinearticles,orfeaturereportspreparedbythosewhodeliberatelycolortheiropinionsandjudgment,orignorantlyrecordincompetentanddistortedviewpoints.
ThehistoryofEgyptgoesbacktosuchgreatantiquitythatactualfactsarelostbehindaveilofobscurity,anditisonlywhenthesefactsemergeintheirchronologicalforwardmarchtowardmoremoderntimesthattheytakeonaformthatresemblesrecognitionandestablishment.CarefullysurveyingthehistoryofEgypt,oneisimpressedwiththeideathatitislikelookingacrossthecountryintoadensefog.Themoredistanttheobjectswetrytodiscern,themorevagueandindefinitetheyappeartobeinformandcolor,andeveninrelationshiptotheearthitself.Itisonlythosethingswhichseemtoemergepartiallyfromthefogandcomeclosertousthatgiveusacorrectimpressionorsomethingtangibletorecordinourcontemplation.
IfweweretoflyoverEgyptinamodernplane,asisbeingclonealmostdailyatthepresenttimebytouristsandthosewhohaveimportantmattersto
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dealwithandmustmakehurriedtripstoEgyptandreturn,wewouldbeimpressedwiththefactthatnotonlyisEgyptaverysmallsectionofAfricalocatednearitsnortheastcorner,butthatitisjustalongvalleylyingoneithersideofawonderfulriverendingattheMediterraneanandhavingitsbeginningsomewhereintheruggedmountainsofEthiopiaorAbyssinia.Infact,wereitnotforthisunusualriver—unusualinmanyways—thelandofEgyptwouldbeapartofthedesertwastesofNorthernAfrica.Butdownthroughthisdesertwastenaturedugacanal,andallowedtherainwatersoftheEthiopianmountainstowendtheirwaynorthwardtowardtheMediterraneanthroughthistwisting,turningcanal.Forfifteenhundredmilesthisrivercarriesitslife-givingwaterstothegreatsea,andduringthelasteighthundredmilesofthisdistancewehavethehistoricallyfamousandfascinatingvalleythatconstitutestheessentialheartofEgypt.
ThepartofEgyptthatisthemostinterestingtoalltourists,andthemostattractiveinitspresentationofruinsandmonumentsoffascinatingrevelationscoversadistancealongtheNileofabouteighthundredmilessouthfromCairo,orinotherwords,adistanceequivalenttothevalleylocatedintheCentralportionoftheStateofCalifornia.BecauseoftheannualoverflowofthisNile,resultingininundationswhichCarry
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downfromthemountainsmudandsoil,anddepositthemuponthesandoneithersideofthestream,andirrigatethisotherwisedryandunfertilearea,thecivilizationofEgypthascentereditselfintoanarrowstretchofmudandsandlandborderingthisGod-givenstream.AndbecausetheNileaffordedacoolandveryefficientmeansofnavigation,aswellasirrigatedlandsforagricultureandhabitations,alloftheprincipalcitiesofEgyptwerebuiltalongthebanksoftheNileaswereallofthemagnificenttemples,pyramids,andotherstrangestructures.
EnteringEgyptbymeansoftheairplane,however,isnotthemostinteresting,norprofitablewaytocoveranyportionofitsareas,nortoreachitsborderlands.TwoverypopularmethodsforWesternWorldvisitorsarebyboattoAlexandriaorSuezandthencebytraintoCairo,orbytrainfromPalestine.AsonearrivesbyshipatAlexandria,thefirstsightoflandisimpressivebecauseofthemagnificentbay,themanyshipsanchoredatitsdocks,anditsthousandsofsmallprivateboatsincludingtheyachtsofthewealthywiththeirwhitehullsreflectinginthewaters,andtintedbythevariegatedcolorsonthepatchworksailsofthepoorman'sboats.Thehustleandbustleatthedocks,accompaniedbythefascinatingcostumesoftheorientaltypesamongthosewhohandleyourbaggageandoperatethetraffic
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conditionsatthepiers,theunusualrailroadtrainsandthemethodsofboardingthemandfightingforseatsintheunreservedcompartments,makethefirstfewhoursofyourarrivalinEgyptthebeginningofalongdramaofendlessactsandscenes.
TheridethroughtheDeltaregionwithitsthousandsofsmallirrigationcanals,itsflatlandsofgreens,thestrangemudhutsofthenativesspottedamongmoremodernbuildingsofstone,theagriculturalanddairyindustriesofthisregion,andthepassingofanoccasionalancientlandmark,maketheshortjourneyfromAlexandriatoCairosofascinatingthatthefewhourspassbyalmostunnoticed.Ontheotherhand,asoneboardstheEgyptiantrainatJerusaleminthequaintoldstationwherecamelsarecarryingfreightandbaggagerighttothesideofthetrain,andstrangesignstellofthedepartureofthetrainanditsdestinationinseveraldifferentlanguagesincludingHebrew,andthepeculiarlookingcarsstandwiththeirhigh-pitchedwhistlesconstantlyblowingasawarning,thestrangelookingbaggageporters,andalloftheotheruniquefeaturesofthetripmakethestartinganinterestingoneafteronehasspentmanyfascinatingdaysperhapsjourneyingthroughPalestineandJerusalemsincearrivingonthegreatshipatHaifa.AsthetrainmovesfromJerusalemtowardEgypttheconstantchangeinthenatureof
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thesoilanditsproductsbecomessoevidentastoholdoneinaspellatthewindowofthecompartmentofthetrain.Graduallytherockysurfaceofthelandsmoothesoutintograssandslightlyrollinghills,andthenasthetrainapproachestheoldPhoenicianCoastoftheMediterranean,atonetimetheworld'sgreatestcenterofshippingandnavigation,thefertilesoilgraduallyturnsintosanddunesandthetreesofvariouskindsthatmadePalestinesopicturesquedisappear,andfinallyintheirplaceweseegrovesofpalmtrees.
TheridefromJerusalemtoCairoisaonedayjourneybeginningsoonafterbreakfastandendingjustintimeforonetoenjoyaneveningmealatthehotelinCairo.Butintheintervaloftenortwelvehoursthesitesofancient,historicalplacespassbeforeuslikeapanoramaonthemotionpicturescreen.LittlebylittleweleavebehindusinPalestineamixtureofancientandmoderncivilization,architecture,andindustries,andapproachthemostprimitiveformofhumansettlements.Everyhourorsothetrainishaltedatgraduallymodifiedtypesofrailwaystationarchitecture,untilbymiddaywefindthestationscrudelyconstructedandpeopledbythemostprimitivetypesofagriculturistsattemptingtoturnthebarrenwastelandsofsandintosomemeansofsustenance.Asthetrainhaltsforwaterandthe
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deliveryofmailandbaggage,weseeinthedistancesoneithersideofthetrainpeculiarmudhutsbuiltofstalksofsugarcaneinterwovenwithclothandplasteredwithmud,outofwhichcomethedwellersofthisstrangesectionoftheearth.Thenativeswhosurroundourcompartmentsandpeerintoourwindowsandofferussomeoftheirwaresforsalearekindlylookingpeopledespitetheirprimitiveandpoorclothing,andnotwithstandingthestrangelongingthatissoevidentintheireyes.Theyappreciateeachkindwordthatisspokentothemevenwhentheydonotunderstandthelanguage.TheyareappreciativeofeverybusinesstransactionandvaluehighlytheWesternWorldmoneythattheyreceiveinexchangefortheirwares,butseemtoresentanyideathattheyarebeggingorlookingforcharity.Trueitisthatalargeportionofthenativeswhoflockaroundtouristsateachandeverypointofrest,paintforusapictureofpovertythroughtheirconstantsolicitationsforbaksheesh,orinotherwords,coinsofanykindeitherhandedtothemorthrowntothemfromthecompartmentwindows.Andateachmovemadebythetouristswhenenteringacar,automobile,hotel,ordoorway,orinpickinguporsettingdownapieceofbaggage,orinlookingforsomethingorsomeone,theseprofessionalbeggarsslipquietlytooneside,andasifbymagicseemtotakeholdofthedoorknoband
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baggagehandles,orwhateverthetouristisreachingfor,andwhileofferingitwithonehandtheysolicitmoneywiththeother,untiltheprocessbecomesanannoyanceanditoftencallsfordrasticactiontofreeoneselffrombeingdelayedbyacircleofthesebeggarswhowoulddeliberatelyforceonetopaythemforfreedomofaction.ButinfairnesstothenativesofallofthesecountriesintheNearEastitmustbesaidthatthesebeggars,oftenresortingtotricksorimitatinglameness,blindness,paralysis,andotherappallingconditionsandlaughingatyoulaterwhenyoudiscoveryouhavebeentricked,representaverysmallportionofthepopulace.
AsthetrainmovesontowardtheSuezCanalandcrossesitatKantara,wenotethatthesunisbeginningtosetintheWest,andasweturnoureyestowardEgyptwecanfaintlyseetheoutlinesoftheminaretsthatrisetowardtheskysilhouettedagainstthegoldencolorsofthesun.Ifourjourneyismadeduringthewintermonths—themostappropriatetimeforvisitingEgypt—itisalmostdarkwhenourtrainarrivesatCairoandourbaggageisunloaded,andweenterataxicaborspecialautomobiletobedriventoourhotel.
WhetherwehavecomedirectfromAmericaorotherpartsoftheworldtoAlexandriabyboatandthencebytraintoCairo,orwhetherwehavecomethroughPalestineandSyriaafterhavingvisitedthemanyancientcitiesofthoselandsandthenceby
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traintothegreatEgyptiancity,wecannotfailtobeimpressed,asourautomobiledrivesustowardourhotel,withthefactthatportionsofCairowithitswideboulevards,itsparks,itsshadytrees,itsverymodernbuildingsandoffices,hotelsandstores,itshighstructures,itsmultiplicityofautomobilesandmoderntaxicabs,itsmanypeopledressedinWesternWorldclothing,andthenatureofthehustleandbustle,theelectricsignswithmanyofthemcontainingEnglishwords,giveusanimpressionthatweareinaWesternWorldcity,andnotinoneoftheoldestlandsoftheearth.StandinginthecentralplazaofCairoeitherinmiddayoratnight,onewonderswhetherthisisthePiccadillyorCharingCrossofLondon,thePlacedelaMadeleineofParis,orthecenterofanyothergreatEuropeancity,orpossiblyUnionSquareofSanFrancisco,NewYork,Chicago,NewOrleans,oralmostanywhere.Eventhetrolleycarsandtheironpostsholdingthetrolleywires,theawningsinfrontofthejewelrystoresandotherplaces,thetheaterentrances,thetrafficofficersandthesignals,thenewsboyswiththeirnewspapers,thedrinkingplaces,thehoteldiningroomswiththeirpopularorchestras,allseemtobedisappointing,forweastouristsexpected—what?Itisdifficultforthetouristtosaywhyheisdisappointed.Butthenextmorning,asheistakenbyautomobilefromhishotelthroughthegreatsquare(namedafter
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MohammedAli)tooneofthesurfbeaches,hefindsareplicaofwhathemayhaveseenintheeasternpartsoftheBritishIsles,atOstend,Biarritz,orAtlanticCity,withallofthecolorfulparasols,bathingtents,concessionsandamusements,modernbathingsuits,withmenandwomenfromeverycountryintheworld,mostlyoftheWesternandEuropeantype,enjoyingthesunshineandwarmwavesinamannerindicatingcompleteindifferencetothefactthattheyareinoneoftheancientsectionsofamysteriouscountry.
TheinteriorsofthehotelsatCairoimpressusbecauseofthegreatheightoftheceilings,thelargenessofthespaciousbedrooms,diningrooms,andhallways,thebalconiesandporcheswiththeirveryhelpfulshade,theluxuriousnessoftheorientaltapestries,rugs,andantiquesettings,andthemultitudeofservantsdressedinlongwhiterobeswithbrightredsilksashesandtheinevitablefezasaheaddress.Whereverandhoweveronemayturninanypartofthehotel—evenintheprivacyofone'sownbedroomorbathroom—oneofthesesilent-movingservantsisatone'selbow,ortappinguponthedoor,orjustreadytoenter,seeminglyanticipatingeverydesireandeverynecessity.Onemaystepintothehallwaytoapproachtheelevatortogodowntothelowerfloorandseenoservantinsight,yetbeforehecanwalktwofeetwithbaggageinhishandsoraparcelunderhisarm,adozenof
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theseservantswillseemtoapproachfromnowhere,orfromoutoftheshadowsofthenichesthataresetintothehallways,orfromaroundthecorner,orperhapsfromtheveryflooritself,andoffertheiraid.
Thebedroomsarefurnishedmagnificently,buthaveastrangeappearancewiththeirlongwindowsthatopenontobalconies,withtheirVenetianblinds,theirvelourdrapes,andtheirnet-coveredbeds.Thediningroomappearslikeasettingforsomebanquetinagreatpalacewithitsbeautifulcarpets,itsspotlesslinen,itsgreatnumberofsilverpiecesuponthetables,itsbeautifulchina,itslargenumberofwaitersassignedtoeachsection(oftentwotoatable),itscornersspottedwithdivansinorientalstyleoverhungwithcanopiesofrarematerials,itsopulenthanginglampsofEgyptianartwork,itsmagnificentchandelierscontainingthousandsofpiecesofcrystal,anditssoftmusicconstantlybeingplayedbyorientalmusicians.Itsprintedmenuisabeautifulsouvenir,andthefoodiswellpreparedandimpressivelyserved,andthewinesandliquorsflowmorefreelythanwater,forthepeopleoftheWesternWorldcannotenjoythetasteofthedrinkingwaterinEgypt,norisitsafetopartakeofit.Outinthestreetswefindtheboulevardsquitemodern,withthesidestreetsspottedwithantiqueandsouvenirstoreswhereineverythingthatEgyptmanufacturedinthepastis
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duplicatedandeverythingmanufacturedatthepresenttimeisofferedatreasonableprices.
DuringthewintermonthsthetemperatureatmiddayislikethatofafairsummerdayinNewYork,Chicago,London,orParis.Thenightsoftenbecomefairlycoolandmakesleepingenjoyable.WhereveronegoeshefindsnativeswhocanspeakorunderstandtheEnglishlanguage.Bootblacks—wearingthewhiterobeandsash—areatworkeverywhere,asarethesellersofstringsofbeads,souvenircanesandnoveltiesofallkinds.
Atthecurbwearebeckonedtopatronizeopenone-horsecarriagesinwhichfourcanridecomfortably,ormoderntaxicabswiththetopsloweredtomakesightseeingeasier.InafewminutesandforafewpenniesonecanbewhiskedtothemuskysectionofCairowherethenarrow,old-timestreetsarelinedwithbazaarswhereonecanseethemostbeautifulspecimensofhandmadebrassvasesinlaidwithcopperorsilver,orsilkenshawls,cottontableclothsandscarfs,andeveryconceivablekindofarticlemadeoutofwoodandmetalandotherthings,fromsmallportablechairstomagnificentservicesetsforthetable.
Onesoonlearnshowtobargainwiththemenwhooperatethesebazaars.Eachbazaarismerelyaholeinthewall,andseventy-fivepercentofthemerchandisehangsontheoutsideofthestore—wheretheremightotherwisehavebeenaplate-
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glasswindow—orontablesorchairs,andnearlyallofone'sbargainingisdonerightonthestreetwhilebothnativesandtouristsstandandwatch.Theproperprocedureusuallyistoinquirethepriceofsomethingonedesires,buttogiveitonlyacasualexaminationandnotrevealone'sdeepinterestinit.Thenhavingreceivedaquotation,orhavingbeentoldthe"askingprice,"oneproceedstodividethatpricebythedateofthemonth,thensubtractthehouroftheday,andthendividetheremainderbytwo.Thisthenconstitutesyourfirstoffer,anditshouldthenbefollowedbysomemoredivisionandsubtractionuntilafourthandfifthofferhavebeenmade.Then,refusingtoacceptthemerchant'sfinalandlastquotationoneturnsaboutandwalksaway.Itisthenthatthemerchantcomesandmakeshisfirstoffer,andthenthebargainingbeginsagain.
Ifyoubuythearticle,andhaveconductedyourbargainingintherightmanner,youwillhavepaidapproximatelyone-twentiethofthepriceoriginallyasked.Believingthatyouhavebeenverysuccessfulinyourbargainingyouaremadeunhappyafewminuteslaterbytherivalmerchantjustacrossthestreetofferingtoyouthesamepieceofmerchandisefromhisstockatone-halfthepriceyouhavejustpaidtotheother.Andasyouwendyourwayalongthestreetswiththeirbazaars,yourunwrappedpackageunderyourarm—mostthings
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arecarriedthisway—merchantaftermerchantwillpointouttoyouaduplicateofitpossessedbyhimandwhichhewillselltoyouatalowerprice,foreachoneseemstoknowhowmuchyoupaid,andbeforeyouhaveleftthebazaardistrictyourealizethatyoumighthavehadtenshawlsforthepriceyoupaidforone,ortenpiecesofbrass,ortenotherthingsofsimilarvalue.NomatterhowmanytimesyoumaygotothebazaarsofCairo,orevenofLuzororAlexandria,andnomatterhowoftenyoucontinuetobargainuntilyouhavereachedwhatyoubelievemustbetheverylowestprice,youwillfindlaterthatyoubroughtyourbargainingtoaclosefartoosoon.
Butallofthisispartofthefun,theexcitement,thepastimeofyourvisit.Youalwaysknowthatyouhavereceivedfullvalueforthemoneyyouhavespent,andyoufeelreluctanttotakearticlesawayfromthesepersonsatapricethatseemstobeunfairandunreasonablefor,afterall,despitetheirsharpbargainingandtheirexpressionsofresentmentatyourquotations,theyareakindlylotofpeople.Whenyoufindtheminreposeasyoudoatthedoorwaysofthegreatmosquesoruniversitiesandschools,oratthedoorwaysoftemplesandgrottos,orwaitingintheshadowsofthePyramid,orelsewhere,youseeupontheircountenancestheunmistakableexpressionsofsincerity,profoundthought,deepinnerwisdom,
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andamysteriouspower.Manyscenesareamusing,indeed.Itappearsto
beacustominCairoforeachpoormanwhohasaharem—ahouseholdofmorethanonewifeorfemale—totakehiswivesandchildrenforaweeklyrideon.Saturdayafternoon.Thepoorman—andtherearesomanyoftheminandaroundCairo—usuallypossessesonemuleordonkey,andalargetwo-wheeledwagonthatresemblessomeofthesmallhaywagonsorhaycartsseeninotherpartsoftheworldwiththeirslantingsidesandlongextendedplanksinthefloorofthewagon.Thehusbandoftheharemwillplaceallofhiswivesintheforepartofthislittlewagon,andattachalargewickerbasketorenclosureofsomekindontherearpartofitintowhichheplaceschildrenundertheageofsixorseven.Then,walkingandleadingthemuleordonkey,hewillslowlywendhiswayaroundthenativesectionsofthecity,andpartlyoutontothehighwaytogivehisfamilyatwo-hourairingandperiodofenjoyment.Thepoorfellowattheheadoftheprocessionseemstobeaspoorlyfedandaspoorlycaredforastheanimalthatpullsthewagon,andthewomeninthewagonarealwaysdressedincheap,blackmaterialwithblackveilsovertheirheadsandanotheronecoveringthelowerpartofeachface,whilethechildrenarebuthalfdressedinthecheapestandpoorestmaterial.
Whereverthereareharemsownedbythe
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wealthyclasssuchexhibitionsofthefamilyareneverseen,andsooneisapttogathertheimpressionthatalloftheharemsofthatpartoftheworldareownedbythepoorestofmen,whichisnotthetruth.Butincontrasttothisamusingsight,andwhichshouldneverprovokeanyoutermanifestationofamusement,oneconstantlyseesintheshadowsoftemplesandmosques,andevenatthehotellobbiesandstores,thesilentdreamingfigureofthetrueEgyptianwhoisalwayspoliteandreserved,andalwaysmeditativeandimpressiveintherestraintofsomethingthatisdifficultforallbutthemystictounderstand.Hestandswithalmostutterindifference,orisseatedinhiscross-leggedpostureasthoughviewingtheworldandthepasserbywithkeenanalysisandcon-temptation.YoufeelthatheiswonderingwhytheycometoEgyptandleavetheirmoderncitiesbehindthem,ifinthemtheyhavealloftheluxuriesoflifeandalloftheconveniencesofwhichtheyspeak.Youfeelthatheiswonderingwhytheycometohislandtospendsomuchmoney,andtospenditsofreelyanduselesslyastheaveragetouristusuallydoes.YoufeelthathewonderswhetheranyofthosepassingbyhaveseentherealthingsofEgypt,andhavesenseditsrealbeauty,itsrealpowers,anditsrealpossibilities.Andasyoustudyhiminturnyouwonderwhatprofoundknowledgehehasinheritedandwhatgreatwisdomhehasacquiredfromhis
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contactswiththemysticsandtheteachersandthephilosopherswhostillcarryontheirgreatworkinthehiddenpartsofeachsectionofthisancientland.Youwonderwhatitwilltaketoawakensuddenlyandintheflashofaneye,orthetwinklingofaneye,andquickenintoactionallofthepolitical,mental,spiritual,andmysticalpowerpossessedbythelearned,quiet,peacefulcitizensofEgypt.
Theydonotappeartobesuppressednorevendepressedbypoliticalorotherconditionssurroundingthem,andwhiletheydonotappeareithertobesatisfiedandwhollyagreeabletotheconditionswhichexist,theygiveyoutheimpressionthattheyarebidingtheirtimeandareawaitingtheclarioncallfromsomewhere.Theyarepeacefullyandtolerantly,politelyandmercifullyanticipatingsomecyclicaction,somedawnofatomorrowwhen,asinseveralotherperiodsofEgyptianhistory,thegreatandrealpowerofEgyptshallburstforthlikeaflashoflightningandilluminatenotonlyitsownlandbutalltheworld.
Onefeelsintuitivelyandinstinctivelythatsomewhereintherecessesoftheancienttemples,inthehiddenandsecretgrottosbeneaththesand,inthearchivesofthegreatuniversities,intheundergroundchambersofcrudelyformedhuts,therearesecretmeetingsheldandsecretwisdompreservedandperpetuated,butwithitallyousense
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thatwhatissleepingandwaitingthedayofawakeningisnotapoliticalrevolt,areligiousuprising,oranexpressionofintoleranceandhatred,butsomethingofpeace,somethingthatwillmanifestincooperativeactiongivingallthenationsoftheworldcauseforadmirationandrespect,andbringingEgyptanditstruesonsoncemoreintothelimelightoftheworldasleadersofculturalthought,orunsuspectedmysticalpowers,andofspiritualfortitude.
Andasthemysticwendshiswaythroughsomeoftheoldtemplesandisescortedbyakindnativethroughmosquesandsecretplaces,hefeelsthathisaurahasbeenobserved,thathissoulhasrevealeditselftothepsychiceyesightofhisconductor,andthathisloveforEgypt,hisadmirationforthethingsitoncerevealedandstillpossesses,havemadeanimpression.Themysticmomentarilyexpectsthathewillbetakenasideintosomesecludedchamberwheretheatmosphereiscoolandwholesome,whereincensewillbeburning,wherethecolorsfromstainedglasswindowswillmakefascinatingpatternsonthefloor,whereagreatpatriarchoftheoldracesofEgyptwillbeseatedasonathrone,whereintelligentandculturednativeswillbeseatedinagroup,andtherebehindcloseddoorsthemysticdiscoveredduringhisjourneyinthelandwillbewelcomedintosomestrangebrotherhood,orgivenakeytothe
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mysteriesofEgypt,ortoldwhatitspeopleanticipateandareprayingfor.Andsuchthoughtsinthemindofthemysticarenotfantasiesunwarrantedandbeyondthepaleofpossibility.StrangerthingsthanthishavehappenedinEgyptwhenthetrueseeker,thetruemystic,hasgonethereinsincerity,andinhisunderstandingofthemoresacredthingsoflifehasallowedhissoultoexpressitselfinhiscountenanceandinhisreverentialattitude,whileothershavesmiledorscoffedandplainlyindicatedtheirlackofunderstandingandsympathy.
ToalargeportionoftheworldthelandofEgyptmaystillbethe"LandofDarkness,"butoncetherewasauniversaldarknesswhenallwasblackasnight,andchaotic,yetinthestillnessofthatnighttheresuddenlycamethedecreeandcommandandtheWordbecameaLaw,andthedarknesswasfilledwithagreatlight,andwiththecomingofthelighttherecameorderandsystem,andintothemidstthereoftherecamelifeandlove.
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ChapterII
MYSTERIOUSTRADITIONS
HEGreatPyramidofEgypt,asidefromitspropheciesoranyofitssecretpurposes,isoneofthegreatworldmysteries.Foragesthe
GreatPyramidhasbeensurroundedbymysterioustraditionswhichhavebecloudedthemindofeveryresearcherandmadetheworkofeveryscientificinvestigatorextremelydifficult.
ThereareseveralwaysinwhichtheinvestigatormayapproachthesubjectofthePyramid—fromthehistorical,thearchitectural,themystical,andthereligiousandprophetic.Ineachoftheseapproachesthefieldwidensandthehorizonbecomesmoreandmoredistantasoneattemptstoreachthegoalofultimateunderstandingandcomprehension.
ItwouldalmostseemthatwiththecomingofthedawnofcivilizationthemysteryofthePyramidwasalreadyatopicofworldinterestandworlddiscussion,keepinginmindthatatthattimethe
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worldwaslimitedtoanareapracticallysurroundingthePyramiditself.
TheearliesthistoriansofthecivilizationsofmanreferredtothePyramid,eachviewingthehugestructurefromdifferentviewpoints,andeachstressinghiscomprehensionofitssignificance.Itislittlewonder,therefore,thateventodaywithallofthelightthathasbeencastuponthePyramid,itisstillamystery,andthatacompletecomprehensionofitappearstobeasfarawayasinthedayswhenWesternWorldcivilizationfirstgazeduponitandattemptedtopiercetheveilofmysterywhichsurroundedit.
Letusstartwithitsnameasabeginning:TheancientEgyptianswereimpressednotsomuchbyanysecretorreligioussignificanceattachedtoit,orbythesizeofitsbase,astheywerebyitsenormousheight.EventodaytouristsfromtheWesternWorldandthoseaccustomedtoviewingtheextremeheightsofmodernskyscraperswiththeirfiftyormoretoweringstories,arestrangelyimpressedbytheheightoftheGreatPyramid.ForthisreasontheEgyptianschoseforanameforthestructureatermthatexpressedtheirappreciationofitsheightratherthanitsdimensionsinanyotherway.TheEgyptianwordPir-em-usmeanttothemsomethingofgreatverticalheight.FromthistheGreekformPyramis,orthepluralPyramideswasformed.AftertheseventeenthcenturytheEnglish
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languageadoptedthesingularformPyramid.Itmustbekeptinmindthatthereareanumber
ofpyramidsinEgypt,andthatmostpopularreferencestothepyramidaretotheso-calledGreatPyramid,thelargestofall.
ManytouristsfromtheWesternWorld,andespeciallyfromAmericaaresurprisedwhentheytourthroughEgypttofindthatthePyramidwhichhasalwaysheldafascinationforthemisbutoneofanumber.ThesecondsurprisecomeswhentheyhavetheirfirstglimpseofthisGreatPyramidfromsomerooftop,oroneofthegarrisonedplacesofCairo.TheGreatPyramidthenappearstobebutasmallstructureindeed,andunworthyofallofthemagnificenttermsappliedtoit.AstouristsgobytrolleycarorautomobiletowardthefamousMenaHouseontheoutskirtsofCairo,andthenmountcamelstotakeafascinatingzigzaggingjourneytothePyramiditself,theexpressionsofdisappointmentonthefacesofthetouristsareatestimonyofthehighesteeminwhichthePyramidisheldinthemindsandtheimaginationsofthosewhohaveneverseenit.
Setoutinthedesertsands,separatedfromanyotherlargestructuresoranypartofthecityitself,andevenwithouttreesclosetoitforcomparison,theGreatPyramidlookslikeatoy.Thisisanopticalillusionduetotwofundamentalandinterestingprinciples.First,theabsenceofany
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otherstructureofcommonsizenearbymakesitimpossibleforthehumanmindtorealizeitssplendorandmagnificenceinheightorwidth.onecannottellatfirstglancewhetherthePyramidistheequivalentofathree-storystructuresuchasonewouldseeinalmostanyWesternWorldvillage,orsomethingoftenormorestoriesinheight.Second,theunusuallyclearatmosphereofEgypt,especiallyinthewintermonthswhentouristsmostlyfrequentthatpartoftheworld,robsalllandscapeviewsofthatstrangeatmosphericsoftnesswhichgivesusasenseofperspectiveanddistance.BuildingsandmonumentsinEgyptamiledistantappearassharpindetailasthoseafewhundredfeetaway.PersonsfromtheWesternWorldareaccustomedtoseeingavioletorbluehazetintthedistanttrees,mountains,andstructuresinsuchamannerastoindicatethedistancebetweentheobjectandtheviewer,andbythetokenofthisatmosphericsoftnessweappreciatenotonlythedistancebuttherealheightoftheobjectviewed.
LookingatthePyramidfromtheMenaHouse,itwouldappeartobenotmorethanonequarterofamiledistant,becauseofthesharpnessofdetailandtheabsenceofanyatmospherichaze.Judgingitsheight,then,assomethingthatisonlyaquarterofamileaway,itappearslowandsmallindeed.Butasonecontinuestherideuponthecamel,thediscoveryismadethatminuteafterminutepasses
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withoutanyapparentdecreaseinthedistancebetweentheviewerandthePyramid.Thelengthofthatrideisanothersurpriseforittakesmuchlongerthanthemindimagines,anditisonlywhentheriderandthecamelarepracticallywithintheshadowofthePyramidandtheeyesareturnedupwardtowarditsapexthatonerealizesitstremendousheight;andthenthecamel,therider,andthenativeguideappearlikepigmies—likelittlegrainsofsand—incomparisontothePyramiditself.
OneofthefirstmysteriesofthetraditionsofthePyramidfoundinalloftheancientrecords,andstillabasisfortheaccumulationofmysterioustraditionsthathavegrownaroundthePyramidinthepastcenturies,isthefactthatthePyramid,informandnature,inarchitecturalandmechanicaldesign,inlocationandappearance,usefulnessandmathematicalcalculation,issymbolicalofsomanythingsthatthelistseemsalmostendless.TheearlyEgyptiansthemselvesdiscoveredthatitsveryformwasnotonlyfamiliarinsomeway,butsuggestiveofthelawsofnature,fortheyhadseeninspecimensofrock,inmineralelements,andeveninsomegrainsofsand,thecrystalformationsthatwerebaseduponthetriangleortheformofthePyramid.Weknowtodaythattherearemanyelementsintheearththataretriangularorpyramidalincrystalformationandthatthepyramid
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andthetrianglearefundamentalmanifestationsofsomeunderlyingprincipleofcreation.
TheearlyEgyptianswereintellectuallydividedintotwoclasses—thosewhowereenslavedbythesuperstitiousteachingsofthepriesthood,andthosewhowereenlightenedbythegreattruthsofthemysteryschools.Inbothclasses,however,therewerethosewhowerefamiliarbycasualobservationwithcertainfundamentallawsofnature,andtheysoughttheexemplificationandmanifestationofthesefundamentallawsinallofnature.ForthisreasontheveryformofthePyramidasaunitinstructurearousedintheirmindsarealizationthatthePyramidwasinsomewayassociatedwithsomethingfundamentalinthecreationoftheuniverse.
AndamongbothclassesoftheearliestcivilizedEgyptianstherewasanappreciationofthefactthatthetrianglerepresentedsymbolicallyandmathematicallyaDivinelaworaCosmiclaw.Thosewhoweresteepedinsuperstitionlookeduponthetriangleasanemblemofeitherwhiteorblackmagic,whilethoseamongtheilluminatedinthemysteryschoolsexpressedtheequationofDivinelawwithatriangle,andreverenceditasasacredtriangleofDivineprinciples.WithoutdoubtthetrianglewastheearliestformofsacredsymbolismamongtheintelligentofEgypt,andasymbolofsuperstitiouspracticesamongthe
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ignorant,whilethesquareorcubewasaworldlyormundanesymboldevoidofsacrednessbutparamountinitsphysicalstrength.
WhenitdawnedupontheseearlyEgyptiansthatthePyramidwasreallyfourtrianglessuperimposeduponasquare,thecombinationofsymbolismthusmademanifestawakenedanewinterestinthePyramidandgavebirthtomoremysterioustraditionsregardingthePyramid'spurposeanditsorigin.
ExceptthoseEgyptianswhoparticipatedinitsbuilding,andthegenerationwhichimmediatelyfolloweditscompletion,alltheothergenerationsofEgyptianslookeduponthePyramidassomethingveryoldandeternallyexistent.TotheilluminatedonesthehistoricalrecordspreservedinthePyramiditself,whichtheywerepermittedtovisitbyvirtueoftheirassociationwiththemysteryschools,andtheotherrecordsmaintainedinthevariousmysterytemples,revealedthetruthoftheoriginandpurposeofthePyramid;buttotheuninitiated,theignorant,andthedevoteesofthepriesthood,theintimationssocarefullyworded,andsignificantlyoffered,becamethetraditionallawsoftheirbeliefs.Tothemthefactthatthesimilaritybetweenthefundamentalcrystalstructureofearthlyelementsandthefundamentalprincipleofthetriangleandsquarewerethingsoftheeternalplanandhadtheiroriginwiththebeginningofthe
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universe,indicatedthatthePyramidmusthaveexistedfromalltime.ForthisreasonthetraditionssoprevalentamongtheignorantofEgypt—whichconstitutedthelargemajority—andwhichbecameelaboratelyinterwoveninalloftheextensiveliteratureorculturalthoughtsofEgypt,arefilledwithstoriesregardingtheage,theantiquity,theorigin,andpurposeofthisoldstructure.ThiswasindeedaproblemtotheearliestinvestigatorsandtheearliesthistorianswhoattemptedtofathomthemysteriesofthePyramid.
UntilthePyramidwasactuallyenteredbytheprofaneworld,representedbyinquiringscientists,theonlyestablishedreportsorstoriesofthePyramidwerethosewhichtracedtheoriginofthePyramidtovariouskingswhoseperiodsandidentitieswereunknown,ortodeifiedpersonagesofgreatantiquity.TogetatthetruthoftheoriginandpurposeofthePyramidwas,therefore,amostdifficultmatter.Becausesomeoftheotherpyramids,smallerinsizeandunliketheGreatPyramidinouterfinishandinteriorarrangement,hadbeenbuiltastombsforkingsormonumentstotheirburial,itwaslogicallybelievedbytheuneducatedEgyptiansthattheGreatPyramidwasjustanothertombforakingthatwasgreaterthananyofhispredecessors.ThisideaofthePyramidbeingatombwassofirmlyfixedinthemindsoftheEgyptianpopulaceatthetimeoftheearliest
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investigationsthatitwouldhavebeenalmostlikeasacrilegetohavedaredtosaytoanyofthenativesoreventheirrulersandleadersthattheGreatPyramidwassomethingotherthanameremonumenttopersonalvanity.
WenotetodayfromastudyofarchitecturealonethatsuchstructuresaspyramidsbeganinthemiddleperiodofEgyptianhistory,orduringtheperiodfromthefourthtothetwelfthdynasty.
PriortothebuildingoftheGreatPyramidwhensmallpyramidswerebuiltastombs,asquarechamberoranoblongchamberwassunkinthedrysandofEgypt,generallyataplacewheretheinundationsoftheNilewouldnotreachthesite,andherethesunkenchamberwaslinedwithstone,paintedordecoratedwithsymbolsappropriatetothepoliticalpositionofthedeceasedanddescriptiveofthehistoricaleventsofthetime.Itwasthencoveredoverwitharooftoprotectit,anduponthesitewasbuiltapyramidslightlylargerinitsbasethantheundergroundtomb.Thissortofburialplacewasanadvancementovertheformertypeinwhichcasetheundergroundtombwascoveredeitherwithstone,orwithpilesofbrushwoodinterwovenwithstone,orreedsofgrassplasteredwiththickmudandthencoveredwithsand.Thepassingofyears,however,provedthatsuchtombswouldnotaffordtheeternalprotectionthatwashopedfor.
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Followingtheperiodwhenpyramidbuildingwaspopular,itwasdiscoveredthattheenormouscostinvolvedinbuildingpyramidsmightbesavedbybuildingstoneroofsoverthesunkenchambers,orerectingasmalltempleorchapelchambersabovethemaffordingprotectiontothechamberbeneath.Manyofthistypewerebuilt,buttheshiftingofthesandssooncoveredthemuporthesandstormsofmanyagescutdeeplyintothestructuresthatroseabovethesandanddestroyedthem,anditisonlyinrecentyearsthatmanyoftheseundergroundtombshavebeendiscovered.
Itmaybeinterestingtothereaderatthispointtodescribesomethingofthenatureofthesesandstorms,andhowandwhysomanyofthemagnificentstructuresofEgyptgraduallydisappearedfromsight,andinmorerecentyearshadtobeexcavated.
OnmyfirstvisittoEgypt,Idiscoveredthattheprimitivemakeofautomobile,whichwasputinanopenspaceatLuxor,Egypt,directlyacrosstheNileRiverfromtheValleyoftheKingswherethetombsofancientThebesarelocated,soonbecamecoveredwithalayerofsand.ThesandstormsfromtheSaharaDesertblowingeastwardacrosstheNiletowardtheeasternhorizoncarrythesandsatcertainperiodsoftheyearinhugecloudsacrossthevacuumedspaceoftheNileandallowthesandstosettleontheeasternbanks.Insevendays'
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timethesanddepositontheautomobilewasoveraneighthofaninchinthickness.Suchstormscontinuingmonthaftermonth,yearafteryear,andcenturyaftercentury,depositedmountainsofsandinvariousplacesalongtheNileuntilthesandwasabovethetopsofthehigheststructuresandtemples.ThetemplesofLuxorandKarnakthemselveswereatonetimebeneaththesands,andevenintheyears1900to1920therewereportionsofLuxoruponwhichnativemudhouseshadbeenbuiltwithoutanysuspicionthatbeneathsuchprimitivehomesthereexistedhugetemples.ThecolumnsoftheTempleofLuxor,overeightyfeetinheight,wereatonetimeentirelybeneaththesurfaceofthesandsthathadaccumulated,andallofthishadtoberemovedbasketfulbybasketfultounearthanduncoverthemagnificenttemplesbeneath.
ItmustbekeptinmindalsothatthecivilizationorpopulationofEgyptcentereditselfonalongnarrowstripofland,fromAlexandriatothemountainregionsinthesouth,alongeithersideoftheNileRiver.ThiswasbecauseagriculturehadtobeconfinedtothebanksoftheNile.Atcertainperiodsofeachyearthewatersroseinabundance,overflowedthelowbanksandinundatedthelandtoacertainnarrowdistanceoneitherside.Here,then,werebuiltallofthehabitationsandnativevillages,andherealloftheagricultureofthe
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countrywasconfined.AlltemplesandedificessuchashomesorschoolswerebuiltfartherawayfromtheNile,generallytowardthewestsoasnottousurpanyofthevaluable,fertilesoilneartheriverwhichwasneededforagriculturalpurposes.
AlongmostportionsoftheNiletheeasternbankrisesabruptlytoagreatheightprincipallybecauseofthesandstormswhichcarriedsandsacrosstheriveranddepositedthemontheeasternside.TodaytheNileRiveratLuxor,andatmanyotherpoints,ismanyfeetbelowthesurfaceoftheroadwaythatwasbuiltalongthebank,andabovethisroadwaytowerthecolumnsoftemplesseventytoeighty-fivefeethigh.Yetthese,too,wereatonetimedeeplyburiedbeneaththesand.AtthenorthernendoftheNileRiverwhereithasitsoutletintotheMediterraneanSeaisthefamousDelta,atriangularshapedpieceofswamplandinterspersedwithnaturalandman-madecanalsandrivulets,constitutingoneofthemostfertilesectionsofEgypt,andinancienttimesthiswasthesiteofmanyoftheearliesthabitations.Heliopolis,thegreatmysticalcitywithitsthreetoweringobelisks,wasjustnorthofCairo(nowaboutthirtyminutes'ridebytrolleyorautomobile).OnlyoneoftheobelisksnowremainstomarkthesiteoftheancientcityadjoiningCairo,whichhasthelargesthotelandmoderntouristplaygroundintheworld.
Manyofthemostbeautifulofthecolumnsand
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architecturalfeaturesofancienttempleshavebeencutandwhippedbytheblowingsands,whichinmostcaseshavethinnedthecolumnstomereskeletonform,orcarvedthegreatstonesintosmallpieces.ItisforthisreasonthatthesidesoftheGreatPyramid,thosefacingthemostgeneralsandstorms,havebeenlashedsogreatlyinthepastcenturythattheoutercasing,asmoothandmagnificentfinish,hasbeencutawayleavingtoviewthecrudeunder-blocksofstone.
SomeoftheearlierandlaterpyramidsbuiltinEgyptastombsorhistoricalmonumentsbyvariouskings,queens,orpotentates,werenotfinishedsmoothlyontheoutsidebutwereleftintheformofsteps.Thesearecalledthesteppedpyramids.Noneofthepyramidsbuiltasmonumentswasafamilymonumentbuteachbelonged,asdoallotherEgyptiantombs,tooneperson,orwasconstructedtothememoryofoneperson.Itwasbelievedthatbybuildingamonumentintheformofapyramidthesandstormswouldnothavethesamedestroyingactionupontheslantingsurfacethattheywouldhaveuponabuildingformedintheshapeofacubeoranoblong.ThiswouldindicatethatatthetimeofthebuildingofthefirstpyramidsastombstheearlierstructuresortombsinEgypthadbeenbuiltsomanycenturiesbeforethatthesandstormshadalreadydemonstratedtheirpowertodestroythem.Inmanycasesacourtyardor
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sunkenplazawasconstructedaroundthepyramidwithadepressionoftenortwentyfeetbelowthesurfaceofthesurroundingdistrictandwithawallaroundtheplazaofsufficientheighttokeepthesandfromblowingintotheplazaandfillingit.TherearesectionsofruinedwallsinevidencetoshowthattheGreatPyramidwassurroundedatonetimebysuchaplaza.WhenoneviewstheGreatPyramidfromanairplaneflyinghighabove,thebrokensectionsofthisancientwallaroundtheplazarevealthemselvesthroughtheshadowsofthesuninastraightlinegivingaveryexcellentideaofthelargesizeofthesquareplazaaroundthePyramid.
AmongthemysticsormembersofthemysteryschoolsofEgyptthetraditionsalwaysexplainthattheGreatPyramidwasgreatinmorewaysthanone.DespitethefactthatnoentrancewaseverforcedintotheGreatPyramid,northeinsideofiteverseeninmoremoderntimesuntiltheyear820A.D.,thesecretschoolsofEgyptinsistedthattheinteriorofitwaswellknowntothemandthatitwasnotatombofanygreatking,noraburialchamberofanykind,exceptthatitdidhaveonechamberforsymbolicalburialasapartofanancientinitiationritual.Accordingtothesemysticaltraditions,atwhichmanyoftheancientinvestigatorsandhistoriansscoffedandridiculed,therewereundergroundpassagewaysbywhichthe
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interiorofthePyramidcouldbeenteredgraduallyandinvariousstagesofinitiationwithdifferentmysticalchambersattheendofeachstageofinitiatoryprogress,andthatthehighestandultimatestageofinitiationwasrepresentedbytheKing'sChamber,whichbythewaywasgivenanentirelydifferentnameintheancientritual.Littlebylittlesomeofthesetraditionalstatementswereverifiedas,forinstance,whenitwasdiscoveredthattherewassomeconnectionbetweentheSphinxandtheGreatPyramid,andthattherewasaconnectionbetweentheSphinxandanancientundergroundtemplelocatedneartheSphinx.ThenwasdiscoveredasecretcourtoropentemplebeforethepawsandbreastoftheSphinx;butsincemostofthesewerestillburiedbeneathdeepsandthefactscouldnotbeprovedorreadilydemonstrated.
ThroughoutalloftheagestherehasbeenadeterminedeffortonthepartoftheknowingonesinEgypttodenytothegeneralpublicthattherewereanychambersorpassagewayswithintheGreatPyramid,orthattherewasanyproperandarchitecturallydesignedentrancewaytotheGreatPyramid.Itbecomesapparentasonestudiesandanalyzesthecarefullywordeddenialofthesechambersandpassagewaysasfoundinthewritingsofearlyinvestigatorsandhistorians,andasrepeatedeventodaybymanyoftheEgyptians,that
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therewassomesortofancientcurseplaceduponthosewhowouldrevealtotheprofaneortheuninitiatedtheexistenceofthesechambersandpassageways,orthefactthattheGreatPyramidwasatempleofmysticalinitiationandceremony.
Itisamusingtofindthateventodayvisitorswhoaredeemedworthyandsecurethenecessarypassesaftertheproperidentification,andareallowedtoenterthePyramidandvisitsomeofitspassageways—eventheso-calledKing'sChamber—arewarnedastheyleavethePyramidtosaynothingoftheirentranceintothePyramid,andaresignificantlytold,"Yousee,thereisnoentrancewaytothePyramid,andthereisnothingwithinit!"Thusthefarce—ortraditionalinjunction—ismaintainedtoacertaindegree,andonewillmeettouristsinEuropereturningfromEgyptwhowillseriously,andwithconsiderablenervousness,explainthattheyknowthereisnopassagewaytothePyramid,andnothingtobeseenwithinit.ItdoesnotdawnuponthesepersonsthatonlyonewhohasbeenwithinthePyramidcouldpossiblyaffirmwithpositivenessthattherewerenopassagewayswithinit.
Thatthepassagewaysandchainbershavebeendesecratedinthepastisself-evidenttoonewhospendstimewithinthePyramid,withsearchlightsandcameras,andrecordscarefullyeveryinchofthewallsofbothpassagewaysandrooms.Oneis
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remindedoftheancientproverb,"Fools'nameslikefools'facesarealwaysseeninpublicplaces,"forthereishardlyasquareinchofthemagnificentwallsoftheGreatKing'sChamberthatisnotinjuredandmutilatedbythecarvednames,initials,anddates,ofpersonswhohavevisitedthere,andthesameistrueofmanyofthepassageways.Fortunately,manyoftheverybeautifulandsymbolicalpiecesofequipmentthatoncestoodinthesechambersandpassagewayshavebeenremovedtosecretmuseumsandhidingplaceswhereonlytheinitiatedmayseethem.Undoubtedly,iftouristscouldhavehadtheirwaytheGreatPyramidtodaywouldbescatteredthroughoutthecivilizedworldinlittlebitscutoffandcarriedawaybythesouvenirhunterswhomonemeetseverywhere,andwhoaresoeasilysatisfiedbythecommercialartisanswhocontinuallymanufactureandsellpiecesoftheoriginalcrossofcrucifixion,thetombofJesus,andthealabasterjarsofKingTut.
PerhapsweshouldnotattempttovisittheinteriorofthePyramidonthedayofourfirstinspectionofit,forwemaybecomeeasilytiredbygivingsufficienttimetotheoutside.Beforeleavingitsenvironment,however,toreturnhomebycamelandthenbyautomobileortrolleycar,wewillnotethatthehugestonescomposingthewallsofthePyramidarehigherthanourownheightandthatto
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climbthemonemustbequitegymnastic,However,littleEgyptianurchinschallengeusandtellusthatforbaksheesh—whichmeanscoininanyone'smoney—theywillclimbthesteepoutsideofthePyramidandreachitstoweringtopinsevenminutes,Knowingfromlongexperiencejustwhichcrevicestouseingettingafootholdandfingerhold,wefindtheseyoungstersscalingthesideofthePyramidrapidly.
UpontheirreturntheyofferforadollarAmericanmoneytotakeustothetopthatwemighthavethegreatdistinctionandhonorofbeingoneAmericanwhohasscaledthePyramid.Beingflatteredatthispossibledistinctionwebegintoclimb.BythetimewehavereachedthecenterofthesideofthePyramidwefeelthatwehavegonehigherthanwehaveeverbeeninanystructureintheworld,andthisencouragesustogotothetop,whichweseeispartiallyflattenedbytheabsenceoftheoriginalapexstone.Ourguidetellsusthatwhen,andif,wereachthetop,wemaysitthereandrestforawhile,andhaveamagnificentviewofEgypt,whileweponderoverouruniqueachievementortheraredistinctionthatwillbeours.Continuingourclimbfromthehangingpositioninwhichwerestedforamoment,weeventuallyreachthetopandaresurprisedtofindarichlyrobedArabawaitingus,andreachingovertogiveusafinalhelpwithanextendedhand.Justas
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weareabouttoindulgeinamoment'sadmirationofourpersonalenduranceandprowess,andthinkofthedistinctionswehavebroughttoourracebythisunusualachievement,wediscoverthatthereisatableplaceduponthishugeplatformofthePyramidwithchairsandalloftheequipmentforservingtea,andthatwearebutoneofthemanywhodailyreachthetopandarelookeduponwiththesamecasualinterestasthepasserbywhodropsintooneofthelittlecoffeeshopsforacupofblackcoffee.Wewelcometheopportunitytorestandviewthecountrywhich,becauseoftheclearatmospherereferredtopreviously,maybeseenformany,manymiles,andfinallymakeourdescentwithadegreeofrapiditywhichcomparesfavorablywiththerapiditywithwhichwelostallofouresteemandprideinattainingthetop.
Nevertheless,aswewendourwaytowardthehotelintheheartofthebusycitywhichlooksmuchlikeParis,orothergreatmetropolitancitiesofEurope,werealizethatthereisstillsomuchmysteryaboutthePyramidthatitwillbeworthyofallthetimeandthoughtwegivetoit.
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ChapterIII
THEGEOGRAPHICALSIGNIFICANCEHElocationoftheGreatPyramid,aswellasitsunusualsizewhichdistinguishesitfromalltheotherpyramidsofEgypt,verydefinitely
refutesalloftheargumentstotheeffectthattheGreatPyramidwasbuiltasatombforaveryambitiousandvainpharaoh.
Itistruethataveryvainpharaohmighthaveconceivedofbuildingalargerpyramidthananyoftheothersmerelytoaggrandizehisreputationinthefuture,anditispossiblytruethathewouldhaveselectedanunusualsiteforitfarfrommanyoftheothertombsofpharaohsandhisroyalconsortsandrelatives,buttherearesomanythingssurroundingtheGreatPyramidthatdistinguishitfromallotherpyramids,andwhichwerewhollyunnecessaryifithadbeenintendedasanelaboratemonumenttotherecordofanegotisticalruler,that
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oneisforcedtoexaminemorecarefullyallofthehistoricalreferencestothismonumentalstructure.
Turningtosomeoftheoldestrecordsavailable,theso-calledholyscripturesorspiritualwritingsofthepast,wefindtheGreatPyramidunquestionablyreferredtobyIsaiah.InIsaiah19:19-20wefind;"InthatdaythereshallbeanaltartotheLordinthemidstofthelandofEgypt,andapillarattheborderthereoftotheLord.AnditshallbeforasignandforawitnessuntotheLordofhostsinthelandofEgypt..."InJeremiah32:18-20wehaveanotherreference,whichinthelightoftimecanreferonlytotheGreatPyramid,includingthefollowingwords:"...whichhastsetsignsandwondersinthelandofEgypt..."
TheoldestofthewritingsoftheancientsreferredtotheGreatPyramidasthe"PillarofEnoch."TurningtotheBiblewefindreferencestoEnochtalkingwithGod,andwefindthatEnoch'slifeisgivenashavingcovered365years.Thisbeingsymbolicalofthenumberofdaysoftheyearistypicalofotherreferencestoayearofyearswhichwascalledbytheancientsthe"PhoenixCycle."ThewordPhoenixistheGreektermfortheEgyptianwordPa-hanokwhichmeans"TheHouseofEnoch."InthiswiseandthroughothersimilarreferenceswefindthePhoeniciansidentifiedasthedescendantsofEnoch,andthisgivesustheexplanationastowhytheGreatPyramidwascalled
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bytheancients,"ThePillarofEnoch,"havingbeenbuiltbythePhoenicianswhowerethedescendantsofEnoch.
Josephus,theancientJewishhistorian,wroteinhisfamousrecordsareferencetothePyramidanditssignificanceinwhichhestatesthattheancientpeopleplannedtobuild,andactuallydidbuild,twogreatpillars(oneinbrickandoneinstone)uponwhichtheancientsinscribedtheirdiscoveriesandmarvelousknowledgethatitmightbepreservedforthefuture.Josephusconcludesthisreferencewiththesewords,"NowthispillarofstoneremainsinthelandofSiriad(Egypt)untilthisday."ItisonthispointwefindthatgreatCopticwriter,Masoudi,whosemanuscriptispreservedinOxford,statingthattheGreatPyramidcontains"thewisdomandacquirementsinthedifferentartsandsciences,thescienceofarithmeticandgeometry,thattheymightremainasrecordsforthebenefitofthosewhocouldafterwardcomprehendthem."HeexplainsthattheGreatPyramidcontainstheknowledgeofthestarsandtheircycles,alongwiththehistoryandchronicleofpasttimesandpredictionsofthingstocome.HemakesitperfectlyplainthateveninhisdaytheoldrecordswhichhesawandexaminedreferredtothePyramidasamonumentthathadbeencarefullyplannedandsoconstructedthatinitsmeasurements,initslocation,andinallofits
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interiorandexteriorsymbolismitwouldrepresentcertainfundamentallawsofnature,aswellaspreserveinitsinscriptionsanoutlineofthegreatknowledgewhichtheancientshadachieved.
Nowletuslookatitslocation,ThePyramidallegoryisreferredtointhesacredtextsandwritingsofEgyptknownasthe"BookoftheDead."InthosetextstheGreatPyramidiscalled"TheTempleofAmen,"whichmeans"theSecretHouseoftheHiddenOne."DonotletusoverlookthefactthatintheNewTestamentoftheChristianBible,Jesusisreferredtoasthe"GreatAmen."OtherallegoricaltermsusedtodescribetheGreatPyramidinthe"BookoftheDead"are"TheHouseoftheHiddenPlaces,"and"TheHouseofLight."
Inconsideringthefulfillmentoftheancientpropheciesregardinganaltartobebuiltinthecenterofthelandtoremaineternallyasa"witness"totheLord,wemustkeepinmindthefactthatthesizeoftheworld,oratleastofthelandsurfaceorpopulatedsurfaceoftheearthatthetimetheseancientwritingswereinscribed,waslimitedinthemindsofeventhemostadvancedofthephilosophersandthinkers.ItisdifficultforusofmoderntimestothinkofthesiteofthePyramidasbeingthecenterofanygreatterritoryofpopulationexceptwhenwestoptoconsiderandrealizethatthewesternendoftheMediterraneanwhereit
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connectswiththeAtlanticOceanwas"theedgeoftheearth"totheancients,andthattheonlyknownpopulatedareasoftheearthwerethosewhichcenteredaroundtheMediterraneanSea;andwhenwerealize,too,thatEgyptwasinoneperiodofherhistorythemosthighlyculturedandcivilizednationofthesmalllimitedarea,wecanunderstandwhyadistrictnearCairomighthavebeenselectedasthecenteroftheearthinthemindsoftheancientpeoples.
ButthetruthofthematteristhatthetrulylearnedonesofEgypt,thosewhoweremembersoftheilluminatedmysteryschoolsandwhosoughttopreservetheiraccumulatedwisdomforthefuture,werefarmoreadvancedintheirknowledgeoftheearthanditssizeandhabitableareas,andofthestarryheavensandtheplanets,thanwerethemassofthepopulace.Evenourpresent-dayscienceofastronomyowesitsearlyfoundationtotheadvancedandextraordinaryknowledgewhichtheseearlymysteryschoolspossessed.Thereareverydefiniterecordsintheearliestreferencestoastrology—theforerunnerofastronomy—thattheseancientmysticalstudentsandscientistsknewofamajorityoftheplanetsnowknowntous,andofthestars,despitethefactthattheydidnothaveanythinglikeourmoderntelescopes.Theygavetothoseplanetsnameswhichweretaintothisday,andtheymadereferencestotheirorbitsand
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transitsandtheeclipses,andotherastronomicalphenomenawhichdefinitelyprovetousthatthemysticalphilosophersandscientistswerefairlywell-acquaintedwiththeuniverseinwhichtheylived,aswellaswiththesizeandnatureoftheearth.
OneoftheverydefiniteandstartlingfactsaboutthelocationoftheGreatPyramidisthatitisnotonlyinthecenterofthegreatlandofEgypt,andverynearlyinthecenterofthemosthabitableportionsoftheancientworldknowntothepopulace,butitisinthecenterofthelandsurfaceoftheearthasitnowexists,andmusthaveexistedatthetimethePyramidwasbuilt.Inotherwords,ifwetakeamapoftheearthasitexiststodayandspreaditoutonaflatsurfaceanddrawlinesuponitwhichareinaccordancewiththelandsurfaceareas,weshallfindthatthesecrossedlinesindicatethecenterofthelandsurfaceoftheearthasbeingpreciselywheretheGreatPyramidisbuilt.
AndthereisjustoneotherpointwhichmaybeofferedatthismomentinsupportoftheargumentthattheGreatPyramidwaserectedbythosewhowerefamiliarwiththeuniverseandthegreatastronomicalandgeometricalfacts.ThatinterestingpointisthefactthatthegreatPolestaroftheheavenswasknowntothesedesignersandbuildersofthePyramid,formanyofthemathematicalandphilosophicalinscriptionspertainingtothe
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propheciesofthefuturearebaseduponthepositionofthisPolestar.
Eveninregardtothesunanditsdailymovement,theGreatPyramidissolocatedastohaveadefiniterelationshipwiththesunanditsmovement,andthereareothermechanicalrelationshipstotheCosmicaswellasthesizeoftheearth,itssurface,curvature,anddistributionoflandandwater.
CertainlyallofthesesymbolicalreferencestothePyramidthatitwastobebuiltasanaltartotheLord,andapillarattheborderofthelandofEgypt,andtothesignsandtestimonieswhichitwouldContainwhenbuilt,aswellasthefulfillmentofthesepropheciesinthePyramiditself,provetotheunbiasedinvestigatorthatthisgreatstructurewasneverintendedtobeameremonumenttothevanityofapharaoh,noraglorifiedtombforthemortalremainsofaking.
YettherearewritersandinvestigatorsofthesubjectwhostillmaintainthattheGreatPyramidwasbuiltsolelyasanextravagantsepulcherandashallow,emptytestimonialofthevanityandegotismofaninsignificant,unrememberedindividual.
AsweponderovertheseveryearlydescriptionsofamagnificentaltartotheLordthatwastobebuiltinthemidstofthelandofEgypt,andthenfindtheevidencethatitissosignificantlysituated
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andsurroundedwithsomanyrevealingprinciples,therealmysteryofthePyramiddeepensandwebecomedeterminedtoinvestigatethestructureitself.
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T
ChapterIV
THEAMAZINGCONSTRUCTIONHEscientific,andespeciallytheengineering,worldofmoderntimesisjustasgreatlymystifiedasisthepopulaceofallthecivilized
countriesastothemethodsthatwereusedtobuildthisenormousmonumentofstone,especiallyinthelocationwhereithasstoodforsomanycenturies.
AsonestandsatthebaseoftheGreatPyramidandlooksoutoverthesurroundingterritory,orasonestandsuponitsflattenedtopandlooksintospacefarmanymilesineverydirection,notingallofthesurroundingdesertspaceandabsenceofgreathills,onewondersfirstofallwherethestonecamefromwhichwasusedinbuildingit.Havingclimbedupitssidetoreachthetopofit,thereisleftinmindthedefiniteimpressionoftheenormoussizeofthestoneswhichwereused.Mostofthembeinggreaterinheightthanourownbodies,andseeminglytwiceaslongastheyare
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high,theweightofthesestoneswouldseemtobebeyondhumanmanipulation.WecanrecallallofthefancifulstorieswehaveheardofagreatcontractorwiththousandsuponthousandsofEgyptianslavespullingonenormousropesandcablestodragthesemonumentalstonesfromsomewhereintopositionatthePyramid.Andwecanrecallhowtheseslavessufferedunderthelashingofthewhipandatthehandsofthecontractorandbuilder,andhowtheytoiledforyearsinbuildingthePyramid.
Buteverycontractorandeveryindividualwhohaseverdealtwithhumanlaborunderanycondition,andespeciallywhileitwasworkingunderthelashingofawhip,knowsthatthereisalimittothenumberofhumanbeingsthatmaybeattachedtoropesorcables,andtotheconcentratedandefficientpowerthatmaybederivedfromsuchindividuals.Thereisapointintheschemeofthingswherealargenumberofindividualsstrugglinginthismannerbecomesaninterference,andwhereefficiencyislessenedbytheincreaseofthenumber.Notonlyistheirabilitylimitedintheexertionofpower,butthespacetheyoccupy,thenecessaryropestobeattached,andthemanipulationoftheworkcausesasituationinwhichnorealresultscanbeobtained.Wemightjustaswellimaginethebuildingofagreatwallthatwastobecomposedofahundredthousandbricks
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inonesection,andtosavetimeandbuildthewallquickly,wewouldsecureonehundredthousandmen,eachtoplacehisonebrickintheproperpositionatthesamemoment,thuscompletingthesectionofthewallinoneortwominutes.Eveninourmodernmethodsofconstructingourhomesorofficebuildings,thereisapointintheemploymentofmenwhereanincreaseinthenumberofworkersbecomesaninterferenceandslowsuptheprogressratherthanhelps.
Inourpresentcenturymoderncontractorsandengineershavefounditdifficulttolifttothetopofgreatarchesthekeystonestocompletethearches,whensuchkeystonesrepresentedinweightandsizebutacornerofoneofthegreatstonesofthePyramid.YettodaywehaveenormousmechanicalderricksandmotivepowerwhichtheEgyptiansdidnothave.
Acasualinquiryrevealstousthatthenearestpointwheretheenormousstonescouldhavebeenquarriedwasmany,manymilesawayfromthepresentsiteofthepyramid.TheycouldnothavefloatedthemuponraftsdowntheNileRiver,fornoraftcouldhavesupportedtheweightofthestones.Werecalltheproblemthatfacedmarineengineersin1879whenoneoftheobelisksfromHeliopoliswastoberemovedfromEgypttoNewYork.Noshipcouldbefoundthatwouldcarryitsafely,andthefirstattempttofloatituponahuge
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raftpulledbyapowerfulsteamshipprovedafailure.TohavedraggedtheseenormousstonesoverthesandsofEgyptfromquarrieshundredsofmilesdistantatThebesseemslikeanengineeringimpossibilitytothemodernmind.Yetthestoneswerebroughtfromsomewhereandliftedintoplace.Weknowfromanexaminationoftheinterior,aswellastheexteriorofthePyramid,thatthousandsofskilledmechanics,artistsandartisanswereemployedintheplanning,construction,andcompletionofit—notallatonetime,butoverthecourseofalongperiodoftime.ItisdoubtfulthatthePyramidcouldhavebeenplannedsocarefully,thestonesandothermaterialssocarefullyandcriticallyprepared,theconstructionworkcarriedoutwithsuchprecision,andtheinteriordecoratingdonewithsuchdevotionandundersuchexpertguidanceaswasnecessarytomakeeverymarkandeverylineandeverybitofcolorhaveitsscientificsignificance,andtheentirestructurecompletedinthelifetimeofanyonepharaoh.ThisinitselfarguesagainstthecontentionthatapharaohduringtheheightofhisregimeorderedthePyramidtobebuiltashistombsothatitmightbecompletedbeforehisdeathandbereadyforhisburial.Itwasquitecustomaryforthepharaohstomakesurethatthefinalrestingplacesoftheirmummieswouldbeadequateinsplendorandintheprotectiontheywouldaffordagainstrobbers,thieves,andthe
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curious.Inorderthattheirmindsmightresteasilyinthisimportantregard,theysawtoitthatpropertombsbeneathorabovethegroundwereconstructedandcompletedassoonaspossiblesothattherewouldbenopossibilityoftransitioncominguponthembeforeaplaceofguaranteedprotectionandglorywascompleted.Notoneofthemwouldhaveallowedtheplanofatombwhichwouldhaverequiredmanyyearstodesign,manymoreyearstoprepareforinthecuttingofstonesandthemakingofelaboratemechanicalarrangements,andascoreormoreyearsfordecoratingandcompleting,fortheywouldhaveknownthatthecompletionwouldhavepassedfarbeyondtheirlifetimeandtherewouldhavebeenthepossibilityofafuturepharaohoccupyingtheplaceinstead.
Becauseofthemysteryofitsconstruction,andespeciallybecauseofthesignificanceandpropheciesthatareassociatedwitheachmeasurement,eachpassageway,eachchamber,andeachlittleincidentofitsdesignandcompletion,weshalllookintothismattermorethoroughly.
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S
ChapterV
SYMBOLICMEASUREMENTSINCEtheGreatPyramidwastobeamonumentofwisdomandprophecyandcontaininsomepermanentformthe
outstandingincidentsofthepast,present,andfuturehistoryoftheworld,theproblemofputtingthatinformationintosuchlanguage,signs,hieroglyphs,orsymbolsthatallfutureracesofmencoulddecipherandinterpretmusthavebeenoneofthemostseriousofalltheconsiderationssurroundingtheconstructionofthePyramid.
Weareremindedoftheproblemswhichconfrontedtheseancientswhentheydecidedtoleaveakeyforfuturegenerationstodeciphertheirhieroglyphiclanguage.TheEgyptiansrightlyconcludedthatthetimewouldcomeinthedistantfuturewhenthecarvedwritingsandhieroglyphs—aswellasallthesymbolsandsignsoftheirlanguageandoftheirknowledge—mightremain,butaknowledgeofthemeaningofthesestrange
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marksmightbelost,and,therefore,futuregenerationsmightlookuponthemysteriouscarvingsandengravingsonstoneandmetalandunderstandnothingofthegreatwisdomhiddenthere.
Themethodsusedbymanthroughoutcivilizationtoconveyhisthoughts,includingthespokenlanguagesandthewrittenlanguages,havechangedfromcenturytoCenturyuntiltodayexplorersoftencomefacetofacewithunknown,forgotten,andlostlanguages,andareunabletodeciphermuchthatwouldbeofgreatvalue.TherearecarvingsandwritingsuponthestonesofthemountainsidesinOregononthewestcoastoftheUnitedStates,intheKlammathsection,whichbytheirverynatureindicatethattheywerecarefullyplacedtherewithsomeimportantmotive,andintendedforpermanencyandtherevelationofgreatwisdomatsomedistanttime.Astowhenthesewritingswerecarvedinthestoneandwhatthecarefullyexecutedhieroglyphsmean,noauthorityhasyetventuredtostate,andresearchhasledtonoclue.UndoubtedlythesewritingswerecarvedinprehistorictimesbyaraceofpeoplethatantedatesanyoftheknownracesthatoccupiedtheUnitedStatesprecedingtheAmericanIndians.BecauseofthesimilarityofthesewritingstothoseinotherplacesinandaroundthePacificOcean,itisnaturallyassumedthattheyweremadebythe
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descendantsoftheLemurians;butifso,itwasaspecialformofwritingnotcommonlyusedbytheLemuriansandprobablychosentobeaclassicallywrittenlanguageofsomekindthatmightbeinterpretedinthefuture.
InthecaseoftheRosettaStone,thedesirewastopreventthehieroglyphiclanguageoftheEgyptiansfrombecomingpermanentlylostandthusmakingitimpossibleforfuturegenerationsofmankindtointerpretallofthesacredwritingstobefoundinthetemplesanduponthewallsandobelisksandotherpermanentstructuresofthatcountry.Infact,thehieroglyphiclanguageoftheEgyptianswasadeadandunknownlanguageuntiltheRosettaStonewithacarefullyplannedkeywasdiscovered.Onthisstonecertainhistoricalpassageswerewritteninthreelanguages,includingtheEgyptianhieroglyphsandtheGrecian.Bycomparingtheonelanguagewiththeotherininterpretingthesamepassage,thekeytoallofthefundamentalprinciplesoftheEgyptianhieroglyphiclanguagewasrevealed,andthediscoveryoftheRosettaStonewasoneofthemostimportantscientificeventsofrecenthistoryandcontributedverygreatlytoourpresentunderstandingoftheEgyptianlanguage,Egyptianwritings,andEgyptianknowledge.
ButthebuildersofthePyramidanticipatedthattheRosettaStonemightneverbefound,orany
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similarkey,andthateventhoselanguagesthenexistingoutsideoftheEgyptian,suchastheGreeklanguage,mightpassintooblivion,andthereforesomeothermethodforindicatingtheeventsofthefuturehistoryoftheworldwouldhavetobeadoptedtoassureadefiniteandcorrectinterpretation.Inotherwords,thepropheticknowledgeandwisdom,aswellasthehistoricalfactsofEgyptandofancientcivilization,wouldhavetobeindicatedincertainwaysthatwerenotdependentuponanyonelanguageoranyonesystemofregisteringthoughts.Itwouldhavetobebaseduponsomemethodthatwouldbeeternallypermanentanduniversallyrecognized.Certainlythiswasamomentousproblem.ButinsolvingtheproblemtheseancientEgyptiansadoptedamethodwhichsciencetodaywouldadoptinsimilarcircumstances.Therearecertainprinciplesintheuniversethatareuniversalandwillbeeternalandthesearerelatedtothegeometrical,mathematical,andphysicalfactsoftheearthandtheuniverseitself.Therefore,geometryandmathematicsandtheprinciplesofcosmologywerecombinedtouseasthefundamentalsofalanguage.
Inthefirstplace,theselectionofthesiteforthePyramidhadtobegiventheutmostconsiderationsincebyitsverylocationfuturegenerationswouldbeabletodetermineoneimportantfact:thattheEgyptianswhoplannedit
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wereacquaintedwithtwofundamentalsourcesofknowledge,namely,theexactamountoflandonthesurfaceoftheearthanditsgeographicaldistributionand,secondly,therelationshipofthatpointontheearth'ssurfacetotheprincipalstarsoftheheavensandcertaincosmologicalorastronomicallandmarks,sotospeak.
Iffuturegenerationsdiscoveredthesetwogreatfacts,theywouldbetemptedtodeterminehowmuchfurthertheEgyptianshadgoneinthebuildingofthePyramidtoutilizetheirknowledgeofgeometryandastronomytomakethePyramidsymbolic.Ininterpretingsuchsymbolismfrombothamathematicalandscientificpointofview,theywouldnotfailtodiscoverthemysteriousknowledgethatwasconcealedinthedimensionsandstructuraldetailsofthePyramid.ThisinturnwouldtemptinvestigatorstobeCautiousinexaminingeveryminutedetailofthestructureandinrelatingittocyclesandmathematicalscalescoveringpasthistoryandthroughthisdiscoverthepropheciesregardingthefuturehistoryofman.Itwasamagnificentanddaringidea.ItcalledforthecarefulandpreciseapplicationofallthegreatknowledgepossessedbytheEgyptians,andforthecarefulreadingofthefuturebywhatevermysticalmeanstheyhadusedintheirmysteryschoolsforages,andclassifyingthispropheticknowledgeinasystematicmannersothatitmightbeproperly
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recordedinsymbolismandmeasurements.Itwassoondiscoveredbythosewho
investigatedthePyramidinlatercenturiesthatotherpyramidsandtemplesbuiltinancienttimeshadbeenorientedtodefiniteastronomicalalignments.SirNormanLockyerwasbutoneofthescientificinvestigatorswhopointedouttotheworldatlargethesignificanceoftherelationshipbetweentheorientationorpreciselocationofthesepyramidsandtemplestoastronomicalfacts,particularlytotheoutstandingastronomicalfactsofthetimesinwhichthestructureswerebuilt.Butitwasdiscoveredthatofallthemysteriousandsymbolicalstructuresfoundanyplaceintheworldtherewerebuttwowhosedimensionsorstructuralfeatures,whenreducedtomeasurementsbyadefinitestandard,werefoundtorepresentcertainelementsofthefunctionsofthesolarcircle.ThesetwomysteriousstructuresaretheGreatPyramidinEgyptandtheStonehengeCircleinEngland.
SirFlindersPetriediscovered,forinstance,aftermuchresearch,thatacircledrawnwithintheinteriorofthegreatstonecircleatStonehengehasadiameterof1163Britishinchesandis3653inchesincircumference.ThesefiguresapproximatethedimensionsoftheSolarCircleonareducedscaleof10inchesperdayandalsoapproximatethedimensionsoftheEgyptianAurora.SinceitwasknownthattheStonehengeCircle,aswellasother
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mysticalcirclesfoundinruinsinremoteplaces,hadservedtheearlyBritishpriest-astronomersandespeciallythemysticsofthestrangeBrotherhoodofDruidsasasundialoftheseasons,itwasrecognizedatoncethattherewasasymbolicrelationshipbetweentheearth'smathematicalfeaturesandtheastronomicalelementsandthesemysteriousstructures.AlsosinceStonehengewasundoubtedlyerectedaboutonethousandyearslaterthantheGreatPyramid,andbyrepresentativesofthesameraceknownastheAryan-Phoenicians,itwasbelievedthatthemeasurementsoftheGreatPyramid,locatedinthepreciselandcenteroftheearth,wouldrevealmanyfundamentalgeometricalandastronomicalprinciples.
AssoonasthescientistsbegantomeasuretheoutersurfacesanddimensionsofthePyramidandthenallitssecretpassageways,theirwidth,height,inclinations,andrelationshiptooneanother,andtotheoutersurfacesofthePyramidandthentotheastronomicalelements,manyinterestingfactspileduprapidlyuntiltheinvestigatorsoneafteranotherwereastoundedatthegeniusofthosewhoplannedthePyramidandofthosewhosocarefullyCarriedouttheplans.
Inthefirstplace,wemustrememberthattheverynamePyramidasgiventothesegreatstructuresinEgyptwassymbolic,becausethewordisreallyGreekandnotEgyptian.IntheGreek
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languagethewordpyrameansfire,orlight,orilluminationthatrevealssomethingormakesthingsvisibleindarknessaswellasgivingheat.Thewordmidosmeansmeasures.TheGreekshadderivedthesewordsfromthePhoenicianwordpurim-middoh,whichmeant"light-measures."EvenintheHebrewlanguagetherewasawordverysimilarwhichmeantmeasuresthatrevealedsomething,orrevelationmeasures.Therefore,thePyramiditselfmeantsomethingthatconstitutedmeasuredrevelationsorrevelationsthroughmeasurements.
ThefirstproblemthatfacedthearchitectsofthePyramidwastodetermineuponaunitofmeasurement,WeoftodaywhoaresoaccustomedinAmerica,forinstance,totheyardstickininchesandfeet,donotstoptorealizethattheinchasaunitofmeasurementwasanarbitrarilyadoptedthingandthateventheBritishinchisnotpreciselythesameastheAmericaninch,andthatinancienttimestherewereunitsliketheinchandtowhichwereferasaninchbutwhichwereofadifferentlengththanthepresentAmericanorBritishinch.Themetricsystemconstitutesanotherarbitrarilyadoptedunitofmeasurement.
WhatunitofmeasurementshouldtheEgyptiansuseinbuildingthePyramidwhichwouldbeeternalanduniversal?ThescientistsdiscoveredthattheunitformeasurementusedinthePyramidandnowcalledthe"Pyramidinch"wasadopted
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becauseitwasequivalenttoaprimitivePolarDiameterinchwhich,bytheway,wastheunitofmeasurementadoptedbytheHebrews,asdeterminedbySirIsaacNewtoninhisinvestigations.SincethePolarDiameteroftheearthis500,000,000Pyramidinchesor500,500,000Britishinches,thedifferencebetweenthesetwounitsofmeasurementwouldbeonly1-1000thofaninch.AtonetimeinBritishhistory,however,thePolarinchandtheBritishinchwereequal.TheinterestingfactisrevealedherethatsincetheAnglo-SaxonracehadadoptedtheancientHebrewinchitwouldindicatethatthisracedescendedfromtheHebrew.AnditwouldindicatealsothattheEgyptiansinadoptingsuchaninchrealizedthattheAnglo-SaxonraceswouldbethefirsttorecognizetheunitofmeasurementandthereforelookuponthemessagesconcealedintheGreatPyramidasintendedforthemprincipally.Forinstance,iftheGermanortheFrenchnationsshouldmeasurethePyramidinallofitssymbolicmathematics,usingsomeothersystemsuchasthemetricsystemwithitsunit,theywouldfindlittlesymbolicalknowledgeandnothingofastartlingnature.
ThusifweapproachtheinteriorofthePyramidwithatapemeasureofPolarinchesorBritishinches,thePyramidbeginstotalkandbringforthitshiddenrevelations,tellingusthestoryof
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pastcenturiesbeforethePyramidwasbuilt,thestoryofthetimeswhenitwasbuilt,andofmany,manycenturiestocome.
Beginningwithourmeasurements,therefore,wefindthatthePyramidrestsuponasquare,andifwemeasureeachsideofthissquarefromcornertocornerwherethebasesocketsofthePyramidarelocated,wefindthateachsideis9,131Pyramidinchesinlength.Ifweaddthesefoursidestogetheritwouldbeequivalenttotakingalongtapemeasureandgoingfromonecornertotheotheruntilthetapehadcompletedthefoursidesofthebaseandifstraightenedoutthenintoonelongstraightline,wewouldfindithadatotallengthof36,524inches,withperhapsavariationofapartofaninchduetoerrorsinmeasurementordislocationofpartsoftheouterstone.Nowthisnumberof36,524willberecognizedinstantlybyanypersonacquaintedwiththefundamentalprinciplesofastronomy.Ifweallow2/10ofaninchforerrorsinmeasurement,whichistheaverageoferrorasrecordedbyscoresofmeasurements,wefindtheapproximatelyprecisefiguretobe36,524.2.Thisweseeatonceis100timesthelengthofthesolaryearor,inotherwords,365.242days.
ThissurprisingfactfurnishesuswiththefirstdefinitekeyandmakesusrealizethatthePyramidisnotonlysymbolicalinallofitsmeasurements,
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butthattheEgyptianshadapreciseknowledgeofthesolaryearandofotherimportantastronomicalfeatureswhichtheyhaveembodiedinthePyramidmeasurements.Therefore,wearetemptedtosecureanaccuratemeasurementofthePyramid'sheight,includingtheoriginalapexstone.This,sciencehasfound,is5813frombasetoapex.Usingourgeometricalknowledgewefindthatthisisequaltotheradiusofthecircleof36,524.2inchescircumference.Inotherwords,theheightofthePyramidisequivalenttotheradiusofthecircleofthesolarcycle.
WecanpauserighthereforamomenttopayhomagetotheseancientsfortheirwisdomandknowledgeandtothinkagainofthestatementmadesooftenbythedoubtersofthesignificanceofthePyramidwhoclaimthatitwasbuiltasthevainattemptofapharaohtobuildamoremagnificenttombforhimselfthananyotherpharaohhadeverbuilt.Thepharaohmighteasilyhaveconstructedsuchamagnificentandimpressivepyramid,toweringallothertombsinitsheightandwidth,withoutbecominginvolvedinsuchhighlytechnicalandunimportantelementsasastronomicalmeasurementsandsolarunits.Weareagainimpressedwiththefactthatthisgreatstructurewasnotdesignedasameretomb.Ithasbecomeentirelytoosignificanttohavebeenmerelytheprotectionofasecretburialchamber.
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OtherlinesofmeasurementinthePyramidrevealthetrueorbitalyearof365.259daysandthesiderealyearbythemeasurementof36,525.6inches.ThesepointsandtheirsignificancehavebeenrevealedandCarefullyanalyzedbythateminentEnglishscientist,Mr.DavidDavidson,inhislearnedarticlesdealingwiththePyramidwhichappearedinTheMorningPostinEngland.
AnothermeasurementdiscoveredbyMr.Davidsongivesininchestheradiusoftheearth'sorbit.ThusfarwehavefoundthatthemeasurementsofthePyramidrepresentthesolarCircleandthedifferencebetweenthesolar,sidereal,andorbitalyears,therebyresultinginmeasurementsthatgiveusthesun'saveragedistancefromtheearth,theearth'ssurfacedisplacements,andthedisplacementsoftheearth'sorbit.*1
WithinthePyramidallofitshalls,rooms,andpassagewaysrevealintheirformandrelationshiptoeachotherandtothePyramiditself,anditsrelationshiptotheearthandtheheavens,certainothersignificantfeatures,andthesehavetobeworkedoutverycarefullyusingtheunitsofmeasurementasascaleofyearsfordeterminingpastandfutureevents.
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KEYTOTHECHART
BL—BeveledBaseLine.PIT—Unfinished.Symbolizesbottomlesspit—
noescape,butbywelluppastCrossofChrist.AT—Atonement.Symbolizedbythewell
whichrepresentsChrist'sdescentfromtheCrossintoSheolandbacktoHisresurrection.Upthispassagebelieverscanescape;evenfromthebrinkofhell.
G—Grotto.SymbolicofParadise,ortheplacewhereOldTestamentsaintsawaitedtheatonement.
2144—Possibledateoferection.F—TimeofFlood,630yearsbeforethe
Exodus.1647—TheinchyearsbetweenExodusandthe
BirthofChrist.Thispassagewithitsgraniteplugsymbolizeslaw-waytoeternallife,whichisblockedbyoursinfulnatures.
331/2—TheinchyearsofChrist'slife.R—Marksthepointwherethestonecoverof
thewellwasburstupward,symbolizingChrist'sresurrection.
GA—GospelAge,symbolizedbytheGrandGallery,28feethigh.
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K—King'sChamber.J—JewishorQueen'sChamber;symbolizes
presentblindnessandfuturegloryoftheJews.P—GrandChamber,thoughttoexistinupper
partofthePyramid,symbolicofheaven.
1. Davidson'swasoneofthefirstbooksonthepyramidprophecies.Therearemorerecentoneswhichareauthoritativeandslightlyoutdatehiswork.back
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A
ChapterVI
THEPROPHECYOFEVENTS
SHASalreadybeenstated,theinterioroftheGreatPyramid,aswellastheexterior,indimensions,lengthoflines,thecrossingof
lines,theintersectionofpassageways,andnumerousotherdetails,revealsthetimeandperiodofvariouseventsinthehistoryofman.Inadditiontotheseprophecies,thePyramidcontainsinitssecretmarksandsignificantelementsanoutlineoftheancientwisdomandmysteries.
Letusexaminetheprophecies.WemustkeepinmindthatsincethePyramidisveryold,alargenumberofthepropheciesitcontainshavealreadybeenfulfilled.Wemustthereforelookinretrospectionatmostoftheprophecies.
Manywillsaythatitisaneasymattertopickouttheimportantdatesofpasthistoryandthenfindmeasurements,dimensionsandmoreorlesssignificantcrossingoflinestocorrespondtothedateselected.Critics,andthosewhodoubtthatthe
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Pyramidwasamonumentofprophecyaswellasmystery,willarguethatitiswellenoughtopointoutnowhowthevariouslinesanddimensionsofthePyramidwereintendedtoindicatecertaineventsofhistory.Thereisnowaytoprovetothesepersonsthattheeventshavenotbeenselectedtofitthedimensionsandcross-linesofthePyramid.Ouronlyargumentisthatmanyofthesedimensionsprophesyingfutureeventswerediscoveredandgiventotheworldmanyyearsagobeforesomeoftheoutstandingeventsofpasthistoryhadoccurred.ItwasthroughcheckingupthepropheticlinesanddimensionsofthePyramidwithpasteventsthattherealkeytotheprophecieswasfound.
AmongthemanypersonswhodevotedagreatdealoftimetothestudyofthepropheciesofthePyramidisMr.DavidDavidson.HeiswidelyknownasanexpertonthesecretnatureofthePyramid,andamanwhosepatienceandintegrityinhischosenfieldofresearchhaveawardedhimthehighestpositionasanauthority.Asaneminentstructuralengineer,aswellasabrilliantscientist,hisfindingsaftertwenty-fiveyearsofstudyandresearchinconnectionwiththeGreatPyramidwerepublishedbyhimin1924inamonumentalbookoflimitedcirculationentitled,TheGreatPyramid,ItsDivineMessage,inwhichheillustrateswitheightyplatesandninety-sevensheetsof
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archaeological,historical,andastronomicaltables,thecorrectnessofthekeytothePyramidprophecieswhichhediscovered.
Othersbeforehimhaddevotedmuchtimetosimilarresearches.AmongtheearliestwasJohnGreaves,professorofastronomyatOxford,whoexploredthePyramidin1637;andColonelHowardVysespentapersonalfortuneinvestigatingthesubject.SirJohnHerschel,thefamousastronomer,interestedhimselfinthesameproblem,andhisastronomicalknowledgeenabledhimtomakemanyimportantdiscoveriesregardingthesignificanceoftheconstructionofthePyramid.In1859JohnTaylor,aLondonpublisherandeminentmathematician,issuedabookwhereinherevealedthesignificanceofsomeofthePyramid'sdimensions.ItwashewhorevealedanimportantkeyinexplainingthePolarDiameterInchinconnectionwiththePyramid'sdimensions.Prof.PiazziSmythe,intheyears1864-65,foundstrongconfirmationofMr.Taylor'sdiscoveries.ThisprofessorwasfollowedbySirWilliamPetrie,therenownedarchaeologist,whoappliednewscientificmethodsinverifyingthegreatstructureandcomparedthePolarInchtotheBritishinch,therebyfurnishingMr.DavidDavidsonwithadditionalkeys.
Thosewhowouldliketodelvemoredeeplyintothesignificanceofthemeasurementsand
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structuraldetailsofthePyramidasrelatedtopropheciesareurgedtosecureandreadMr.Davidson'swonderfulbook.
Letitbeknown,therefore,thataccordingtotheseeminentauthorities,alloftheoutstandingeventsofthehistoryofmankindareplainlyindicatedinchartsanddiagramsbaseduponthemeasurements,structurallines,dimensionkeys,andcross-lineswithinthePyramid;as,forinstance,wherethelinesofonefloorofachambercrossthelinesofanuprightpartition,orwherethelinesofhorizontalwallsdescendandcrossthelinesofanotherlevel.IfthespacesbetweenthesecrossingsaremeasuredinthePyramidInchandassociatedwithyearsandmonthsanddays—andinsomecaseswithactualhours—significantdatesareobtained,andbytheirassociationwiththelinesthatriseupwardorpasshorizontallyordropvertically,certainsignificanceisgiventothepropheticdate.AlsotheassociationoftheselinesofmeasurementwithcertainchamberpassagewaysandstrangearrangementswithinthePyramidhelptorevealthenatureoftheeventthatwastooccuronthedateprophesiedbythedimensions.
TogiveacompletelistofallthepropheciescontainedwithinthePyramidthathavebeenfulfilled,includingthoseofrecentyears,wouldrequireaverylargevolume.Anditmustberememberedthatmanyofthepropheciesoutlined
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byMr.DavidDavidsoninhisbookissuedin1924havebeenfulfilledsincetheninthesameprecisemannerasweretheeventsofthepast.Futureyearswillcontinuetoshowthecorrectnessofthediscoveriesandresearchesmadebytheseeminentmen.
PLATETWO
ACrossSectionofthePyramid
AmongtheearliestpropheciesindicatedbythePyramidarethosepertainingtothecreationoftheearth,thegreatuniversalflood,theriseandfallofman'sspiritualandworldlyunfoldment,andtherulershipofvariouskingdomsbygreatmen,theoutstandingwarsbetweennations,andthedevelopmentofreligiousandmoralmovementsamongmen.
Reachingbackwardintotheseprophecies,letusbeginabriefindexofthemwiththeExodusof
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theIsraelitesfromEgypt.ThisisdefinedinthePyramidbytheintersectionofthefloorlineoftheAscendingPassagewiththecentrallineoftheDescendingPassage,givingthedateofthe15thofNisan(April4)in1486B.C.
Skippingoveranumberofintermediatehistoricalevents,wetakethenextoutstandingoneasbeingthatofthebirthofJesustheChrist,whichaccordingtotheprophecyofthePyramidwastotakeplaceonOctober4(Gregoriancalendar)intheyear4B.C.ItmustbeunderstoodthattheactualbirthdateofJesushasbeendisputedandarguedformanycenturiesandthereisnothingintheoldScripturestowarrantthepositivestatementthatJesuswasborninDecember.Thecalendarhasbeenchangedsogreatlysincethateventthatitisoflittleaidintheanalysisofthismootedpoint.HistoricalrecordsshowthatintheearlyChristiancenturiesthebirthdateofJesuswasnotdefinitelydecideduponuntilatagreatconclaveitwasarbitrarilysetforDecember25.TheactualperiodoftheyearhasbeensetbymanyauthoritiesasbetweenthefirstofOctoberandthe23rdofMarch.
Theyearalsoisindispute,foraccordingtothestoryintheBibleregardingthecensusthatwasbeingtakenatthetimeofthebirthofJesus,theyearofthebirthisthreeorfouryearsinerroraccordingtoourmoderncalendar.Butsincethe
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propheciesofthePyramidinregardtoallothergreateventsprovedtobesoaccurate,thereisnoreasonwhyweshouldnotacceptthePyramiddateasbeingtheverybestauthority.ThedateoftheNativityofJesusisdefinedbytheintersectionoftheproducedfloorlinesoftheQueen'schamberwiththefloorlineoftheAscendingPassage.InthismanneratriangleisformedhavingforitshypotenusetheslopingflooroftheAscendingPassage.Inmeasuringthishypotenuse,wearriveatafigurewhichtranslatedintosolaryearsgivesus331/2lunaryears,ortheexactlengthofthepubliclifeofJesus.
PassingoverothereventsindicatedduringthelifetimeofJesus,wecometoameasurementthatgivesusthedateoftheCrucifixion,April5,30,A.D.
SkippingpastmanygreateventsofhistoryoccurringbetweentheearlyChristianperiodandourpresentcenturies,whichwouldrequiretoomanypagesinthisbook,wefindsuchinterestingpropheciesasthatforAugust2,1909,indicatingtheestablishmentofcertainrelationshipsbetweentheCzarofRussiaandsomeofthegreatcountriesofEurope,whichprophecywasfulfilled.
ThenextgreatimportantdatewasthatofOctober27-28,1912,indicatingthebeginningoftheBalkantroubles.
ThenonMarch12of1913wasfulfilled
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anotherprophecygivenbydimensionsattheentrancetothesubterranean"ChamberofChaos,"indicatingtheconflictsandsuddenreversalsinworldaffairsbeginningasecondBalkandisturbanceandanattitudeofdepressionandfearthroughoutEurope.
Thenextdate,August10,1913,indicatedbyonedropinthestepsoftheroughfloorofthepitinthePyramid,predictedtheTreatyofBucharestbywhichBulgariafoundherselfforcedtogiveGreecetheterritoryshehadacquiredfromTurkey,causingEuropeanstatesmentobecomegreatlyconcernedoverthenewturnofeventsintherestlessnessinEurope.
Thenextdate,August4-5,1914,whichwasindicatedbythemeasurementsthatleadtotheentranceintothefirstlowpassageofthePyramid,foretoldthebeginningofGermany'sactivitiesandwasfulfilledbyGermany'smobilization.TheexacthourofthecrisisofthatperiodwasindicatedbythePyramidtooccuronAugust5at3:54a.m.Historyrecordsthatsomewherenearmidnightonthatday(whichmaymeanaroundtwo,three,orfourinthemorning)GermanywasnotifiedthatGreatBritain'sultimatumhadnotonlyexpiredbutwasfinallyendedandthiswasequivalenttoadeclarationofwar.
ThedateofJanuary31,1917,indicatedinthePyramidbyaterminalpointoftheso-calledindex
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inthePyramid,predictedthattheUnitedStateswouldspirituallycontacttheGreatWarandthatwithin65to70daysshewouldbeinvolved.ThisbroughtthedateofactionclosetotheearlypartofApril,1917,anditwasonApril5-6of1917thattheUnitedStatesenteredintotheconflictabroad.
ThereareotherinterestingdatessuchasDecember11,1917,predictingthattheJewsandtheircountrywouldhaveanotheroneofthemanyexperienceswhichthePyramidhadindicatedinthepast,anditistobenotedthatonthisdateinDecember,1917,JerusalemwasdeliveredbyGeneralAllenby.
ThenextsignificantdatewasJanuary18,1918,indicatedbyaverticallinetothesouthernendofthewalloftheso-calledKing'sChamber.ThisdatewasassociatedinitsprophecieswiththeprecedingonedealingwiththeinterestsoftheJews,anditisnotablethatonJanuary18,1918,theSovietRepublicwasfoundedatPetrograd.
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PLATETHREE
TheGrandGallery,or"HallofIllumination
Itisinterestingtonotethatwefindanotherdateindicatedforthesameyear,thatofNovember10-11,1918,whichdatewasrevealedbythedimensionsandlinesattheendofthefirstlowpassage.ThisdatefiguresoutastheexactdateoftheflightoftheGermanKaiserintoHolland,
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whichresultedthefollowingdayintheArmisticeandtheendingoftheWorldWar[I].Sincethedatewasindicatedbythelinesattheendofthefirstlowpassage,itindicatedverydefinitelytheendingofallthetribulationsandwarringactivitiessignifiedbythelowpassageitself.ThosewhohadbeenfollowingthePyramidpropheciesthroughouttheperiodoftheWorldWarlookedforwardtoNovember10-11,of1918astheendingoftheessentialactivitiesofthewar,eveniftheArmisticehadnotbeensignedonthatday.ButthesigningoftheArmisticemadeaverydefiniteendingtothewarinitsexistingform.
AnotherdateanticipatedbythestudentsofPyramidprophecieswhoareinterestedinworldeventswasthatofDecember12,1919,whichwasindicatedbythelinesatthebeginningoftheredgranitefloor.Thesignificanceherewasofsomenewandsteadyinfluencethatwouldbecreatedonthe12thofDecemberthatwouldaffectthefoundationsofnationsinEurope.Itistobenotedthatonthisdatewasheldthefirstpost-warconferenceoftheso-called"BigFour"nations;namely,GreatBritain,theUnitedStates,France,andItaly.Theresultofthisconferenceistoowellknowntorequireanyexplanationhere.
ThencamethedateofJuly11,1920,suppliedinthePyramidbytheprojectinginchinthemeasurementofthefaceoftheGraniteLeaf.On
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thisdatetheTreatyofSevresregardingtheAllies'finaltermsconstitutedanotherultimatumofinternationalimportance.Thefollowingdate,August10,1920,indicatedinthesamemannerinthePyramid,wasthedateofthesigningoftheTurkishTreaty.
Passingoveranumberofintermediatedatesthathadtodowiththesigningoftreatiesandtheagreementsbetweennationsofinternationalimportance,andcoveringsuchimportantmattersasthefirstcouncilmeetingofthenewcabinetheldbytheSultanofEgypt,LordCurzon'sultimatumtotheTurks,theFranco-BritishcrisisregardingtheRuhr,theabdicationoftheSultanofTurkey,theassassinationofthechiefoftheRussiansecretservice,andtheexposureswhichfollowed,thesurprisingearthquakeinJerusalemthatrevealedsomeimportantmatters,andsimilaraffairs,wecometomoremoderndates.
Followingoutoneofthepropheticindicationsandmeasuringitoffininches,thedateofOctober29,1929,wasobtainedasbeingadateofimportancetoAmericaandmanysectionsoftheworldinaneconomicmanner.Thisprovedtobethetimeofthegreatfinancialearthquakethataffectedthestockmarketandeconomicconditionsgenerallythroughoutthewholeworld.EverystudentofthePyramid'sprophecies,followingthesystemoutlinedbyMr.Davidsonandothers,and
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interpretingvariousotherindications,fullyanticipatedtheworldcrashwhichoccurredin1929.AnotherdateindicatedtheDisarmamentConferenceinGenevaandallthatitrepresented.
Onedatein1932hadaverydefiniteassociationwithanotherdate,thatofSeptember16,1936.Accordingtothesetwodatesandtheirindications,itappearedfromthesymbolismthatinAmericatherewouldbeagreatchangeinthespiritofthepresidencyandintheconstitutionalformofgovernment.Itwasplainlyindicatedthatjustpriorto1936theAmericannationwouldadoptamoderateformofdictatorshipwithadefinitetendencytowardstatesocialism.Theindicationswerethatthismodifiedformofgovernmentwouldrunintothespringof1937andpassthefatefuldateofSeptember16,1936.ThislatterdatewasindicatedbythemeasurementswhichjustreachedandbegantoentertheKing'sChamber,which,accordingtothesymbolismofthePyramid,isthe"HallofJudgmentandofResurrection."
AccordingtotheseindicationsitwouldappearthatinSeptemberof1936agreatchangeistocomeintothelifeandspiritofthegovernmentoftheUnitedStateswherebyitsformerconstitutionalactivitieswillbejudgedandfromthejudgmentwillariseanewandbetterformofgovernmentbaseduponmodificationsgrowingoutofthejudgment.OtherindicationsrevealthatthepeopleofIsrael,
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aswellasthepeopleofGreatBritainandAmerica,shallpassthroughthisHallofJudgmentandResurrectionjustpriortoSeptember,1936,andthatonthatdate,the16th,at1:40a.m.,therewillbesomeimportantactperformedthatwillbeofinternationalimportance,butespeciallyaffectingthepeopleofIsrael,GreatBritain,andtheUnitedStates.
Otherdatesindicatethattheeffectofthisimportanteventwillshowitsculminationsonthe27thofNovember,1939,andonthe20thofAugustin1953.RelatingthesedatestoBiblicalphraseology,whichisveryeasytodobecauseofthespecialscripturalkeysthatarecontainedinthepropheciesofthePyramid,wefindthatonthenightofSeptember15-16,1936,therewillbeheraldedtheFeastoftheTrumpets,andthattheSeventhAngelofRevelationwillsoundtheSeventhTrumpet.Thisisreferredtointhe10thchapter,7thverseoftheBookofRevelation.ThePyramidpropheciesclearlyindicatethatinvarioussectionsoftheworldtherewillbeageneralgatheringandgreatconference,eithersecretorsemisecret,markingthebeginningofaverydefiniteperiodthatwillnotbelonginrevealingitselftotheworld.
Lookingalittlefurtherforward,wefindthataprophecyindicatedbythesouthernedgeoftheapexofthepyramidgivesthetimeofthe31stof
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Januaryintheyear1947.ThisprophecyindicatesthattheperiodofresurrectionandregenerationwillbecompletedandindicatesalsoareconstructionofchurchandstateinbothAmericaandGreatBritain.
Othermeasurementsarebeingmadetointerpretthepropheciesofthenexttenorfiftyyearsandthosewillprobablyberevealedwithinthenextfewyears.
Itshouldbenotedthatinadditiontotherelationshipoftheseprophesieddatestoworldaffairs,eachsymbolizedindicationisassociatedwithBiblicalorScripturalpropheciesasfoundinthewritingsintheHolyBibleandothersacredwritingsoftheEast.
Theelaboratechartsthatarenecessaryforthetabulatingofthesemeasurementsandpropheticindicationsareimpossibletoreproduceinasmallbook,inasmuchassomeofthechartscovermanysquarefeetandifreducedtoogreatlythemanydelicatelinesandcrossingsbecomeobliteratedandthesignificanceofthetextimpossibletoread.
However,thebriefoutlinegiveninthischapterwillindicatetowhatextent,andtowhatdegreeofprecision,thepropheciesofthePyramidhavebeendiscovered,revealed,andeventuallyfulfilled.WhatliesstillhiddenintheunmeasuredanduntabulateddimensionsandsignificationsofthePyramidisasgreatamysteryasthePyramiditself.
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I
ChapterVII
THESECRETPASSAGEWAYSOFTHEPYRAMID
NADDITIONtothesecretpassages,chambers,halls,andotherfeaturesofthemainorcentralpartofthePyramidwhichwerefor
centuriesunknownandstillconstituteamysteriousstudy,therehavebeentraditionsformanyyearsregardingtheotherpassagewaysinthePyramidorbeneathitwhichhavenotyetbeenfullyrevealed,andthepassagewaysthatleadtothePyramidfromnearbypoints.InanyrealstudyofthePyramidanditsmysticaluse,theenvironsofthePyramidmustbetakenintoconsideration,includingtheSphinx,thecourtyardinfrontoftheSphinx,andthetemplethatadjoinedtheSphinxandwhichhasrecentlybeenexcavated.
Accordingtothetraditionsandtosomeofthemysticalmanuscriptsthathavebeenreleasedinalimitedmannerinrecentyears,theGreatPyramid
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isbutthecentralpointorfeatureofamagnificentsymbolicalplotorsectionofEgyptthatcontainsamysteryineachsquareyardofitssurface.
Aswitheveryothertempleofmystery,therearestories,reports,andtraditionswhichscientistsdenyandmanyso-calledauthoritiesridicule.ButinthepastfewCenturiesanumberofthesetraditionshavebeenliftedoutofthecategoryofmeremysticalfictionintofactbytheexcavationsthathavetakenplace.ForcenturiestherewasawhisperedstorytotheeffectthattherewasaCeremonialcourtorCourtyardinfrontoftheSphinx,buriedbeneaththesands,inwhichcourtinitiationceremonieswereheldpriortotheentranceintothePyramid.ForcenturiesthiswhisperedstorywasridiculedbygeologistsandsomehistoriansandbymanyofthenativesandofficialsofEgypt.However,inrecentyearsthesandaround,andespeciallyinfrontof,theSphinxhasbeenremovedrevealingaverybeautifulpavementofacourtyardbetweenthepawsandinfrontofthebreastoftheSphinx,andinthecenterofthiscourt,asymbolicalaltarsuchashadnouseinanyofthepriesthoodreligionsofEgyptbutwasknowntohaveitsplaceinthetemplesofmysteryforinitiationceremonies.Thusthesunlighthastouchedupontheancientpavementbytheremovalofthesands,andthelightoftruthhasconfirmedoneoftheoldtraditions.
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AnotherofthetraditionswastotheeffectthatagreatmovablestoneorslabinfrontofthebreastoftheSphinx,betweenitspaws,blockedtheentrancewaytoasecretpassagethatranbeneaththeSphinxandbeneaththesandstothecenteroftheGreatPyramid,andthatthislongpassagewaywasthesecretceremonialpassagewayfromtheoutercourtinfrontoftheSphinxtotherisingpassagewaysandchambersinthePyramiditself.
Oldstoriestoldhowthisgreatstonewithitssymbolicalwritings,warnings,andlawsfortheinitiate,wouldmovemysteriouslyuponinvisiblehingesandopentothecommandsofcandidatesstandinginthecourt,orinfrontofit,uponthepronunciationoftheproperword.Thenthecandidateswiththeofficialtorchbearerandguardianwouldenterthepassagewaychanting,andasthelastnoteofthechantwassoundedthegreatstonedoorwouldsilentlymovetoaclosedpositionandtheworldwasshutoutagainwhilethepilgrimageofinitiatesmovedonward,towardthePyramid,beneaththesandsofthedesert,hiddenfromalltheworld,andinasoundlesspassagethatwassignificantoftheearlyperiodoftheuniversewhentheworldwaswithoutsound.Suchstories,ofcourse,havebeenrejectedandscoffedatbutstilltheypersist.
TherecentlyexcavatedtempleadjoiningtheSphinxwasnotbelievedtobeinexistenceeither,
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andnowitislookeduponasthepreparationchamberfortheinitiatesbeforetheyenteredthecourtinfrontoftheSphinx.AsonelooksdownintotheuncoveredchambersofthistempleadjoiningthePyramid,onewonderswhatotherusetherecouldhavebeenforasubterraneantemple,oranykindoftemple,inthispeculiarpositionalongsidetheceremonialcourtoftheSphinx.Stillscientists,historians,andofficialsscoffattheideathatithadanythingtodowithinitiationceremonies.
Inrecentyearsthegreatstoneslab,firmlyfixedagainstthebreastoftheSphinxinfrontofthetwopaws,hasbeenrevealedanduncoveredanduponitaresymbolicalwritingsandwarningsthatmaybeinterpretedinvariousways,butcertainlyhavesignificancetocandidatesofthemysteriesandtotheexpectantinitiate.Whetherthatstoneslab,hugeinsizeandweight,ismovableornothasnotbeendetermined,andwhetherthereisapassagewaybehindithasnotyetbeenconclusivelydetermined.
Speakingoftheimpossibilityofahugestoneofthissizeandweightmovingofitsownaccorduponinvisiblehinges,letusnotforgetthattherewasoneothercourtofmysteryatonetimewheresuchthingsdidoccur.Heavygatesguardedtheentrancewaytothiscourtandtheycouldnotbeopeneduntilasacredceremonywasheldaround
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thealtarbeforethem.Here,withfireburninguponthealtar,andwiththechantingofvoices,atthecrucialmomentofthespiritualritual,thehugegatesautomaticallyopenedandthedevoteeswerepermittedtoenter.Withinthewallstheyfoundatemplethereinthecourtyardandfountainsthatwouldplaywithstreamsofwaterthroughtheeffectofmusicandchanting.Scienceinvestigatedthesemysteriesandfoundthatonemastermechanicianofthetime,knownasHeronofAlexandria,utilizedsomeofthegreatknowledgeofthelawsofphysicsknowntotheEgyptianmysteryschoolsandconstructedmanymarvelouspiecesofmechanismthatoperatedthroughlawsandprinciplesrediscoveredonlyinmoderntimesbyeminentscientists.
IfthegreatgateswhichHeroninventedwouldmoveinsomemysteriousmannerthroughnaturallaws,thereisnoreasonforustodoubtthepossibilityofahugestonegatemovinginthesamemannerbeforetheSphinxinEgypt.
Therearestillmanystoriestoldandmanysecretorprivateexplanations,accompaniedwithdiagramsandarchitecturaldesigns,givenregardingthepassagewaysconnectingtheSphinxwiththePyramid,andthesegivecolortomanystrangeincidentsreferredtointhesecretwritingsoftheancientEgyptians.Someoftheseundergroundpassagewaysandtheirconnectionsareshownin
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theaccompanyingdiagrams.UntilgreaterexcavationsaremadearoundthePyramidandthesepassagewaysareactuallyrevealedtothepublicandtothelightofdaysothattheymaybephotographedandenteredunderspecialpermission,theirexistencemustremainaspartofthetraditions,forthisisthelawofthemysteryschoolsofEgyptandstillinforce.Thatwhichisnotrevealedtothepublicremainsatraditionalsecretandthepublicisinvitedtoacceptthetraditionsorrejectthemasitmayseefit.Thestrongerthedenialonthepartofthevariouspersonsofauthorityinregardtotheexistenceofsomeofthesesecretpassagewaysandtemples,*1thestrongerisone'sfaithinthepossibilityoftheirexistence,forsuchalsoseemstobethelawofhumannaturewhendealingwiththingsofthisstrangeland.
▽▽▽
1. ArecentarticleintheSanJoseNewsreportsonexperimentstobeconductedbytheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyandAinShamsUniversityofEgyptusingX-rayandcomputerequipmenttodeterminewhethertherearehiddenchambersinthepyramidofChephren.Itisbelievedthatcosmicrayswillgetthroughharderandthickermateriallessthan
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throughareaswheretherearechambersandpassages.back
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B
ChapterVIII
STRANGEFACTSECAUSEoftheverymysteriousnatureofthesubjectitself,andbecauseofthemanyweirdtraditionsthathavesurroundedthe
Pyramid,manypamphlets,books,magazineandnewspaperarticleshavebeenpublisheddealingwiththePyramidfromvariousangles;andmanyofthesehavebeenwrittenbythosewhoareextremelyfanatical,illogical,andunfamiliarwiththerealbackgroundofthehistoryofOrientalmysticism.ForthisreasononewillfindreligiousandpoliticalfanaticsusingthePyramidfordissertationsanddiscoursesinwhichridiculousandfarfetchedpropheciesandpredictionsaremadeinthehopeofstrengtheningvariousreligiousorpoliticalcontentions.
ThestudentofthePyramidshouldalwaysjudgethereliabilityofanythingthatiswrittenandpublishedaboutthePyramidbyjudgingtheauthor'smotive.Ifthemotiveappearstobetosupportsomestrangereligiousrite,dogma,orcreed,oneshouldbewareofanycoloringand
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imaginaryconditionsthatmaybepresentedinthedescriptionofthePyramidanditspredictions.
Themotivebackofthepublicationofthisbook,whichthereadernowhasinhishands,issolelytoemphasizethemysteriousoriginandpurposeofthePyramid,independentofanycult,anyreligion,oranypoliticalsupportthatmaybefoundintherevelationsofthePyramid.Inthatregardonlyisthisbookbiased.ItisdeliberatelybiasedinfavoroftheideaorpostulationthatthePyramidwasbuiltasatempleofmysticalinitiationandofprophecyandnotmerelyasanelaboratetombtosatisfythevanityofsomeking.
TherearemanystrangeandpeculiarfactsconnectedwiththeGreatPyramidthatmayormaynothavetheirfoundationsintruth,orinrelatedfacts.Itisclaimed,forinstance,thatatthetimethatthePyramidwasbuiltthesunatnoonpassedimmediatelyoverthePyramidsothatwhenthesunwasatitszenithatnoontherewasnoshadowonanyofthefoursidesofthePyramid.Thisisnottruetodayandscientificexplanationsstatethatthisisbecauseofthechangeintheheavensandintherotationoftheearththathasoccurredinthepastcenturies.Weknowthattheprecessionoftheequinoxesandthechangeoftheaxisoftheearth,orrotationofthepoleposition,havemadechangesofvariouskindswhichcouldexplainwhythesundoesCastashadowonsomesidesofthePyramid
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todayifitdidnotdosocenturiesago.Anotherclaimisthatoneofthepassageways
pointingupwardtowardtheheavensfromthecenterofthePyramidwasoriginallydirectedtowardthepolestarandthatifonestoodinthecentralchamberlookingupwardthroughoneofthesepassagewaystowardtheouteropeninginthePyramid,thepolestarcouldbeseen.Thismayormaynotbetrue,butthereisapossibilityofitshavingbeentrue.ItwouldfurtherindicatetheexcellentknowledgewhichtheEgyptiancreatorsofthePyramidhadofastronomicallawsandprinciples,anditwouldhavebeennaturalforthemtohaveplannedthePyramidinthismannersincethepolestariseventodayacentralpointintheheavensfromwhichtomakemeasurementsandlocatepositionsonthefaceoftheearth.
Theso-calledKing'sChamber,inwhichthereremainstodayahugestonecasketwithoutanylidcoveringit,wasnotaburialchamberandcouldnothavebeenusedassuch.Thestonecoffinwasnotmadeaswereanyofthecoffinsinthedayswhenkings,pharaohs,oreminentpeoplewereburiedinEgyptiantombs,andtheoriginalhieroglyphsthatcoveredthesidesandprobablythetopstone,althoughhardlydiscerniblenow,werenotlikethosethatwereusedontombs.Theotherarrangementsoftheroomandthemarkingsonthewallswerenotlikethoseofothertombs.
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Thestonethatlayuponthetopofthecaskethasdisappeared,andtodayeveryinchofthewallsandlowceilingofthatchamberiscoveredwithinitials,names,anddatesruthlesslycutintothewallsandceilingbythethousandsofvisitorswhohavehadentrancetothatroominyearsgonebywhenextremecarewasnotusedinregardtotheadmissionofvisitors.Thishasdesecrated,destroyed,andobliteratedmostoftheoriginalfinishandmarkingsofthischamber.
ThecoffinthatstillremainsintheKing'sChamberwasundoubtedlyusedinthesamemannerthatacoffinorcasketwasusedinmanyancientinitiationceremonies,andisstillsymbolicallyusedintheinitiationsofsomefraternities.Aroundthisstoodtheofficersandthecandidateandtherewasasymbolicalceremonyinvolvingthelawsoftransition,regeneration,resurrection,andreincarnation.
Oneoftheascendingpassages,theprincipalonethathasbeendiscovered,iscalledtheHallofIllumination,ortheGrandGallery,becauseasthecandidateascended,hereachedagreaterheightinhissymbolicalattainmentofmysticalLight.Thishallway,asshowninillustrationsanddiagrams,isstrangelyformed,butthisisduetothefactthateachofitslinesanddimensionsandpartofitsformisinvolvedintheschemeofpropheticindications.Inascendingthispassagewaytodayone
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hastouseatorchbecauseofthedarkness,whileinsomeotherpassagestheceilingsaresolowthatonehastocrawlonhandsandknees.
StructuralengineerswhohavestudiedthedesignandconstructionofthePyramidpointoutmanyfactstoprovethatthedesignersofthePyramidwerereallyexpertsinthematter.Thefact,forinstance,thattheKing'sChamberisnotintheprecisecenterofthePyramidispointedoutasastructuralfeatureofnecessity.ThemannerinwhichthestonesareplacedtoaffordanopeningabovetheKing'sChamberispointedoutasamethodofgivingspecialsupporttoprotecttheceilingoftheKing'sChamber.ThepurposeofthevariousverynarrowairventsascendingfromthepassagewaysorchamberstoprotectedopeningsintheouterwallofthePyramidisconsideredanengineeringnecessitythatwouldhavetobeadoptedtoday.
TheexistenceofthevariousundergroundpassagewaysfarbeneaththebaseofthePyramidisstillamysteryandisverygreatlydisputedbyvariousauthorities.Ontheotherhand,eminentmenhavefromtimetotimegivenexcellentargumentsfortheirexistence,andinrecentyearssoundingsandmeasurementshavebeenmadewhichhaveverifiedtheclaimsmadeinthepastthatsomesuchpassagewaysdoexist.TheentirebaseandsurroundingareaoftheGreatPyramid
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hasnotbeencompletelyexplored.otherpassagewayssuchasthatleadingfromtheSphinxtothePyramid,andperhapsinotherdirections,willprobablybediscoveredatsomefuturetime,ifalloftheindicationsinregardtosuchpassagewaysarecorrect,Anyclaims,however,totheeffectthatpersonshavewanderedthroughthesepassageways,andknowthattheyexist,shouldbelookeduponwithconsiderabledoubt.
TherearesomeancientmanuscriptstobefoundinIndiaandpartsoftheOrientreferringtoaGreatMasteranddivinelycreatedearthlybeingwhohadhisyouthfulinitiationintheGreatPyramid.MostofthesestatementsundoubtedlyrefertoJesus,althoughHisnameassuchisnotgiven.ItmustberememberedthatinmanyoftheseOrientallandsandamongthewritersofmysticalliteraturethenameofJesusmeantnothing,foritwaspurelyalocalnameofsignificanceorinteresttotheJews.TothemysteryschoolshewasknownastheChristus,orbysimilarnameswhichweretoosacredtobeincludedintheirwritings.WhetherthesereferencestosuchaninitiationinthePyramidaretrueornotwillprobablyneverbeprovedbeyondthedoubtofthosewhoprefertobelievethatJesustheChristinHisyouthhadnospecialearthlypreparationorinitiationofanykind.
Muchhasbeensaidintimespastregardingthe
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apexofthePyramidwhichisnowmissing.IthasbeenclaimedthatitwasofgoldwhichglitteredbrilliantlyinthesunandhelpedtomakethePyramidvisibleandsignificantatgreatdistances.Weknowthatincenturiespast,whenwarringarmieswerecenteredinEgypt,thetombswereraidedandgoldofallkindswastakenfromthemtobecarriedtoothercountriesandusedforwarringpurposesorfortheenrichmentofthenation.ItisclaimedthatthegoldapexofthePyramidwasthusremovedbecauseofitsvalue
Napoleon'sarmyiscreditedwithhavingdonemoredestructiveworkinEgypt,withoutNapoleon'sapproval,thananyotherarmy."HerewemustCorrecttheoft-repeatedstorythatNapoleon'ssoldiersbrokeoffthenoseoftheSphinxwhenusingitasatargetforriflepractice.ThestoryisrefutedbytheArabhistorianElMalcrizi(d.1436):
InourtimetherewasamanwhosenamewasSaim-el-Dahr,oneoftheSufis.Thismanwishedtoremedyreligiousmatters,andhewenttothepyramidsanddisfiguredthefaceofAbul-Hol(oneoftheArabicnamesoftheSphinx),whichhasremainedinthisstatefromthattimetothepresent."*1
Othertraditionssaythatthevastamountofgoldthatwascontainedintheholytemples,tombs,andsacredplacesofEgyptrepresentedfarmore
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goldthancouldeverhavebeenproducedthroughminingprocessesinanypartoftheworldatthetimethesetemplesandplaceswerebuilt.Itisargued,therefore,thattheEgyptianmysteryschoolsknewtheartoftransmutationandthatthinsheetsofleadweretransmutedintogoldforliningthecasketsandforcoveringmummyCasesorcoveringthewallsoftombs.Certainitisthatallofthisgoldthatonceadornedthesetemples,accordingtoancientwritingsandcarvingsonthetombsthemselves,hasbeenremoved.Whetheritwastransmutedgold,whichwouldhavehadthesamevalueasanyothergold,isapointthathasnotbeenproved.Thatthemysticsinsomeofthemysteryschoolsknewtheartoftransmutationisafact,butwhethertheycouldhaveproducedsuchanenormousamountofgoldbytheirprocessisanotherquestion.
Instructure,someoftheotherpyramidsdifferconsiderablyfromtheGreatPyramid.ThepyramidatCholulawasflatontopandsurmountedbyatemplededicatedtooneofthemythologicalgods.Ontheotherhand,thegreatpyramidofIzamalisuniqueinthatitconsistsoftwopyramidalpilesofmasonry,oneontopoftheother.ThepyramidatUxmalisprobablythemoststatelyinformandproportionandconsistsofthreestages,andsupportsanornatetemple.
Anotherinterestingfactisthatthecross,
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nowadaysrecognizedasthesymbolofChristianity,isfoundinitsprimitiveforminthecarvingsinthePyramidandisfoundinotherplacesassociatedwiththemysteriesofEgypt.EveninsomeofthestatuettesinotherlandssuchasGuatemala,Nicaragua,andlocalitiesofCentralAmerica,thecrosscanbefound.Thecrosswasnotoriginallyapurelyreligioussymbolandcertainlynotasectariansymbol.ItwasmanyyearsaftertheCrucifixion,infact,severalcenturies,thatthecrosswasadoptedasthedistinctiveemblemofChristianity.
TheCruxAnsata,consistingofpartofacrosssurmountedbyanoval,andwhichisseenmostfrequentlyinEgypt,especiallyinthehandsofgodsandgoddesses,andiscalledtheKeyofLife,wasinventedordesignedbytheEgyptianmysteryschoolsasasymbolofimmortalityandasasymboloflifeonearth.ItwasoriginallymeanttorepresentthemaleandfemalesexorganswhichCarriedontheprocessofreproduction.Thereproductionofseed,andthereproductionoflivingthingsoftheirownspecies,representedtotheearlymysticsthegreatestmysterythattheycouldobserveanddirectinitsaction.Theideadevelopedthatsinceeachspeciescouldreproduceitselfcontinually,thiswasproofoftheimmortalityofsomethingintheseed.Thusthissymbolbecameasacredemblemofthecontinuityoflife,orimmortality.Astimepassed,theassociationofthesymboltothesexorganswas
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forgottenandthebeautifulthoughtofimmortalitybecametheparamountideaassociatedwiththis"KeyofLife."Theprocessesofreproduction,biologically,arestillthegreatestmysteriesconfrontingthescientistaswellasthelayman.
MarkingsonthewallofthePyramidshowthatthePyramidDay,asabasisforallmeasurementsandComputations,beginsatmidnight,andthePyramidYearbeginsattheautumnalequinox.AnotherclaimisthatthePyramidwasbuiltintheyear2140B.C.andthatinthatyearatmidnightoftheautumnalequinoxthepolestar,whichatthattimewasAlphaDraconis,ortheDragonStar,shonedownthePyramid'sDescendingPassagewhileatthesametimeAlcyonewascrossingthemeridianofthepyramidtothesouth.SuchpositionsastronomicallyinrelationtothePyramidwillnotberepeatedagainuntil25,6941/2yearshavepassed.OtherscientistsstatethatsincethereisnowayofknowingwhetheratthetimeofthebuildingofthePyramidthecalenderwasreckonedaswenowreckonit,thedateofitsconstructionmayhavebeen2144B.C.insteadof2140B.C.whileaccordingtootherviewpoints(expressedinChapterX)thetimeoferectionmayhavebeen2900B.C.
AninterestingstructuralfactaboutthePyramidisthatitsfoursidesarenotperfectlyflatbutareslightlyconcave,asthoughhollowedoutinthe
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centers,toaslightdegreethatismeasurable.WhenthesuncastsashadowinaslantingangleonthesidesofthePyramidthisslighthollownessofthesidesisplainlyvisible.ThishasbeenclaimedtobeanimportantengineeringfactorandaddstoouradmirationoftheknowledgepossessedbythedesignersandbuildersofthePyramid.
OtherscientistsclaimthatwhenthePyramidwasoriginallybuilt,itsfoursidespointedaccuratelytothenorth,south,east,andwest,thoughbecauseofthegradualmovementoftheearth'ssurface,thisorientationofthePyramidisnotabsoluteatthepresenttimebutvariesaboutfivedegreesofanarc.Thiswouldgiveusadditionalscientificproofthatthecrustoftheearthisconstantlyshifting.
Onecouldspenddays,weeks,andmonthsstudyingthePyramidinsideandoutfromaconstructionalpointofview,aswellasfromamysticalpointofview,andeachdaywouldbringforthsurprisingrevelations.LargevolumescouldbewrittenaboutthepeculiaritiesofthePyramidfromeitherpointofviewandthereforealistofitsoutstanding,uniquefeatureswouldbetoolongtoincludeinavolumeofthissize.
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1. °QuotedfromThePyramid,byAhmedFakhry.back
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I
ChapterIX
THEMYSTERYINITIATIONS
NCONNECTIONwiththethoughtexpressedthattheGreatPyramid—aswellasmanyofthetemplesofEgypt—wasusedformystical
initiation,itmaynotbeoutofplacetomakesomecommentsregardingtheseinitiationsandtheirpurposeandsignificance.
IntheWesternWorldtodaythemindoftheaverageintelligentpersonisdividedbetweenaninterestandlikingforinitiationsandinitiationceremonyandritual,andacompleteabhorrenceofsuchthings.Itisunquestionablytruethatagreatmanypersonshaverefrainedfromcontinuingintheirchurchesasmembersandparticipatinginallofthechurchactivitiesbecauseoftheirdislikeofceremonyandritual,evenofasacrednature,anditisundoubtedlytruethatmultitudesofpersonsintheWesternWorldhaverefrainedfrombecomingaffiliatedwithmanyofthelargerfraternalorganizationssimplybecausetheyfeelan
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antagonisticattitudetowardanyorganizationormovementthatdealswithinitiationsorclaimstoperforminitiations.Ontheotherhand,therearemultitudesintheWesternWorldalso—perhapsmillionsofpersons—whoseemtohaveaninner,inherentlikingandloveforritualism,elaborateceremony,andmysticalinitiations,themoresecret,themoremystifying,andthemoresymbolical,thebetter.
Veryoftenthosewhoobjecttojoiningwithanymovementthatrequiresorconductssomeformofinitiation,aspartoftheentrancetomembership,haveanentirelyerroneousideaofwhatconstitutestherealpurposeofinitiationandwhatisitsrealsignificance.Manyofthesepersons,ifnotamajority,carryoutmanyformsofritualismthroughouttheirdailylivesbutdonotrealizethattheiractsareritualisticandthattheirmethodsofthinkingandactingareinthemselvesacontinuouschainofinitiation.Suchpersonsoftenhaveaverydefiniteprocedureinarisinginthemorninginregardtotheirmethodofbathing,dressing,andeatingbreakfast,andtheyneverallowanythingtointerferewitheachstepoftheprocedure.Ithasbecomearitualwiththemthatmeanssomethingandisofvalue,buttheywouldactuallyprotestatthisceremonialprocessoftheirshavinganystrangeorunusualsignificance.
ButintheOrient,initiationofsomekind,and
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ritualismofmanykinds,havebeensofrequentandhavecoveredsomanyyearsofthehistoryofcivilizationthatitseemsonlynaturaltothesepersonstobegineachnewventureinlife,eachnewstageofprogressandunfoldment,withsomeformofceremony.IntheWesternWorldevenourHousesofCongressandcourtsoflaw,andourschools,opentheirdailyserviceswithaformofceremonythatismoreorlessfixedandritualisticinnature.Concertsandpubliclectureshaveaceremonialopening.Thismayindeedbepurelyritualismandshallowinnature,buttotheOrientalmindritualism,whenassociatedwithinitiationorwithanythingofasacrednature,hasasignificanceofanintellectualaswellasapsychic,mystical,orreligiousquality.
Infact,ifwetracethehistoryofdramawefinditsfoundationintheearliestformsofinitiationceremonieswhereintheprinciplesbeingtaughtbythechurchorthemysteryschoolweredramatizedandpresentedvisuallyanddemonstrablywiththeenactmentofwhatmightbetermedaplaywhereinthecandidateforinitiationtookanimportantpart.Infact,inalltruemysticalinitiationsthecandidateisthecentralfigureandtheentireprocedureoftheritualturnsaroundthecandidateasthoughhewerethepivotalpoint.Itisthisfeaturethatimpresseshimgraduallyandgivessignificancetotheinitiationaswellasanintellectualcomprehensionofthe
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principlesthusbeingdramatizedandimpresseduponhismind.
WemustalsotakeintoconsiderationthattherewasconsiderablerivalryintheOrientinconnectionwithritualismandceremoniesofallkinds.Justaswehavetodaythechurcheswiththeirhighmassesandhighfeastsofaritualisticnature,andthesecretsocietiesorfraternalorganizationswiththeirritualismofinitiation,andcertainformsofritualisminvariousotherdepartmentsoflife,sointheancientdaysthepriesthood,representingthevariousreligiousmovements,hadveryelaborateceremoniesnotonlyofacceptanceofnewmembersbutofdailyandweeklydevotionintheirchurchesortemples.Ontheotherhand,theunorthodoxmovementsoftheday,suchasthesecretsocietiesandtheso-calledmysteryschoolsofwisdom,hadtheirelaborateceremoniesnotsolelyforthepurposeofrivalingoroutdoingtheelaborateCeremoniesofthepriesthoodandthechurch,butforthepurposeofimpressingtheirnewmemberswiththesignificanceofthepurposesofthesocietiesorschools.Ifwestoptoconsideralsothatmostofthesecretsocietiesandmysteryschoolsofancienttimeswereorganizedandformeddeliberatelyforthepurposeofopposingthesuperstitiousbeliefsandpracticesofthepaganpriesthoods,wewillrealizethatitwaspartoftheirprogramtomakethecandidate,theinitiate,
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thoroughlyacquaintedwiththedistinctiveviewpointandthedifferencesofopinionheldbythesesecretschoolsandsocieties.
Inthosedayseveryindividualwhocouldstanderect,andwhocouldseeandhearandunderstand,eitherhadtoallyhimselfwiththepaganpriesthoodandacceptitssuperstitiousbeliefs,itscontroloverthethinkingandactingofthepublic,orbecomeahereticandunitewiththemysteryschoolsorsecretsocietiesthatwereattemptingtofreemanfromthebondageofsuperstitiousbeliefsandpractices.Veryfewindividualsdaredtoopposeorcriticizethepriesthood,andevenfewerwerebraveenoughintheiroppositionorcriticismtoallythemselveseitheropenlyorsecretlywiththemysteryschools,orthosegroupsofindividualswhowereseekingtooverthrowthetyrannicaldominationofthepriesthood.BeingunderthedominanceofthepriesthoodnotonlymeantbeingheldinConstantignorance,andunderconstantinfluenceofsuperstitiousbeliefsandpractices,butitmeantyieldingconstantlytoheavytaxation,toacontinuouspaymentofworldly,materialthingstothepowerful,richgroupofindividualsconstitutingtherepresentativesofthepriesthood.Inmanycasestherulersofthecountries,theprincesundertheserulers,andthelocalgoverningrepresentatives,wereapartofthepriesthood,andthepoorman'sstatusfinanciallyandsocially—as
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wellashishealthandhappiness—wereinjeopardyifhedidnotopenlyassociatehimselfwiththepriesthoodandthepaganreligiousservicesandgivepromptobediencetothedictatesofthepriesthood.Whenwarswereproclaimeditwasoftentheruler,theking,thepharaoh,orprince,whoselectedfromhisimmediatedomainsthosehereticsorthosepersonswhorefusedtobecomeadherentstothepriesthoodpracticesasthefirsttogoforthtothefronthuesofbattle,andinthiswaythousandsofthemwereslaughteredandbroughttoanuntimelyend,asthoughbysacrifice,becauseoftheirdisbeliefinthepriesthoodteachings.Thefaithful,so-called,werealwaysgivenpositionsofsafetyintimesofwarandshowneverypreferenceineveryotherway.Itiseasytounderstandhowtheaccumulatingwealthofthepaganpriests,withtheirroyalsupportfromthekingorruler,andtheprotectionofallthehighestlawsoftheland,enabledthemtobuildmagnificenttemplesandtosquanderwealth—takenfromthepoorpeople—inelaboratecostumesandelaboratesettingsfortheirmythologicalandsuperstitiousreligiousservices.Andinordertoimpresstheignorantfollowerstheyhadtoprovide"miracles"fromtimetotime.Thistemptedthemtoindulgeinso-calledblackmagicandintrickery,andineveryformofdeceptionthatwouldbehighlyimpressiveandwouldholdinabeyancetheproperanalyticalreasoningonthe
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partofthefollowers.Everystrangeoruncommonoccurrenceinhumanaffairswasinstantlyseizeduponbythepriesthoodasanexampleofeitherthepleasureofthepagangodsortheirwrathanddispleasure.Everyillnessthatbefelltheheretics,thedoubters,wasclaimedtobeapunishmentbecauseoftheirlackoffaithfulness,andnopropermedicalattentionandnoproperassistancewasallowedtotheseunfaithfulonesinthetimesoftheirgreatestsuffering.Unusualstorms,cyclones,earthquakes,floods,andotherincidentsofnaturewerepointedoutaseitherbeneficentgiftsfromthemythologicalgodstothefaithfuloraschastisementsvisitedbythegodsupontheunfaithful.
Andbecauseofthegrandeurofthepagantemples,therichnessoftheirrobesandtempleornaments,thewealththatCouldbeusedforsuchpurposes,theceremonieswithinthepagantemplesweremostimpressiveandmostbeautifulineveryworldlysense.Thisbecameachallengetothesecretschoolsandmysteryschoolsbecauseitwasnecessaryforthemtodotwothingswhentakingacandidateintotheirmembershipandattemptingtopreparehimtobeagoodandfaithfulfollowerofthehigherandmoretruthfulprinciples.Theydidnotdaretoletthecandidatethinkthataschooloftruthcouldnotrevealtherichnessofthoughtandthegrandeurofceremonyandthatonlyschoolsof
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erroranduntruthwereinpossessionofthegreatsecretsandpowersoftheworld.Therefore,theyhadtoseekinallofthesciencesandallofthefundamentallawsofnatureforthoseelementswhich,ifbroughtintoplayanddemonstrationinaceremony,wouldimpressthecandidateandthefollowersmoredeeply,moreprofoundly,andmorelastinglythananythingtheyhadeverwitnessedinthepagantemples.
Itwasfortunate,indeed,forthestrugglesthatwerecarriedonformanycenturiesbythemysteryschoolsprovedthattruthinitselfisalwaysmoreimpressive,morebeautifulinitsexpression,andmoremystifyinginitsdemonstrationsthanuntruth.Werethisnotso,itismorethanlikelythatthroughouttheworldtodaythepaganpriesthoodwouldstillbeinexistenceandman'sadvancementtowardthetruthsoflifewouldhavebeenveryslowindeed.
Butwithoutthegreatwealthwhichthepaganpriesthoodpossessed,andwithoutthesupportandprotectionofthegovernmentsandtheirrulers,themysteryschoolsoftruthandancientwisdomwereforcedtohavetheirmeetingplacesandtheirtemplesofceremonyandinstructioninhiddenplaces,andinundergroundgrottoswheretherewasatotallackofbeautyandrichnessinthesetting.Theywerehandicappedbytheactivitiesofspiesandbytheconstantthreatofdeathand
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imprisonmentiftheywerediscoveredintheiractivitiesofopposingthechurchandgivinguntomankindthetruthsthatwouldmakehimfree.
Considering,therefore,theplacesinwhichthesemysteryschoolsmetandtheconditionsunderwhichtheyhadtooperate,andthelackoffundsandlackofsponsorshipandguardianship,wemustmarvelattheprogresstheymadeandthemagnificentmannerinwhichtheyprotectedtheirteachingsandpreservedthemforposterity.Butintheirritualsandceremonieswefindthehistoryoftheirsufferings,wefindthepictureoftheirlaborsandambitions,theirrewardsandtheirultimateaims.AndastheinitiationceremoniesweremodifiedfromyeartoyearandperiodtoperiodthroughoutthecenturiesprecedingtheChristianeratheybecamemoresignificantinthedramatizationofthelivesofthosefewpeopleineverycommunityandineverycountrywhobecametheleadersoffreethought,ofindependentthinking,ofhonestdevotion,sincereworship,andadvancingcivilization.
Wecansee,therefore,howitmayhavecomeaboutthatAmenhotepIV,thegreatrulerofEgyptinthe14thcenturyprecedingtheChristianera,hadreceivedfromhisforebears,whowerealsorulersofEgypt,certainknowledgeandtruthsregardinglifethathadestablishedinhisconsciousnessarealizationofthegreatfactswhichwouldmake
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manalivingimageofGod.Hisimmediateforebearshadbecomeinterestedintheteachingsofthemysteryschoolsandhadsecretlyindulgedinthem,fearlesslyriskingtherevoltofthepriesthoodagainstthem.InEgyptandinmanylandsthepriesthoodhadbecomesopowerfulinwealthandinpoliticalinfluencethroughthelargepercentageoffollowersthatkingsandqueensfearedthemandhadtodothebiddingofthepriests.ItwasAmenhotep'simmediateforebearswhoventuredtobreakthepowerofthepriesthood,althoughthisventurewasforalongtimekeptsecretandonlytheforemostworkersinthemysteryschoolsknewthattheyhadontheirsidetheapprovalofthepharaohsandqueens,foritwasnotsufficientprotectionforthemtocarryontheirgreatworkopenly.
ItwasAmenhotepIVasayoungmanwhodaredtoproclaiminopenmannerhisallegiancetothemysteryschoolsandhisundyingoppositiontothepriesthood.Tohimhadcometheprivilegeofannouncingtothepeopleofhiscountryanewreligionbasedupontherevelationsthathadbeengiventothefollowersofthemysteryschools.Heitwaswhoproclaimedforthefirsttimeinthehistoryofcivilizationanofficialreligionofapublicnaturebaseduponthetruththattherewasnotamultiplicityofgodsandgoddessesasthepriestshadtaught,butonlyone"EverlivingGod"residing
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intheheavensorCosmicaboveandwhowastheFatherofallmankind.Thisastonishingoppositiontothepriesthoodteachingseventuallycosthimhislife,butinthefewyearswhichhemighthavenumbereduponthefingersofhishands,hehadnotonlyrevolutionizedtheart,literature,sciences,andthereligionofEgyptanddestroyedmostofitspaganmonuments,butsentaflashofthegreatlightoftruththroughouttheworldtobecarriedintorchesintothedarkestrecessesofsemicivilizedlandstobepreservedtothisverydayasthetruereligiousconceptofourspiritualexistence.
Butthisonefundamentalprincipleofamonotheisticreligion—ofanonlyGod—wasnotthesolecontributiontocivilizationthatcameoutofthemysteryschoolsoftheOrient.Longbeforethis,scientificknowledge,marvelousknowledgeoftheartsandliterature,profoundprinciplesthatstillformthefoundationofouradvancingculture,cameoutoftheseschoolsofancientwisdom,andintheirrituals,whichtheypreservedforourusetoday,wehavethedramatizationofthisimportanthistoryofman'sgrowthanddevelopment.
ItwasforthepurposeofinitiatingindividualsintothegreatmysteryschoolofEgyptthatthePyramidofGizehanditsadjoiningsubterraneanhallsandpassagewayswerebuilt.Wecanunderstandwithwhatprideandjoythegreatleadersofthemysteryschoolsconceivedof
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buildingthegreatestofalltheirmysterytemplesabovethegroundandintheopenspaceofsunlightandfreedom.Aftercenturiesoflaborinhiddenplacesbeneaththesand,aftercenturiesofexistenceasfugitiveshidinginsecrecy,theywerehappyinthefactthatalthoughthepriesthoodstillexistedandthepaganformsofworshipstillcontinued,thegreatlightofunderstandingandoftruthhadgiventhemtheopportunitytocomeoutintotheopenandtobuildamagnificenttemplemorebeautifulthananythingthepriesthoodeverbuiltandnotbuiltwiththeaccumulatedwealththatwasill-gotten,butbuiltwithservicelovinglydonatedandbuiltwiththelovingassistanceofenlightenedfollowers.
Stillitwasnecessarytoexaminecarefullysuchcandidatesaswererecommendedforinitiationintothemysteryschoolsandtoputthemthroughalongperiodoftestandtrial,ofkeepingthemunacquaintedwithwhatwastaughtandrevealeduntilsuchtimeastheyweredulyandtrulyqualifiedtocrossthethresholdundertheguidanceofaguardianandenterasealedandclosedplacewherewithproperceremonyandritualtheywouldbeimpressedwiththesignificanceoftheirinitiation,theimportanceoftheirobligation,andthedutieswhichtheyweretoperform.
ThusitwasthatalthoughthePyramidasamagnificenttempleofinitiationandCeremonyrose
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toasublimeheightinthelandwhereallotherstructuresweremuchlessimpressive,stillwhatwentonwithinthePyramidwascarefullyconcealedandtheideathatitmightbeatombwastoleratedinthemindsofthepublicwhilethesecretentrancewayswerecleverlyconcealedandneverrevealedexcepttoonewhohadprovenworthyaftersufficienttestandtrial.ItisforthisreasonthatthePyramid,theSphinx,andtheadjoiningstructureswereunitedbyundergroundpassagewayswithentrancesatvariousplacesunsuspectedandnotrevealedtothepublicformany,manycenturies.Andwecanunderstandalsowhyinthissamemagnificentstructure,toweringtotheheightsthatwouldindicateitsloftyidealsandambitiontobeapartofthespiritualworldabovetheearth,therewererecordedinitslinesandmeasurements,initsformandenclosedspaces,aswellasinhieroglyphsandunusualmarkingsonitsinnerwalls,thesecretkeystotheknowledgepossessedbytheancientmysteryschools,thehistoryoftheiractivities,andthepredictionsofthefutureracesofman.ThustheGreatPyramidbecameinoneembodimentahouseofsacredceremonies,aschoolofgreatwisdom,anarchiveofpreservedknowledge,andamonumentofprophecy.
TodaytheGreatPyramidisoneofthesevenwondersoftheworldasitwascenturiesago.Itis
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doubtfulifmanwilleverbuildatanytimeinthefutureastructureofanykindthatwillbemoremagnificentinitssymbolism,morerevealinginitswisdom,andmoreinfluentialinitseffectsuponposteritythantheonestrangestructurestandingsosilently,sostrangely,inthemidstofacountrythatmayatsometimeinthefuturearousethesleepingpowerthatstillremainsintheintelligent,peaceloving,spiritualEgyptianandmakethatlandoncemoretheculturalcenteroftheworld.
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W
ChapterX
WHENCECAMETHISKNOWLEDGE?
EAREconstantlyremindedofthetremendousprogressmanhasmadewithinthepasttwocenturies.Incomparisonwith
hislifeintheMiddleAges,thefacilitiesandadvantageshehastodaydomarkthepresenteraasadvanced.Infact,untilthebeginningofthenineteenthcentury,ourmodeoftransportationonland,insofarasmotivepowerwasconcerned,wasthesameasinthedaysoftheancientRomans,Greeks,andeventheEgyptians.Thehorsedidnotceasetobeourfastestandmostdependablemeansoftransportationuntilthecloseoftheeighteenthcentury.Intheearlypartofthesamecentury,communicationwascarriedonbyindividualandgovernmentinthesamemannerashadbeendoneduringtheRomanEmpire.Communicationswereexpeditedbyamountedcourierortransferredfromonehorse-drawnstagetoanotheruntiltheyreachedtheirdestination.
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Thatintwohundredyearssuchstupendoustransformationcouldtakeplaceintransportation,communication,industry,architecture,andscienceseemstodistinguishtheperiodasanoutstandingoneinhistory.Actuallyinourwrittenhistorynoprevioustimeismarkedbysuchamultitudeofachievements,yettheseaccomplishmentsarenottheresultofsuddenlyinspiredvisions.Themindsofmenwithinthelasttwocenturieswerenotspontaneouslyimbuedwithawisdomwhichmadethesethingspossible.Thesewondersoftodayaretheslowdevelopmentofcauseswhichbegancenturiesago.Thecauses,thoughlesssensational,werereallymoreremarkableandattestmoretothegreatnessofmanthantheresultswhichtheybroughtabout.Thecausesbeganabout250B.C.,weshallsay,atthetimeofthegreatschoolofphilosophyandlearningatAlexandria,Egypt.Thereforthefirsttime,sofarasweknow,beganasystematicclassificationofallphysicalphenomenaknowntoman.Theseclassificationscorrespondedinageneralwaytooursciencesoftoday.Themindsofmenembracedwhatweretothemvirgintruths.Groupsofmindsclungtenaciouslytotherevelations,eachgroupbelievingthatthenaturallawswhichtheyanalyzedwerethesolekeytotheuniverse'smysteries.Fewcouldseefarenoughaheadtopointwheretheapparentlyparallellinesofscientificresearchwouldconverge.Centuriesof
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systematicandsincerestudyandprobingresultedinanaccumulationofworkabledata.
Theknowledgeofeachfieldofphenomenaspreadintoeveryother.Physicsjoinedforceswithchemistry;biologywithanatomy;physiologywithpsychology.Theinterrelatingoffactsquickenedinvention.Eachscienceborrowedfromtheother;themissingprincipleinonerealmofnaturewassuppliedbyanother.Thepatternsuddenlytookformwithinthepasttwocenturies.Itsdesignwasdazzlinginitsorderliness,anditsusefulnessveryapparent.Neverbeforeinthememoryofmanhadanythingbeenseenlikeit.Thosewhohavebeenfortunateenoughtoliveinthisperiodofthelasttwohundredyearshavemadethemistakeofcomparingtheresultsastheyknowthemwiththebeginnings.Tothemitseemedthatmanhadachievedmoreintherecenttwocenturiesthaninaprevioustwenty-twocenturies.Theyfailedtorealizethatdevelopment,thoughmoreimpressivethanitscauses,isalesserachievement.Causeshaveaninherentmomentumwhichtheycarryondowntotheireventualend,andresultsconsequentlymustfollow;butanoriginalcauseisadistinctdeparturefromonegrade,classification,state,orconditiontoanother.Acauseisthecompletetransformationofonenatureintothenucleusofanother.Thus,thestepforwardmanmadefrominarticulationtospeechwasfargreaterthanfrom
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thefirstutteranceofgutturalwordstofloweryoratory.Therefore,thoughourpresentcivilizationiscompelledtolinkitsattainmentswiththecontributingcausesofthepast,thereisaperiodinhistorywhenmandidinonestepadvancefrombarbarismtoacivilizationembracingartsandsciences,andtheintervalbetweenisapparentlydevoidofthecauseswhichbroughtthegreatwisdomabout.
Preceding3100B.C.allstructuresinEgyptwereone-story,builtofsunbakedmudbrick.Thebuildingswereuglyandrepresentativeoflittlethatcouldbeconsideredskillorworkmanship.EventuallytheEgyptiansbuiltasecondstoryuponatriangularlowfirststoryofthemudbrick.Thissecondstorydidnotquitecoverthesamearea,soitmadethestructurehaveaterracedappearance.Finally,manysuchstructureswerebuilt,butthenumberofstoriesgraduallyincreased,andtheyweresetbackslightlyastheyroseinheightuntiltheyhadthegeneralappearanceofpyramids,exceptthattheirslopingsideswerestepped.
Notlongafter3000B.C.theEgyptianswitnessedthebuildingofthefirstmasonrypyramid.ThemasterbuilderandarchitectwasknownasImhotep,theWise,andminiaturebronzestatuettesofhimhavebeenfound.HeerectedthisgreatmonumentforKingZoser.Thecoppertoolsemployedbeforethistimewereincapableof
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carvingandsawinglimestoneoutofwhichthissteppedpyramidwasbuilt.Theresuddenlycameintoexistence,fromwherenooneknows,toolswhichmadethismasonryarealizedfact.Thetoolswerenotdevelopedbyusage,fortherewerenomasonryworkorstonebuildingswhichwouldhaverequiredsuchtools.Immediatelyfollowingthismasonrypyramid,otherswereerected,andin2930B.C.thefirstpyramidwhich,whencompleted,didnothaveaterracedappearancewasbuilt.Itrosetoaheightof214feetandhaditsterracesfilledinwithmasonrysothatitsslopingsidesweresmooth.Thissmoothnesswasaccomplishedbytheexcellentfittingofsmallstonescomparabletothebestmasonrywearecapableoftoday.
Approximatelytwentyyearslater,or2910B.C.,thefirstpyramidwasbuiltthatwasintendedasapyramid.Itsheight,dimensions,andgeneralappearancewereconceivedbeforeitserection,anditwasnotbuiltinsuccessivesteps,butitsblockswerelaidaccordingtoamathematicalexactitude,andeachlayerofstonesrecededjustenoughtoConformtotheproperslopeofaperfectpyramid.
Tenyearslater,orabout2900B.C.,thegreatpyramidofKingKhufu,orCheops,astheGreeksnamedhim,wasbegun.ApproximatelyonecenturyandahalfwasallthetimethatelapsedbetweentheearlieststonemasonryandthebeginningoftheGreatPyramidofGizeh.Morethanhighlyefficient
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toolswererequiredtobuildthatstupendousmonumentalstructure.Greatknowledgewasalsonecessary.Chemistryofasortmusthavebeenknown,forthecementusedbetweenthehugeblockswasappliedinlayersasthinasasheetofnewspaper,andyet,ithadadhesivepropertiesfarexceedinganycementinusetoday.
ThefactthattheGreatPyramidwaserectedinthecenterofthelandsurfaceoftheearthatthattime,provesaknowledgeofworldgeographybyitsbuildersatatimewhenwethinkmanknewofnolandwestofGibraltarandeastofwhatisnowIraq.Further,theGreatPyramidwasinperfectproportion.Itsapexwasabovetheexactcenterofitsbase,provingitsbuildersweremastermathematicians.Anapertureinitsapexwasusedforastronomicalobservations,andthedescendingpassagepointeddirectlyatthattimetoThubaninDraconis,revealingthatthosewhodesignedithadaknowledgeofastronomyandtheabilitytomakeastronomicaldelineations.Onemustnotoverlookthefactthatitsbuildersalsowerewell-acquaintedwiththatphaseofphysicsknownasleverage.Everyengineerwillreadilyconcedethatthehugeblockscouldhavebeenputinplaceonlybyamechanicalmeansemployingthelawsofleverage.Stillfurther,theexquisitelyfinedesignsanddelicateshadesofcolorputuponthewallsofsomeofthepassagewaysandchambersrequiredsomeunusual
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artificialmeansofillumination.Themanyanglesofthepassagewaysremovethetheoryofreflectedsunlightbymirrors,andiftorches,whichwereprevalentinthatperiod,hadbeenused,thedesignswouldhavebecomeblackenedwithsmoke.
Admirationforthisgreatworkoftheancientsisequalledonlybyamazementattheirwisdomandthemysteryofwhencecamethisknowledge.Howwasitpossibleinonlyonehundredandfiftyyearsformannotmerelytoimproveonscience,todeveloporadvanceit,buttodiscovertheverylawsofwhichthesciencesconsisted,createtheminotherwords,andthenforthefirsttimeemploytheminsuchahighlyefficientmanner?Alittleoveracenturyandahalfpreviousthesescienceswerenotknowntomanevenintheirmostelementaryform,accordingtorecordsleftbytheancientEgyptiansthemselves.Neverinanyotherperiodinthehistoryofmanhashediscoveredthelawsofcertainrealmsofnature,organizedthemintodefinitesciencesandappliedthemsosuccessfullywithinsuchashortperiodoftime.WasthereasuddeninfluxofDivineWisdom?WeremengivenaninsightbyCosmicdecreeintonature'ssecretsforabrieftime?WasthereimplantedinEgyptduringthisperiodaraceofsupermenwhocameintobeingwithafullydevelopedknowledgeofthescienceswhichwereusedinbuildingtheGreatPyramid?These
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suppositionsaretoohighlyfantastictobeacceptedtoday,andyet,someanswermustbegiventothequestion:Fromwhencesprangthisknowledge?foritseemedtospringintoexistence,becausenoevidenceofitsaccomplishmentsprecededit.ThoughwemayscoffattheideathattheEgyptiansatthetimeweresuddenlyevolvedandtheirconsciousnessinfusedwithararewisdom,wemustgivecredencetothattheorywhichdeclaresthattheircivilizationwasenrichedbythecomingintotheirmidstofmembersofastrangeraceofpeoplewhohadgreatwisdomacquiredfromacivilizationprecedingtheEgyptianonebycenturies.ThistheoryisfoundeduponthestrangetalestheEgyptianstoldandwhichhaveenduredwiththedustoftheagesintheirtombs.
ThewritingsofthePyramidAgeofEgypt—thatperiodwhenmostofthepyramidswerebuilt,andwhichlastedfromabout3000B.C.to2500B.C.—areveryfew.Allthatremainsarefragmentsofstonetablets.TheageimmediatelyfollowingisknowntohistoriansandtoEgyptologistsastheFeudalAge,theperiodofthewealthyandpompousnobleswhoownedvast,flourishingestates,workedbythousandsofslaves.Writinghadgraduallydeveloped,andpapyrusreplacedstoneforordinarywritingpurposes.Manyofthenotableshadgreatlibrariesconsistingofshelvesoftheselongpapyrusrolls,whichwerecomparableto
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ourbooksoftoday.Theserollsdealtwithcurrenttopics,accountsofthenoble'stravels,andtheaccomplishmentsandexploitsofhisfatherandimmediatefamily;andtheyalsorecordedtalesofEgyptianhistory,whicheventhenwereConsideredancient.Someofthenoble'sfavoritepapyrusrolls—thosehehadenjoyedreadingthemost—wereentombedwithhimafterhisdeathinarock-hewntombinaprecipitousCliffonhisestateoverlookingthemuddyNilewhichranthroughhislands.There,sealedagainsttimeandtheelements,theykeptintacttheirage-oldstories.
InoneoftheFeudalAgetombswasfoundascrollwritteninthedemoticwritingoftheperiod,recountingthetaleofashipwreckedsailorwhocenturiesprevioushadbeenCastupontheshoresofastrangelandofanexceedinglywisepeople—alandwhichlatersankintothedepthsoftheseaandfromwhichsomeofitspeopleweresaidtohaveescapedtoEgypt.Thisland,itwasrelated,existedbeyondtheRedSeaatthegatetoanunknownocean,orwhatwouldcorrespondtotheIndianOcean.Apageofthisscrollreads,"Thosewhowereonboardperished,andnotoneofthemescaped.ThenIwascastuponanislandbyawaveofthegreatsea.Ipassedthreedaysalonewithonlymyheartasmycompanion,sleepinginthemidstofashelteroftreestilldaylightenvelopedme;thenIcreptoutforaughttofillmymouth.Ifoundfigs
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andgrapesthere,andallfinevegetables,etc...."Hecontinued,sayinghewasbroughtbeforethegreatkingofthisstrangelandwhoresidedintheinteriorandatthemagnificentcourtofthekingwitnessedgreatfeatsofmagicandphenomenalpower.Hewaskeptbythekingthreemonths,andthenreturnedtoEgyptwithgreattreasures.
ThislegendcouldbeattributedtoanancientSinbadtheSailoryarn,ifitwerenotforsomeverysignificantfacts.First,thetimethatthislandorislandwassaidtohavevanishedcorrespondstothatperiodoftheonehundredandfiftyyearswhentheEgyptiansmiraculouslyacquiredaknowledgewhichmadethemcapableofbuildingtheGreatPyramid.Secondly,recentoceanographicexpeditions,financedbytheIndiangovernment,havedisclosedavasttablelandorplateausubmergedintheIndianOcean.Onallsidesofthissubmergedplateauaregreatforedeepsasthoughithadnorelationtotheregularflooroftheocean.Thisandotherreasonsindicateitwasonceabovethesurface.TheeasternmostendextendsnearlytoSumatraandtheMalayStraits,inthejunglesofwhichhavebeenfoundvestigesofoncegreattemplesandforgottencivilizations.
Wemaydiscreditthetalesofsunkencontinentsandvanishedraces,butwecannotremovesoeasilyevidencesofthesimilarityofdisintegratingstructuresinminedcitiesseparatedbythousandsof
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milesofsea.Also,itismorethancoincidencethatseveraloftheAztecpyramidsofMexicoareoftheterracedtype,resemblingthefirstEgyptianpyramids,andthatthesizeofthestonesusedisalsothesame,aswellasotherdistinguishingcharacteristics.ArchaeologistsadmitthatintheiropiniontheAztectemplesandpyramidsantedatetheEgyptianones.
WhyistheresucharesemblancebetweenAztec,Mayan,andEgyptianarchitecture?ManyoftheseruinsarefoundinYucatan,Mexico,whichisnotmuchmorethananisthmus.Whydidthesepeoplesettletherewhennorthofthemwasamuchmoreexpansiveterritory?EastofYucatanliesthebigbasinoftheGulfofMexico.WasthesubmergedlandonceabovewaterandpartofthemainlandofMexico?WasitthicklypopulatedanddiditcontainmagnificenttemplesandpyramidsliketheremnantsfoundinYucatan?Ifso,whenthegreatcatastropheofitssinkingoccurred,undoubtedlysomeofitsinhabitantsfledtothemainlandeastofthem,toNortheastAfrica.BetweenYucatanandNortheastAfricaliesnotonlytheGulfofMexicobutthevastAtlanticOcean.However,thewesternshoreofthelegendarycontinentofAtlantisissaidtohavenearlyembracedNorthAmerica,anditseasterncoastincludedwhatisnowtheAzoresIslands.Soinhabitantsontheeasternshoreoftheill-fated
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continentwouldnothavehadfartojourneytoAfrica.
Itislogicaltoassumethatthesurvivorswouldhaveperpetuatedthewisdomtheypossessed,wouldhaveclungtenaciouslytoitandwouldhaveavoidedslippingbackintothebarbarismtheymusthavefoundinEgypt.Whethertheypasseditfromonegenerationtoanotheroftheirownkind,ortaughtittoacertainfewoftheEgyptiansisanotherenigma.Itispossiblethattheyfoundtheirkindbecomingextinctabout2900B.C.andbuilttheGreatPyramidasalastingmonumenttothegreatknowledgetheyinheritedfromtheirforebears.
WhatmakesthisquiteprobableisthatlatergenerationsoftheEgyptianslookedwithasmuchastonishmentuponthemysteryoftheGreatPyramidaswedotoday,indicatingthattheylackedthewisdomwhichwasrequiredtobuildtheGreatPyramidoritwouldnothavesomystifiedthem.IfithadbeenbuiltsolelyforthevainpersonalinterestsofKingCheops,assomethink,itwouldhaveborneeveryindicationofthisfactasdothelesserpyramidswhichwerebuiltbyotherkingsandpharaohsastombsorpersonalmonuments.TheGreatPyramidisfreefromthehieroglyphsfoundinthesmallerpyramids,anditschambersandpassagewaysareevidencethatitwasusedasaplaceofassemblyandfororalinstruction.Itisquite
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probablealsothatKingCheopsconsideredhimselffortunatetohaveinhismidstthosecapableofexecutingsuchawork,andinconsiderationofitserectionanddedicationtohimself,waswillingtograntitsbuilderstheprivilegetouseitforpurposesoftheirownandtoerectitaccordingtotheirinheritedwisdomandsecretideals.ItsbuildersmusthaverealizedthatfuturemankindwouldfindintheGreatPyramidafargreatertributetoalostknowledgethantothepersonalityofakingreigningatthetimeofitsconstruction.
Itisinterestingtonotethatthoughmanytribesandpeopleshavefantasticlegendsrelatingtotheirorigin,andstillothershavenonetoexplainthereasonfortheirpresenthabitat,theMayansandAztecsbothhavetraditionaltaleswhichimplythattheymigratedfromadistantplace.TheMayansintheirtraditionsclaimthattheycamefromalandfarnorthandwest,pointingtowardtheNorthwestortheNorthPacific.TheAztectraditionscarrythembacktoanoriginfromanislandcaveinAztlan,whichhasbeensoughtinNorthernMexicoandbeyond—thewordAztlanmeaning"Aztec'sPlace."
Thesinkingandmigrationofcontinentsissoundscientificfact.Modernsciencehasandisdetectingandmeasuringthesinkingandmovementofcontinentstoday.Inadditiontotheslowsinkingandmovementattherateofafewinchesorfeetayearofthelargerbodies,hardlyayearpasses
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withoutsomebodyofland,eventhoughitmaybebutasmalltropicalvolcanicisland,beingsuckedbeneaththesea.Ifthisispossibletoday,itwaspossibleintheyesterdaysofcenturiespast,andgeologistsandoceanographersdeclarethatourpresentoceanbasinsaretheresultofsuchmigrationofcontinents.
ProfessorGeorgeW.MunroofPurdueUniversityrecentlywrote,"IfthecontinentalmassesmovedoverthePacificarearidingdowntheblocksofoceanbottom,itmightreasonablybeexpectedthatasthecontinentalmotionceased,thedown-goingblockswouldbecaughtandjammedinplaces,formingdeepholesintheoceanbed.TheforedeepsofthePacificconstitutepreciselysuchasystemasmightbeexpected.ThecentralpositionoftheMid-Atlanticswellindicatesapproximatelyequalmassesoflandineachofthetravelingcontinents,oranearlierstoppageoftheAmericanside.ThegeneralabsenceofforedeepsofftheAmericanshoreindicatestheformer,whiletheGulfofMexicoandtheeasternDividepointtoacollisionstoppageoftheAmericanfragment.AnyonewhoacceptsasreasonablethehypothesisofrapidcontinentmigrationherepresentedwillrecognizethatthefrailisthmusstructureconnectingthetwoAmericascouldneverhavewithstoodthehazardsofsoturbulentavoyage.Clearly,thenotchformedbytheGulfofMexico
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andtheCaribbeanSeawasmadeafterthecrossing.ThemostplausibleviewofsuchahappeningisthatthecentralpartoftheAmericancontinentencounteredanoceanbottomwhichdidnotyieldandthattheinertiaoftheendwassufficienttobreakitsback."
Wemustrememberthatthreetimesdefinitelyinthehistoryofthescienceofarchaeologyhastheageofcivilizationbeenadvanced,whichprovesifnothingelsethatthepresentconclusionastoitsagemayexist,fornootherreasonthanlackofnewknowledgetochangeit;inotherwords,ourpresentideaofthetimethatcivilizationoriginatedisconclusiveonlyinthesensethatwehavenotfoundnewfactstosupplantthosewenowhave.DailywemayexpecttheannouncementofpositiveproofthattheprehistoriccivilizationsofLemuriaandAtlantisexisted,andthefurtherdeclarationthatitwasthewisdomoftheirsurvivinginhabitantswhichgavetheEgyptiansnotonlytheGreatPyramidbuttheirfirstexperienceinthemasteryofnature'slaws.1
1. °SeeLernuria,theLostContinentofthePacific.back
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APPENDIXThetwodiagrammaticdrawingsshownin
ChapterVIIdepicttherelationshipoftheGreatPyramidtothetwoothernearbypyramidsandtheSphinx,andindicatehowthesestructuresareconnectedwithsubterraneanpassagewaysleadingnotonlytothepyramidsandSphinx,buttolong-forgottenreceptionhalls,smalltemples,andotherenclosures.
TheseunusualdrawingsweremadefromsecretmanuscriptspossessedbyarchivistsofthemysteryschoolsofEgyptandtheOrientandarepartofsecretmanuscriptstellingoftheancientformsofinitiationsheldintheSphinxandtheGreatPyramid.Theexistenceofthesesubterraneanhalls,suchastheonebeneaththeSphinxandindicatedintheseconddiagram,andthepassagewaysandotherfeatures,hasbeendeniedrepeatedlybyEgyptianandotherauthoritiesandevenbyeminentarchaeologistsandinvestigatorsfromvariouspartsofEurope.Sopersistenthavebeenthesedenialsthattheclaimsoftherepresentativesofthemysteryschoolshavebeenlookeduponbythepublicaspiecesoffiction,deliberatelyinventedandperiodicallywhisperedinordertomystify
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visitorstoEgypt.Infact,theattitudeofscientistsistypifiedbytheexpressionofoneofthemwhosaid:"NooneshouldpayanyattentiontothepreposterousclaimsinregardtotheinteriorofthePyramidorthepresumedpassagewaysandunexcavatedtemplesandhallsbeneaththesandinthePyramiddistrictmadebythosewhoareassociatedwiththeso-calledsecretcultsormysterysocietiesofEgyptandtheOrient.Thesethingsexistonlyinthemindsofthosewhoseektoattracttheseekersformysteryandthemorewedenytheexistenceofthesethings,themorethepublicisledtosuspectthatwearedeliberatelytryingtohidethatwhichconstitutesoneofthegreatsecretsofEgypt.Itisbetterforustoignorealloftheseclaimsthanmerelydenythem.AllofourexcavationsintheterritoryofthePyramidhavefailedtorevealanyundergroundpassagewaysorhalls,temples,grottos,oranythingofthekindexcepttheonetempleadjoiningtheSphinx."
Itiswellenoughforthesescientistsandotherstomakesuchstatementsastheforegoing,butwemustrememberthatmanyyearsagotheyalsoclaimedthattherewasnotempleadjoiningtheSphinx.TheclaimwasmadethateveryinchoftheterritoryaroundtheSphinxandPyramidhadbeenexploreddeeplyandthoroughly,yetsomeyearslatertheundergroundtempleadjoiningtheSphinxwasfoundandtodayitisopentothepublic.The
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scientistsmayhaveforgottenthisincidentbutthepublichasnotforgotten,andespeciallythatportionofthepublicwhoseinterestinthePyramidandtheSphinxandtheterritoryaroundthemisjustaskeenlyalivetodayasiteverwas.
TheclaimwasoncemadealsobyscientiststhattherewasnocourtyardorreceptioncourtbetweenthepawsoftheSphinxwithanaltarinitscenterandagreatstoneslabagainstthebreastoftheSphinxonwhichwascontainedsecretandcipherinstructions.YetwithinthepasttenyearsthatcourtyardhasbeenclearedoncemoreofthesandsandtodaythepavementofthatcourtyardandthealtarinitscenterandthehugestoneslabattherearareopentothesunlightandthevisionofallwhostandaroundtheSphinx.
ItiseitheruntruethatinthepastcenturieseverysquarefootoftheterritoryaroundtheSphinxandPyramidhadbeenthoroughlyexploredwithconstantexcavations,orsuchexplorationshaverevealedcertainthingstotheinvestigatorswhohavequicklyanddeliberatelycovereduptheirexcavationsandConcealedwhattheyhavefound.
SincethemainportionofthisbookdealingwiththePyramidwasdictated,therehascomeintomyhandsamagazineeditedinEgypt,andmoreorlessprivatelypublishedinLondon,dealingwithEgyptanditsexplorations;andwefindinthisJanuary,1935,copyofthepublicationanarticleby
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HamiltonM.Wrightdealingwiththerecentdiscoveriesofthepyramid,accompaniedwithoriginalphotographsbytheauthor,madewiththepermissionofDr.SelimHassan.Dr.Hassan,anativeofEgyptandoneofthosescientificinvestigatorswhodoesnottakethewordofothersaslaw,hasbeenconductingextensiveexcavationsfortheUniversityofCairo.Inthisrecentpublicationlieisquotedassaying:
"WehavediscoveredasubwayusedbytheancientEgyptiansof5,000yearsago.ItpassesbeneaththecausewayleadingbetweenthesecondPyramidandtheSphinx.Itprovidesameansofpassing,underthecauseway,fromthecemeteryofCheops,whobuiltthefirstorGreatPyramidofGizeh,tothecemeteryofChephren,whobuiltthesecondPyramid.Fromthissubwaywehaveunearthedaseriesofshaftsleadingdownmorethan125feet,withroomycourtsandsidechambers."
Thenthearticlegoesontodescribetheunearthingofthecausewaybetweenthetempleofthesecondpyramid,ontheplateau,andthetempleoftheSphinx,immediatelyadjoiningtheSphinx,whichwasunearthedafewyearsago.Butitstatesthatthediscoveryofthenewsubwayorpassagewayunderneaththepubliccausewayontopofthesandshasoccurredwithinthepastthreemonths.
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Dr.HassanexplainsthatthecausewaywasconstructedatthesametimethatthesecondPyramid,orthePyramidofChephrenwasbuilt.HesaysthatevidencehehasunearthedleadshimtobelieveitwasconstructedbeforethebuildingoftheSphinx.ChephrenorKhepren,orKha-f-ra,wasthethirdkingofthe4thdynasty.
ThenewexcavationsnowleadDr.HassanandotherstobelievethatwhiletheageoftheSphinxhasalwaysbeenanenigmainthepast,itmayhavebeenapartofthegreatarchitecturalplanthatwasdeliberatelyarrangedandcarriedoutintheearlyerectionoftheGreatPyramid.
In1909thefirstsubterraneantemplenearthePyramidswasfoundandapassagewaybetweenitandtheSphinxhithertounknownwasalsodiscoveredatthesametime.
ItshouldbenotedbyallstudentsofmysticismandespeciallyofRosicrucianphilosophyandteachingsthattheyear1909wastheyearwhenmorerevelationsofamysticalnature,andmoreincidentsofthereawakeningofthemysticalspiritthroughouttheworldasfosteredandprotectedbythesecretmysteryschools,occurredthaninanyotheryearinrecentcenturies.Itwasintheyear1909thatmanypersonsjourneyedfromvariouspartsoftheworldtoEuropeandtheOrienttosecurepermissionforthere-establishmentorreawakeningoftheRosicrucianactivitiesinvarious
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countries,anditwasinthesameyearthatmanytombsof"ChristianRosenkreuz"wereopenedandmanyscientificdiscoveriesleadingtorevelationspertainingtothemysteryschools.ThepresentcycleoftheRosicrucianOrderinNorthAmericadatesitsauthorityfromtheyear1909,duetospecialhighcouncilmeetingsofinternationalRosicrucianmysticsthatwereheldinvariouscitiesinthatyear.
Dr.Hassan'srecentexcavationshavedisclosedthatthissubterraneanpathwayis,asamatteroffact,agiganticstonecauseway,22meterswideandabout450meterslong.ItconnectsthesecondpyramidtotheSphinxandtothetempleoftheSphinxadjoining.LargenumbersofmenarestillatworkonthesandyslopebetweenthesecondpyramidandtheancientSphinx.Mr.Derwish,whoisinchargeofpartoftheexcavationsundertheguidanceofDr.Hassanstates:
"Thecausewaybetweenthesecondpyramidisconstructedofenormousblocksoflocalizedstoneandhasthreedivisionsofseparatepathways.ThemiddlepathwayliesbetweentwowallsconstructedoffineTurahlimestone.Thesewallswereroofedoverasisprovedbytheremainsofstonesfoundhereandthereonthecauseway.ThereasonthatthesubwaywasconstructedwasthatthetwowallsabovementionedpreventedpassagewayfromthecemeteryofCheopstothatofChephren...The
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newlyexcavatedsubwaywascutthroughhardsandrockandisabouteightfeetinheight.Twoorthreepeoplecaneasilywalkabreastinit.InthecenterofthesubwaywasthedeepshaftofwhichDr.Hassanhasspoken....Thisnewlyexcavatedshaftisanenormousfour-sidedholeabouteightfeeteachwayleadingstraightdownthroughthelimestonelikeamineshaft.Thisshaftendsinaspaciousroom,inthecenterofwhichisanothershaftwhichdescendstoandendsinaroomyCourtflankedwithsevensidechambers,someofwhichcontainhugesarcophagiofbasaltandgranite.Inoneofthesesevenroomstherewasalsocutdownathirdshaftendinginasidechamber,whichisnowfloodedwithwater,butapparentlycontainsasarcophagus.Wearehopingtofindsomemonumentsofimportanceafterclearingoutthiswater.Thetotaldepthoftheseseriesofshaftsismorethan40metersormorethan125feet....Inthecourseofclearingthesouthernpartofthesubwaytherewasfoundaveryfineheadofastatuewhichisveryexpressiveineverydetailoftheface."
WehaveseenaphotographofthisstatueanditappearstobeinthatsameexcellentformofsculpturingrevealedinthefamousbustofNefertiti,andundoubtedlyasampleofthatraretypeofartinauguratedintheAmenhotepregime.
Adescriptionofthechambersandroomsbeneaththesands,connectedbythesesecret
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passageways,revealsthattherewereinnercourtsandoutercourtsandaChapelofOfferingcutintooneofthehugerockswiththreepillarsinitscenter.Thethreepillarsrepresentingatrianglearehighlysignificantpointsinthestudyandanalysisofthepurposeoftheseundergroundchambers.
Anotherchamber,muchlikeaburialchamberbutundoubtedlyaroomofinitiationandreception,wasfoundattheendofaslopingpassage,cutdeepintotherockinthewestsideoftheChapelofOffering.InthecenterofthischamberwasanotherlargesarcophagusofwhiteTurahlimestone,andtherewereexcellentexamplesofalabastervesselsfoundinthechamber.
ThewallsarebeautifullypaintedandsculpturedwithscenesandinscriptionsandtheLotusflowerisanimportantembleminthepictures.OtherchamberswerediscoveredwithpillarsinthecenterandinsomeofthesewereCarvedfiguresofayoungwomaninabeautifulgown,plainlyindicatingaceremonialrobe.
Therearemanymagnificentlycarvedfiguresinthesevariousundergroundroomsandchapels,temples,andhallways,alsomanybeautifullycoloredfriezes.Inexaminingthephotographsofsomeofthesewearedeeplyimpressedwiththeimprovedformoftheart,showingthedistinctivecharacteristicsoftheperiodthatfollowedAmenhotep'smysticalreawakeningofEgypt.
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TheforegoingfactsarebutafewofthemanycontainedinDr.Hassan'slatestreport.Theyverifyinpartatleastthethingsindicatedonthetwodiagramsshowninthisbookandundoubtedlythepassingoftimewillverifyotherpartsofthesediagrams.Soonceagainthestrangedrawings,manuscripts,andwritingsofthemysteryschoolswhichClaimedtopreservetheancientknowledgeofEgyptandotherlands,risetoanotherdegreeofacceptability.Despiteallthathasbeensaidbyformerexplorersandexcavators,thetruthappearstobethateveryfootoftheterritoryaroundthePyramidandtheSphinxhasnotbeenexploredpreviouslybecauseDr.Hassanandhisassociateshavejustrecentlytakenoutoftheseundergroundtemples,halls,andpassagewaysrarespecimensofart,rarerelicsofvariouskinds,afewofwhichwehopetohaveintheRosicrucianmuseumintheverynearfuture.Ifthesethings,passageways,andundergroundhallsandtemples,hadbeendiscoveredinthepastandthensecretlycoveredupagaintopreventusfromlearningthetruth,theexplorerswouldnothavehesitatedtobringtolighttherarerelicsthatremainedinthem,forthesethingsrepresentthemostpreciousgiftsthatEgypthastooffertothemuseumsoftheworldandwhicheveryscientistandexplorerisjustifiedinbringingtolight.
Thoseskepticsanddoubterswholookwith
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distrustuponallbooksdealingwiththePyramidfromthemysticalpointofview,andwhobelievethattheRosicruciansandothersdonotpossessanyknowledgenotpossessedbytheeminentexcavatorsandexplorersofthepast,mayrealizenowthatnothalfthetruthhasbeentoldabouttheGreatPyramidanditsenvironsandwhathasbeenrevealedbythemysteryschoolsismorethanlikelytobeverifiedinthenearfuture.
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PLATEFOUR
PLATEFIVE
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THEROSICRUCIANORDER,AMORC
PurposeandWorkoftheOrder
TheRosicrucianOrder,AMORC,isaphilosophicalandinitiatictradition.Asstudentsprogressintheirstudies,theyareinitiatedintothenextlevelordegree.
Rosicruciansaremenandwomenaroundtheworldwhostudythelawsofnatureinordertoliveinharmonywiththem.IndividualsstudytheRosicrucianlessonsintheprivacyoftheirownhomesonsubjectssuchasthenatureofthesoul,developingintuition,classicalGreekphilosophy,energycentersinthebody,andself-healingtechniques.
TheRosicruciantraditionencourageseachstudenttodiscoverthewisdom,compassion,strength,andpeacethatalreadyresidewithineachofus.
www.rosicrucian.org
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