Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-01-02
EGYPT's GREATEST MARVEL

EGYPTs GREATEST MARVEL
Does the Pyramid Foretell the End Of the
World Professor Proctor Argues That IL
Docs Not-H1 Viecs of It's Purpose and
Meaning. Ii
Professor Richard A. Proctor's lecture on
"The Great Pyramid: Its purpose and
Meaning" in Chickering Hall recently,
was attended by very large and inteli-
gent audience A very lively interest has
Of late been excited in the great pyramid
by the close approach Of the year 1882. Ac-
cording to Professor Piazzi Smyth, the ia
nous Scottish astronomer, and those who
interpret its meaning as he does, the pyra-
mid contains certain secret signs which in
dictate that in 1882 something is to happen
seriously involving the destiny of the hui
man race; perhaps the end Of the world.
This theory supposes that the great pyra-
mid was erected by Divine aid, and that 1t
was intended to preserve these prophecies
through ages until men, rightly instructed,
should unravel their meaning. Professor
Proctor has no sympathy, 1t might almost be
said no patience, with this theory. He began
by saying that he did not propose to adj
vance any special theory to account for the
great pyramid, although he had decided
opinions about IL II has been supposed
that the pyramids were intended IA pro-
lection against foods or sand storms that
they were built for tombs that they served
a. vast treasure houses; that they were In
tended for temples, and that they were as
Economical observatories. The notion that
the grea, pyramid, or US 1t Is sometimes
called, the Pyramid Of Cheops, after the
name Of the king who built II, was vast
treasure-house. led AL Mamoun to break In
to it, at great cost and labor. but he got
nothing for his pains.
As to its being tomb, the lecturer said, IL
does not seem reasonable to suppose that
kings would spend large part Of their lives
and vast amount Of treasure merely in
preparing tombs for themselves. As to the
pyramid having been either temple or an
observatory, 1t must be said the present con-
dition OF the work cannot be taken AZ an
indication Of what purposes 1t may have sub
served before II was finished in the form in
which we Zee il. The great pyramid was
once covered on all its faces with smoothed
stone fitted 80 closely that not crack was
70 be seen; but modern Egyptians have strip
ped of these iacing stones and used them
in constructing their buildings, so that the
huge TANKS Of the pyramid have rough
and unfinished look, and its apex is gone.
The second pyramid, built by the brother Of
Cheops, is nearly rs large us the other, but
it is not constructed the same way, and was
not as fine work.
1t is absolutely certain, Professor Proctor
said. that none but astronomers were the
builders Of the great pyramid. because the
plan Of II is so nearly perfect astronomical
ly. If a modern astronomer had no tele-
scope, but had unlimited command Of money
aud labor, he would desire 10 erect just such
a structure a. the great pyramid is, to sup
ply the place Of the telescope. II would
give him what he would especially desire
firm structure, and definite lines along
which TO look in a particular direction at
the heavenly bodies.
Surprising such was the object Of the pyr-
amid Of Cheops, the astronomers who had
il constructed, being probably unacquainted
with logarithmic tables such as we possess,
would wish To deal with the simplest posi-
BILE angles In their calculations This would
lead them 10 select latitude for their OBJ
servstory that would not involve any
difficult angles in observations depend
ing on the elevation of the pole and
the equator Of the heavens. Theoretical.
ly the very beet latitude that they could
select would be the parallel Of thirty de-
grees north, and that is just what they did
select The position Of the great pyramid Is
10 close 10 that parallel that II seems almost
certain that the astronomers, Its builders,
obtained the latitude by observations Of both
the pole star and the sun, the former being
elevated one-third Of the distance from the
horizon to the point overhead. and the latter
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