The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1900-07-31
MYSTERY OF THE PYRAMIDS.
Distinguished Egyptologist Furnishes a
Rather Reasonable Clew.

archaeologists have been trying 10
find out the exact significance Of t g
great pyramids Of Egypt. Now at
asst the problem seems to be solved.
This statement. is especially true in
regard to the pyramid of Gizeh, otk-
erwise known as the Cheops or Chu-
fru pyramid. Hitherto it has bee n
supposed that this immense struc-
ture was designed as the mausoleuln
Of its royal founder, but ample evil
dence is now forthcoming that it was
primarily designed to serve as tenn
pie in which candidates for initiation
into the higher mysteries of the Egg p
tians might perform the requisite
rights.
Many years ago the question was
asked: If the pyramid of Gizeh is
merely royal mausoleum, why docs
it contain so many stately halls and
corridors, and why was a secret cham
Der constructed under ground since
The upper chambers would have suf-
feed as a vault for the remains Of the
great king? On the other hand, if it
was ever anything else than burial
place, why is an immense granite sar-
cophagus the most conspicuous OBJ
ject in itP There is an Arabian tradi-
ton that the pyramids were built be-
fore the flood in order that the intel
lectual treasures of Egypt might be
preserved in them, and during re-
cent years more than one scientist has
expressed, though somewhat guard
eddy, the opinion that the secret
chambers might have been used for
purposes Of initiation.
A key to this entire mystery has
now been found in that wonderful
work, '"The Book of the Dead" which
Richard Lepsius, a distinguished Ger
man psychologist, discovered some
years ago in the tomb Of a priest
named Auf Aukh, the original papy-
rus Of which is now preserved in Tu-
rim. Scholars who examined it soon
after it was discovered said that it was
an exposition, more or less fantastic,
of the life led by Egyptians after
death. The god Thoth was believed
to be the author, and, according to.
Ebers, the book tells US much about
the God idea of the Egyptians, as well
as about their dogmans, their inter-
pretations, their mythology, their
morals and their faith in immortality.
A copy Of the work, il is said, was
placed in the graves Of those who
died, and portions Of it we're in
scribed on many tombs, with the OBJ
ject Of pointing out TO the dead the
right road through the other world,
and Of keeping ever in their memory
the Fright word" which alone could
serve them as a weapon against the
hostile demons who would ever strive
to hinder them from attaining hap
piness.
A recent and more thorough ex-
animation of this book, however,
shows that it is far more than "a
strange collection Of religious and
magical texts" or than mere expo
sition Of the views of Egyptians IN re-
gard to future life, and that Lepsius
erred somewhat in emitting 1t "Tbe
Book Of the Dead" Instead Of being
q book of instruction for the dead, it
is, we are told, an authoritative text
book for those who intended to be ini-
tiated into the higher mysteries Of the
Egyptians.
That the pyramid of Gizeh was
used for the purpose of initiating
candidates in this maner is very evil
dent 10 those who have studied "The
Book of the Dead" under the new
light that has been thrown on tn.
Y. Herald.