The mystery of the Great pyramid : traditions concerning it and its connection with the Egyptian Book of the dead : with numerous illustrations

INTRODUCTION

which it was able to build ; and altogether apart from their intrinsic worth and far-reaching influence, it is this which constitutes their significance in the history of the world.”

The extraordinary parallelism between the early Egyptian cult of Osiris and the attributes by which our Lord is recognized throughout Christendom is revealed in the supposed divine origin of Osiris and his life on earth in a material and mortal body. He also met his death by treachery, was magically restored to life again, and became immortal. He entered the underworld (Hades), where he became both judge and king of the dead. His followers believed they would enjoy everlasting life and happiness because Osiris had himself conquered death, and had risen from the dead, and was now living in a perfect body. They regarded him as the type and emblem of the resurrection, and relied on him to give them immortality. (See Note B 1.)

As a consequence, therefore, of this parallelism, and of the allegory of Osiris being a corrupt version of the true Messianic allegory enshrined in the Great Pyramid, we find the Birth and Passion of that Egyptian deity associated with those particular structural features in the Pyramid which symbolize the Nativity and Crucifixion of our Lord (refer pages 167-9 in Witness of Great Pyramid, 2nd edition, for explanation of these features).

* In connection with the above the reader should refer to Addendum IV in Davidson’s Talks on the Great Pyramid (No. 3, 2nd revised edition, Noy., 1925), entitled ‘‘ Egyptian Perversion of Pyramid Messianism ”’.