A Miracle in Stone

Reverend Joseph A. Seiss
Porter Coates
Philadelphia
1877
ASIN B002EEP30M

This 137-year-old book is by Reverend Joseph A. Seiss, pastor of The Church of the Holy Communion. The book is about the theory that the Great Pyramid at Giza is a holy book made in stone and that its measurements, volume, including its astronomical alignments, are divine measurements from god which will explain the natural world and the history and future of mankind.


The author talks about passages from the bible about the elements of the pyramids' architecture, including a passage in the bible which tells about the cornerstone of god, which the author convincingly equates to the capstone on the Great Pyramid. Though the analogies are somewhat of a stretch, they are surprising in interest and not unreasonable, and most comforting, not preachy like.


The reverend's theories concerning the Jewish people and the so-called queen's chamber are perhaps a little controversial but honest to the acceptance of a pastor of the late Victorian era, though I found his theory of alignment of the pyramid and the queen's chamber with the city of Jerusalem to be a little confusing.


The author also talks about it being near the end of days, with only a few inches left before judgment day. This was for me a bit of an eye-roller, even though the author is very well-read and quotes numerous other authors who have written about the Great Pyramid.


Towards the end of Reverend Seiss's third lecture, we find him relating Darwinism to the complex structure of the Great Pyramid and the idea that the predecessor of Victorian man, closer to apes than himself, could have built so complicated a structure as the Great Pyramid.


In the fourth lecture, the author presents and talks about testimonials, both positive as well as negative, with the most impressive pro testimonial from the late Scottish Astronomer Royal, Piazzi Smyth, the theory's most vocal proponent. Reverend Seiss defends his argument admirably and with grace.


I realized from the start that in reality, the author's point was already disproved, but I ended up enjoying the book. I found it interesting and thought worthy, though I must say in the end the author trailed off into the end-of-days sermon. Luckily, 132 years later, we are still present enough for me to review the author's work.