The Book of Abraham - Its Genuineness Established, Chapter XII

THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM—ITS GENUINENESS ESTABLISHED.

BY ELDER GEORGE REYNOLDS.

[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 163.]

CHAP. XII.

Summary of Pyramid references. From the earth to Kolob. Additional reasons for accepting the Abrahamic sys­tem of astronomy.

It is unnecessary, for our present purpose, to enter into all the details of the varied geometrical, metrical, mechanical, geographical, astronomical and cosmical references found in the Great Pyramid, all of which it is vigorously asserted have been tested and proven correct by the very best scientific ability; nor will space permit us to follow a rapidly-increasing class of writers who find in its lines, angles, and markings a prophetic history of the world; but we should scarcely feel satisfied if we did not summarize a few of its leading characteristics. “We find,”1 to use the language of Dr. J. A. Seiss, of Philadelphia, “a perfect geometric figure, so framed that the four sides of its base bear the same proportion to its vertical height as the circumference of a circle to its radius, that each of its base lines measures the even ten-millionth part of the semi-axis of the earth, just as many times as there are days in the year; that its height multiplied by the ninth power of ten gives the mean distance between the earth and its great centre of light, that its unit of length is the even five hundred millionth part of the polar diameter of the globe we inhabit, that its two diagonals of base measure in inches the precise number of years in the great precessional cycle, that its bulk of masonry is an even proportion of the weight of the earth itself, and that its setting and shaping are squared and oriented2 with micro­scopic accuracy.” Regarding the Coffer in the king's chamber, he con­tinues: “We perceive in it a moat accurately-shaped standard of mea­sures and proportions, its sides and bottom cubically identical with its internal apace, the length of its two sides to its height as a circle to its diameter, its exterior volume just twice the dimensions of its bottom, and its whole measure just the fiftieth part of the chamber in which it was put when the edifice was built,” for it could not have been gotten into the chamber after the building was finished by reason of the size and angles of the entrance passages. Now, then, let us add to these facts a statement by the same author, and we think our position regarding the veracity of the portion of the Book of Abraham we have lastly been commenting upon is amply vindicated. “Everywhere do we encounter the traditions of Abraham’s skill in the knowledge of the heavens, how he argued from his observation of the heavenly orbs, and how he occupied himself in Egypt teaching the priests of Heliopolis in the lore of the skies. Doubtless this was not the naked science of astronomy as the schools conceive of it, but as respected the theological and Messianic truths symbolized in these celestial hieroglyphics, in which, as in the more literal promises, he rejoiced to see Christ’s day, and saw it and was glad. (John viii, 56.)” which testimony of the Savior’s is in direct accord with the statement of the Book of Abraham: nor need we be sur­prised thereat, when revelation, anci­ent and modern, states that Enoch, and indeed other antediluvian patriarchs saw not only “Christ’s day,” but the world’s history, even to the winding up scene.

Admitting that the shape of the pyramid, in connection with its other references, has a prophetic import, it becomes a remarkable fact that this stupendous four-sided monument, in this particular phase of its construction, typifies the number of days according to the reckoning of the Lord and of Kolob, between the fall of man and the incarnation of our Savior, (4,000 years) and the time between the date of its own construction and the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ in the last days, (also 4,000 years). Two of the most important events then in the future of the world’s history, and known in the economy of God, the first as the ushering in of “the dispensation of the fulness of time,” the second as the ushering in of “the dispensation of the fulness of times.”

We have more than once made mention of the wonderful system of astronomy shown forth in the Book of Abraham, but have never drawn attention to its details. Before lea­ving this portion of our enquiries, it may probably be well to do so.

The Book of Abraham teaches us:

1st. That Kolob is the greatest of all the stars that were seen by that patriarch.

That it is so because it is nearest to the celestial, or residence of God.

That it governs all the planets which belong to the same order as this earth.

That it is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time.

That it is nigh unto the throne of God.

That it is after the manner of the Lord according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof.

That one revolution is a day unto the Lord.

That one day, in Kolob, is equal to a thousand years, according to the measurement of this earth.

That Kolob signifies first creation.

That it is the first in government, and last pertaining to the measure­ment of time. The measurement ac­cording to celestial time; which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit.

2nd. That Oliblish stands next to Kolob.

That it is the next grand govern­ing creation.

That it is equal to Kolob in its revolution and in its measurement of time.

That it holds the key of power also pertaining to other planets.

3rd. That Enish-go-on-dosh is also a governing planet, which was said by the ancient Egyptians to be the sun, and to borrow (receive) its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae e-vanrash.

4th. That Kae-e-vanrash is the grand key, or governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also the moon (Floesse), the earth and the sun in their annual revolutions. That Kae-e-vanrash receives its power through Kli-flos-is-es or Hah-ko-kau beam.

5th. Kli-flos-is-es, and

6th, Hah-ko-kau-beam receive their light from the revolutions of Kolob. To summarise: That this solar sys­tem is governed by Kae-e-vanrash, which is governed by Kli-flos-is-es or Hah-ko-kau-beam, which are governed by Kolob, whether Oliblish belongs to the same order of systems as this earth, or simply holds the keys of power pertaining to other plants, is not so apparent. All of which is far in advance of what is known by astro­nomers at the present time, who have not yet recognized the several “orders” alluded to in the Book of Abraham.

With regard to the system of astron­omy taught to Abraham, in addition to the evidence already advanced in former chapters, Elder Jos. L. Barfoot draws attention to the following addi­tional ideas:

“The earth rotates on its axis, and moves in its orbit by the power impar­ted to its mass by the solar forces; the deflective force from the line of the sun’s motion, produced by the sun’s rotation on its axis, and its progression round the centre of momentum of the system to which it belongs. And, since neither the earth, nor any other body of matter, has power without motion, so, in the sun’s great power, we have evidence of its great progres­sive motion. The rotation of the sun of more than 6,500 feet per second would demand a velocity of progression of over 26,000 feet per second. Her­schel, by observation, was led to conclude that ‘the sun somehow moved towards Hercules with the velocity of the earth, or 100,000 feet per second,’ and to infer that the sun actually des­cribes ‘a great orbit round some un­discriminated centre,’ Sir R. Phillips analogically estimated the size of this orbit, and announced that with equal centripetal and centrifugal force, it would require an orbit of 162,865 mil­lions of miles, performed in exactly 25,868 years, the period of the preces­sion of Equinoxes.

And as the earth, and the other planets of this system rotate by reason of the central solar motion and turn on their axis by being deflected from a right line in their respective orbits; Phillips has shown that the sun and all other planets rotate, as a result of the operation of the same law of motion, and the fact that the satelites move in eliptical (egg-shaped to be exact) orbits shews that the solar centre is advan­cing.

“That this earth is part of a system that suffers no permanent change is seen in the unvarying order of the eclipses, which return in periods of 18 years and 11 days, if there are four leap years; and in 18 years and 10 days, if there are five leap years in the period. And although astronomy does not yet recognize the different orders of planets alluded to in the Book of Abraham, the teachings of science are all tending to shew that there are great governing, central forces, and periodic cycles.