These theories gained worldwide influence when they were integrated into the works of Charles Taze Russell , a world famous Protestant minister from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, who founded the Bible Student movement in the late 1870s. Russell adopted the phrase coined by Joseph Seiss that the pyramid was like "the Bible in stone", and he continued to teach this view right up until his death in October 1916. Russell believed that the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt was a special part of God's Divine Plan of the Ages basing his interpretation on a passage of scripture from Isaiah 19:19-20 which says - "In that day shall there be an altar (pile of stones) to the L ORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar (Hebrew "matstebah" or monument) at the border thereof to the Lord. And it shall be for a sign, and for a witness unto the L ORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt." [8] However, Russell's successor, Joseph F. Rutherford condemned pyramidology in 1928 as not only unscriptural, but inspired by the Devil . [9] When a widespread schism developed in the movement throughout the 1920s one side formed the Jehovah's Witnesses [citation needed] whose followers to this day are both non-supportive and even unfamiliar with Russell's views on pyramidology. The other side known as the Bible Students movement continue to study Russell's writings to this day that include his views of pyramidology as it allegedly relates to the Bible and the history of the world. [citation needed]
Two brothers John and Morton Edgar, scientists, Bible Students, and personal associates of Charles Taze Russell, wrote extensive treatises on the history, nature, and prophetic symbolism of the Great Pyramid in relation to the then known archaeological history, along with their interpretations of prophetic and Biblical chronology. They are best known for their extensive and highly detailed two volume work entitled Great Pyramid Passages and Chambers, originally published in 1910 and 1913 and greatly expanded in 1923. [10]
David Davidson wrote on pyramidology in books such as The Great Pyramid, Its Divine Message, and predicted various times for the end of the world based on measurements of the pyramid, the earliest date being 1954.
In 1957 Adam Rutherford from Scotland (no relation to Joseph F. Rutherford [citation needed] ), an adherent of Charles Taze Russell's theological views as promulgated through the Bible Students of the time, wrote Outline of Pyramidology. This was updated in 1961 and 1962 and renamed as Pyramidology Books 1 & 2 followed by Pyramidology Book 3 in 1966. [11] In these books Rutherford acknowledges his debt to Professor C. Piazzi Smyth, a fellow Scot for the diagrams used in his books. Rutherford incorporated terminology and scriptural references that had been previously taught by Charles Taze Russell.
In 1964 Barbara Mertz, reflecting the views of the scientific establishment, reported another term for pyramidologists:
| “ | Even in modern times when people, one would think, should know better, the Great Pyramid of Giza has proved a fertile field for fantasy. The people who do not know better are the Pyramid mystics, who believe that the Great Pyramid is a gigantic prophecy in stone, built by a group of ancient adepts in magic. Egyptologists sometimes uncharitably refer to this group as 'Pyramidiots,' but the school continues to flourish despite scholarly anathemas. [12] | ” |
The term pyramidiot is said to have been coined by Leonard Cottrell, whose 1956 book The Mountains of Pharaoh included a chapter entitled "The Great Pyramidiot" about Piazzi Smyth's theories. [13]
