Some of you responded to my recent post about the Bible Students, who have more of a continuity with the teachings of C.T. Russell than JWs do, by referring to Russell's interest in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh.
Russell was following the lead of Professor C. Piazzi Smyth, the Astronomer-Royal of Scotland, who held to the belief that the Pyramid was beyond the engineering ability of the ancient Egyptians to construct. Some still take this view in regard to ancient engineering marvels. Instead of attributing the Pyramid's construction to "ancient astronauts," Piazzi Smyth held that it was constructed by one of the biblical patriarchs under divine guidance. It was left to Russell to find his "divine plan of the ages" outlined in the architecture.
An interesting article on the history of "pyramidology" and Russell's contributions is found at http://www.greatdreams.com/pyramid.htm. I personally do not think a Christian theologian should use an ancient pyramid as a source for his theology (even if it is a secondary source). What is amazing, though, after all the energy that went into this pyramid study, is the way Rutherford simply dismissed it as being built under Satan's direction. The WT is still dismissing "old light" for "new truth" as easily today. Sometimes they give a detailed explanation for their changes, and sometimes not.
For those who would like to read some of Russell's writings, and compare them with the WT today, they are still available at the Bible Student sites. For some people, this may be the only lifeline they have to get out of the Borg.
(By the way, the pyramids found in Russell's "chart of the ages" were not directly related to the Great Pyramid. Russell simply used pyramids to illustrate what was perfect [such as Adam and Jesus], and topless pyramids to illustrate the imperfect [such as fallen mankind].)
When Russell died, the Society erected a pyramid near his grave. (Search the web for famous grave sites and find a picture.) The only thing that surprises me is, when they returned on the third day they didn't find the grave empty and the pyramid rolled away. Now that would have been something!