Pyramid at Russell's Grave Modeled After the Great Pyramid?

cabasilas

Until now, I have differentiated Pastor Russell's pyramidology beliefs from the pyramid that was erected next to his tombstone in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Russell (following Taylor, Smyth, Seiss and Barbour) believed that the Great Pyramid of Gizeh was "the Bible in stone," testifying to scientific and theological truths. The pyramid marker at his grave I believed was not related to his beliefs on the Great Pyramid, but were an elaboration of the plan of salvation as Russell understood it.

However, an ebay auction has just closed which contained the program for the 1921 Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Society held in Pittsburgh. Russell's tombstone and the pyramid marker had just been completed. (The 1919 Convention Report shows the plans for these items but construction had not even commenced then.) The 1921 program contains several pictures of both the tombstone and the pyramid. The listing can be seen at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260151336489&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016

(You may have to sign in to ebay to view the listing since it has expired. If the link doesn't work, then paste the listing number 260151336489 into the search box on ebay. That should bring up the listing.)

There are several clear pictures of the 1921 Annual Meeting program on that page. If you want to save these, I'd recommend saving them to your computer as this program is extremely rare and the listing will eventually cycle off ebay.

One of the pictures contains an explanation of the building of the pyramid and I was surprised to see this statement (which can be seen at the ebay site):

"The capstone, itself a perfect pyramid, is patterned after the capstone of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, symbolic of the Christ."

So, one can say that the capstone of the pyramid marker at Russell's gravesite is modeled after the Great Pyramid of Gizeh, right?

Atlantis

Cabasilas:

Great job cabasilas! Appreciate the hard work.

Thank you!

Cheers! Atlantis-

cabasilas

Thanks, Atlantis! I received a private message saying they couldn't get the ebay link. I've edited the original post to show an easier way. Just type the listing number 260151336489 into the search box at ebay. That should bring up the listing and the pictures. Picture 11 is the one that says the capstone of the pyramid at Russell's grave was modelled after the Great Pyarmid of Egypt.

Brain Dead

And he / Russell / was looking for a great selling and marketing tool to catch peoples attention and it worked !

Born and raised a salesman, he died as one too.

Word

WATHTOWER PYRAMID AND PITTSBURGH MASONIC CENTER

alt

cabasilas

I think the connection of the pyramid with the Masonic center is only coincidental. They just happen to be neighbors.

avengers

$ 449,-- I wonder who would buy this "gem"?

Nathan Natas

Brain Dead, like you, I am no member of the Chucky Russell Fan Club, but in the interest of fairness I have to point out that the pyramid was erected years after Chuck's death, and that the idea for a pyramid was not his, but was formulated by some of his "creature worshipping" followers.

It is also a very common misconception that the pyramid marks Russell's grave. IT DOES NOT. It marks the center of the plot of land in that cemetery reserved for the use of the Bible Students. Oddly enough, it seems the plot was never filled to capacity likely because when the WTB&TS moved their HQ to Brooklyn, they began using a plot of land in a church cemetery on Staten Island that was close to the Staten Island Watch Tower Farm which also housed the studios for WBBR and a few rooms for Rutherford's trysting.

Although Staten Island is physically not far from Brooklyn, there were no direct land (bridge) routes there from Brooklyn back then: one either had to take the ferry from Manhattan or drive to New Jersey and cross a bridge to Staten Island from there. Staten Island was a "remote country location" for all intents and purposes, far from the madding crowd of cosmopolitan Brooklyn Heights..

Leolaia

Also the Masons moved in across the street decades AFTER the Bible students used the plot in the cemetary. There is no connection afaik.

Brain Dead

Interesting stuff Nathan ..thanks

Pyramid at Russell's Grave Modeled After the Great Pyramid?

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