is,
above the top of the Pyramid--is a triangle surrounded by a glory; and in
the centre is an all-seeing eye. Over the eye we have _Annuit Coeptis_,
which means, "_He prospers our beginning_." On the base of the Pyramid
we have in letters, 1776, and underneath the following motto--"_Novus
ordo seclorum_," meaning a "New era in the ages." The suggestion of the
items upon the great seal was from Sir John Prestwich, Bart., an
Englishman. He gave the suggestions to the American Minister, John
Adams, and thus the same were conveyed to Congress and adopted.

We have in the facts of the great seal a series of coincidents that
connect this country with the Tribe of Manasseh. When the Tribes
marched, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went together on the West side
of the ark, for their homes were Westward. On their battalion banner was
the figure of a youth, denoting activity, with the motto, "The cloud of
Jehovah rest on them, even when they go forth out of the camp." Here we
have the origin of the cloud on the seal. And when we remember that
Manasseh was brought up at the foot of the Pyramid, and could see it from
his palace home at Memphis, then we get a cue to the figure of the
Pyramid on the seal. {23}

PYRAMID.

The Pyramid is a wonderful witness for God and His people. This building
in Egypt has stood for 4,000 years; finished and complete, it stood for
about 3,000 before anybody ventured to find a way into it. Then, at a
great cost of men, money, and time, a way was forced in by an Arab chief.
There surely is something remarkable that the only thing found in it
should be a stone trough, and more singular to my mind, that the Ark of
the Covenant and this stone trough should be of equal capacity; and the
laver in which the priest washed his feet in the temple was exactly of
the same size. And Solomon's molten sea contained just as much water as
would fill the King's Chamber in which this trough was found. Can any
man know these things and believe them to be accidental? Verily not.
They do most assuredly pledge a God and Providence.

EPHRAIM.

This word is not only the name of Joseph's son and the Tribe, but it is
used quite frequently in a generic sense, and stands for the Ten Tribes
and Manasseh. To Reuben by birthright was the lead politically, but it
was taken from him and given to Joseph, and so to Ephraim. From Judah
came the Chief Ruler--that is, Christ; but the birthright was Joseph's