1-35 
 A83-f 
 
 Edward BIddle Letc' 
 
 EL S. W. 
 

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A/f 
 
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REATER LI 
 
 / 
 
 Memorial Number 
 
hiistorical SKetch 
 
 OF THE LIFE OF 
 
 Edward Biddle Latch 
 
 By WILLIAM D. ASHWORTH 
 
 PRESS OF 
 
 The Gazette Printing House 
 frankford, phila., pa. 
 
 —1911— 
 ?3 
 
^.^5b<^']0 
 
iE&uiarb WihhU ICatflj 
 
 IBnrn IJoii. 15. 1833. StpJi April 2, 1911. 
 
CO 
 
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Historical Sketch 
 
 of the Life of 
 
 EDWARD BIDDLE LATCH 
 
 By WILLIAM D. ASHWORTH 
 
 Edward Biddle Latch, Chief Engineer U. S. N. (relative 
 rank Commander), was born November 15, 1833, on his father's 
 farm on old Lancaster road. Lower Merion township. Montgom- 
 ery county, a short distance above the present city^ on Philadel- 
 phia county line. On the above date was recorded the greatest 
 fall of meceors and shooting stars in history, and visible mainly 
 to the people of the North American Continent and more partic- 
 ularly to those in the latitude of Philadelphia. 
 
 He was the ninth child of a family of ten children. 
 His father, Gardiner Latch, was a veteran of the War 
 of 1812, and his mother, Henrietta Wakeling Latch, a member 
 of the Wakeling family of Frankford, widely known as pioneers 
 in the bookbinding trade in the United States. His grandfather, 
 Jacob Latch, was a soldier in Washington's army during the 
 American Revolution, and his home is still standing, on old 
 Lancaster road, opposite to the home built by his son, Gardiner, 
 and the home of Edward Biddle Latch. His ancestors on his 
 father's side came to America with William Penn in 1699, his 
 claim for an American ancestry, through this branch, going back 
 over 200 years. On his mother's side the Wakelings were en- 
 gaged in business on the famous Pater Noster Row, London, ' 
 Eng. Another branch of her family, the De Monceau, was 
 driven from France by religious persecution, and settled in Eng- 
 land and engaged in silk weaving, samples of their work are now 
 in possession of Mr. Latch's relatives. He received his early 
 education in the public schools of Frankford, Philadelphia. In 
 185 1 at 18 years of age he entered the employ of the Norris 
 Locomotive Works as an apprentice in the machine shop. He 
 
 1 
 
remained with this company for six years, learning thoroughly 
 the construction of locomotives and other machinery. He became 
 a most proficient draughtsman and designer; some drawings, 
 now in possession of the writer of this article, are beautiful speci- 
 mens of hand work; the lines appear as if engraved by a skilled 
 artist; one shaded India ink drawing of a locomotive engine, 
 made while an apprentice, looks like a fine copperplate engrav- 
 ing. After leaving Mr. Norris' shop he secured a position in 
 Trenton, N. J., and while there employed he received word from 
 Mr. Norris that he desired him to enter the United States navy 
 as an engineer. He yielded to Mr. Norris' request, and was ap- 
 pointed a third assistant engineer on September 20, 1858. He 
 was attached to the U. S. steamship "Atlanta," Paraguay ex- 
 pedition, 1858-1859; this voyage gave him a chance to visit the 
 countries on the Atlantic coast of South America and a long trip 
 up the Rio de La Plata. He was next attached to the U. S. 
 steamer Sumpter, 1860-1861, on the west coast of Africa in the 
 suppression of the slave trade. He brought home from this voy- 
 age many curious objects, picked up from the natives on the 
 west coast, such as elephant and hippopotamus teeth, idols of 
 worship and many other odd pieces relating to the life of the 
 native. A large lot of hippo teeth were being looked over by 
 officers of the vessel, and Mr. Latch, making a selection from 
 the pile, took a large tooth, and then out of justice to his brother 
 officers he took a small one ; several years after, in examining 
 these teeth, he was surprised to find, upon matching them on the 
 grinding surfaces, that they both belonged to the same animal 
 and had been opposite teeth in the upper and lower jaws. An 
 old coat, swapped with a native, brought him a male gray parrot. 
 This bird he brought home, and it lived for over forty years at 
 the Latch home. It was an exceptionally fluent talker, with a 
 voice perfectly natural like a man. "Bob Latch" was known for 
 miles around the country. On coming home from this voyage the 
 United States was found in the first stages of the great civil war. 
 He returned home and awaited orders, received in the meantime 
 his promotion to second assistant. The department having lost 
 Mr. Latch's home address, he was unattached for some time and 
 then finally appointed after communication was again established 
 to the U. S. S. Hartford, then fitting out at Philadelphia. He 
 always considered his lost address at that time as a stroke of 
 good fortune, as it connected him with Farragut's flagship that 
 
EDWARD BIDDLE LATCH 
 
 (At age of 'Z5 years J 
 
 Taken shortly after his Appointment as Third .Assistant 
 Engineer. 
 
A metcif of tift Cifjp of Ehmurh Mmie fettlj 
 
 was destined to make such a famous record, instead of some 
 smaller vessel, such as a monitor or gunboat. The "Hartford" 
 left Philadelphia in 1862 as flagship of the West Gulf Squadron. 
 In the early part of this cruise Chief Engineer Kimball was de- 
 tached for special duty at the Neptune Iron Works, New York 
 City. Captain, later Rear Admiral, Palmer then placed Second 
 Assistant Engineer Latch in charge of the Hartford's engines 
 (before Port Hudson fell), and he remained in charge until the 
 vessel steamed into New York harbor, proudly flying the pennant 
 of (at that time) Rear Admiral Farragut. This action on the 
 part of Captain Palmer showed great confidence in 'his second 
 assistant's ability to handle the engine-room of a flagship so 
 actively engaged in fierce fighting. It would have been an easy 
 matter for him to have had a chief detached from one of the 
 other vessels of the fleet and ordered for duty on board the 
 Hartford. 
 
 During his service on the flagship Mr. Latch participated in 
 the following engagements : Forts Jackson, St. Philip and the 
 Confederate fleet in the Mississippi River, April 24, 1862; the 
 Chalmatte Battery, New Orleans, April 25, 1862; first passage 
 of the Vicksburg Batteries, June 28, 1862; second passage of the 
 Vicksburg Batteries, July 15, 1862; passage of Port Hudson's 
 terrible batteries, March 15, 1863; Grand Gulf, March 19, 1863; 
 Warrenton, March 28, 1863; Grand Gulf, March 31, 1863; Forts 
 Morgan, Gaines and Powell ; also the Confederate fleet, including 
 the rams "Tennessee," "Selma." "Gaines," torpedoes, etc.; Mo- 
 bile Bay, August 5, 1864. When the Confederate ram "Tennes- 
 see" was captured Mr. Latch was sent on board to ascertain the 
 condition of the engines. On going below he was greeted by a 
 familiar voice, and in surprise he recognized the speaker as an 
 old chum, a fellow-apprentice at Norris' Works in Philadelphia, 
 now chief engineer of the ram. A Southerner by birth, the young 
 man had cast his lot with Jefiferson Davis' ill-starred States. It 
 is needless to say that Engineer Latch came away with more de- 
 tailed information than any other man would have been likely 
 to secure. He was promoted to first assistant in 1863, and in 
 1865-1868 was attached to the U. S. S. Wachusett on the East 
 India Station ; a brother officer on this cruise was John W. Philip, 
 afterward famous as the commander of the "Texas" during the 
 fight off Santiago, Spanish-American War. Several special num- 
 bers of a magazine, called "The Illustrated Navy," published 
 
arije (&rta.tet iCtglft 
 
 in honor of Rear Admiral Philip and devoted solely to an histori- 
 cal sketch of his career, contained many notes of interest by 
 Chief Engineer Latch covering this voyage of the "Wachusett." 
 During this trip and while lying off Shanghai, China, he became 
 a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was a member of Cassia 
 Lodge, of Ardmore, at the time of his death. On his return 
 to the United States he brought many beautiful gifts and curios 
 from China, Japan and other adjacent countries, and at that 
 period they were considered one of the finest private collections 
 in Philadelphia, each piece having some history that made it 
 more interesting, a grotesque head from the Great Wall of China 
 being in front of the writer as these lines are penned. His next 
 duty was instructor in the engineering department. Naval Acad- 
 emy, Annapolis, 1869-1870. He was promoted to chief engineer 
 in 1870, his commission bearing the name of U. S. Grant, then 
 President of the United States. He was next attached to the 
 U. S. S. Congress, special service, Greenland, and a cruise to 
 Europe and the Mediterranean, visiting Egypt, the Pyramids 
 and the Holy Land. He was a member of the inspection board, 
 1873-1875 ; receiving ship "Colorado," 1876; sick leave, 1876-1877, 
 and retired in 1878, after twenty years of active service, about 
 twelve years of which were spent at sea. After several years of 
 complete rest Mr. Latch took up the great work that was to be 
 his special study during the next quarter of a century. Having 
 notified the Secretary of the Navy of his contemplated task, he 
 was given permission, and began writing the "Review of the 
 Holy Bible," which was published in 1884. This volume and all 
 subsequent works were written without any reference to any other 
 work than the King James' translation of the Bible. "Indications 
 of Job," "Genesis" and "Exodus" were next in order in 1889- 
 1 890-1892. The Mosaic System of Chronology was originated 
 and developed from these writings, and afterward, through many 
 years, was used to elucidate the Scriptures and ancient relics of 
 many kinds in their relation to and bearing on universal his- 
 tory. The first great application of the Mosaic system was to 
 unfold the mystery surrounding the Great Pyramid of Egypt. 
 The results were published in a pamphlet, entitled "Application of 
 the Mosaic System of Chronology in the Elucidation of Mysteries 
 Pertaining to the Bible in Stone, known as the Great Pyramid of 
 Egypt." This solution proved to be harmonious, and brought out 
 many facts that had heretofore not been touched on by the many 
 
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EDWARD BIDDLE LATCH 
 
 (Ai age of 40 years) 
 
 This Portrait was taken at Naples, Italy, while 
 
 Chief Engineer of U. S. S. Congress 
 
 1873. 
 
writers on Egypt's great monument. The writer of this article 
 was requested by Mr. Latch to secure for him the data showing 
 the heights of the five chambers in the top of the Pyramid. These 
 spaces were discovered and measured by Mr. Davidson and Coir 
 onel Howard Vyre. Colonel Vyre's work on the subject was 
 consulted at the Mercantile Library, Philadelphia, and the meas- 
 urements noted. Now, on taking the same to Mr. Latch, he was 
 surprised to find that he (Mr. Latch) already had them, he hav- 
 ing assumed that the five chambers represented the first five crea- 
 tive days, had taken the years of each day, which he had prev- 
 iously computed from the Scriptures, and a simple example in 
 proportion had yielded the same measurements, chamber for 
 chamber, as the actual dimensions of Colonel Vyre. The pas- 
 sages and rooms in the main body of the Pyramid had already 
 given figures that agreed with the Mosaic computations for the 
 sixth creative day. The date of building the Pyramid was deter- 
 mined by him at about 13,000 B. C., and the builders the Hidde- 
 kelic race, who are described in the Bible as mighty, prudent, sci- 
 entific and highly educated ; such a race of people would have 
 what we call modern machinery and appliances for erecting huge 
 buildings, and the task for them was no harder than it would be 
 for our builders today. Mr. Albert Ross Parsons, in his mag- 
 nificent work, entitled "New Light From the Great Pyramid," 
 Metaphysical Publishing Company, New York, 1893, quotes very 
 frequently from Mr. Latch's writings, and in speaking of the 
 date of building the Pyramid he makes the following remarks 
 which we take the liberty to quote : 
 
 "jomard likewise refers to the tradition of their antedeluvian 
 date. Meanwhile, Edward B. Latch, in his work, "Indications of 
 Genesis," taking for a clue to an occult chronology concealed in 
 the Bible the following passage : 
 
 "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, 
 when He separated the Sons of Adam ,He set the bounds of the peo- 
 ple according to the numbers of the children of Israel." (Dent, xxxii 8.) 
 
 Exhibits in over fifty diagrams alone, a reach of 31,863 
 years, Mr. Latch's premises are derived from the King James' 
 translation of the Bible, and his conclusions are given without 
 reference to either profane history, tradition or astronomy. Yet 
 the most remarkable agreement exists between Latch's chronologi- 
 cal epochs and allegories of the Scriptures and the precession of 
 the equinoxs through the signs of the Zodiac. When, therefore. 
 
2Il|p (Srtatpr ICtgljt 
 
 Latch from Scriptural premises solely is led to place the era of 
 the Great Pyramid at between B. C. 12098 and 13465, it is at 
 all events a striking coincidence that at that time, in place of the 
 inconspicuous Alpha Draconis we should have as the correlative 
 of Alcyone of the Pleiades in the Pyramid co-ordination the bril- 
 .iant star of the first magnitude called "Vega," which ranks as 
 high as fifth among the fifteen largeststars known to astronomy " 
 The codex Argenteus was the next great application of the 
 Mosaic system. The Codex Argenteus page was published in the 
 "Outlook" for November 6, 1897, and was photographed from 
 the original volume in Upsula, Sweden, 'fliis ancient relic was 
 obtained by Mr. W. S. Harwood, of the "Minneapolis Journal" 
 for the Outlook Company. Through the courtesy of these gentle- 
 men Mr. Latch was allowed to reproduce and use it as a medium 
 for the elucidation of its hidden meaning. It was found to be 
 full of history, chronology and astronomy, all agreeing with the 
 previously found Mosaic standards. The distances of the planets 
 from the sun, their diameters, axial tilts, time of revolution on 
 axis, number of moons, etc., were found to agree with the latest 
 computations of our best astronomers. The same accurate results 
 were obtained for the stars outside the solar system, even to the 
 diameter of the Great Celestial Sphere. Figures for many dis- 
 tances and movements were obtained on which astronomy is 
 silent. "The Mosaic System and the Codex Argenteus" was 
 published in pamphlet form in 1890. The American earthworks, 
 the work of the mound-builders in the State of Ohio, were found 
 to be mainly astronomical in their bearings, and were the subject 
 of several articles published in the "Greater Light." The draw- 
 ings of Solomon's and Zerubbabel's Temples, from the Mosaic 
 interpretation of the text, were most striking exhibitions of archi- 
 tectural design, and fourteen plans and views were shown in 
 connection with the articles published in the "Greater Light." 
 The Rosetta Stone, Stonehenge, England ; the Gettysburg Stone, 
 Rock tracings of Norway and Sweden, Peruvian Temples in 
 South America and many other relics of lost and forgotten his- 
 tory were unfolded and found to be in accord with the Mosaic 
 system. The most valued relic in Mr. Latch's possession was 
 the cup of universal communion, so named by him on account 
 of the hidden meaning brought to light. This cup is of metal 
 and very heavy (in regards to its specific gravity) and of most 
 ancient design on its figured surface, and it fell into Mr. Latch's 
 
-^'■ ' ■' AVi^ ^ 
 
 I I I I I r 
 
 jzrxx, 
 
 I I 11 I 
 
 SOLOMON'S TEMPLE. Sketch 1. 
 
 Original Drawing and Design by Edward Biddle Latcli. 
 
 'till li inlMiilMiilFFfrl 
 
 SCALE IN CUBITS 
 
A &krtrlj of Uj? Cife nf EiUnariJ liMiU ilatrh 
 
 hands in a very remarkable manner. It was first brought to him 
 one Slimmer evening by a beggar or tramp, who asked Mr. Latch 
 to take it, saying he had found the citp by the roadside. On 
 examining the article he beUeved it to be a genuine, valuable 
 relic, and being somewhat doubtful of how the man really received 
 it he refused to take it, and advised him to take the cup to the 
 University of Pennsylvania Museum. The tramp departed, and 
 about a year later another man of the same profession app»eared 
 'inl opened the same subject, saying he had seen the tirst one 
 pick the cup up from the roadside. He went away, and the 
 matter was almost forgotten, when a third man came two years 
 later and told where the cup could be found. Mr. Latch then 
 concluded that the relic was certainly intended for him. and going 
 to the place descri'ced he secured it tor an insignificant stun. The 
 workmanship on the various designs and figures show great 
 skill, not that of a high-class engraver of this period, but r ugh 
 and artistic. Where it csme from or how it got to America will 
 probably be forever a mystery. It is fully described in its esoteric 
 sense with eight or ten photographs in the "Greater Light."' The 
 Acacia II I'ck. which he was working '_-n at the time of his death, 
 a portion of the manuscript has been published, was brought 
 from Joppa. Syria, in 1872. and was given to him by one of the 
 officers on the "Congress" with the remark: "This may be of 
 use to you some day." To the casual observer it looks like an 
 ordinary' block of hard wood, but on closer inspection the mark- 
 ings are distinctive, and must have been purposely made. W heth- 
 er its entire history wiU ever be written only the future can tell. 
 In 1899 Mr. Latch decided to establish a magazine in order to 
 regularly set forth the many solutions of the Mosaic system in 
 its varied applications, and the "Greater Light" was the name 
 chosen as best representing the many new theories and facts to 
 be set forth. It was a tremendous task for the author, not on 
 accoimt of the size of the publication, which was comparatively 
 small, but the labor in searching and computing, verifying and 
 seeking more than one witness to the subject about to be given 
 forth to the world. The writer of this sketch was in close touch 
 with the author of the "Greater Light'' for over thirty years and 
 was often called on to witness some remarkable substantiating 
 points of similarity between s:me new subject and one that had 
 been previously i*orked uut. The scale, to which many of the 
 drawings and photographs were made, was the same; thus the 
 
Codex page and the Centre Piece, a beautiful piece of artistic 
 plaster-of-paris work, in the living-room of the Latch home; 
 the Communion cup, the Zodical Man, the Greek Biga, the Ameri- 
 can Earthworks and other relics, all bore the same relation in 
 regards to length, breadth, diameter, circumference and cubical 
 contents ; this it must be borne in mind was not the work of Mr. 
 Latch, but existed in the originals and was revealed when the 
 Mosaic key was applied. The Indications of St. John the Divine, 
 Paul's Epistle to the Romans, the third book of Moses, called 
 Leviticus, and the fourth book of Moses, called Numbers, were 
 published in this magazine, beside some three hundred short arti- 
 cles, touching on history, sacred and profane ; science, astronomy, 
 art, chronology, mathematics, etc., together with about two hun- 
 dred and fifty photographs, drawings and original designs. This 
 The age of the earth computed by Mr. Latch from many 
 sources, all of them Mosaic, was found to average 100,000,000 
 years ; some of these immense periods of time, calculated from 
 entirely independent sources, gave the same figures, thus one 
 period from the Great Pyramid and one from the Bible resulted 
 in 101,256,000 each. The diagram marked "The Great Pyra- 
 mid as Allegory " shows a few comparisons of these great links 
 of time. The geologists and other scientists have made their 
 computations by careful and laborious study of the earth's strata, 
 and an average result of their calculations approximates about 
 100,000,000 years. The Mosaic System welds science and the 
 Bible in an unbreakable bond. The following table shows at a 
 glance the orbital and rotative values of the planets (solar) as 
 accorded by astronomy and by the Codex Argenteus : — 
 
 ..,..., , .. Orbital revolution _ ' , .. Revolution on axiR 
 Planets O'^.ta revolution c„dex ArRentem Revolution on ax.s Codex Argenteus 
 Astro nomy j,;tch Astronomy Latch 
 
 Sappositive iS6 days 24 hrs^ o min. 
 
 Mercury 87 days 86 6 " 24 hrs. 22 min. 25 
 
 231 " 23 " 27 " 23 
 
 365 " 24 " o " 24 
 
 682 •' 24 " 39 " 25 
 
 3432 " 19 
 
 12. 1 yrs. 9 " 55 " g 
 
 30 8 " ro " 29 " 10 
 
 83.6 " 8 
 
 i6.S-f33=>98* " 8 
 
 Venus 224 
 
 Earth 365 
 
 Mars 687 
 
 Asteroid 
 
 Jupiter 12 
 
 Saturn 30 
 
 Uranus 84 
 
 Neptune 165 
 
 41 
 16 
 
 o 
 21 
 23 
 55 
 
 7 
 33 
 45 
 
 *Male Line 
 
 The following passage from Vol. 3, No. 5 of "The Greater 
 Light ' ' will show how accurate the results were when the Mosaic 
 Systems for determining the distances of the planets from the Sun 
 

 CODEX ARGENTEUS PAGE 
 (As it appeared in the "Outlook " for November 6th, 1897) 
 
A Mrtrlj nf tlje iCtfie af iEIitttarJ> li&Wp iCatrlj 
 
 was applied to verify the distance of the planet whose orbit is 
 beyond Neptune: — 'it may not be out of place to mention here 
 that "The Philadelphia Press " of October 20th, 1901, gives 
 magnificent illustrations and descriptions of the brilliant theory 
 advanced by Prof. George Forbes, M. A., F. R. S of Anderson 
 College, Glasgow, in relation to the existence of an ultra-Neptun- 
 ian planet. The learned Professor, by abstruse calculation, 
 fixes the distance of this planet at 9,300,000,000 miles from the 
 sun. As, therefore, the distance of Uranus as Mosaically indi- 
 cated by the Law just deducted is 1,859,544,000 miles from the 
 sun, so, by this same law, 1,859544000X5=9,297,720,000 
 miles, thereby corresponding with the approximate distance of 
 the Forbe's planet from the sun, which, consequently, by the 
 Mosaic law, is the third beyond Uranus. From this stand-point 
 another planet is demanded between Neptune and that of Forbes, 
 at a distance of 4,648,860,000 miles from the sun." 
 
 The following table from "New Light from the Great Pyra- 
 mid " (A. R. Parsons) shows the remarkable agreement between 
 the Mosaic Chronology as computed by Latch and the same per- 
 iods as derived from Astronomy : — 
 
 LATCH 
 
 ASTRONOMY 
 
 NOTES 
 
 B.c 29739. Creation of the 
 
 B.c 
 
 32256 
 
 Gemini. 
 
 War in Heaven. 
 
 White or Euphratic race. 
 
 
 30103 
 
 Taurus. 
 
 
 B.C. 231)17. Creation of the 
 
 
 27951 
 
 Aries. 
 
 
 Red or Hiddekelic race. 
 
 
 25798 
 
 Pisces. 
 
 
 B. c. 21414. Destruction of 
 
 
 23646 
 
 Aquarius. 
 
 
 the Euphratic race. 
 
 
 21494 
 
 Capricornus. 
 
 
 B.C. 13465. Creation of the 
 
 
 19342 
 
 Sagittarius. 
 
 1st Destruction. 
 
 Black or Gihonic race. 
 
 
 17189 
 
 Scorpio. 
 
 
 B.C. 12098. Destruction of 
 
 
 15037 
 
 Libra 
 
 
 the Hiddekelic race. 
 B.C. 3897. Creation of the 
 
 
 12885 
 10732 
 
 liris--^- 
 
 2d Destruction. 
 
 Pale or PIs'onic race. 
 
 
 8580 
 
 Cancer 
 
 
 B 0. 2241. Deluge of Noah; 
 
 
 6428 
 
 Gemini. 
 
 
 Destruction of the Gihonie 
 
 
 4275 
 
 Taurus. 
 
 
 race. 
 
 
 2123 
 
 Aries. 
 
 3d Destruction. 
 
 A. D. 3808. Era of Destruc- 
 
 
 29 
 
 Pisces. 
 
 
 tion. 
 
 A.D 
 
 2181 
 
 Aquarius 
 
 4th Destruction 
 
 
 ?? 
 
 4333 
 
 Capricornus. 
 
 
 In Harper's Magazine Vol. 58, 1878-79 reference is made, 
 in the astronomical notes, to the work of the eminent astronom- 
 ers Dr. Watson and Leverrier. on the supposed planet Vulcan, 
 the existence of which has been aiErmed and denied by our as- 
 tronomers for years and still remains an unsettled question Dr. 
 Watson claims to have seen the planet during an eclipse of the 
 
^ift (Srpatpr Ulgljt 
 
 sun and Leverrier dnring its transit across the Sun's disk. Lev- 
 errier in computing the orbit of this globe calls for an axial tilt 
 or inclination of about 12 degrees ; Dr. Watson in his calcula- 
 tions claimed a tilt or inclination of about 6 degrees. No suc- 
 ceeding researches by these scientists or others have ever proved 
 or disproved the truth of their deductions. Twenty years after, 
 Mr. Latch in his astronomical reading of the Codex Argenteus 
 Page, found that the Mosaic System called for a planet between 
 Mercury and the Sun he recognized that the tenth member of 
 the Solar family must be the elusive Vulcan of astronomy. He 
 named it the Suppositive Planet and from the Codex Page alone. 
 By the Mosaic System he calculated its axial and orbital periods 
 (see table in this pamphlet). The inclination or tilt of this planet 
 he found to be 9 degrees — exactly the mean between Watson's 
 6, and Leverrier's 12 degrees. He had no knowledge of the work 
 of Watson and Leverrier and never saw any matter printed or 
 otherwise on the movements of this invisible member of the solar 
 group. 
 
 The Cover Page of " The Greater Light " was designed and 
 drawn by Mr. Latch, and is intended to represent the world 
 emerging from the darkness, of the old teachings and beliefs, and 
 beginning to be illuminated by the greater light of new interpre- 
 tations and discoveries in the world's history, and in the greater 
 sense, the history of every star, planet and heavenly body visible 
 and invisible that constitutes Aggregate Matter. The old theor- 
 ies and methods are depicted by the page with the time-worn and 
 frayed edges. The diagonal shadow on this page should pass 
 over the sphere, also thus showing the entire design in partial 
 eclipse ; the mistake is due the engraver and Mr. Latch decided 
 not to have a new block made. The small symbol in the lower 
 left hand corner represents the Triskele with its three sublime 
 angles relating to the Trinity; the angles are 90^^, 157° and 113° 
 respectively. 
 
 The Greater Light "is in all the principal libraries and 
 colleges in America, museums and colleges in Great Britain and 
 on the continent. 
 
 The number " 33 " seems to be connected with the Latch 
 family: thus, Mr. Latch was born during the thirty-third year 
 of the nineteenth century. The house he lived in was erected in 
 the thirty-third year of the nineteenth century. When he was 33 
 
 10 
 
CENTREPIECE IN THE LATCH HOME 
 
 Photograph of beautiful artistic plaster of paris centrepiece in ceiling of living 
 
 room in the l^atch Homestead. Elucidated by Mr. Latch 
 
 as a Planisphere. 
 
CODEX PLANISPHERE 
 
 Planisphere as derived from the Codex Arg-eiiteus Page 
 Representing Ag-gregate Matter. Note the 
 striking similarity to the Centre- 
 piece on opposite page 
 
A »kettif of lift ICtfp of lEimari St&iilf ffiatrlj 
 
 years old he became a Mason ; this order consists of thirty-three 
 degrees. The Latch home has thirty-three steps on the main 
 stairway from the first to the third floor. Photographs of his 
 mother, taken many years ago, show a shield surrounded by 
 thirty-three five-pointed stars, and the Mosaic system of chron- 
 ology is divided into thirty-three divisions as covering time from' 
 the beginning of the creation to the end of time. Mr. Latch was 
 of a quiet, retiring disposition and seldom talked about his works 
 and theories to any one unless questioned, and then he would 
 talk in a manner most pleasant to listen to ; of an extremely 
 kind and generous nature, he was ever ready to extend the hand 
 of sympathy and help in a very substantial manner. His doors 
 were always open, and after a day spent with him and his sister, 
 who was his companion, he having never married, one always 
 went away feeling that they had been welcome, and the invitation 
 to call again was always extended to all. He was very fond of 
 music, and in his younger days an accomplished flute player. As 
 a composer he wrote two or three very pretty songs, both words 
 and theme. Possessed of a wonderful memory, he at one time 
 absorbed the entire contents of a book on geometry in three 
 nights in order that he might draw on the subject-matter during 
 an examination about to take place. As a mathematician he 
 ranked high, being able to solve very difficult problems mentally 
 with ease. All literature appealed to him strongly, and he thor- 
 oughly enjoyed a good story or joke. He would drop his pen 
 and leave his desk at any time to walk through the fields with his 
 friends, for he loved nature, the trees, birds, animals, all seemed 
 to have their own special mission, and he was able to see it more 
 than any one. As an art critic he had few superiors. His in- 
 ventive ability in the mechanical line was never at rest. A pat- 
 ent was issued just prior to his death on a "lifting device for air- 
 ships." He discussed with the writer over twenty-five years ago 
 the present wireless telegraph, the present method of flying or 
 raising an aeroplane, the submarine boat and later a plan for 
 using as a motive power for submarine propulsion an explosive 
 that did not require air as one of the factors, the idea being to 
 save the air for breathing purposes and dispense with electricity 
 as a motive power, thus giving the boat a much greater radius 
 of action. Strictly non-sectarian in all of his views, his great 
 plans embraced both Pagan and Christian ; in fact, all of the crea- 
 tor's creatures or works were included within its scope. His 
 
 11 
 
family were members of the Old Blockley Baptist Church, of 
 West Philadelphia, and he always retained his membership in 
 the same, and the eloquent tribute paid his memory by Rev. Clar- 
 ence Adams, pastor of that church, on the day of his funeral 
 will long be remembered by those assembled to pay their last 
 respects, "a Christian gentleman of the old school," Mr. Adams 
 termed him, and it seemed to cover all the ground without any- 
 thing more being added ; as such he was laid away in the family 
 vault, in the Lutheran Cemetery at Ardmore, Pa., alongside the 
 mother, brothers and sisters he loved so well, and as the soft 
 afterglow of an evening sun spreads and lights his tomb so will 
 the works of this good man spread and bring joy and peace to 
 thousands in the future. Well might the words of Abraham 
 Lincoln "With charity toward all and malice toward none," be 
 engraved on his monument. Edward Biddle Latch's lifework is 
 done. He was a faithful servant to his country and his Maker, 
 and there is nothing left for those who loved him but memory. 
 
 "For memory is the oniy thing that grief can call its own." 
 
 12 
 

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CUP OF UNIVERSAL COMMUNION 
 The most valued relic in Mr. Latchs' possession. 
 
3II|f Works of Simarh MxhUt Satrtj 
 
 PUBLISHED 
 
 A Keview of the Holy Bible. 
 
 Svo. OIotb,S2.S0 
 
 Indications of the Book of Job. 
 
 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 Indications of Genesis. 
 12mo. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 Indications of Exodus. 
 
 IZmo. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 The Mosaic System and- the 
 
 Great Pyramid. (Paper.) 
 
 The Mosaic System and Stonebenge 
 (Paper) 
 
 The Mosaic System and the Gettysburg 
 Stone. (2 Papers) 
 
 The Mosaic System and the Macrocosmic 
 Cross. (Paper) 25 cts. 
 
 The Mosaic System and the Codex 
 Argenteus. (Paper) 25 cts. 
 
 PUBLISHED SERIALS IN THE GREATER LIGHT. 
 
 Indications of Leviticus. 
 
 Indications of Romans. 
 
 Indications of the Revelation. 
 
 Indications of Numbers. 
 
 UNPUBLISHED. 
 
 Indications of Deuteronomy. 
 
 Indications of Joshua. 
 
 Indications of Judges. 
 
 The Mosaic System and the Zodiac. 
 
 (Paper) 
 
 Also numerous applications of the 
 Mosaic System in the harmonious eluci- 
 dation of ancient relics and works of art 
 including Runic Stones, Rock Tracings 
 of Norway and Sweden, and American 
 Earthworks. 
 
 J. FRANCE, Publisher, 4432 Frankford Avenue, Phila. 
 
Cornell University Library 
 E 182.L35A83 
 
 nil 
 
 :al sketch of the life o' Jlyi^rf,, 
 3 1924 028 732 356