This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the home of the Misses Edmonds, 611 Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 22nd day of April, 1934, in accordance with request made by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Minnie and C. A. Barrett, Esther Wynne, Florence & Edith Edmonds, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Mildred Mary Davis, Helen Storey, Helen Ellington, Ruth LeNoir, and Margaret Joyner.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present - and their work on the lesson, "God, the Father, and His Manifestations in the Earth." You will give at this time that which will clarify for us the proper presentation of this lesson, and such counsel as will direct and guide us in completing it. You will answer the questions that may be asked.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group gathered here, as a group, as individuals, and their work on the lesson, "God, the Father, and His Manifestations in the Earth."
3. In the compilation of that which has been presented, much has been given as to how this should be set forth. All have not contributed to the lesson, and much that has been presented is rather in a disconnected state at present. Then, much clarification may be necessary before that which is presented should be presented. For, all should contribute. Each that fails, fails in its portion of a service, a calling that has been assumed by each individual in the group. For, as given, the cooperation of each gives that impetus to the work of the compilers, of the thought, of the spirit of that which is sent forth with the power and the blessings of those influences that direct each soul in its labors.
4. Then, how may this be clarified? First, let each contribute a word, an act, an expression of its experience, with the thought, the purpose, the message that has been received through the study, the preparation of itself for being a contributor to this message.
5. Then, as given, compile as to that thought, that line first given as to how the outline should be; the stating of the purpose, the contributions and those that coordinate one with another, the experience and the application of that which may be the experience of all that would be a channel through which there may be a manifestation of the Father's love, the Father's mercy, the Father's long-suffering, the Father's patience with a stiff-necked people.
6. These should be the manners in which this preparation should be for this lesson.
7. What is the purpose of this particular lesson? Has it not been pointed out to those as they have followed that presented, that in this there may be seen or known to each as to how, when and in what manner they as individuals may be conscious of the spirit manifesting through them in material things?
8. Ready for questions.
9. (Q) Please explain Matthew 24:34, "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
   (A) Those individuals that were in hearing and in keeping of those things presented by the Master in that experience would be in the manifested form in the earth during the periods of fulfillments in the earth of the prophecies spoken of. Not in what is termed as generation of four score and ten years, but the experiences of those souls in the earth during those periods when there must shortly come the completing or fulfilling of those things spoken of.
10. (Q) [303]: Please give me a message that will give me some consolation at this time.
    (A) That which has been given should be worked upon. In this: Thou hast found in thine experience that, though the burdens of material things may weigh heavily upon thee in the present, that thou hast manifested in the gentleness, in the kindliness, in the patience thou hast shown with thine self, with thine neighbor, with thine household, has brought and does bring those contentments that make for the greater peace and harmony that may be had in the experience of a soul in the earth's environs.
    Then, be thou ready to be used as He sees fit. Let thy supplication be from day to day:
    "LEAD ME, O FATHER, just for today, that I may be used as a channel of blessing, that I may today manifest Thy love through my association with those I contact; for as I show forth Thy love in the earth to my fellow man, the promise comes to me that thou wilt guide, guard, protect and comfort me in the ways that I go."
    These will bring to thine consciousness that presence of the Christ Spirit abiding with thee. No greater consolation can be in the experience of any than, "He walks and talks with me day by day."
11. (Q) [307]: In reading of Feb. 11th [262-58, Par. 10-A.] I was told, "Look not on the things that appear to be stumbling blocks in the lives of others." How may I so conduct myself in this particular instance as to be of help and bring into the lives of others a more perfect understanding of the love of the Father, through the Son?
    (A) Condemn not in word, in thought or activity, that ye be not condemned. See in every expression of activity the attempt of that soul to express or manifest that soul's concept of divine reality. For, each soul, as it gives expression in thought, in act, shows by the fruits of that done as to what is the impelling influence in that soul's experience. Then, not as a judge, not as a faultfinder, but rather as He gave, be merciful to those that err, for they know not what they do - unless they be guided by the spirit of truth that cleanseth all from that of selfishness and makes of them as one with the influence of the Christ Consciousness in their lives. Seeing such, sending forth the same prayer as He in those words over Jerusalem - "thou that stonest the prophets, how oft would I - and ye would not!" Yet those very things, those very souls are today seeking to know the meaning of those words of His in their own experiences in the present. Let thy light so shine among those that they may take thought of those things as He gave, in those blessings He gave even to those that crucified; who gave Himself that others might know the way, the light, the truth.
12. (Q) [585]: Please explain the Master's statement to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again."
    (A) In its whole setting, rather, should this word be understood. Nicodemus was among those of the Sanhedrin, those of the teachers, those of the elders, with that privilege of being in access to all that had been given from the time there was delivered to Moses on the mount the ordinances, the relationships of individuals to individuals, the relationship of the individual soul to its Maker. Much had come now to be rather as hearsay, as omens, rather than the ordinances of old. And when Nicodemus asked, "How can such things be?" the rebuke came in His answer, "Art thou a teacher in Israel and knoweth not these things?" Ye must be born of water and of blood. Or, of the spirit and through the flesh. Or, that ALL must pass under the rod, even as was given by those teachers that as Moses and the children passed through the sea they were baptized in the cloud and in the sea; as an example, as an omen, as a physical activity of a spiritual, a physical separation from that which had been builded in their experience as the sojourn in Egypt. As the Master gave to Nicodemus, ye must be born of the spirit where ye may make manifest the fruits of the spirit. Where? In the earth! Not that these come in their order as indicated in the question by Nicodemus, but in their relative position as to THEIR development, their necessities, their needs for their soul growth, their soul understanding. O that all would gather more of that understanding that the soul is a body and the physical is the mere temple, the mere shell, the mere material manifestation of that which may not be touched by hands! For, it appears that we must be born again that we may dwell in those mansions not made with hands - but are prepared for those that have washed their robes, their bodies, their souls in the blood. For, ye are ones that may know the truth, if ye will but manifest in thine own experiences that ye have learned in thine meditations with thine God. Ye must be born in flesh, in spirit again, that ye may make manifest that ye have experienced in thine own soul!
13. (Q) Please explain II Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
    (A) Just given. Would that each soul might grasp that truth that, though the soul may not be seen, that it doeth, that growth it makes, that body, must dwell in that house not made with hands, eternal with the Father. For the life IS the spirit of the soul, it is God eternal, however it may manifest itself in that we know as materiality or matter. Why, why, has not the man, the scientist, been able to find in the brain words? or be able to tell what has made for a DEVELOPED brain and an UNDEVELOPED brain, when he says it is the seat from which emotions and activities emanate? For, was it not given, would ye have life ye must give life? Would ye be that as would be one with Him, then live it! For those things are not made with hands, rather by the deeds done, that expended; and it, the deed, as the light itself, shineth on and on - and though the source from which it may visibly emanate may be destroyed or extinguished, the light shines on - that has passed into what? The realm through which, of which, are those mansions where the body that is indestructible is to preside.
    What is thy light? What IS thy guide? That thou mayest see how it operates, or that in the experience of thine neighbor, thine brother, thou hast just been kind? For, as has been said, the smile raised hope in that one upon which it was given; that hope made possible activity; that activity made possible a haven for some discouraged, some disheartened soul! Be thou, each of you, one that may smile though the heavens fall; though thou may be ground to dust upon the altars of thine own selfishness thou may SHINE even in HIS light that He has set before you for thine own redemption! Let Him, the Christ, be the guide. Let Him build for thee the mansion, rather than with thine own puny hands where moth and rust doth corrupt and where those that unconsciously in their stumbling manners oft make the road rough for thee. Forgive them, if ye would be forgiven. Hold not a grudge, for that which is thine may not be taken from thee lest THOU alone cast it aside by envy, strife, unkind thoughts, unkind acts, and thus destroy that thou lovest most - LIFE!
14. (Q) In canonizing the Bible, why was the life of Zan [Zend] left out? [993-3, Par. 4-A, 5-A; 364-9, Par. 4-A, 5-A]
    (A) Called in other names. For, much might be given respecting that ye have that ye call the Bible. This has passed through many hands. Many that would turn that which was written into the meanings that would suit their own purposes, as ye yourselves often do. But if ye will get the spirit of that written there ye may find it will lead thee to the gates of heaven. For, it tells of God, of your home, of His dealings with His peoples in many environs, in many lands. Read it to be wise. Study it to understand. LIVE it to know that the Christ walks through same with thee. For, as He gave, in righteousness may ye know those things that have been preserved from the foundations of the worlds in thine own experience. For, these are told there in the manners of those that recorded same in their own environ. What wilt THOU write today that will be as the words of life to thy brothers in the ages to come? For, He has given, ye have been called - and ye have a work to do.
    Then, in the next lesson ye shall have, shall much be given concerning how that which is carnal and that which is mental and that which is spiritual may be found - in DESIRE. For, it builds - and is that which is the basis of evolution, and of life, and of truth. It also takes hold on hell and paves the way for many that find themselves oft therein. In spirit, in body, in mind.
    The message, then, that ye would study in this, should be:
    FATHER, LET THY DESIRES BE MY DESIRES. LET MY DESIRES, GOD, BE THY DESIRES, IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
15. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-60 - "Study Group #1."

REPORTS

1. 5/05/34 See 262-61 re Study Group work in general.
2. 5/06/34 See 262-62 re SFG II lessons, God and His Manifestations, and Desire.

Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation