This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at the Edmonds' home on Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, Va., this 24th day of May, 1936, in accordance with request made by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Esther Wynne, Hannah & Noah Miller, Florence & Edith Edmonds, Frances Y. Morrow, Hugh Lynn Cayce, Helen Storey, Helen Ellington and Ruth LeNoir.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present here, and their work on the lesson KNOWLEDGE. You will continue the discourse on Knowledge and then answer the questions which will be asked.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here; as a group, as individuals, and their work in the preparation of lessons - now Knowledge.
3. As has been intimated in the outline, there will come the experiences to each (who seeks, in truth), during the study as in the preparation of the lesson, unusual experiences; to each according to your own attunement. To each has been given, ponder these well within thine own heart before giving expression even of same to others. Meet with thy Master as respecting same. He has promised to guide, to guard, to direct thee in thine uprisings, in thine downsittings. For to each many experiences will come.
4. In the study of data as respecting Knowledge, this question in the present presents a threefold manner; secular knowledge; worldly knowledge; individual application - the interpretation of self of the knowledge of the body, the knowledge of the mind, the knowledge of the spiritual forces.
5. May to each it come, then, as was given by him who would reason, would help, would direct you through these experiences; not instead of thy Master, the Christ, but as the beloved of Him in the earth; that ye may be one in mind, in purpose, that the day of the Lord may draw nigh unto each, and that ye may have the greater love, the greater patience one with the other.
6. For His mercy, HIS patience, endureth forever, and ye would be like Him if ye would know Him, if ye would be His.
7. As I gave, then, that we have received, that we give, God is a God of Knowledge. For He judgeth man by his activities. He IS light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
8. Dwell ye then in the light as ye study to show thyselves, each, approved unto God; a workman not ashamed of those things that bespeak thy sincerity, thy earnestness, in the study of the knowledge of thy God. Remembering this:
9. The first DON'T was, "Thou shalt not eat of the tree of the knowledge concerning good and evil, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt SURELY die."
10. In this beginning, then, must we undertake to give that concept that man has so long, it seems, appeared to make become as ridiculous in the eyes of the Maker; flaunting his knowledge of things that be, that always have been. Yet man in his greed, in his own selfishness, has set himself so oft at naught by the very foolishness of his own wisdom.
11. For the soul had understanding before he partook of the flesh in which the choice was to be made. [See also 262-99, Par. 7-A & 8-A.] [Gen. 11:4] The choice, or the road, or the path, once taken, then the end thereof was (and is) tribulation, toil, misunderstanding. And this expression came into such measures that there arose the periods when man came as ONE and said, "We will BUILD, we will go to now and make those conditions that will prevent any such confusion again among men."
12. And then came the diversity of tongues and confusion arose. For the very selfishness of man had brought this confusion, this defiance to a God of love, of mercy, of patience, in such a measure that He gave that expression, "There is nothing beyond the scope of man's ability unless he misinterpret his brother's words."
13. Then come ye now, beloved of Him, and know that - as before ye entered into materiality - ye were at-one with Him; but ye have made thy choice, ye ARE aware of those experiences brought about in the confusions of thy dealings with thy fellow man. Know that true knowledge is God, and as ye judge thy fellow man, as ye judge thy brother, ye are ASSUMING the offices of the Lord Himself.
14. Did thy Master (and mine) judge any man? Rather did He give, "Peace be with thee, peace I give unto thee."
15. Even when His brethren sought that He might condemn the activities of those that gathered not with His group, what said He?
16. As given by the prophets even of old, "Who hath taught the Lord judgment?"
17. With whom did He counsel? Yea, as is written there, as I gave to you, "Without Him there was nothing made that was made. The WORD WAS Knowledge, and the Word was made flesh, and the Word dwelt among men," that they, too, might know that in the HUMBLENESS, in the HUMBLING, in the SUBDUING of self they (ye) might know their (thy) God.
18. For God IS Knowledge, and as He gave, "Judge them not," for they that be for us are above those with their own WORLDLY wisdom. They SHALL excel for the moment, but dost thou grudge their excellence even for naming the name? Dost thou make to thyself such a condemning that ye become rather worse than they?
19. These, then, be the SPIRIT, be the manner, be the purposes within thy heart, thy mind, beloved.
20. EMPTY thy minds, EMPTY thy hearts of all that thou hast held that is of a secular nature, if ye would know the TRUE Knowledge of thy God.
21. For as ye hold to those things, to those conditions, to those experiences, yea to those ideas that have formed concepts that ye should not do this, ye SHOULD do that, ye should make this, ye should lend that, these are but barriers if ye would know the true knowledge of WHY, of HOW thy Brother, thy Lord, thy Master, came into the earth; and what He would have thee do with that which may be poured out to thee in thy seeking.
22. For as has been said of old, if the Lord be with ONE He shall put ten THOUSAND to flight.
23. What, then, will YE twelve do? Ye ARE as lights unto many. What is THY choice?
24. The tree that is of knowledge is before thee. Thy choice in the heart of each is to be made.
25. Remembering His mercy, remembering His prayer as He gave, "Yea, Father, that they may be one, even as I and Thou art one, that the world may know that Thou didst SEND me."
26. Wilt thou choose then, wilt thou not come as He has chosen each of you, to be a light to those that sit in darkness? Thus He may through thy feeble efforts (as they appear to thee, though in the power of His might they may) move mountains of doubt and fear in the hearts of those that are crying - crying that they may know the Lord, that they may understand the knowledge of God.
27. For the way is open, even to thee, my beloved. Faint not for doubts that arise. For He, thy Savior, is thy strength, is thy power, yea THY KNOWLEDGE, if ye will but EMPTY thyselves of those secular forces that have made and do make for differences between ye even in thine own meetings.
28. Let the love that He has shown, that He would pour out to thee, be sufficient unto thee. Not in the trust of self, not in the awareness that thou art naked before thy God, but rather in the promises that He hath given:
29. Love the Lord; ESCHEW evil; be kind to thy fellow man. Not some great deed! For art thou able to stand the disappointments even of thy secular life without doubting thy brother, thy loved one, thy neighbor?
30. Let the strength of His might make thee strong in purpose, in desire; that the knowledge of the Father in the Christ, thy Brother, may be known to thee, to thy neighbor, to thy brethren EVERYWHERE!
31. Keep the faith that sustains thee in the love of God.
32. We are through.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-96 - "Norfolk Study Group #1."

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