This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 19th day of December, 1937, in accordance with request by those present.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Mrs. Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Hugh Lynn Cayce; others present had personal messages as follows:

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the various members of the Norfolk Study Groups assembled here. You will consider the study of spiritual laws as being made by these groups and give, as I call each name, at this time a personal Christmas message that may be of help.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here; as a group, as individuals and their study of spiritual law.
3. First, we would give as a message for all:
4. As ye approach the Season that to every student of Christian thought means so much, know that the birth of the Christ- Child in Jesus has meant and does mean more and more in the thought and the activity of the world as a whole. And you each here may judge within yourselves as to whether the world is growing better or not according to that conviction, that feeling within thine own self that what the Christ-mass or Christmas spirit means is being manifested in thy daily life and thy associations with thy fellow men.
5. For unless this fact is a personal experience, then to you - as an individual - it is not being accomplished.
6. But you each here, with only few exceptions (and these ye know within thine own hearts), feel that the peace within - as comes from the meditating upon the desire to be what the Father-God would have thee be through the promises in the Christ-Jesus - IS making thy life, thy associations with thy fellow man, more and more in keeping with the Christmas spirit; that commandment as He gave, "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you."
7. Ready for questions.
8. (Q) First, [1223]:
   (A) Let that light, that love, which was manifested in the Mother, the Child, be in thee; that thy lights may shine unto the earth, that needs the love that is shown in THY life.
9. (Q) [[1223]'s husband]:
   (A) Keep thy paths straight. Know in whom ye have believed, as well as in what ye believe. For the love as passeth understanding CAN, does and will make thy pathway brighter. Keep in that way.
10. (Q) [1003]:
    (A) Let the beauty of thy joy, in manifesting the light and love as shown in the Christ-Spirit, that makes for the new song in thy heart, KEEP thee in thy DAILY walks of life.
11. (Q) [585]:
    (A) Let others do as they may, but as for thee and thy house, ye will love the LIVING God. KNOW His love is sufficient to keep thee. No matter what may be the trial, His love abideth, and He is NOT unmindful of thy prayers.
12. (Q) [560]:
    (A) The beauty of thy life riseth as a sweet incense before the altar of mercy. Yet it is not sacrifice but peace, grace and mercy that we would manifest among the children of men. For God is love.
13. (Q) [478]:
    (A) Love mercy and justice, eschew evil; and keep thy heart SINGING all the while. For the joy of the service in the love of the Lord maketh the heart glad. Look not upon those things that make for disturbing influences, as of an evil force. For God so LOVED the world as to give His Son, that we through Him might know ETERNAL life!
14. (Q) [462]:
    (A) "In my Father's house are many mansions," saith the Lord of Lords. And as we keep His ways we come to know HOW that out of sorrow cometh JOY - if the peace of the Lord is IN same. But if there is kept a hate, a grudge, it bringeth rust and corruption. Let the Lord's ways be thy ways, and the Christmas joy fill thy heart.
15. (Q) [5001]:
    (A) As ye are trusted among thy fellow man, so hath the Lord put thee in the way to do good; even to those that may at times despitefully use thee. Then, let the love of the Father, as was manifested in Jesus the Christ, so rule thy life that love, mercy and peace replaces questionings and hate and grudges in thine own life. See not the mote in the lives of others, rather magnify the grace and good that is in EACH life, and speak evil of NO man!
16. (Q) [2468]:
    (A) Let patience, love and mercy be thy watchwords. PRACTICE them in thy daily life. For in so doing ye bring into thy experience all the joy, all the expectancy, all the anticipation of a closer walk with Him - which is indeed the Christ-mass spirit.
17. (Q) [618]:
    (A) Keep the faith thou hast set, for His love, His mercy, is able to sustain thee ever, and His grace - yea, His patience - endureth forever. Then be thou a little more patient, a little more gracious, and ye will find the love unchangeable, and His presence abiding closer.
18. (Q) [1467]:
    (A) In the desire of the heart is there the activity of the mental self. Keep thy mind, then, attuned to "Not my will, O God, but Thine be done in and through me." And as ye hear the still small voice within, ANSWER "HERE am I, O Lord, USE ME - SEND ME!"
19. (Q) [578]:
    (A) Love and mercy and grace casteth out fear. Then, as ye magnify these in thy daily associations - yea, thy daily conversation - ye will find grace and mercy shown thee; and HIS presence - yea, His voice coming close, closer - yet still, to thee.
20. (Q) [1970]:
    (A) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you" saith He that IS the Lord, the Master, the keeper of those that would know Him. Then let His laws, yea His precepts, be thine. Love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, thy mind, thy body; and thy neighbor as thyself. For this is the whole law, and in it ye will find strength and grace and mercy sufficient to KEEP thee at all times.
21. (Q) [1834]:
    (A) In the way of truth, in the way of light, is security and strength. And as ye walk therein, ye will find His hand guiding thee - if ye do so for the very love of Him that gave, "Come - learn of me, for my yoke is easy, my burden is light," to THOSE that love the Lord!
22. (Q) [303]:
    (A) Let thy light so shine that others taking note may take heart also. For the Lord loveth thee and keepeth thee in the shadow of His wing. Then let mercy and grace and peace abide with thee. Be not faultfinding ever, for when ye find fault, ye may be sure others find fault with thee. Let peace, then, and mercy, guide thy WORDS, and thy activities, day by day.
23. (Q) [1374]:
    (A) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman NOT ashamed but rightly dividing the words of truth, and keeping SELF unspotted from that ye question in thy neighbor. The Lord keep thee, the Lord bless thee - if ye will walk in the way that ye know! [See 262-116, Par. R1.]
24. (Q) [5773]:
    (A) Let thy light so shine that it will lighten the way for those that are stumbling here and there about thee. For as ye hold His hand, that IS the light, as He WAS lifted up, so will ye - with Him - draw many to the way of truth and light; and thus indeed do ye show the spirit of the Christ in thy life.
25. (Q) [993]:
    (A) Let thy heart be glad in the service of thy Father, thy Brother, yea in the light of Jesus' way. For He walks with thee and talks with thee when ye open thy mind, thy heart, in a service for thy fellow man. Then even as He, LOSE self in service. For "He that would be the greatest among you, let him be the servant of all."
26. (Q) [307]:
    (A) In trials, tribulations, temptations even, there may be seen the hand of the Lord - if ye do not blame others for same. Then let that thou knowest in the heart of God - mercy, justice, peace and love - be thine in thy EVERY walk; yea, in thy every activity. For the Lord hath called thee to service, and will direct thee - if ye will keep His ways. For the Christ Consciousness awakens, arouses thy consciousness to a greater and greater service to others.
27. (Q) [379]:
    (A) The strength of the Lord preserve thee, the blessings of His countenance shine upon thee! For though the days at times grow hard, and the way seems to be out of the direction sought, yet know He is mindful of thee, and will not allow thee to be tempted nor persecuted, nor disappointed, beyond thy capacity to serve. Then, let that love as is manifested at this Season in the Christ-mass spirit be the light to thy feet and the guiding way to thy desires - in the Lord.
28. (Q) [413]:
    (A) In love and mercy and justice ye see and know the love of the Father hath shown upon the children of men, yet the children of men wander so far afield! Yet into thy hands and to thy brethren's hands is given the ways, the means, the manners of making known this love unto others. For as ye live it, day by day, ye constrain others to seek to know His ways. The Lord bless thee, the Lord preserve thee, the Lord make thee glad in thy heart! For His ways are thy ways. KEEP that faith!
29. (Q) [1237]:
    (A) Let light and mercy keep thee. Let the spirit of love abide, as was shown by Him - who would have thee know the world is the Lord's and the ways are not past finding out if ye will seek to know them. For they alone bring joy, peace and love.
30. (Q) [1129]:
    (A) In keeping the lights of love ye walk in the paths that thy Savior - yea, that Jesus - trod; to do good even when lightly and slightly spoken of; to show mercy and judgment even when considered to be a little "off"; to be kind and patient. This is keeping the Lord's ways, and though they may bring at times discouragement and wonderment, know He IS mindful and will protect thee. For His promises are sure, and what ye ask in His name believing ye will have in thy experience.
31. (Q) [361]:
    (A) His ways ye know. Then let the love of the Father direct thee in thy dealings with thy fellow man. And as the Christ-mass spirit brings the desire to forgive, the desire to make the paths bright, the desire to make for joy in the life, in the heart of someone, let that spirit keep thee day by day. For HIS ways are the ONLY ways of eternal life!
32. (Q) [263]:
    (A) In the love of the Father is all desire, all hope. And if ye will make His ways thy ways, then thy life, thy hopes, thy desires grow! For in giving happiness to others it grows in the giving. In finding peace within self ye are able to bring peace into the lives and the experiences of others. For God is not mocked, and as ye sow, so must ye reap. The Lord love thee, the Lord keep thee - in His ways!
    Then to ALL:
    Let that love, that beauty as was the message to the shepherds, be thine today: "Unto THEE is born," yea unto thee - each one here - is given a knowledge, an understanding of the LIFE of the Christ that will RENEW thy life, thy purposes - if ye will but SING that new song, "Love one another."
33. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. Subject of Reading 262-116 - "Norfolk Study Groups."

REPORTS

1. GD's note: 8/18/75 Mr. [1374] visited A.R.E., said he remembers being present for 262-116 and receiving the Xmas message when he was a boy in his teens. He came with a group from Norfolk: Esther Wynne, Helen Storey, his friend Harry Storey, Helen Storey Wheeler and Marsden Godfrey (whom Helen W. later married) and Helen's little boy Alvin Kirk Wheeler, Jr. There were about 25-30 people present for the reading. He remembers very well meeting Mr. and Mrs. Cayce and Hugh Lynn, and me.

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