3/25/42 Letter from [
487] to his family (copy given to GD to
make a part of the record on his Life Reading):
Dear Family,
"I once wrote you from Carolina after a 'period of deep
thought and reflection' and I've another. Seriously though
I want to thank you all again for the freedom of thought and
spiritual guidance you ALL have given me. Without that such
thoughts would be impossible. I will try to set them down
as they came with a little rearrangement so as to form a
logical sequence: -
"My basic conception is that every individual is a soul or
a part of God; its life here on earth is a phase of its
experience in seeking God or seeking to be conscious of God.
"Some problems have come up since the war that are a little
troublesome. That are many conflicting points of view and
many courses of solutions to follow but these too conflict.
Am now in the army where everything is regimented and
sacrificed to the idea of overcoming another with force,
MATERIAL force. Can see more clearly the bad effects of
regimentation - it is as bad in armys, dictatorships, laws of
democratic countries, or in customs or taboos of social life
- ALL are a form of regimentation. Of course you have to
consider your duty to your country. However, it is not the
physical or mental sacrifice that worries me as much as the
sacrifice of ideals to ideas - the spiritual loss is what is
bad. This country has a better way of life than many but it
is far from perfect. Is it perfect enough to FORCE upon the
world? I doubt it; I think our spiritual side needs a little
development.
"To get back to the idea of regimentation. You know no
matter how good a world you have it is no better than the
individuals in it. Some people have the idea you can develop
masses, groups, or nations into a better world by
regimentation; that they can make all alike. I believe that
is FALSE. (The reasons will be brought out presently.) You
must develop individuals, or rather individuals must develop
separately and then let the whole equal the sum of its parts.
A GROUP is incapable of being made better by following ideals
unless every individual in that group is developed to a point
where he can live and follow them.
"Remember that not material but SPIRITUAL gain is important.
"Jesus said go forth and preach BUT he lived what he preached
and we must first live what we preach and show by example as
well as words that what we preach is basically good and that
it works in everyday life.
"No group or nation develops of itself. It is the sum of its
parts. Each individual must develop spiritually for the
group or nation to develop. Besides it is not a group or
nation that is important. A group or a nation is not a
part of God; it has no spirit apart from the sum of the
spirits of the individuals composing it. The spiritual
development of the individual is important.
"People have allowed selfishness to cloud their vision. They
do not see far; they do not see clearly. They have become so
absorbed in detail that they have forgotten God. Their
ideals have become ideas.
"A return to basic conceptions is essential: -
1. Each individual is a soul or part of God.
2. Not material but spiritual gain is important.
3. Each individual must judge for himself what he should
do in life, in general and in particular; what is right for
one may be wrong for another; what applies to one may not
apply to another. You can NOT regiment souls as each has a
different experience and conception of life.
4. A balance of:
1. Quiet contemplation and individual thought and work.
2. The application of this to life.
"I sincerely believe that because of the fact that each
individual is a separate soul seeking God that the only
solution to man's problem is the spiritual development of
the individual in accordance with the four previously listed
principles.
"I can't go into great detail of or examples but many of the
ideas the army considers ideals are rather against the grain
of some of my basic conceptions. It is not so hard to
overcome physical or mental difficulties but it is difficult
indeed to tell the army 'your basic conceptions are in my
opinion a bad interpretation of something good and I don't
agree with your ideas in general or your customs and taboos
in particular.'
"At the beginning I did not know who to write this letter to.
1. I wanted to write it to you (mother [
538], Dad, [
294],
& [
341] & [
1505]) as I wanted to explain some things to you
and at the same time thank you for making such thoughts
possible for me.
2. I wanted to write it to [
2635] for I love her and I
thought it would help her understand a little a rather
peculiar person.
3. I wanted to write it to [
1842]. I believe he is one of
the sincerest people I know and next to family I believe he
comes nearest to putting into practice in everyday life what
he believes. I wanted him to understand some of my views
for I like him. Also I (probably selfishly) hoped he might
be able to use the thought, 'Their Ideals have become
Ideas' in a sermon.
"Therefore I wrote it to you all and instead of me writing
three letters will ask you to make three copies of this (or
two copies) and give one to [
2635] and one to [
1842]. I
would really appreciate your doing this as the typewritten
copies would probably be easier to read than mine and will
save me a lot of writing time. I really want to say the same
thing to several different people and that is the best way I
know..."
Lots of love, [
487]
4/10/42 He rec'd commission as 2nd lieutenant in the U.S.
Army, "having successfully completed an intensive three
months' course. During that time he proved to the
satisfaction of his superior officers that he possessed the
ability to lead men and the mental character and technical
qualifications necessary to the making of a good Signal Corps
Officer."
4/22/42 We heard that he had been sent to Cambridge, Mass.
(Harvard), for further training.
5/07/42 We heard that he got 100 in his math. on the last
examination.
6/13/42 He and [
2635] got married.
6/24/42 Father's letter: "Don't know as ever knew of it
before, but they each married their first sweetheart. Be
interesting to watch."
7/20/42 See
808-18, Par. 58-A in re Mrs. [
808]'s association
with [
487] in Egypt as Ax-Tell.
12/21/42 Letter from [
487]:
Drew Field, Fla.
Dear family,
"Have had hard luck this Christmas week as far as staying at
Drew is concerned. Have had to stay here at Drew two nights
as alert officer for 683 Co. (our Co.) and tonight had to
stay here as alert officer for C. stage, the next higher Hq.
Now I find I have to be Base O.D. for Drew Field on Christmas
Day. Glad I have Christmas Eve off, as this is a lot of time
to spend at Drew during Christmas week. I guess it could be
a lot worse though; so I don't mind too much. Besides I
don't go on duty Christmas Day till 3:00 p.m.
"Everything has been going pretty well. Sorry we can't be
home for Christmas but guess we are lucky to be able to be
in U.S. We will be thinking of you and wish you all a Merry
Christmas!
"Have had so little time off lately haven't written much.
We have received two packages from you and a fruit cake.
Have only opened the fruit cake and am anxious to see the
others. Will write you all after Christmas and tell you all
about our first Christmas away from home.
"As for writing [
257] I am a little against it. I wouldn't
feel right trying to get a permanent position here in U.S.
when so many others are doing so much. I know war is all a
mess and I don't agree with a lot that is being done. There
are a lot of people who don't realize what is actually
happening and are still going on being selfish and not doing
all they can to help others and make things better. There
are so many ways of looking at the present situation that it
is very confusing to know just what to do. I am not sure of
a lot of things yet myself, but I believe the thing to do is
to take things as they come even if they seem hard. In that
way you can always feel honest with yourself about your
position and know that you have done what seemed to you to
be right. I suppose that in the long run it will be better,
though the material considerations look large. I decided
some time ago that it was better to do things on your own
hook than to depend on anyone else. I know I would feel
better and that I was doing the right thing by taking things
as they come and doing what I felt best than trying to get
an easy job and let someone else do the hard ones. After
all the harder the job the better it makes the man who does
it well. Since being married I have been happier than any
time in my life. [
2635] is a swell girl and I would like
nothing better than to spend the rest of my life trying to
make her happy. However, if it were cut a little short I
wouldn't mind too much for there are a lot of other people
in the world in very much the same fix. There are some
pretty good ideals back of this country and in spite of a
lot of paradoxes it is a good deal better than the rest of
the world in many respects. To one who has had such a family
as I and has enjoyed the background that you all built in a
country where such a thing as freedom of thought is possible,
it isn't much to ask to help keep it that way and know you
had a part in making a similar life possible for others. I
don't mean to be too patriotic and I may be wrong, but I
think everyone is too deeply involved in this whole business
to take a side seat. I'll take things as they come. I have
tried to follow the Readings and I think I have. I don't
have any doubts or fears, only faith and a little curiosity.
I'm sure you all will understand.
"Don't let all the above worry you; I just wanted you to know
how I feel. I don't think we are going anywhere right away
or any time soon.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR."
Lots of love, [
487]
3/11/43 Father's letter: "[
487] got his walking papers while
here, so his address is APO New York now, which means he may
be most anywhere, of course. [
2635] hasn't gotten home as
yet. Look for her this week some time. What is so hard
for them, [
2635] expects a baby in July. Shame, isn't it?"
4/29/43 Letter from [
487] [from Trinidad Island, West
Indies]:
"We are just about all moved out to our new seaside camp
'Coconut Grove' we call it. It is a very pretty place right
on a nice beach near a small river that runs into the ocean
at our camp site. We are mainly surrounded by coconut trees
that seem to be perpetually full of coconuts. There are a
few bananas around and a lemon tree at the top of a nearby
hill. The hill I spoke of forms a steep perpendicular cliff
about 150' high sheer rock. The ocean is warm and the mouth
of the small river is full of all kinds of fish. Haven't had
a chance to try fishing yet but have seen some mighty pretty
ones jumping. Some must be 3 or 4 feet long and weigh
anywhere from 50 to 200 lbs. Then there are a lot of small
ones in the 1 to 10 lb. class that jump around continually.
"We haven't been troubled by any snakes though have seen some
strange creatures here, all on a gigantic scale. There are
eight inch grass hoppers and I saw a thing that looked like
a lizard that was at least 2-1/2 to 3 ft. long. Then there
are a large variety of brilliantly colored birds and
butterflies. It is a really beautiful and interesting place.
Naturally there are troubles such as bad roads, dirty natives
nearby, no running water (except ocean) or barracks. We live
in tents and haul food and water to camp every other day.
Everyone seems healthy and happy. Right now it rains about
four or five times a day. They say the rainy season starts
soon and then it rains between rains. We had to back our
camp site out of the jungle, clear ground, etc., so, there
is still a lot of work to do.
"It isn't too bad and could be a lot worse. The natives here
(all black or at least shades of black) are a picture in
themselves. Most speak English after a fashion and like
Americans, all of whom they call Joe. Most of their houses
and villages remind you of the worse sections of Georgia and
are pretty dirty. They can carry amazing weights of all
sorts and sizes on their heads and I imagine make most of
their money from government work in lumber, engineering
dept., etc. None of them is ever in a hurry - guess it is
the climate and they are at all times pleasant and smiling.
Disease of all sorts is pretty prevalent among them and there
are outward signs in many cases of some horrible afflictions.
It seems paradoxical that they are always washing clothes or
drying them in the sun.
"I hope this hasn't sounded too much like a travel talk -
just wanted to give you all a picture of the place.
"As soon as get time will try the fish here. Know you would
be after them all the time as five and six pounders are
jumping all the time right by our camp, and a four foot
tarpon got away (broke line) from a man yesterday. I am
going after one of those big ones pretty soon."
7/01/43 See baby son's rdg.
3069-1 indicating he had been
their son in Egypt.
7/05/43 "I know you are helping a lot of folks more than they
ever realized they could be helped and enlightened, for you
have done that for me. I do want to urge that you take care
of yourself and take time out to rest. Five or five and a
half days is plenty of work. Don't overdo anything, for
more harm than good would result in your overworking.
"I am anxious to see 'Junior's' Life Rdg., and thanks so much
for saving a time for it when you are so busy." [Baby son,
[
3069], born
6/29/43]
8/04/43 Letter from [
487] to his Protestant minister and
friend (which the minister friend [
1842] allowed us to use
later in the 11/43 A.R.E. Bulletin):
Dear [
1842]:
"There are several causes for this letter which I list below
(not in order of importance):
1. Have a good bit of time on my hands at present.
2. Reading of a book THE STORY OF RELIGION by Charles Francis
Potter.
3. Sugrue's THERE IS A RIVER.
4. Some discussions another Lt. & myself have had about the
above.
"I am writing you this letter since I have always considered
you a very sincere & open-minded person for a minister. (If
you will think that a minister usually represents one branch
of a religion and usually one religion, you will see why I
qualified the statement - no offense intended.)
"I expect one reason for doubt and half-heartedness that
exists in religion today, and the reason for the present
condition, is that people think too little about religion
and certainly do not apply it to their everyday lives.
"To get back to the book THE STORY OF RELIGION. It is really
a history of religion from early Egyptian to present day. It
presents all the various beliefs that have developed in a
rather commonsense point of view, though I imagine some
literal minded people would be horrified. If you haven't
read it I recommend it, if you can find time to wade through
its 600 pages. As I said, it presents more a history of
religion rather than any theories of itself but it seems to
indicate what the readings indicate and what a good many
preachers are getting around to see; namely, that the Kingdom
of God is within man and not off in space somewhere. Only by
learning to know himself will man be able to live in a world
with other people and realize that everything he does affects
others in one way or another and that everything others do
affects him (whether he is always conscious of it or not).
This war is certainly proof of that. Only when man has
learned to be unselfish will his mind and soul develop so he
can take the next step.
"Man must get rid of a lot of his prejudices. He must learn
that you can't get something for nothing. It is much easier
to believe that some divine power can save a man's soul than
it is to believe that man must learn to love good and be
unselfish and seek truth and then save his own soul. There
have been a great many excellent souls who have pointed out
a superior way of life and have practiced it themselves. It
is easy for superstitious minds to attribute miracles and
divine power to them and legends grow fast around a dead
man's memory just as a fish sometimes grows faster out of
water than in.
"I hope you don't misunderstand me and think that I don't
believe in God. I most certainly do. However, finding God
is an individual problem and of necessity is based on an
individual's interpretation. Living in this world, though,
is a problem for all men individually and collectively and in
order to do this we must cut through a maze of superstitions
and prejudices and put things on a common basis. "Do unto
others as you would have others do unto you" is as good a
place to start as any. Unless people are inspired to take a
more active part in applying such principles to everyday life
and are sincere about it, this whole war will have been in
vain.
"Never have people had such an opportunity to do this as will
exist at the close of the war. And they don't have to wait
till then. They can start with their business and their
community. I expect no overnight revolution. The grain is
already in the trees. If, though, people will only think -
yes, THINK! when they are in doubt, and actually apply that
golden rule, the grain may take on a high polish and a
beautiful life result that will bring happiness to many,
and to themselves peace.
"[
1842], I am sincere in this letter and I have written it
out of the fullness of my heart and of what I believe. If
you can use any of it in a sermon you are welcome to do so.
Most men overseas have sacrificed a great deal and in such
ways as this does sacrifice bring its own reward. I would
appreciate it very much if you would pass this on to [
341]
since I would like to repeat some of the things to him.
Tell all folks hello for me."
Sincerely, [
487]
8/07/43 Letter to EC: "You remember the job I told you I
might get as platoon commander on a nearby island. Start
on it tomorrow. From what they all say it is a swell set-up,
although rather isolated. It is a very responsible position
and a lot of new expensive equipment to look after and
operate. The Col. said he wished he had a 45 yr. old man
to send over there. (Started to tell him that would be easy,
as I felt like I had been in the army a hundred years.)
A lot of things involved that can't tell you here. Am
replacing a 1st Lt. who did a good job but didn't manage
some things so well. Will be kinda hard to step in with
someone else's men and get things going good over several
kinds of handicaps. Wish me luck. I will think of you all
and do best I can. If things go O.K. may be there for a
while. You know how things in army are, though, can't be
sure of anything. Have been lucky so far; things working
out very much in line of reading; you remember, the one that
mentioned sitting and defensive constructive work?" [
487-29,
Par. 11-A]
8/12/43 EC's letter: "You couldn't have sent me a lovelier
present than what you did in saying you were reading the
Book (Bible) daily now. Have gotten me a new one and am
marking this as I read it - will be very interesting for
someone some day, maybe."
9/24/43 Letter from [
487] in answer to EC's of
9/06/43:
"Before I do anything else I want to tell you the one
sentence in your letter that means a whole lot to me. It is
the best comment on the Bible that I have ever heard; that
was the last paragraph of your letter - 'For the whole Book
is THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART AND
THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. The rest is just explaining what
was or was not done by many.' I will remember that.
Thanks."
10/02/43 EC's ending paragraph of advice to [
487]: "Take
care of yourself. Write when you can. Always remain good
company for yourself and you will never be a bad
conversationalist anywhere."
10/13/43 Letter from [
487]: "The last two colonels here on
last inspection seemed pretty well pleased, but the best
compliment to my mind came from one of the men who said in a
letter (I censor some of their mail) 'since I have come over
here we have made this outfit from a sorry one into one that
anybody could be proud of.' That made me feel pretty good.
According to efficiency reports we are doing better by far
than any of the other outfits in this area, and according to
un-official rumors we have the smoothest running detachment
of any in the company...
"I don't know of any place outside of U.S.A. I'd rather be
than here; it is very nice. I like it fine."
6/13/44 "Your work and rdgs. have helped many people
spiritually as well as physically. I know that the way you
have used it and the unselfish attitude you have shown has
brought me a great deal closer to the 'why' of things, in
brief closer to God. No one can help others more than that."
3/29/45 We heard that he had been made Captain.
10/45 He was released from the Army and returned to his
civilian job he had with the big power company before the
war.
4/08/46 He and his wife had a baby daughter born to them.
12/03/50 We heard that he was active as an officer and a
Sunday School teacher in the protestant church to which he
belonged, and that he was one of the top men in his firm in
the electrical engineering field.
6/24/66 GD's note: All these years Mr. [
487] has remained
interested and active in the A.R.E. program.



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