9/10/46 Appeared in issue of Astrology Guide [Horoscope of
Edgar Cayce also included in article]:
EDGAR CAYCE AND THE BLIND MAN
By Gina Cerminara
He is a violinist and professor of music in a small southern
college, and he was born blind.
When I met him for the first time last July, I found him to
be modest, unassuming, well-read, intelligent. Only the
heavy-lensed glasses and a very slight hesitancy in his
step, typical of the blind, betrayed the fact that he was
any different from anyone else. We discussed the movie
A SONG TO REMEMBER which both of us had liked, and the
talk flowed on for a good half hour, through Chopin, Liszt,
Cesar Frank.
But this was all mere conversational prelude. The true
purpose of the interview was to satisfy my curiosity on
something far more important than his musical tastes,
interesting and cultivated though they be.
In part I was interested in the amazing story of how he had
regained 10% vision in his left eye, but primarily I was
interested in the still more amazing story of WHY HE HAD
BEEN BORN BLIND. This would almost seem like an indelicate
topic to discuss. But neither of us felt any indelicacy
about it, because it had nothing to do with the kind of
disease people usually associate with congenital blindness;
in fact it had nothing whatsoever to do even with heredity.
But let me tell the first part of his story first.
From the time of his birth to the age of four - he told me
- he had been totally blind. During his boyhood he
underwent a series of operations by noted specialists, who
needled away small portions of his cataracts. But finally
the doctors said that they had done all that was possible,
and that his only hope for continued dim vision was through
the use of corrective glasses.
At the age of 33 - he had become a musician and professor
in the meanwhile, despite his handicap - he heard of the
hypnotic clairvoyance of Edgar Cayce, the "Miracle Man of
Virginia Beach." Those who have read his biography, THERE
IS A RIVER, by Thomas Sugrue will be familiar with the story
of Edgar Cayce.
For those who have not read that amazing life story, the
following parenthetic explanation may be necessary. Edgar
Cayce, an uneducated, simple man who made his living as a
photographer, knew nothing about medicine in his waking
state. Yet when he lay down on his studio couch and received
a hypnotic suggestion from his wife, he became suddenly
clairvoyant and was able to give thorough medical diagnoses
and plans for treatment which, when faithfully followed,
resulted in an extraordinary number of well authenticated
and evidential cures. When Cayce awakened from trance, he
had no idea of what he had said while asleep; and only the
carefully transcribed shorthand notes of the stenographer
remained as evidence to him of the fact that his voice had
been speaking in the meanwhile.
The account which the blind professor heard of Edgar Cayce
was convincing. He decided to obtained a reading, and wrote
for an appointment. The reading - given while the professor
was sitting in his studio at the college, some 100 miles
away from the scene of the hypnotic trance - gave a brief
and accurate history of the eye trouble, and then gave
detailed suggestions for treatment. It stated that certain
pressures in the spine were causing an impingement upon the
optic nerve, shortening the vision and emaciating some of
the matter of the eye itself. It suggested that he go to
two doctors in New York for osteopathic and electric
treatments.
The professor followed these suggestions, went to New York
and had the treatments. Almost immediately afterwards he
found that he had gained the use of his left eye for reading
purposes, to the extent of 10% vision. Until then he had
to depend entirely upon his right eye for reading. Continued
treatments from a local osteopath, the use of violet ray,
massage, and vitamins as suggested in later readings assisted
the improvement, such that now the control of the eye muscles
has become almost normal, and his general physical health and
immunity to colds has improved 100%. It is also worth noting
that X-ray photographs, taken after the first reading had
been received, exactly verified the trouble in the spinal
column.
So startling a demonstration as this naturally led the young
professor to have implicit faith in the validity of Cayce's
strange power. And so, when he heard about the "life
readings" that Cayce also gave, he determined to have one.
It was by accident that Cayce discovered that he could give
"life readings" as well as physical readings. In 1923 a man
by the name of Arthur Lammers had asked him for a horoscope
analysis. Cayce - in trance state - gave a brief horoscope,
but said that astrology was a much misunderstood field, and
could never be properly understood without a knowledge of
reincarnation. The reading concluded by telling Lammers
that in his last incarnation on earth he had been a monk.
More and more readings were taken along these same lines,
until now there are about 2,500 of them on the past lives
of living persons, in the files at Virginia Beach.
The blind professor heard of these readings. He had always
wondered why he should have been born blind. Perhaps, he
thought, the reason for his affliction would become clear
through an account of his past lives on earth. Having made
a study of comparative religions, he was familiar with the
Hindu ideas of reincarnation. He knew that reincarnation
does NOT mean coming back into the body of an animal death -
that this is only a vulgar misconception of the idea - but
that it really means the growth or evolution of the soul over
a period of many lifetimes.
He had read, too, about the Hindu idea of KARMA, the law
of cause and effect, which determines a man's destiny in
this life by the good or bad conduct of previous lives.
The idea had always struck him as being a reasonable one,
though he had never taken it very seriously until he heard
of Cayce's life readings. If Cayce's hypnotic clairvoyance
was so phenomenally accurate in the physical readings, how
or why could it be wrong when it came to talking about past
lives? Since the source of that never-ending flow of
accurate medical information had from the beginning showed
itself benevolent, helpful, religious-minded - with constant
references to Christ, the law of love, and the need for the
transformation of character according to Christian
principles - why should it now deliberately seek to mislead
or misinform?
Suppose, then, that the theory were really true? Suppose
Cayce could tell him what his past lives on earth had been
like? Suppose Cayce's clairvoyance could look back onto the
cinematographic record of the past, and see in the remote
history of his soul's experiences on earth what he had done
to deserve to be born blind?
So once again he wrote for a reading, and got word from
Mr. Cayce's secretary that an appointment had been set.
Once again he sat alone in his little studio at the college,
observing the half-hour period in silence, while 100 miles
away Edgar Cayce was lying on his studio couch, unconscious,
but talking sense. Impatiently he waited the several days
necessary for the stenographic report to be typed and sent
to him through the mails.
Finally the five typewritten pages, stapled twice together
on top, arrived. His students of harmony wondered that day
why their favorite professor - usually so prompt - was late
to class. They might have tittered if they knew he was
eagerly reading about what had happened to him before he
was born.
The reading began, as all life readings did, with these
words: "Yes, we have the records here of that entity now
know as or called [...]." After several paragraphs of
character analysis, the reading outlined four previous
incarnations on earth; one in the United States at the time
of the Civil War, one in France at the time of the Crusades,
one in Persia in 1000 B.C. and one in Atlantis after the
second upheaval of that doomed continent.
A brief, high-lighted description of each life was given.
Each one of these life-experiences accounted for the
development of some trait in his present character, or
for some aspect of his present life pattern. But the one
that interested him most was the one in Persia. For there,
the reading told him, he had been a member of a barbaric
tribe whose custom it was to blind their enemies with red
hot irons. AND IT HAD BEEN HIS OFFICE TO DO THE BLINDING.
The professor knew Newton's third law of motion, that EVERY
ACTION HAS ITS REACTION, WHICH IS EQUAL AND OPPOSITE. Was
there not in his blindness a perfect example of action and
reaction in the moral world? Was not his physical handicap
the fitting consequence for the physical cruelty he had
shown in blinding others? Emerson had called the law
"compensation." Christ had said: "As ye sow, ye reap";
and "As you judge, so shall you be judged; as you measure,
so shall it be measured unto you again." The Hindus called
it KARMA. But it seemed all to be the same basic law, which
acted not out of mere mechanical retribution, but out of the
beneficent provision of a Wisdom that wished perfection of
spirit, through growth, of all its creatures.
So far I had found the professor's story intensely
interesting, though it was more or less similar to hundreds
of others I had been studying in the Cayce files for months.
I had seen the working out of karmic law in many hundreds of
cases, and each time was struck anew with the psychological
plausibility, the scientific reasonableness, the ethical
excellence of the consequences people were suffering - or
enjoying - of their conduct in the past. I began to comb
out the elements of these cases into Cause and Consequence.
The social secretary in New York, for example, who had always
been so alone in life - her life reading told her she had
committed suicide in a fjord in Norway, five lifetimes ago
- and by her act had deprived her husband and two small
children of the love, care, and affection they needed. This
was the Cause. The Consequence - delayed until a time when
she was strong enough to bear it - seemed reasonable and
appropriate enough: this time she herself needed to suffer
the absence of family ties and affections in order to pay
her debt, and also in order to understand their worth and
sacredness. She once caused loneliness; this time she
suffered it. AS YOU MEASURE, SO SHALL IT BE MEASURED UNTO
YOU.
Then there was the case of the brilliant young pianist.
His life reading showed how his talent had been gradually
acquired in life-times as a musician in Italy, Palestine,
Egypt, and Atlantis. In cases like this, one saw how genius
is the final flowering of lifetimes of effort and dedication.
The Cause: effort over many lifetimes. The Consequence:
talent, capacity. AS YE SOW, SO SHALL YE REAP.
Another interesting story I found in the case of a crippled
girl with a deformed hip joint. According to her life
reading, she had been a beautiful aristocrat in Rome at the
time of Nero. She had urged the persecution of Christians
in the arena, and laughed with her sophisticated friends as
she saw them torn limb from limb. The Cause: physical
cruelty. The Consequence: physical disfigurement. JUDGE
NOT THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED.
All these cases had struck me as being fascinating and
dramatic - but above all, appropriate and reasonable.
They had been plausible psychologically. They satisfied
the sense that human life, for all its apparent chaos,
operates under definite, precise laws, and that these laws
are essentially just. They explained individual differences
in capacity and fortune among human beings in completer
and profounder way than either psychology or psychiatry had
ever done, with all their tests, measurements, typological
theories, depth analyses, or theories of personality
dynamics. They showed causation to go far deeper than
either heredity or environment - and, in fact, showed both
heredity and environment to be themselves the result of past
merit or demerit.
But most important of all, from the point of view of
research, these cases were highly evidential in that they
ACCURATELY DESCRIBED the present traits of character or
personality, the talents and deficiencies, the family or
vocational problems of the subject - even though Mr. Cayce
had never seen the person, and was giving the reading on them
at a distance of hundreds of miles while his conscious mind
lay asleep on his studio couch. I read scores of unsolicited
letters in the files that convinced me of the accuracy of the
life readings and character analyses, to say nothing of the
dozens of men and women I met personally who vouched in no
uncertain terms for the same uncanny accuracy.
But the case of the blind professor was especially
interesting in that he was able himself TO FIND TRACES OF
ONE OF HIS EARLIER INCARNATIONS! This is what he told me,
in concluding his story - and this is perhaps the most
amazing part of all.
One of his later readings, he related, becoming more specific
and detailed, as "check readings" always did, told him
that in the life just previous to the present he had been
a soldier on the side of the South during the Civil War.
His name had been Barnett Seay. (This reading spelled it
out.) The information proceeded to tell him that the records
of this previous personality could still be found in Henrico
County, Virginia.
The professor had been interested from the very beginning.
Now he was excited. Here was a way of checking on the truth
or falsity of the the life readings! There certainly was
no way of proving he had actually blinded his enemies in
ancient Persia; but if the reading went out on a limb so
far as to give him his name in the Civil War period and
tell him moreover where to find it - well, that was just
a wide-open invitation. Here was a clear-cut way of
discovering whether the life readings were nothing more
than a vividly imaginative story-telling faculty of
Mr. Cayce's super-conscious mind, or whether they were
genuine accounts of fact, verifiable against cold, tangible,
seeable, demonstrable reality. Complete skepticism or
complete conviction hung in the balance.
So the professor took a special trip to Henrico County to
find the records. He did not find them. Disappointed, he
returned home and wrote for another reading. This time the
reading was more specific, and told him the record was to
be found in the birth registry on page 557. The professor
returned - and this time FOUND THE NAME, BARNETT SEAY, ON
PAGE 557 OF THE REGISTRY INDICATED!
It is true that the incident does not constitute
proof-positive of the fact of reincarnation. But it is
certainly indicative of something very significant.
Indirectly, at least, it contributes to the ever-growing
body of scientific evidence for the validity of clairvoyance
and the reality of reincarnation.
I have enjoyed the blind professor's company several times
since we first met last July. Each time I see him I am
struck by the sweetness of his character, and by the
intelligent redemption he is making of himself and of
the element of cruelty that lay deep in his subconscious.
Of the many interesting personalities I have met while
conducting my research in the Cayce life readings, he is
to me one of the most interesting. For he exemplifies so
well how scientific self-knowledge of the past can
transform one's life, and how the science of reincarnation
in connection with the religion of love that Christ taught,
can make of life an intelligible, just, and beautiful
experience.
10/22/46 Mr. [
1861]'s ltr. to Gina Cerminara:
Dear Gina:
Since your article in Astrology Guide [see above], I have
been looking more into the records of old Barnet A. Seay.
I have found in the Virginia State Library that he enlisted
in Amelia County, Virginia, as a color bearer, at the age
of 21, which shows that he was born in 1841.
I have never been able to get as clear a record as this from
the Henrico County clerk and I believe I would rather have
you use this record from the library than the more obscure
court record, since it seems to show the authenticity of
the Readings more than any other facts I have been able
to establish. That is, of course, if you have any future
reference to my past incarnations in your writings.
Your various articles in the Bulletin, Mind Digest, etc.,
have been most interesting and you are performing a valuable
service in using your talents and knowledge in presenting
this side of things to the general public, as well as to
the more specialized reader.
Remember me to all there,
As ever, [
1861]
11/27/46 Gina Cerminara's ltr. to Mr. [
1861]:
Dear [
1861]
Thank you so much for your letter of October 22nd, and for
notifying me of your additional discoveries with regard to
your past history.
I only wish that more people were as thoughtful about these
things as you are, and that more people realized the
importance of checking on authenticity of such references
in the readings.
I am sorry to answer your letter at such a late date, but I
have been away for a few weeks.
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement. The book is
proceeding well, and I hope to have it completed by spring.
Please remember me to [
2072], and with my very best wishes
to both of you,
I am
Yours very sincerely, [signed] Gina Cerminara
2/22/47 Gina Cerminara's ltr. to Mr. [
1861]:
Dear [
1861]
I hope you received my little note of thanks and farewell,
left with your folders last Saturday night. I had originally
thought I would be up till 11; I wanted to talk to Jane
Williams and take leave of you. But as the evening wore
on I found myself too sleepy!
I wish that I had known then of the stumbling block that
would arise; it would have saved the trouble of this letter
of explanation. I find myself still confused about that
Henrico County record business. Please have patience with
me!
Inasmuch as your case is so interesting both from the
physical and karmic angle, and inasmuch as it contains
some evidential material, I want to use it in the book.
Tonight, on consulting the original readings again, I am
confused by the fact that in July '42 you ask about the
Henrico records, and you are told that they will be found
"in the births, page 557," and then in October, still ask
about it!
Till now I was under the impression that you went there,
and promptly found the record ON PAGE 557. But I see in
your October '42 [
1861-14] reading that you still are asking,
as follows: "Have been unable to find records of B. A. Seay
from either Henrico County Clerk or Va. Bureau of Vital
Statistics. Will you give exact place, number of volume,
and place under which this record may be found, spelling
name?" And you are told: "As we find...there has been
located the correct association of Barney A. Seay, or
Barnett A. Seay, as a member in the army of the Potomac.
You have the record. Get this - follow this through."
The only way I can dope this out is that you went to page
557, and found the name "Barney Seay", but thought this was
not correct name. Then you got the reading, and it told you
that this was identical with Barnett. IS THIS THE CORRECT
INTERPRETATION???
It is important that I know whether you found on page 557
the record that he said you would find, because I don't
want to make any false statements.
Please let me hear from you as soon as you possibly can on
this, and if you begin to lose your temper with me, let me
ask you, as Mrs. Miller's son asks her under similar
circumstances, "Have you read your SEARCH FOR GOD lately?"
Yours, [signed] Gina
P.S. Try to make the whole thing as simple for me as if
I were a 6 year old moron - step by step description, with
diagrams, if necessary.
2/23/47 Gina Cerminara's ltr. to [
2072]:
Dear [
2072]
We were all sorry you couldn't come down with [
1861] last
week; it would have been nice to see you again.
I'm writing you for a bit of information on your reading.
After your experience as the daughter of B. A. Seay, you
made a comparatively quick return. I can't figure out the
exact number of years because the reading isn't precise
enough; if I knew how old you were when you knew Mr. Cayce
as a child and you played with him, that might help. In
any case, you no doubt figured it out with Mr. Cayce at some
time, and perhaps you can tell me the exact, or the
approximate, lapse of time between two incarnations.
I would also like to know the exact (or approximate)
number of years elapsing between [
1861]'s present and past
experience.
Just drop me a card on this, if you wish - and the sooner
you can do it, the better! Many thanks.
Sincerely, [signed] Gina
2/26/47 Wife's [
2072]'s letter:
Dear Gina,
Thank you. I would certainly have liked to have been able
to have gone along with [
1861] at the time of the Board
meeting, but I didn't want to leave Mother alone here,
since [
1861]'s brother was also away at the time. Then,
as [
1861] probably explained to you, we were fortunate
in getting a little apartment electric range, PLUS an
electrician to install it on the Saturday that the Board
meeting was called. Workmen and materials still being
hard to get, one still cancels almost everything, even
a trip to Heaven, to stay by an electrician till he's
through. And it was worth it for I have a dream of a
little range! I love it!
Now about the dates: (I've kept all of Mr. Cayce's letters,
and also copied all that he told us about "Little Anna Seay"
and "Mr. B. A." into one place, so, according to Mr. Cayce,
we have the following). Little Anna was one year older
than Eddie, born in April of 1876. The "period of sojourn"
according to the reading was "only twelve and two" (twelve
years and two months) which ties in, I believe, with the
death from pneumonia in February of 1888. These dates of
birth and death, you understand, were given me by Mr. Cayce,
not by the readings. Then I came back as [
2072], March 25th
1910, being born in Indiana.
Mr. B. A. died not more than a month after Little Anna,
having contracted pneumonia from caring for her, so he died
in February or March of 1888 and then preceded me into
incarnation by being born April 4th 1906 in Blackstone, Va.
So we have 22 years between death and birth in my case and
18 years in [
1861]'s case.
I hope this will be of some help. If not, write again -
it's always nice to have any kind of a note from you.
Love to you and Gladys. [
2072]
[Handwritten note: Thank you note
2/28/47 - JC]
2/27/47 Mr. [
1861]'s ltr. to Gina Cerminara:
Dear Gina:
I don't think it is so surprising that you should be all
confused over my past incarnation, since it has been very
difficult for me to get it all straight, in so far as actual
records are concerned. Of course, Mr. Cayce did tell me many
things about old B. A., as he knew him, but the Readings seem
to have been most confusing.
I wrote to the clerk of the Henrico Court and he was unable
to find out anything as to any records in his court. You
will notice that I asked the Reading for the number of the
volume, in hopes that we could get at it in that way, but
even the Readings evaded this question.
The Henrico Court Clerk was good enough to forward my request
to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, who sent it to the
department of old records of the Virginia State Library.
They had the record of Barnet A. Seay, who enlisted in
Amelia County in Lee's Army as a color bearer, in 1862, at
the age of 21. This would show that I was born in 1841.
Mr. Cayce told me that both Anna and B. A. passed out in
1889. Now, it has been a theory with some that children,
when they die, come back more quickly than older people.
However, such was not the case with [
2072] and me, since I
returned four years earlier than she.
Yes, I was sorry not to see you again, before leaving, but
it was pretty late and you were wise in going on to bed.
Of course, I appreciated your thoughtfulness in writing
the note and enjoyed your company during the afternoon and
evening.
If I can give you any further assistance in any way, don't
hesitate to call on me.
As ever, [
1861]
1/26/58 Wife's letter: "Thought you might like to have this
article on [
1861] which our correspondent did for the ...
paper."
... CITIZEN
CHALLENGES KEEP HIM ACTIVE
By [...], Jan. 21
[
1861]'s unofficial "consultant on civic and musical
projects," earned that title because he is a man who
accepts a challenge.
And [...] who has earned a reputation as a man possessed
of a prodigious memory, regards many things as challenges.
The reason, basically, is that he has only partial vision.
Life becomes full of challenges in such a case, he says.
[
1861] is not sensitive about his vision - "except when
someone tells me I can't handle a particular job." Then it
becomes a challenge, and he sets about proving the person
wrong.
For instance, in 1956 town council wasn't so sure that ...
citizens opposed fluoridation of the public water. [
1861]
who has an aversion for the enforced "medication" of water,
drafted a petition, called a group of his friends together
and had them canvass the petition.
After considering the petition, council held a referendum.
The anti-fluoride faction won the voting and ... water is
devoid of sodium fluoride.
[
1861]'s remarkable memory was born of the necessity of his
vision difficulty. He trained himself to remember the most
detailed of information.
A railroad fan, he began storing away odd facts at the age
of 10. He learned the principal schedules of all the
east-west railroads' main lines, for one thing. He admits
that he gave up railroad schedules in the past few years,
however, because there have been so many changes.
Before the advent of diesel locomotive power, [
1861] could
identify any train number in this area by the sound of its
bells. Steam locomotives had beautifully toned bells, he
said, and all were a shade different.
"People used to stop me on the street to test me. Present
day bells don't carry as far. I have to depend so much on
sound I see through my ears."
Now an assistant theater manager, [
1861] taught music for
15 years as the head of the music department at ... College
for Girls. He plays the violin and carries "several hundred
compositions in my head."
[
1861], who studied at Peabody Conservatory of Music and the
Cincinnati Conservatory, is consulted in all things musical
here. Organ builders incorporated, several of his
recommendations when the pipe organ at ... Church was
installed three years ago. As a result the instrument
possesses many many features more expensive organs don't
have, and it has required little maintenance.
Getting back to business of the "challenges," [
1861] was
instrumental in having the town open a new street to the
rail road station. And he figured in the decision of the
town to purchase of two large USO club houses for community
recreation centers.
One big challenge remain undisposed of - at least as far as
he's concerned. It is ... parking meters.
"I want to see them removed," he said.
"People like to come to busy places. A main street with car
parked bumper to bumper in a good advertising media for any
town."
But [
1861] hasn't been able to budge council on this one.
It's still "just another challenge," he says.
2/19/58 Mr. [
1861]'s ltr. to Albert E. Turner:
Dear Al:
I most certainly owe you and apology for not having at least
acknowledged your letters before now. However, I was waiting
until we could get our income tax figures straightened out
and in shape to send along at the same time for you to check
over... I believe [
2072] has written you a note about this
and I hope you will have no trouble in understanding what we
have done.
You went to an awful lot of trouble in clearing up the United
Fund matter and I am very sorry to have caused you all
of this. We have decided to try to make out without an
accumulative dividend for the time being, but will probably
send them the form you sent before they pay another one,
as we will need the ready cash more than the extra shares.
Incidently, I have not deposited my paycheck from the theater
for January yet, because this bad weather has hit us such a
hard blow that we are struggling to stay in business.
However, we have some good pictures booked that will do
business if the weather will give us a break.
As you have probably heard thru Hugh Lynn, [
2072] had
somewhat of a recurrence of the psychic trouble right after
I had written that she was doing all right. However, Hugh
Lynn seems to have finally straightened her out and she
seems to be doing all right in that respect now. She is
singing in our church choir again and is taking an interest
in some things that she did not used to bother with. I am
somewhat uneasy about a cough she has, but am hoping this
will finally clear up with the Spring. I believe [
2072]
now realizes that her whole trouble came from a lack of
understanding of how to protect herself against those evil
entities. Of course, I am partly to blame for not knowing
that she did not understand this, as I took it for granted
that one of her experience knew these things. [See 2072-16.]
Now, Al, you need the money, as you must make a living, so
please let me know what your fee is for fixing up our taxes.
If you don't, I will have to send you what I think you should
charge. It's all right to do these things gratis when you
can afford it, but, you really can't and that is why I am
so insistent.
Hoping you and Gladys are keeping well in this cold weather
and best love to the both of you,
Sincerely, [
1861]
8/24/59 Letter: Dr. McPherson [McPherson Hospital, Durham,
N.C.] told me that my eye [detached retina] had remained the
same and wanted to put me back in the hospital, but agreed to
wait abitger [longer than a?] month, upon hearing of [
2072]'s
condition. This could mean another operation. Would
appreciate your continued prayers for me, too.
1/06/60 Mr. [
1861]'s ltr. to GD:
Dear Gladys:
Thank you for your letter of yesterday.
If I can make the trip down there it would be better to come
down for the February Conference, as you suggested. I would
appreciate it if you would have them reserve the room and if
I find it not practical to come will let you know in ample
time.
As much as I dislike to admit it, these are the most
difficult days I have ever faced. Of course, I know that
[
2072] is supremely happy and this ought to soften my grief.
However, I always did miss her when she went away on the
shortest trip and I knew she would be back. All of this
is made more acute by my eye trouble and my faith is being
sorely tried. I certainly do need all of the prayers and
spiritual support that my friends can give me to tide me
thru these days. You remember that even Jesus asked "My
God, My God, hast Thou forsaken me!"
I am continuing to stay here at my house and taking most
of my meals with Mother, tho I can fix coffee and such
things as cereals and sandwiches down here when I need
to. The people of ... have certainly been loyal to me
during the past year and I am most grateful for that.
I shall never forget you, Al, Lydia, Hugh Lynn and all
of our other friends down there did for [
2072] and this
will always be remembered with grateful appreciation.
If I can't make it to the Conference, I hope very much that
you and Al will come up and spend a week end with me soon,
as I know this would help me tremendously. Indeed, you might
come regardless of whether I make the trip or not.
Sincerely,
2/05/63 Last half of letter to GD and Al [Turner] following
mother's death:
"...I feel that I was very much better prepared for Mother's
transition then I was [
2072]'s. I knew that Mother was
living a longer life then we had any right to expect and
that it was the fulfillment of natural laws, as it were
that she should have to go on. However, with [
2072] it
was much more difficult to bring myself to realize that
she was really going and I must admit that this, along with
my eye trouble, caused me to feel the loss of [
2072] much
more keenly and that she was much more a test and trial for
me then the passing of my mother. Then, too, the adjustments
that I had to make were far greater with [
2072] then with
Mother, as I now have things set up so that I can handle
them, whereas, I was almost helpless three years ago. Of
course, the fact that I can read some now is of immeasurable
benefit, even if I have to use a very bright light to do it.
I can read the newspaper and other things enough to keep
abreast of things and I am much more content here in my own
home then I am any place else. So, I think it is just cause
for us to be grateful to God for providing me with that which
is needed thru my family, friends and things material, mental
and spiritual to enable me to continue on. I am sure that
both [
2072] and Mother now realize these things and that they
are better able to go with their work on the Other Side
without having to worry about me.
"[...] comes into town every morning and has lunch with me
here at my house, which gives us a daily opportunity to see
each other and to talk things over. He is the executor of
the estate and I don't envy his job, either.
"Well, I hope I have given you some idea of how things are
going and that you will continue to hold me in your thoughts
and prayers, as I am sure that this is a very necessary help
that is enabling me to do as well as I am and which will help
me to cope with those problems that do come up.
"It seems rather futile to try to thank such as you for
anything that you do for me, as there are just no
rhetorical or verbal terms that are adequate to do this.
So, you will have to try to read my thoughts.
And so, may His Love and blessings be with you that you may
know the joy of being at one with Him and having His will
manifest in and thru you.
Affectionately, [
1861]
11/28/63 Mr. [
1861]'s ltr. to GD and Al Turner:
Dear Gladys & Al:
I know I should have written before now, but things have been
in such a state with me that I just couldn't seem to get down
to doing it.
Knowing that [...] [Brother] would soon be going over, I
prepared myself to make the necessary funeral arrangements
if I had to do that, by thinking out these details, tho
hoping that [...] might have left some instructions, as he
certainly has known for many months that he would be going
on. Well, my planning served me in good steed [stead?], as
my sisters not only took some time to get here from their
homes, but, when they came, they seemed not to be able to
get themselves together enough to make decisions without
considerable prodding on my part.
They left it up to me as to what the actual service would
consist of and I asked our rector to read Psalm 46 and
certain prayers plus any others that he deemed appropriate
and this resulted in a very simple but beautiful service.
There was a very large crowd, including many from a distance.
I am still in the midst of acknowledging cards and letters.
I received a very nice letter today from Hugh Lynn. It was
nice of him to take the time to write.
As I told you some time ago, I will continue living here in
my own home, tho I am the only one of my family left in ...
now. There just is nothing else for me to do, as I have a
much greater measure of independence here then then I would
anywhere else and I must go on doing what comes to hand.
Even if I were inclined to give up and go to pieces, as it
were, I could not do that, as this would cause that much more
trouble on others and we have all of that that we want these
days. And while there are those that I loved and wanted as
my friends that have seemingly forsaken me; I not only have
dear friends, such as you, whom I know will not let me down,
but, what is more important, I know that God will not forsake
me, either.
I suppose you know that the 20-year death cycle was borne
out again in the assassination of Kennedy. It has become
so apparent that it was even published on the front page
of the Times-Dispatch last Saturday. For this reason and
because of the predicted assassination by a Washington
psychic [Jeane Dixon], I was not in the least surprised
at what happened.
I certainly would like to know the law behind the 20-year
cycle tho.
Thank you again for all that you are.
Love, [
1861]
12/14/81 Mr. [
1861] died of a heart attack.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation