This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at the office of the Association, Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 17th day of April, 1944, in accordance with request made by the self - Mrs. [3395], Active Member of the Ass'n for Research and Enlightenment, Inc.

Present: Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno.

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you the entity [3395] nee [3395] born September 24, 1880, in West Union, Iowa, and the entity's existence in the earth's plane as Armythar in the Holy Land at the time of the Master. You will give a biographical sketch of the entity's experience at that time, giving such facts and interpretations as may be helpful in the entity's present experience, answering questions as I ask them:
2. EC: Samantha!
3. Yes, we are again given the records here of that entity now called [3395].
4. In interpreting the records of the entity in those periods of experience when the entity came in personal contact with the Master, something of the period and of the entity's reactions would be not only of interest but if applied may be of help for the entity.
5. The entity in the period was not of that group called Essenes, yet was not wholly in accord with the teachings of the orthodox Jews. For in the land where the entity was born and brought up, Bethsaida, there were those tenets that made a division between the Samaritans and the orthodox Jews, as well as the Essenes.
6. These had not brought confusion but, as might be said, the entity felt rather that "Either one will do," and the activities were in accordance with the interpretation "Well, it's not necessary, and if I keep the faith within self, sometime, somewhere, somehow I will know." This is not very far wrong, if you don't do wrong yourself!
7. The entity kept in rather that attitude through its girlhood and early married life. The associates of the entity then were those who had to do with the teachings or the supplying materially of the means for transportation of activities in Bethsaida and the other countries or towns that looked to the particular area for the supply of foods for various groups.
8. For there were just as many cranks about what to eat on special days then as there are now! These are the nature, these are the human traits of man! Some want to do or be so and so because others are that way, while others want to be different - for they know they are different! It is the latent urge in many an individual entity.
9. Thus this was rather the attitude of the entity, whether to be different or to do such and such because others did.
10. When the Master entered into those environs as a teacher, when there was the heralding of His teachings first by the associates who had first heard John in the wilderness, and especially those who had heard of the happenings when there had been the baptism of one Jesus of Nazareth, we find that such was the attitude and activity of the entity.
11. Then the entity had those opportunities of hearing the Master as He taught in Bethsaida and along the way, for it was along the way - that is, along the road - when they heard that He was coming, and the entity's child was set before the disciples for the lesson, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" All will remember how He said, as He took the little child, "Unless ye become as a little child, ye shall in no wise enter in." Unless you become as open-minded, unless you can get mad and fight and then forgive and forget. For it is the nature of man to fight, while it is the nature of God to forgive.
12. Hence, as has been the injunction to the entity, "As ye forgive, so are ye forgiven." As ye treat thy fellow man ye are treating thy Maker.
13. With the lesson gained there, we find that the entity changed entirely from that happy-go-lucky individual, or from that attitude of "What difference does it make?" For the time had come, the opportunity had arrived when the entity knew there was a work to do. The entity gained a real lesson from its own child, who didn't have a very good temper!
14. Then the entity became interested, because of the physical needs, when she met Matthew, who had been questioned by the Jews because he had accepted a civil position from Rome and collected tax - which every Jew and every individual in Bethsaida and Samaria, and all about, held to be a violation of the freedom of those who served a living God.
15. Individuals, as the entity, began to apply the lesson of forgiveness - and the lesson of correction that is part of the desire for forgiveness. Correction is part of the lesson of desire for forgiveness. Learn that well.
16. The entity then found that Matthew had been in about the same attitude as self. When there were the periods when the disciples were sent on their own mission, to tell the story of what they had seen, each individual being commissioned by the Master, Jesus himself, the entity looked on; for Matthew was attracted to, as well as being sent to, those particular vicinities where the entity lived.
17. Again the entity studied, trying to find out how one could be commissioned from the divine and not have the power without that commission; and it is still a mystery to the entity.
18. In the application of the tenets or truths it would give to others, the entity will find that what ye gain, what ye attain through the spirit is by the application of the tenets of the spirit of truth. It depends upon the spirit, the purpose, the aim, the desire with which ye act!
19. Just as the entity has found: Certain leaflets, certain tracts seem to have little power, because the entity who subscribed same did so with the idea of personal gain rather than with the purpose of giving love to those to whom such might appeal. It lost its appeal in the purpose or the spirit with which it was given.
20. In those periods it may be said that the entity became the complement, the impelling influence that gave to Matthew that of confidence and help in self, with the happenings of the Crucifixion and the persecution that followed with the beheading of James.
21. Keep that, in thy abilities as a teacher, as a distributor of messages of love, of faith, of hope; and ye will find in the last day that many will call thee blessed, when ye enter that consciousness of being at one with thy purpose.
22. For as in the earth, in the world today, many of those who are ministers, helpers, must have those who would encourage, those who will give of themselves - as did this entity - that others with a message might have the strength, the ability to carry on.
23. We are through.

    Copy to Self
    Copy to Ass'n file
    Copy under case number for indexing

BACKGROUND

1. See 3395-2.

REPORTS

1. 6/17/44 See 3395-4, a second Physical Reading.
2. 7/27/44 She requested Life Readings for her children and grandchildren.
3. 1/30/47 HLC's letter:
   [3395] ..., Calif.
   Dear Mrs. [3395]
   I appreciate very much your recent letter [1/05/47 See under 3395-4 Reports], and I was so glad to learn that you found the life readings of interest.
   You will be interested to know that Dr. Gina Cerminara, Ph.D., in education and philosophy, from Wisconsin, is here now making a study of the life readings and writing a book on them.
   I believe we are going to be able to discover, through careful analyses of a large number of these readings, that they are based upon fundamental spiritual laws which are simply interpreted in the light of each individual's personal needs. As we are able to tabulate this information and segregate it under various subject headings, we will be able to put it into a publication which will benefit a large number of people whose questions and problems are similar. This tabulation and cross section study of the life readings is going to be just as interesting and ultimately more valuable in a spiritual sense than our study of the physical readings.
   I notice your interest in the life of Jesus and I can well understand it after looking over your life readings. In a large number of readings, more information was given on his life and activities. We do need to get all of this material together as rapidly as possible. It is just one of the research studies that should be made as quickly as possible.
   Our work of tabulating, indexing, and extracting, is being carried on under our Foundation program, and Miss Gladys Davis who, as you know, was my father's secretary for many years, is now devoting all of her time to this work. We are developing a one year preparatory program to set up our system for the indexing and lay our plans for a permanent foundation to carry on the tremendous undertaking of the complete indexing, micro-filming, etc., which must eventually be done if all of the information in the readings is to be made available to those who are seeking it.
   In order to stimulate more interest in the Foundation activity, we are holding a meeting in the New York area on February 1st. I would like for you to see a copy of this program which is enclosed, and also the brief explanation sheet which will be distributed at the meeting.
   If we are able to carry this indexing work forward for a year, I believe we can achieve results which will, in the eyes of all those who are interested, merit a more permanent establishment of the Foundation.
   May I, from time to time, keep you advised of the various developments?
   I hope that Miss Davis had an opportunity to see you while she was in Los Angeles.
   Sincerely yours, Hugh Lynn Cayce HLC/dm Encl.

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