This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Virginia, this 25th day of October, 1937, in accordance with request made by those present.

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

TEXT

1. GC: You will have before you social and economic conditions of the United States of America. In line with the Association's purpose of presenting that which may be helpful and constructive in the psychic information given through this channel, you will give at this time such information regarding the trend of national events as may be presented to our members. You will answer questions submitted by members.
2. EC: Yes, we have the purposes and desires of the Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc., and those tends and trends of affairs regarding the social and the economic conditions existent; also those apparent in the United States of America at the present.
3. As has been given, in giving information respecting the outcome or the outlook of the political, the economic or the social welfare in a land or country, only that may be given that will be helpful. Hence as to what the conditions may be, and as to what such that seek will do about same, become rather the questions.
4. Rather as we find, there are at present those of the Association making a study of that phase of the activities of individuals, who have as their purpose the making manifest of those influences which may affect such conditions in a definite way and manner.
5. Then, these had best be studied, that what may be given may be acted upon by such members of the Association - an organization that has as its ideal and purposes the being of a channel of blessings, of helpfulness, of hopefulness to others, in every phase of their experience in a material organization.
6. In the United States at present there are some disturbing factors, especially those as related to activities of the nature pertaining to labor and capital in its various phases.
7. Yet there need never be a fear on the part of capital that there will be much real disturbance until there is a more united effort on the part of any group, association or organization.
8. And so long as capital is able to keep turmoils within the ranks of those that would bring strife through their very power rather than purpose, no great concerted effort may be expected that would play a definite part.
9. Yet there are those within the activities of the Association, the organization, the membership in same, whose desires or purposes are of such a nature that there lies within them the power to see that not a wrangle is kept, but that the ideal side, ideal condition or position would be kept in the way of those presentations that have been very well given in cooperative measures with the ideals (or ideas, and the ideals that go with same) that WE ARE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER; that we each are dependent one upon another.
10. And no government, no nation, no state, no city, no family - yes, no individual - is stronger than the weakest habit; the destructive forces that may in any way or manner at any time undermine if they are self-purposing.
11. But if the ideas and the ideals are rather that each should be, each WILL be, each purposing to be, a channel for presenting brotherly love, kindness, patience, longsuffering, just being kind - and if these are rather the propaganda, if these are rather the promptings of the activity in every phase or every association of the individuals - we will find more and more that there will be drawn the greater dawn of EVERY FORM of helpfulness, hopefulness, in the experience of an individual, a family, a state, a city, a nation.
12. Not that there may not be those things that have been so well presented as in the days before the flood; they were married, given in marriage; there were the reckless, there were the saints. As in those days before the end may come, these may be ever JUST the same.
13. But man being a creative nature, man being endowed with divinity within self, may work that to his own undoing or to his own glory in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit that worketh in and through those according to that purposed in their hearts.
14. Ready for questions. [GD's note: Par. 15-Q--17-Q below were submitted by Mr. [816] on 10/06/37.]
15. (Q) Can any detailed prediction be given concerning the probable trends of business activity and the trends of security prices during 1938, 1939 and 1940?
    (A) These again, as has just been indicated, must indeed depend upon that influence PROMPTING the activities of those in power or in position to make for the dominating of the purposes that are set before the populace as a whole.
    As has been indicated, if that ideal is KEPT by those who have been and who are IN power, there will be kept a general trend toward greater security, greater economic considerations of the whole, greater peace, greater harmony.
    Not that there are not those influences that have gone about to make a beautiful condition an experience as dross, yet wherever selfishness is the prompting attitude there may be expected to be brought turmoils and strife.
    Where the purposes are the Prince of Peace, where "I AM my brother's keeper - I WILL do the right," these will keep and bring social security, financial security, and PEACE of mind and body to those that propagate same.
16. (Q) Is the year 1939 or the year 1940 likely to usher in the beginning of another major business depression?
    (A) Again this depends upon that construction of those purposes, those provisions, those laws now being set in motion for consideration of the conditions throughout.
    We do not find it so; unless selfish motives, selfish purposes succeed in DOMINATING the directing of those provisions against such.
    If these succeed, and then there should come a uniting of those efforts between the layman or the worker and the wage earner against capital, we may expect DESPERATE situations.
    BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
17. (Q) Certain writers have forecasted the possibility of a war around 1942 to 1944 which will involve the United States. At the moment, does it appear that we are likely to be involved in such a war?
    (A) If this is kept as propaganda, it will! If there is STILL kept that attitude of peace and harmony, if there are the considerations of the rights of others, it will not!
18. (Q) What is likely to cause such a war?
    (A) SELFISHNESS!
19. (Q) Is the President of the United States likely to serve throughout his present term?
    (A) Likely.
20. (Q) What may be expected in the developments in the conflict between the major branches of organized labor?
    (A) As just indicated, so long as capital is able to keep the turmoils within the ranks, there may not be expected a concerted effort. If there is the uniting of the purposes and THEN there are not those in authority or in power that are able to make for the considerations of the conditions of all, strife and turmoil, internal troubles, may be expected.
21. (Q) What developments may be expected in the difficulties between labor and capital during the next few years?
    (A) As just indicated. If there is a united effort, and there are NOT (there ARE in most places in the present) those in authority who will consider the getting together for the consideration of all, then turmoils and strifes will arise.
    SELFISHNESS is the sin of man!
22. (Q) What may be expected from the help proposed for the farmers by the present administration? Will the programs as planned be successfully carried out?
    (A) Apparently there will be a block in much of these, because this is being considered by some as too great a sectional undertaking. This may cause turmoils and strifes, but AGAIN - if there is the ability not merely to parley but rather to consider the ALL - the situation may adjust itself. For, as we have given, no country is stronger than its greatest weakness in any section or in any portion of same. For it must be a COOPERATIVE, COORDINATING activity as a unit of government in its dictation, its legislation, its administration, and in its coordination of ALL of these as a unit.
    No ONE may become dictatorial without the proper consideration of each phase of the government offices as a whole.
    And the laboring man, the daily laborer that lives by the sweat of the brow, shall have equal consideration before the LAW as those that DIRECT the lives of many!
    For ALL stand the same before the judgement bar of the Maker; and they that are oppressed, their cry goeth up to Him, ever.
    And when they come together, their cry - TOGETHER - ascends as sweet incense or as the horrors of strife which are in His eyes, His heart, His power, the abominations which He hateth.
23. We are through for the present.

BACKGROUND

1. See 1151-15, re labor, capital, new administration, etc.

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