This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Va. Beach, Va., this 4th day of December, 1932, in accordance with request made by those present.
P R E S E N T
Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Minnie & C. A. Barrett, Esther Wynne, Florence & Edith Edmonds, F. Y. Morrow, Annie, H. L. & L. B. Cayce, Mildred Davis, Helen Storey, Sarah & Lu Hesson, Helen Ellington, Ruth LeNoir and Visitor.
R E A D I N G
Time of Reading 3:45 to 4:25 P. M.
1. GC: You will have before you the Norfolk Study Group #1, members of which are present in this room; and the work on the lesson "In His Presence." You will please give a discourse on this subject which will aid us in completing this lesson. Answer questions.
2. EC: Yes, we have the group as gathered here and their work in preparation of the lesson "In His Presence."
3. With that which has been given each for their own individual interpretation there is seen, as in general, few have applied same in their everyday experience; for each keeps His presence as a thing apart, something to be experienced, something only made aware of when one is disturbed in some manner or form, when it should be the experience, knowledge and understanding of all that His presence abides with those AS they seek to do His biddings. Not with that outward show which may be experienced by attempting to solve some problem that there may be the enjoying of the reward for same, but rather that there may be the experiencing of the joy, the happiness, the harmony, the love, that fruit which comes from recognizing and using the privileges that are for those who - in their simplicity of manner recognize, know, experience His presence; which abides with thee, wilt thou but recognize, understand its own closeness to thee in thine daily experiences. In this manner, then:
4. In putting into practice that thou knowest to do, in the LITTLE things, being led by that which has been GIVEN to each, thy contributions may be such from this as to aid others who may seek to know His presence, the joy of His presence, the harmony, the peace that comes with abiding in Him.
5. (Q) Please explain how we may distinguish between the terms, especially pronouns, referring to the personality Jesus and God as used in this information, and how we may
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clarify this in terms we use in our lessons. (A) As their activities and personalities are one, in the activities of men often the pronoun used becomes confusing. Follow rather closely in that which has been given. It is used the same as HE gave. Him refers to the Father, He to the Son. In the preparation of the lessons these may in the general be referred to in that manner; for, as it is generally understood by the critics - or those that would prefer good English, Him is rather inclusive while He is definite or the one Son.
6. (Q) Please expand on how we may come into the realization of His presence. (A) As we have given above, the greater fault from the realization is that it - His presence - is kept as a thing apart. HE wills that all should come to the knowledge of His presence abiding with all. We come to this knowledge and consciousness by doing those things that are conducive to bringing into every atom of our being that which gives the attributes OF His presence in the earth; and in DOING this do we come to know His presence.
7. (Q) Please expand on how we may prepare ourselves that we may abide in His presence. (A) This would refer rather to the individual experience; for in the preparations of self there are varied consciousnesses, and what to one might be necessary to another would be secondary, and to that which may be the attribute of good judgement, clean living, without thought of same being a command or a law of universal nature; yet as we, as individuals, become more and more conscious - through meditation and prayer, and APPLICATION of that we seek in the way of preparation - of that which keeps or holds, or preserves us as individuals in the consciousness of His presence, we become more conscious of His presence abiding with us, as we let that mind - through meditation and prayer - be in us during and at ALL periods. Whether in joy, in sorrow, in trouble or in pain, let that mind be in you as was in He that gave, "I am with you ALWAYS, even unto the end of the world." Will that consciousness of the Christ love make our joys the more joyous, our sorrows the more in accord with the manner in which He met sorrow, or disturbances in the material affairs more in accord with the manner in which HE met the material conditions? As individuals we oft find that that as He gave, in the
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"thought of the morrow," or "wherewithal shall ye be clothed" was meant for someone else; NOT us. That consciousness as He gave, "In patience possess ye your souls"; WHAT becomes aware of His presence, the physical-carnal body or the spirit of life that impels the soul in its development? Then, as His love is shed on us, as we muse and meditate and pray to that we hold as our door to His presence, do we become aware of, do we enter in, do we find ourselves abiding in His presence. As we may experience by that abiding presence, what are the fruits of same? WORRIES pass away, joys take their place; for as He looked upon Peter in the hour of trial and of denial by him, who had been declared to be - that spoken by him - as the foundations of that He was to leave in the earth, did He frown or did He smile? What broke the heart of the man, the frown or the smile? Then, when ye abide in His presence, though there may come the trials of every kind, though the tears may flow from the breaking up of the carnal forces within self, the spirit is made glad; even as He in the hour of trial, the hour of denial, SMILED upon him and brought to remembrance - even as He has said to each that has named the Name, "I will bring to remembrance the promises I have made, if ye will abide in my presence." The promises, then, are sure; and not a thing apart from those that abide in His presence, but are ever remembered in the hour not only of sorrow; not only is He the resurrection, not only is He to come in the hour of trial, but He supped also in the hours of joy with those in Cana, He enjoyed even the feast with Zaccheus, laughed and joked. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - thou art with me; though I fly to the utmost parts of the heavens thou art with me." Will we, as individuals, then, know His presence? How? "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Are they then so burdensome, those commandments? What are His commandments? How may we abide - how may we show the love? "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my little ones, ye have done it unto me."
8. (Q) The group feels the need of strength and power. May we have instructions as were given to the Disciples, as to what we should do that we may receive this power? (A) It is in Him. Do not allow self to become cold, even as the church, but rather let the simplicity of the service
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be done day by day through the knowledge that His love, His promises abide; for there is power in the Name, there is strength and glory to those that are faithful, there is the abiding hope to all that come in HUMBLENESS seeking even as He, "Not my will but Thine, O God, be done in me." There is no power, no strength, save in Him. That puny strength man may assert in the power of his own manhood is but the SHADOW of that shown by Him, in the ways that lead to the thoughts of everyday action. Then, the POWER as needed by all is the realization of abiding in His presence; even as may be seen in the next lesson - which is to be, The Cross and the Crown, but gain that strength in the cross ye bear day by day; for He is WILLING, the flesh IS weak. Humble thyself, that the glory and the power may come from Him, from the Father, from the Son, in the consciousness of "We love Him, He loves us. We abide in Him, He abides in us."
9. (Q) [[69]'s husband]: What is the meaning of my experience during meditation? (A) That the strength of the Spirit arouses every atom of the physical and mental body, even as the experience is the shadow of the fire and the strength to do that as is KNOWN to be in HIS way.
10. (Q) Would it be advisable to send the article on "Present World Conditions" to the East-West Magazine published in Los Angeles, Calif.? (A) No.
11. (Q) Please give the address of the publishers of the magazines the Blue Goose and the Argosy which were suggested as magazines to which the paper "Present World Conditions" should be sent. (A) Argosy, Argosy Bldg., Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. Blue Goose, 57th Street, New York City. [See 3976-11, Reports.]
12. (Q) What might one who reaches the point of realization of His Presence expect as a result in their daily life and activity? (A) As given, the consciousness that He often walks and talks with thee, that His promises are ever present; not retro-active, but VERY active in the causes of the actions in the daily life; that there is the abiding hope, and not the doubts nor the fears that make men afraid; not that that makes for faltering steps, but rather the joys, the PLEASURES in service, even though it require that there be yet greater and greater sacrifices of the carnal forces within our own experiences - rather, the all, "that I may know more and more of the joys of His service." The service
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may not be rendered to self, only to another; and he that serves - either in the kindly word, the kindly thought, the kindly deed - is lending to the Lord, is giving of himself even as He.
13. (Q) Is there a message for the group at this time as a whole? (A) BOW THINE HEADS, O YE MEN THAT WOULD SEEK HIS PRESENCE! Be STRONG in His might! Falter not at thine own weak self! Know that thy redeemer liveth and may THIS DAY MAKE KNOWN IN THINE OWN HEART HIS PRESENCE ABIDING WITH THEE! Root from thine body, thine consciousness, aught that would hinder His entering in; for HE would sup with thee! Wilt thou, then, O MAN, make known thine own decisions? Will ye be one with Him? The way which I guard leads to that of glory in the might of the Lord. I, Michael, would guide thee. Do not disobey. Do not falter. Thou knowest the way. [See 262-33, Par. R1.]
14. We are through. Copy to File Copies to Group