This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home at 35th Street, Virginia Beach, Va. this 24th day of November, 1925, in accordance with request made by self.
P R E S E N T
Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno.
R E A D I N G
Time of Reading 10:40 A. M. Eastern Standard Time. ..., Va.
1. GC: You will have before you the interpretation of dream as given in reading 294-49. You will please expand sufficiently on this interpretation that the enquiring mind of Edgar Cayce may perfectly understand in his conscious mind just what the lesson is that is intended to be gained from this. After which, you will have before you the body and the enquiring mind of Edgar Cayce, and the dreams this body had on the dates which I will give you. You will give the interpretation and lesson to be gained from each of these, as I read same to you.
2. EC: In the one as regards gate, pigs, fowl, and the attempt to drive the pig escaped back to its proper place and the fowl, as it were, making fun of the attempt: This interpretation then is as given, and lesson should be easily understood. That is, whether of an individual who attempts to be of assistance in the propagation of the lessons and the work itself, hogs the whole time or makes the light of same in flowery speeches, occasionally the real work must be done by the individuals themselves in the propagation of same, and in the expansion of same. For many lessons have been given regarding same and should always be correlated with information given as an understanding of the conditions as arise from time to time - see?
3. As to the dreams that come to the body, as given, there may be found many of the truths in the dreams that come to entity, regarding the conditions that are existent in the life, in the physical effects, in the physical aspect that individuals have regarding same. And the dreams are as but experiences in an emblematical form, that entity may see the manner in which individuals, groups or masses, view the various conditions existent from time to time, or may become so.
4. (Q) Saturday morning, 11/21/25: [GD's note: This dream was not read to EC - simply the date was given in the question, but EC had dictated the dream to GD previously as follows:]
I, with my family and many of my acquaintances, was in a beautiful home, peculiarly arranged as to rooms, beautifully
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lighted, gorgeously furnished, yet there seemed a dismal, dark entrance to the place. Dr. Thomas of Hopkinsville came to the door and told us that he had just received word that his son had died at college in the East and would arrive that morning on train, and as his house was closed, would we allow the body to be brought there until he could make arrangements for it to be carried to his home or some other place? Very soon the hearse drove up to the front of the place. I recognized some of the people in charge and my father told me the names of others.
The body was brought in and carried to a back room, though it was a beautiful large room, lighted from the ceiling with shade lights. None of the family or acquaintances were in attendance; as the casket was placed on the stand, I went with the men to the door and was surprised to see many colored people seated in the large front room that opened off of a porch, or hall, all dressed in many colors and seemingly overdressed for their characters and stations in life. I asked what it meant, and was told that my oldest sister [Annie Cayce] was holding a meeting and expected to deliver an address to these colored people. I stepped into the room and looked around, and the colored people lined the wall in what seemed to be tent chairs. No furniture in the room, save a table near the entrance, with a very large brilliant light on same. The room also impressed me as being in light shades of green, and I wondered why they didn't have some red mixed with it. Even the table was of light green enamel, as was the lamp on table and the books. Their bindings were in green.
I came back through the hall and noticed other colored people still coming in, taking off their wraps, piling them on the table prepared for same. I noticed all of these were in same attire as other people, but the furniture in this room was dull brown, nearly red. I saw that someone was dressing my sister, and they were putting on a coat of mail, but it seemed to be made of shingles. These were painted this light green, or seemed to be rather stained. I noticed this particularly, and I realized she was preparing to address these colored people.
I went back into the room where the casket had been placed. Many of my friends from different parts of the country were present. These I noticed particularly: My wife and two boys, Mrs. House, my father and mother, my youngest sister [Sarah Hesson], [900], [953], [195], Dr. [2723], [4278], and
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Uncle [244]. And these I could see in the background: [137], his wife and mother, Dr. T. B. House, Thomas House, my mother-in-law [Mrs. Evans], Dr. Al Layne, Mrs. McCollum and many others I didn't quite recognize. As I came into the room, I asked them, hadn't Dr. Thomas sent any word as yet as to what was to be done? My father and [900] said to me, "No, but I think that we can take turns in watching with the body, but don't you think we should know how the body came to its death? There is no certificate on the casket and they didn't bring the box here with it."
I wondered if we should not take off the top and asked if this screw in the center (approaching the casket) was not the one that let the top slide back, for there would certainly be a glass over the face. As I took hold of the screw, we heard a scream from the casket and kicking and scrambling against it. Everyone seemed frightened and fell back, especially those in the background. Only my father, [900], Hugh Lynn and my wife and myself remaining in the room, and they stepped back to the end of the room, ready to leave by one of the many exits that I now realized were provided in what now seemed to be a very large circular room. I immediately though began tearing off the covering to the box, or casket, and instead of a boy, a child, a girl, was in the casket and raised up as I took off the top.
By this time I realized I was alone in the room with this child. I picked it up in my arms and lifting it out of the casket asked wouldn't someone help me? No one came to my aid and I asked wouldn't someone call Sister [Annie] or Mother [Gertrude]. My father replied, "No, your sister is addressing those Negroes. She's busy." Hugging the child closer to my body, I started towards the front of the house, and as I approached this lecture room, I saw my sister with her back to me addressing those colored people. As I walked to the door and she turned, seeing who it was, she asked me what was the trouble, and who it was I had, and when I told her, she ran and joined the rest of the people who were in the background, asking question after question as to how did I know the child did not die with some disease that would spread, or how could I put my hands on a dead person; couldn't I see that it was dead? I realized that the child seemed to faint or fade away and then as if with an effort gained control of itself and emotions, when I put my hand on its face, or held it closer to me in my arms, as if to give it warmth from my body.
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When I looked towards the Negroes, I could see that they were all scared, and as the blood surged to and fro in their faces, there were great streaks of white that would come and go. Each one's hair standing on end. I turned, though to look out the door and saw Dr. Thomas walking towards town. I asked someone to call him, then I saw he was meeting his boy, whom he supposed was dead, and when he spoke to him, Dr. Thomas fainted on the street.
After a bit he was raised up by his son, then they continued on their way out of sight. I turned back in the house and this child asked me for a drink of water. I called to someone else, asking them to give me a drink, but everyone seemed afraid to approach me. I finally found a bucket of water, a cedar bucket that was nearly full and a gourd for a dipper. As I gave the child a drink, she said, "My, that's good, and you won't let those people take me back again, will you? I don't want to go back, for they did not treat me as good as I thought they should." I said, "No. You don't have to go back. You can be my girl," and I could hear whispers from all of my friends, whom I could still see in the background in various parts of the house, "It certainly can't be that he's going to try to keep that child when she ought to be buried!"
I, realizing the things they were saying, began speaking to the child and she seemed to revive more and more, yet occasionally her head would seem to sag, her arms and limbs become limp, then rigid, yet when I hugged it close to my body, it seemed to revive again. Still insisting that I was determined to keep it against all odds, I awoke.
(A) As is seen in this as is referred to, as being in the home where an unbeliever asks that body of loved one be allowed to remain until the conditions are set, that same may be attended to, the various arrangements in the house, the home, the setting of same: Representing the effect produced on the various peoples who contact same in the various planes.
And as is seen in the colors in the room, as is seen in the one attempting to give a lesson to a people not yet having the entire status of the mental development classified with the various ones, as is seen in the breaking of the bonds of death, and the desire of all present to know what was the reason, cause, or purpose of the death, and the falling away
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of those who would come to assist, the taking up of body, the various conditions as seen in the actions of same; the water, the room, the scare, the conditions in reviving:
All these are the emblematical conditions regarding conditions existent in the physical plane of the entity's labors at the present time, as this: Home, the effect created by the operation of work attempted by entity at the present time.
The coming in of death: The coming in of that condition in which [there is] the test of the entity's abilities to meet the needs of the conditions respecting an individual who is an unbeliever.
The looking on, the viewing of same by many peoples who are as but those in the various stages of the beliefs in same, the picking up of body, the breaking of bonds: The ability to give out that necessary to give the peoples an understanding [if they] but seek.
The message, the desire to give, to call on one close to the entity in flesh, that entity giving time, and in a specific manner, to give to others: That necessary in entity to find the cooperation in and with all who would be of assistance, in the lowly, in the high in the mental abilities of many in the various phases, stages, necessary for the fullness of same.
In the carrying of body about, in the falling away: There is represented the various stages as arise from time to time. For, as seen, there apparently are conditions when all seem to have forgotten, as it were, that uppermost in the mind of the entity. Again there seems to be a revival of all that has been done.
This, then, showing that soon [there is to be] the great revival in many places, in many spheres, in many different ways from that which has yet been attempted, in a different manner.
And as is seen, and as has been given, there will come to the entity (as the body represents who is taken from the grave or from the coffin or casket) that inner strength and ability. Though weakened at times, yet when taking of the Water of Life, as found in Him, [there will be] the strength to give the better lessons to a waiting and a sleeping world, that needs to be awakened to the truths found in Him Who made the resurrection possible.
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For, as is seen in the various calls in word, in calls apparently from those close, from those whose names are not known in the conscious, from those who would seek help, from those who would deride or make fun of individuals: These show but that the time is near at hand when he that would be faithful must find self well grounded in the faith which is in HIM.
5. We are through for the present.