Edgar Cayce's Story of Jesus
On November 27th, 1936, Edgar Cayce gave a psychic reading (1152-3) for a 61 year old widow. It described a previous lifetime in which she had been the Inn Keeper's daughter during the time of Christ. What follows is the biographical sketch contained in that reading.
In that sojourn we find the entity then was, in time, just a year younger than the little Mother who came to the Inn where the entity then was an aid to the parents.
And the entity knowing of same through the meetings that were half forbidden by those in the Jewish law and questioned by those in authority for the penal law, there was caused not only the wonderments but--as seen from the nature of the natural development--a seeking to know. Also the entity FELT the emotions of some great thing in the experience of the world about to come to pass.
The entity then, in the name Sarapha (or Sara), requested that she might aid in the preparation of those quarters to which that Mother-to-be, that father, might come--that were revered by all.
For it was well known to the Inn Keeper that which had been set by those high superiors or leaders, as to the care that must be given to those as they wended their way to fulfil the needs of an overlord demanding that all register for their contribution to an alien land.
Yet as the entity waited, expectant, there was the general rabble; and there were the discussions of those that journeyed to Jerusalem for the meetings, as well as to the centers for their taxing-registration--as ye would term in the present.
The entity was comely in person and was sought by one that would today be called a registrar, as companion; yet rejected him--though the entity has met him in this present experience; and the association has meant much, and much disturbance too.
Then the entity aided, so that all was in readiness, when in the evening--just before the sun in all its glory of the Palestine hills gave forth almost into the voice of nature, proclaiming the heralding of a new hope, a new birth to the earth, and the glorifying of man's hope in God--the spectre of His Star in the evening sky brought awe and wonder to all that beheld.
And the entity, being anxious, gazed with wondering awe at that UNUSUAL experience to all, and wept with JOY of those unfoldments within self, of the emotions that made for the expectancy of glory surpassing what had been told of all the glories of her peoples in the days of old.
There the entity felt what may be very close akin to the experiences in self in the present--that a new light, a new vision, a new experience was BEING BORN in every atom of its being.
Then when it was known to the entity that the den, the cave, the stable had been occupied--Oh, the rush, Oh, the desire to be off to see what that experience might be, held the very being of the entity!
And as soon as its duties were cleared about the home, as the space was very near, the entity started. But as the entity walked into the open upon that Eve, the brightness of His Star came nearer and nearer. And the entity heard, even as the Shepherds, "PEACE on earth, GOOD WILL to men."
There came again that awe, that feeling of a new creation, of a new experience, as the entity among those--only with the closer attendant of the Mother--hastened; while all the rabble, all the jeers of a world were stopped!
As it hastened to the quarters where the Mother lay, in all that awe of a new experience, and the light as from His Star filled the place, the entity then first beheld the BABE. That was the crowning experience, until the plea that she--too--might hold that glorious child in her arms also!
Then as this became a reality, there were those feelings, those experiences--O that the world might know the beauty, the joy, the glory of the experiences of His Life in their own hearts and minds and beings!
There the entity also saw the shepherds gather; there the entity also saw on the morrow the Wise Men--with their ladened beasts or camels, with all their praise for those who had kept the faith, in making and preserving, in keeping and helping those that were in need, that were alone--yet GOD with them!
There were those experiences of the presence as well as that expressed in those strange tongues to the entity, though the entity knew and thought and felt and experienced the reverence and awe as shown by all.
As the entity sought to find, to keep in touch with the mother, the Child, and then when the edict went forth, indeed was the entity's heart rent with fear. For that experience became then as something to be cherished, yet the fear of the law and the hatred that would naturally arise in the hearts of those that were persecuted.
For oft was the entity's father questioned as to which way, as to what amounts, as to what WERE the activities of those men who had defied the authorities of Rome as well as of Herod the king at that experience.
Those made for days and weeks and months when the entity wondered and wondered and wondered.
And the necessity for menial labors by the great demands made upon those with whom the entity sojourned and those activities roundabout, brought mental and material distresses. Yet oft the entity in the stillness of the evening reviewed the happenings, and there was the seeking more and more as to what had become of His Star, His Light.
And as there was followed the receding of His Star, and the flight into Egypt through the devious ways and manners in which there came the news through word of mouth, yet in awe and quiet kept, it made for that in the experience of the entity--when it sits alone in the twilight, and there is almost again felt the music of the spheres, the singing of the morning stars, as the earth is quieted--there enters oft again that peace, that is only troubled by the cares of a workaday world.
In the days and months and years that followed, eventually the entity became closer to those in Bethany and those upon Mount Olive. For THERE the entity took up its abode, upon the edge of Olivet, on the road that led to the great city.
And there word was sought again of what had become of that glorious, that marvellous experience which to the entity became more and more a burning experience in the heart.
Yet when persecutions came, and the influence more and more of the Romans, and more and more of the sects and activities of the Sadducees that persecuted especially those groups to which the entity had belonged, and in which it had found so much help, so much wonderment--then doubt and fears arose.
For apparently, from the words that were heard, the Child had become only as another of those that were of the peoples, yet was it for ALL the peoples!
For as other children came, and as other experiences were brought about, not until in those days when again as a child He went with His parents and those of the great company to again register did the entity realize and know the truth of what had been experienced.
For at the time or period when the passover feast was demanded to be kept by all of the children of Israel, then the entity sought again that Child, that young man, that glorious child that questioned the doctors. And the entity kept close, that she--too--might hear. For it had put away then all thoughts of association or union with MEN; though beset and though disturbed, and though those forces of the periods were brought about. For the entity became what may be said to be as the first body to dedicate its mind, its body, its BEING to a Purpose, to a Child!
Throughout those experiences, then, the entity wondered; and sought for word as to His progress, in following that which had become almost as a story; yet the entity held to those visions, those experiences in the evening before, during those periods when they beheld the light, when they beheld the Child in the Mother's arms--and that glorious moment when it had been placed in her own, and the entity had pressed its own lips to the brow of that Babe!
When there began then the ministry of Jesus the man, the entity held fast--and stayed close to every word that might be gathered from those who heard the more oft.
But when the visits brought Him near, and yet the cares kept the entity closer to the abode near the highways through which throngs now oft passed, the entity pondered, pondered--grew fearful for the things that were being said.
And then the rejection by His own peoples, when He first began His ministry, brought tears of scalding shame to the entity for those very ones that seemed to doubt when they should know.
When there came at last those days when there was the triumphal entry from Bethany into Jerusalem, to the temple, the entity was among that mighty throng that cried, "Hosanna to the Highest--the King cometh."
And there the entity met those disappointments again, when that mighty force, that glorious creature, that mighty man among men was not proclaimed king. And He seemed to exert so little of that necessary material application of a glorious power and might over those things in man's experience of sickness, of doubt, of fear!
For many of those were known to the entity who had been healed. And the entity was especially joined closer then to that one Bartaemus, who had rested oft by the way, close to where the entity abode.
When the days of the crucifixion were passed, and the entity stood then with the Holy Women and those that aided in sustaining those of the household that were beginning to feel that possibly the Mother, Mary, had misjudged. Yet the entity KNEW from her own experience, had not forgotten that choir before the celestial throne that sang, "Glory, GLORY in the highest--Peace--PEACE on earth, to all men of good will."
Those experiences the entity held, and they are innate in the present; though the entity was first among those to suffer martyrdom by the roughness of the Romans that attempted to disperse the crowds. For through the injuries that came, broken of body, the entity suffered in the flesh; but then it was even as now--the entity looks ever to Him who IS life, light and immortality to those who put their trust wholly in Him!
In the application then, we would give counsel to those and to the entity who have tasted, who have felt, who have known within themselves that He is the Way, He is the Truth, the Light, and no other name is given under heaven whereby man may be made whole, or whereby man may know his true relationships to God.
Hold FAST to that, O Daughter of the Inn Keeper, O the Beholder of His Glory; O the joyous, gracious feelings that fill thy soul and being with the richness of the earth poured out at His feet, with those that experienced the lowly shepherds that came to see that glorious sight, and they--too--were not hindered from beholding the face of their Savior. And ye, too, O Daughter, may know His face--but turn WITHIN! For THERE ye may meet Him, as so oft ye did in those days, those weeks, those months, those years ye recounted in thine inner self those glorious experiences, those glorious happenings of that day when the Babe, the child Jesus lay in thy arms.
For He is very nigh unto all that call on His holy name. He has promised and His promises are sure, to you--to YOU--to Y-O-U; and IN you may you know! Not listening to those fears, but listening to those things even as ye heard during those days when those wonderments were so close a portion of thine experience. Embrace him NOW, even as ye did upon that glorious day when the earth saw and heard and felt her King, her Maker, had taken on the earth and become a part of same. So may ye, too, take on God--in Him--and become a part of HIS dealings with man!
