This psychic reading given by Edgar Cayce at his home on Arctic Crescent, Virginia Beach, Va., this 25th day of November, 1932, in accordance with request made by his mother, Mrs. [255], Active Member of the Ass''n for Research & Enlightenment, Inc.
P R E S E N T
Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. Mildred Davis and L. B. Cayce.
R E A D I N G
Time of Reading 3:15 to 3:40 P. M. Eastern Standard Time. ..., N.Y.
1. GC: You will have before you the soul body and the mind of [452], ..., N.Y., who seeks a description of his life as John Mark, his parents, his birth, his experiences, his writings and prose. You will then answer the questions which he has submitted, as I ask them.
2. EC: Yes, we have those conditions that surrounded the entity John Mark, now known as [452].
3. As we find, the entity was born during that period which would be known as the sixteenth year of our Lord; his parents were Mary and Marcus, his sisters Rhoda and Mary. He was close to, and a relative of, Chloe and Lois, Josie; all relatives of Mary, the mother of the Lord, of the tribe of Judah; of the household of Marcus; hence sometimes referred to as Marcus, or son of Marcus. In his twelfth year he was healed from an infirmity by the associations with John, the cousin of the Lord, and the Lord. He was one at whose house Peter the apostle came when released from prison, and was a companion of Peter in travels. Later he was an associate and companion with Paul the apostle and Barnabas, and one that returned from the first missionary journey of these two, acting in the capacity of the secretary to Barnabas. He was the first compiler of a letter that later became the gospel known as Mark, collaborating (as it would be termed in the present) with Peter and Barnabas. He became a helpmeet to many of the early martyrs, suffering martyrdom himself in the latter portion of his experience at that time; being, however, the martyrdom of expulsion and traveling in the latter portion of the experience (after the writings in Rome) to those eastern lands with Andrew, the brother of Peter, who had escaped from those same characters of martyrdoms as those that had been sent on to Rome; being sent by Peter AND by Paul as an emissary to carry the messages of Paul and of Peter to those people whom Andrew was ministering to, rather in what is now called Persia, aiding oft in the
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STRENGTHENING of the brethren in the various centers where churches or established organizations had been builded by the efforts of Paul, Barnabas, Silas and the other ministers during that period. Oft he was a companion with Luke, who was an associate and companion of Paul oft in his travels. Luke being rather of those peoples that were free (as he was not of the Jewish descent), this aided John Mark in his abilities to go and come rather at ease; hence after becoming more stable (than as a young man) was of so much aid to the peoples during that period.
4. As yet there are little of the writings or letters of John Mark, or son of Marcus, other than that contained in the gospel known as Mark. This was written during the fifty-ninth year, or during the thirty-fourth year of the entity's experience in that plane.
5. He assisted Barnabas in the establishing of the church in northern Africa, or Alexandria, where so MUCH persecution LATER was shown in the activities in that center. Much that was compiled by the entity in this land was destroyed in or during the second century. This had been compiled in the great library in Alexandria. There are still intact some writings that may yet be reclaimed, in some of the ruins about the place; as well as in some of those cities in Chaldea and Persia where the entity in the last days went in company with Andrew.
6. In poetry there was little, as we find, save the reconstruction of some of the psalms that were used in the dedicating of those places of meeting, and in the services at times in these various places.
7. As has been given regarding the entity that now manifests in the earth's plane, much of that in the stability of purpose and intent is gained by that experience of the entity in that sojourn; much of that which (as may be termed) rings true to the gospels that WERE given in word by those that were the companions of, the disciples of, the apostles of, the Lord - the Master.
8. Ready for questions.
9. (Q) Was the whole Gospel of Mark written by him, or was the last part added on? (A) The whole Gospel was written rather in collaboration with Peter and Barnabas. This, as given, was the first of the WRITTEN words respecting the acts, the life, the deeds of the Master; while it is shorter in words, there is more in body content of the acts than in most of the other writings. It is nearer in accord with that in Matthew, but not an abridged condition or abridged writing; for Matthew was written from the churches in Pamphylia, while Mark wrote
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from Rome. There had been some distribution, or a portion had been carried to many of the various groups before Mark's was accepted, and before Matthew's was given; for this was written some ten to eighteen years later.
10. (Q) Did he associate with the Christ? (A) As a child.
11. (Q) Was John Mark a cripple in boyhood, and how was he healed? (A) As given, he was lame in the left limb and healed by first the approaching of John, called the Baptist; later he was healed entirely by the Master during the first year of His ministry.
12. (Q) Give any information that would be interesting historically. (A) These that have been given may be followed and found to be in accord with that which took place during those periods, when there was consternation among many. John Mark also in young manhood was among those that were fearful, gaining in stamina and strength as persecutions became the greater.
13. We are through for the present. [EC took nap immediately after above rdg., and on waking said he felt better. GC had given him suggestion for his health at end, and he had ans'd "Very good!"] Copy to Mrs. [255] " " File