MARC EDMUND JONES
(1888-1980)

©2001 by Gavin Kent McClung

The following was written by Gavin Kent McClung in his article, "A SALUTE TO OUR HERITAGE: What Makes A True Astrologer?" Dell Horoscope, June, 2000, pp. 66-77. (Portions reprinted with permission of the editor.)

Marc Edmund Jones was said by Charles Jayne to be "the best teacher of astrology this country ever produced." Indeed, Jones was a tireless practitioner, lecturer, and teacher, an exemplar around the world of living astrology for nearly seventy years. In his old age, many students who came to astrology under his beneficent tutelage had already passed away themselves.

Beyond his acute grasp of theoretical astrology, Marc Edmund Jones was a philosopher of astrology, an occult astrologist who brought esoteric methods of insight and innovative technique to bear upon the field in a way that no one had done before--or has done since. Through his many books on astrological practice and usage, he gave the world a superior system of counseling and rapid chart reading, and propagated a truly solar (self-guided, inner-directed) approach that is not yet fully appreciated as such.

He viewed experience as the basic substance of being, and saw that through astrology the difficulties of a native's life might be extracted of their immortal essence, and this essence conserved for use by the native in meeting the challenges ahead. This, he believed, rather than being a mere dismissal of troubles, is a true method of healing that can sustain any and all of us at any time.

Through rigorous application of correct occult methods, Jones was able to re-formulate the Sabian degree symbols, and demonstrated their real application in astrology. He founded the fundamentally occult Sabian Assembly, a special-studies group in philosophy, the Bible, and cabala, which...remains at essence what it has always been, an epitome in the search for effective esoteric and practical healing methods for solar living.

BIRTH AND DEATH DATA: Rated A by AstroDatabank, Jones' data was given by him in his book, Sabian Symbols. He was born on October 1, 1888, at 8:37 AM CST, in St. Louis, MO, 38N37; 90W12. He died on March 5, 1980, in Stanwood, WA at the age of 91.

For more detail about this important member of our community, visit The Sabian Assembly's Memorial Site to Marc Edmund Jones. For a fascinating article by Gavin McClung on the relationship, personal and professional, between Dane Rudhyar and Marc Edmund Jones, and on the connections between their work, go to khaldea.com. You will need to scroll down a bit for the beginning of the article. Carlo Ravin has another off-site tribute to Jones.

Memorials A-K, Continued
To Memorials L-Z

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? This memorial is interactive, and we welcome your memories and tributes, which we will add in the order received. (They may be edited for grammar, length, and suitability.). If there are any additional contributions we should mention or any inaccuracies in the memorial, please bring them to our attention. We would also love to have photos to bring back vivid memories. (Photos will be scanned and returned.) To suggest names, share memories, create tributes, or volunteer, send us an e-mail.

CREDITS: This web site was created and is maintained by Donna Cunningham of Word of Mouth Web Design. Donna created the background from a photo of Jupiter on a clip art disk by Micrografx. The photos of Marc Edmund Jones and his book covers are from Astrology Center of America, which carries copies of many of his books, and from Gavin McClung.