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Lost Word of Kabbalism

Lost Word in Masonry. A word relating to some mystic plan, which though it is held to have disappeared, will at some time be restored, and will then make the whole system plain. It is not really lost, only withheld for a season. In the same way the Graal was not lost, but withdrawn to its own place and the search for it occupied the noblest figures in chivalry. It represents the Key to the enigma of Creation; in terms of Christianity, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Loudun, Nuns of: In the year 1633, the convent of Ursulines established at Loudun in France was the scene of an outbreak of diabolical possession. The numerous nuns who inhabited the convent showed signs of diabolic possession, spoke with tongues, and behaved in the most extraordinary and hysterical manner. The affair grew in volume until practically all the nuns belonging to the institution were in the same condition of temporary insanity. The Mother Superior of the convent, Jeanne de Belfiel, appears to have been of hysterical temperament, and she was not long in infecting the other inmates of the institution. She, with a sister named Claire and five other nuns, were the first to be obsessed by the so-called evil spirits. The outbreak spread to the neighbouring town and so scandalous did the whole affair become that Richelieu appointed a commission to examine into it. The devils were subjected to the process of exorcism, which, however, proved to be fruitless in this instance, and the attacks of the nuns continued. But on a more imposing ceremony being held, they took themselves off, but only for a little while, returning again with greater violence than ever. Suspicion, or rather injustice, fixed upon the person of Urbain Grandier (q.v.), confessor of the convent, as the head and source of the whole affair. He was arrested and accused of giving over the nuns to the possession of the Devil by means of the practice of sorcery. The truth is that the neighbouring clergy were madly jealous of Grandier because he had obtained two benefices in their diocese, of which he was not a native, and they had made up their minds to compass his destruction at the first possible moment. Despite his protests of innocence, Lucifer the unfortunate priest was haled before a council of judges of the neighbouring presidencies, who found upon his body the various marks which were the undoubted signs of a sorcerer, and it is said that the inquest brought to light the fact that Grandier had none too good a reputation. We must be very careful, however, to refrain from believing the worst about him, as the sources regarding this are undoubtedly tainted by religious prejudice. It is said that on his papers being seized much matter subversive of religious practice was found amongst them. They failed, however, to find that pact with Satan for which they had looked, although afterwards several versions of it were published by more or less credulous persons and sold as broadsheets. The unfortunate man was condemned to be burnt at the stake-a sentence which was duly carried out. After his death, however, the possession of the hysterical sisters did not cease; the demons became more obstreperous than ever and flippantly answered to their names of Asmodeus, Leviathan, and Behemoth, and so forth. A very holy Brother called Surin was delegated to put an end to the affair. Frail and unhealthy, he possessed, however, an indomitable spirit, and after much wrestling in prayer succeeded in finally exorcising the demons. The whole affair is set forth in the Historie des Diables de Loudun, published in 1839, which gave a detailed account of one of the most extraordinary obsessions of modern times.