Gnosticism
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Gnosticism. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
An Encyclopaedia of Occultism (1920)
Under the designation "Gnostics," several widely-differing sects were included, the term, derived from the Greek, meaning, "to know" in opposition to mere theory, and sharing this significance with the words, "wizard," "witch," which also indicate in their original meaning: "those who know." Simultaneously with Christianity, these sects assumed a definite form, the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire being their sphere of operations at first. Their doctrines were an admixture of Indian, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Christian creeds, astrology and magic, with much of the Jewish Kabbala also. From Alexandria, that centre of mystic learning, much of their distinctive beliefs and ritual were derived, while it seems certain that to a certain extent they became affiliated with Mithraism (q.v.), to whose sheltering kindness Occidental Christianity also owed much. Most of the sects had a priesthood of the mysteries, and these initiated priests practised magic arts astrology, incantations, exorcisms, the fashioning of charms talismans and amulets, of which many are extant at the present day. It is said that the Grecian mysteries, the Eleusinian and Cabiric, for instance, were celebrated by the Gnostic sects down to a late date. They were looked upon as heretics and sorcerers by the Church, and were the victims of relentless persecution. In Persia also they were put to death, but some embraced Islamism, and transmitted their doctrines to the Dervish sects (q.v.). Manicheism , a later sect was founded by Manes, who belonged to the Order of the Magi , and was famous for his skill in ABRAXAS EE H H ^ It S. Genevieve MMI ΘΝΟ S. Genevievve S Genevieve I AW NOOTI Σ Chifflat 0101X Tox ATADO MAVIA La Chausse ИШЛЯ Beger 淡水 ME Fabrata E M E Chifflae Chifflet CVW MVM LV M Chafflat Chifflet Chiff let A GNOSTIC GEMS Talismans, magical charms, and invocations of the Gnostic sect. Illustrative of the mysteries of the Gnostics: it shows Abraxas, the chief Deity, in his manifestations. [ face p. 184 astrology, medicines and magic. This sect was anathema to the Church, and its later variants, Paulicians, Cathari , Albigensis, Lollards, and later still the Carbonari, never failed to arouse the persecuting fervour of the Church. Apollonius of Tyana (q.v.), a Pagan, was supposed to have some connection with the Gnostics. The first Gnostic of eminence was Simon Magus (q.v.) contemporary with the Christian apostles. The Simonians are said to have interpreted the Creation in Genesis as symbolic of the gestation of the fœtus, the temptation of Eve and the Garden of Eden having a like character. The Carpocratians, one of the Gnostic sects, derived their mysteries and rites from Isis worship. They used Theurgic incantations, symbols and signs. The Ophites also adopted Egyptian rites, and, as their name indicates, these included much of serpent symbolism, an actual serpent being the central object of their mysteries. Marcos, disciple of Valentinus, and founder of the Marcian sect, celebrated Mass with two chalices, pouring wine from the larger into a smaller, and on pronouncing a magical formula, the vessel was filled with a liquor like blood, which swelled up seething. Other sects practised divination and prophecy by means of female somnambules. Some of the sects became degraded in doctrine and ritual, this often being of an orgiastic character. 66 The Gnostic talismans were mostly engraved on gems, the colour and traditional qualities of the jewel being part of its magical efficacy. They used spells and charms and mystic formulæ, said to "loose fetters, to cause blindness in one's enemies, to procure dreams, to gain favour, to encompass any desire whatsoever." In a Greek Gnostic Papyrus is to be found the following spell of Agathocles, for producing dreams: Take a cat, black all over, and which has been killed; prepare a writing tablet, and write the following with a solution of myrrh, and the dream which thou desirest to be sent, and put in the mouth of the cat. The text to be transcribed runs : 'Keimi, Keimi, I am the Great One, in whose mouth rests Mommom, Thoth, Nauumbre, Karikha, Kenyro, Paarmiathon, the sacred Ian icê ieu aêoi, who is above the heaven, Amekheumen, Neunana, Seunana, Ablanathanalba,' (here follow further names, then,) 'Put thyself in connection with N.N. in this matter (as to the substance of the dream named,) but if it is necessary then bring for me N.N. hither by thy power; lord of the whole world, fiery god, put thyself in connexion with N.N.' Again, there follows a list of meaningless names, the formula ending: 'Hear me, for I shall speak the great name, Thoth! whom each god honours, and each demon fears, by whose command every messenger performs his mission. Thy name answers to the seven (vowels) a, e, ê, i, o, u, ô, iauocêaô queê ôia. I named thy glorious name, the name for all needs. Put thyself in connection with N.N., Hidden One, God, with respect to this name, which Apollobex also used." The repetition of apparently meaningless syllables was always held to be of great efficacy in magical rites, either as holding the secret name of the powers invoked, or of actual power in themselves. In Atanasi's Magic Papyrus, Spell VII., directs you to lay the link of a chain upon a leaden plate, and having traced its outline, to write thereon, round the circumference, the common Gnostic legend in Greek characters (reading both ways) continuously. Within the circle was written the nature of the thing which it was desired to prevent. The operation was called "The Ring of Hermes." The link was then to be folded up on the leaden plate, and thrown into the grave of one dead before his time, or else into a disused well. After the formula above given, was to follow in Greek: "Prevent thou such and such a person from doing such and such a thing proof that the long string of epithets all referred to the same power. These God instances might be multiplied, although much of the more valuable parts of the Gnostic doctrines were destroyed by every persecutor who arose, and this was easily done, for the sacred and mystic teachings, the prayers and spells were inscribed on perishable parchments. That much of the evil was imputed to them by the Church because of their more philosophic habit of thought in opposition to faith and dogma, is beyond doubt.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a system of philosophy professedly Christian, devised to solve the great questions, such as the origin of evil, which have perplexed the ablest minds in every age. Gnosticism accepted beliefs in an eternal God of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. The granting of this postulate at brought the gnostic face to face with the question , Why then did this Great Being allow evil to arise in the universe, when it was in His power to have prevented it? If He did not prevent it, was He not to a certain extent responsible for its existence? The same difficulty had centuries before created the dualist system of Zoroastrianism, which, denying the omnipotence of the one Supreme Being, assumed the existence of two, a good and a bad one, about equal in power, and in continual conflict . This view, derived from Persia, was partially adopted by some gnostics, while others of the sect, or aggregation of sects, drew on the later Platonism of Alexandria for their inspiration. There were then two classes of them: the Syrian, and the Alexandrian, or Egyptian gnostics. In certain tenets both agreed. Matter was eternal, and from the first essentially evil; there was then no bygone time when the "origin of evil" took place. Nor was the world created by the Supreme Being; it was framed by an exalted spirit, called in consequence the DEMIURGE (q. v.), whom many identified with the God of the Jews. He had shining qualities, but selfish and arrogant. He wished T nn a to worship, not the Supreme Being, but himself. The former was the purest Light, and pervaded that boundless space which the Greeks called pleroma. He did not remain forever alone, but brought into existence two holy and happy spirits of different sexes, called Æons, from spirits whose marriage came others of the same order, till there was a whole family of them in the pleroma. The chief of these Æons was Jesus Christ, who was sent to the world to win it back from the Demiurge to its proper allegiance. Many gnostics held what were called Docetic views. The germs of gnosticism existed in the 1st century; it did not, however, reach maturity till the reign of Adrian in the 2d. Of the Syrian gnostics there were Saturninus of Antioch, Cerdo, Marcian, Lucian, Severus, Blastes, Bardesanes, Tatian, etc.; of the Egyptian Basilides of Alexandria , Valentinus, etc. The system had a good deal declined by the 3d century, but was not extinct till about the 6th. It has been disputed whether there are allusions to either nascent or fully developed gnosticism in the New Testament. Some writers profess to find them in such passages as Col. ii: 8; I Tim. i: 4, vi: 20: II Tim. ii: 16, 17; Titus iii: 9; and there appears to be one to Doceticism in I John i: 1-3.