Marion, Elie

Marion, Elie, a prophet of the Cevennes, was born in 1678 at Barre. Being destined for the bar by his family, he studied for that profession till October, 1701, when he became possessed with the religious fanaticism of the Camisards, and returned to his native country in order to take part in the movement already began there. He shortly after announced himself a prophet. He joined a troop of Camisards and became their leader, but soon capitulated to marshal Villars (Nov. 1704), and was expelled from the kingdom. After a brief stay in Geneva and Lausanne, he yielded to the solicitations of Flottard, and returned to France with more Camisards. Not succeeding in the enterprise which he meditated, he obtained a new capitulation, and returned to Geneva in August, 1705. The following year he went to England. A great number of refugees hastened part way to meet him. The sensation which they produced was profound, and their feigned inspiration was the cause of a lively controversy. SEE FRENCH PROPHETS. Marion having publicly denounced both episcopacy and royalty, the government obliged him to leave England. He then went to Germany, where he found a few adherents. His works are Avertissements prophetiques d'Elie Marion, ou discours prononces par sa bouche, sous l'inspiration du Saint-Esprit et fidelement regus dans le temps qu'il parlait (Lond. 1707, 8vo): — Cri d'Alarme, ou alvertissement aux nations qui sortent de Babylone (London, 1712, 8vo): — Quand vous aurez saccage, vous serez saccages (Lond. 1714, 8vo): — Plan de la justice de Dieu sur le terre dans ces dernliersjours (Lond. 1714, 8vo). Letters signed by Allut, Marion, Fatio and Pourtales, translated into Latin, were published by Fatio (1714, 8vo). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gener. vol. 33:791.