In 1920s Los Angeles, prophecy, greed, and death collided in the hills of California. This episode unravels the story of the Blackburn Cult—a mother-daughter prophecy, a girl kept on ice, and a courtroom that tried to make sense of itall.
Source Materials
Blackburn, May Otis. The Origin of God. Los Angeles: DeVross & Co., 1936.
Young, Paul. L.A. Exposed: Strange Myths and Curious Legends in the City of Angels. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2002.
Introvigne, Massimo. “Beth Sarim: Princes, Slander, and the Millennium.” The Journal of CESNUR 6, no. 6 (2022): 12–17.
“Believe Child Sacrificed in Ritual of Cult.” Associated Press, October 7, 1929.
“Los Angeles Authorities Probe Deaths of Cult Members.” Associated Press, October 9, 1929.
“Mary Otis Blackburn Convicted in Grand Theft Case.” Associated Press, March 3, 1930.
“Cult Leader Sentenced to San Quentin.” Associated Press, March 14, 1930.
Divine Order's Tale Smacks of Cult Fiction - Los Angeles Times