In the 1920s, Los Angeles became home to a little-known but extraordinary cult led by May Otis Blackburn and her daughter Ruth. Claiming to receive visions from eleven angels, May declared herself the keeper of hidden scriptures that promised untold wealth and the coming of a new divine kingdom. Followers were drawn in with promises of prosperity and power, only to face bizarre rituals, fraudulent schemes, and disturbing reports of animal sacrifices and mysterious deaths. In this episode of Hidden Cults, we uncover how Blackburn built the Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven, how her apocalyptic visions collided with money and scandal, and how the group’s downfall revealed the strange intersection of faith, fraud, and spiritual experimentation in California’s roaring twenties. Survivor accounts, court documents, and sensational headlines tell the story of a cult that promised glory but left behind scandal and shadows.
Part 1 – The Prophetess of Los Angeles
Part 2 – Revelations on Bunker Hill
Part 3 – The Divine Order of the Royal Arms of the Great Eleven
Part 4 – Wealth, Wonders, and Warnings
Part 5 – Deaths, Disappearances, and Scandal
Part 6 – Collapse of the Great Eleven
From silent compounds to subway attacks, from charismatic prophets to catastrophic ends, Hidden Cults is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Each episode unpacks a different cult with investigative depth, emotional clarity, and gripping storytelling. You'll hear the full timeline: from the origins and ideology, to the rise of control, to the final descent into chaos. We're not here for the sensational. We're here for the truth. If you've ever wondered how ordinary people fall into extraordinary belief systems, and what happens when those systems implode, you're in the right place.
New episodes weekly
Listener stories always welcome
Anonymity guaranteed.
Listener stories: hiddencultspodcast@gmail.com
International Resources- International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
https://www.icsahome.com
Provides information, recovery support, referrals, and events for survivors and concerned families. - Open Minds Foundation
https://www.openmindsfoundation.org
Offers education and support about undue influence and manipulative organizations. - The Hotline (USA – Domestic Abuse)
https://www.thehotline.org
📞 1-800-799-7233 — 24/7 support for victims of domestic, emotional, and religious abuse. - Freedom of Mind Resource Center (Steven Hassan)
https://freedomofmind.com
Resources on cult recovery, exit counseling, and mind control education. - FaithTrust Institute
https://www.faithtrustinstitute.org
Support and resources for survivors of religious abuse, especially within faith communities.
United States- Cult Recovery Hotline (ICSA)
📞 1-239-514-3081
Referral and support line for ex-members, families, and researchers. - RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
https://www.rainn.org
📞 1-800-656-4673 — Confidential support for trauma survivors.
Canada 
