"As Mercury dwelleth near the Sun, so I abide in the heart of my Lord. My feet run upon His errands and by my mouth are His words spoken." Thus wrote Brother XII in the preface to "The Three Truths," describing his role as the divinely-ordained agent of an ancient mystical Brotherhood known as the Great White Lodge. As the agent of this mysterious fraternity, Edward Arthur Wilson, aka Brother XII, a slight, soft-spoken former English sea-captain, embarked on a dramatic and sensational career that established him as one of the most fascinating figures in the history of modern religion. "Brother XII: The Strange Odyssey of a 20th-century Prophet" chronicles the life and exploits of the enigmatic figure who established a utopian community in southern British Columbia in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The tales of gold, sex and black magic associated with Brother XII and his flamboyant mistress, a whip-wielding devotee of ritual magic with the pulp-fiction name of Madame Z, have gripped people's imaginations for years, and the story has been described as a "Gone with The Wind" of the occult, an evocative mixture of the sacred and profane. Though other religious figures may be better known, for pure drama, nothing rivals the story of Brother XII. Though Brother XII largely fell through the cracks of history, his amazing chronicle is being rediscovered, for it rings with contemporary relevance; not only was he a prototypical cult leader, he was a genuine mystic and seer, while also writing on political issues in a way that eerily foreshadows the world today. Brother XII was both a forerunner of the New Age and one of the few spiritual teachers of his time to give expression to the geopolitical and conspiratorial concerns that dominate the cultural debate today. Both mystic and mountebank, seer and charlatan, he was a complex, contradictory individual, the ultimate "man of mystery." The story of Brother XII features an intriguing cast of characters who find themselves irresistibly drawn to the power of this classic rogue messiah, a spiritual anti-hero possessed of a Nietzschean will to power. After the destruction of his colony, Brother XII and Madame Z fled with nearly half-a-million dollars in gold, outwitting the authorities and escaping justice. Brother XII's fate is uncertain, for his death in Switzerland remains a matter of speculation. For all that is known about him, he's still an elusive figure, leaving his metaphysical teachings and the provocative legend that has grown up around him as his legacy. Praise for "Brother XII: The Strange Odyssey of a 20th-century Prophet " "I found myself totally absorbed...a book that will become a classic of its kind. I know of no more fascinating or better researched study of a 'false messiah.'" From the Foreword by Colin Wilson "Sex, sadism, black magic and mystery upon mystery. It sounds like the recipe for a Stephen King potboiler, and author John Oliphant has made the most of it. The difference is that Oliphant's Brother XII is a true story...a marvelous web of suspense and intrigue...riveting stuff." "The Vancouver Sun" ""Brother XII" is a fascinating read " William Gibson "A tremendously exciting story of the religious mania in extreme form. Brother XII is a type who recurs throughout human history, and Oliphant provides not only a great horror tale, but a warning as to how we can recognize such types and be armed against them. I heartily recommend this book." Robert Anton Wilson "Sharing the brilliance of an L. Ron Hubbard, the destructiveness of a Jim Jones, and the hypnotic hold of a Rasputin, E. A. Wilson ranks as one of the most intriguing, mysterious, and infamously charismatic and prophetic cult leaders to grace the annals of North American history...a well-documented...thoroughly fascinating book." "Theosophical History "

Seven British schoolchildren embark on a sailing-adventure-turned-treasure hunt.

John Piper pleads with fellow pastors to abandon the professionalization of the pastorate and pursue the prophetic call of the Bible for radical ministry.

From early childhood, Mabel Rowbotham knows that she is different. She is struck by visions and premonitions that disturb her dreams, haunt her waking hours and stay with her long after she emigrates from England to Canada. Although desperate to understand these powerful episodes, Mabel hides her gift behind a facade of normalcy. But Mabel is not destined to be normal. Her quest for understanding leads her to the Brother, XII—founder of one of Canada’s most infamous Utopian colonies. Here, Mabel fully transforms into the complicated and enigmatic figure of Madame Zee and ultimately finds an explanation for the mysterious knowledge that has shaped her life. A popular reading group choice, Pearl Luke’s acclaimed and sensitive re-imagining of this enigmatic figure was a Flare and Chatelaine book-club pick. It includes a fascinating P.S. section with information about the real Madame Zee.

Vanguard of the New Age unearths a largely ignored dimension of Canadian religious history. Gillian McCann tells the story of a diverse group of occultists, temperance leaguers, and suffragettes who attempted to build a Utopian society based on spiritual principles. Members of the Toronto Theosophical Society were among the first in Canada to apply Eastern philosophy to the social justice issues of the period - from poverty and religious division to the changing role of women in society. Among the most radical and culturally creative movements of their time, the Theosophists called for a new social order based on principles of cooperation and creativity. Intrigued by this compelling vision of a new age, luminaries such as members of the Group of Seven, feminist Flora MacDonald Denison, Emily Stowe, and anarchist Emma Goldman were drawn to the society. Meticulously researched and compellingly written, this careful reconstruction preserves Theosophist founder Albert Smythe's dream of a culturally distinct, egalitarian, and religiously pluralist nation.

A compelling investigation into supernatural events and local lore on Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island is known worldwide for its arresting natural beauty, but those who live here know that it is also imbued with a palpable supernatural energy. Researcher Shanon Sinn found his curiosity piqued by stories of mysterious sightings on the island—ghosts, sasquatches, sea serpents—but he was disappointed in the sensational and sometimes disrespectful way they were being retold or revised. Acting on his desire to transform these stories from unsubstantiated gossip to thoroughly researched accounts, Sinn uncovered fascinating details, identified historical inconsistencies, and now retells these encounters as accurately as possible. Investigating 25 spellbinding tales that wind their way from the south end of the island to the north, Sinn explored hauntings in cities, in the forest, and on isolated logging roads. In addition to visiting castles, inns, and cemeteries, he followed the trail of spirits glimpsed on mountaintops, beaches, and water, and visited Heriot Bay Inn on Quadra Island and the Schooner Restaurant in Tofino to personally scrutinize reports of hauntings. Featuring First Nations stories from each of the three Indigenous groups who call Vancouver Island home—the Coast Salish, the Nuu-chah-nulth, and the Kwakwaka’wakw—the book includes an interview with Hereditary Chief James Swan of Ahousaht.

A collection of stories about some of the fascinating people and events that helped shape the history of Vancouver Island and Victoria.

The West has long attracted visionaries and schemers from around the world. And no other region in North America can outstrip British Columbia for the number of utopian or intentional settlement attempts in the past 150 years. Andrew Scott delves into the dramatic stories of these fascinating, but often doomed, communities. From Doukhobor farmers to Finnish coal miners, Quakers and hippies, many groups have struggled to build idealistic colonies in BC’s inspiring landscape. While most discovered hardship, disillusionment and failure, new groups sprang up—and continue to spring up—to take their place. Meet the quick-tempered, slave-driving Madame Zee (partner of the infamous Brother XII), who reportedly beat followers with a riding crop. Hear from Richard “The Troll” Schaller, who founded the Legal Front Commune, General Store and Funny Food Farm on the Sunshine Coast, setting off a storm of hostility from locals. Congregate with Jerry LeBourdais and fellow members of the Ochiltree Organic Commune, who rebelled from hippie communes by embracing meat eating and coffee drinking. With careful research and engaging first-person accounts, Scott sifts through the wreckage of the utopia-seekers’ dreams and delves into the practices and philosophies of contemporary intentional communities. This book is a compendium of astounding misadventures as well as an intriguing analysis of what moves people to search for paradise.