Brother Carson’s Solar Temple was a short-lived religious movement that arose in the first years of the Great Depression in Vancouver, Canada. The group operated out of an office that it called its “Headquarters for the Americas” and was led by Peter Carson.
The group’s activities came under scrutiny following the disappearance of Edna Blumberger, a Vancouver socialite who had been affiliated with Carson’s group. Her eventual return in late 1935 led to a police investigation and front-page coverage in local newspapers. In interviews with the Vancouver Sun, she described the Solar Temple as a manipulative group employing hypnosis and deception. Carson, she said, had fled Vancouver and was believed to be in Eastern Canada, wanted by authorities.
Blumberger’s involvement began when she met Emilie Hipp, an associate of Carson’s. Hipp introduced her to Carson, describing him as an exceptional teacher. Blumberger later recalled him as an unremarkable-looking man with a missing front tooth but noted that he projected an unusual intensity and could make his eyes appear “saintly.”
Carson led lectures and ritual sessions in which followers were instructed to focus their attention on an “orange-colored triangle on a blue ground.” He claimed that this would aid mental concentration. He also asserted that he was “a priest of the temple of Sera,” and that his real name was “Avelocki Teswalli.” Carson further claimed he possessed the ability to “will people to death.”
Among his followers was Rebecca Barrett, described as a “white sister” and believed to be an heiress. Carson announced that he would marry her and did so. After the marriage, his behavior reportedly became more erratic. He began excluding individuals who challenged his authority, including Blumberger’s son.
Carson moved the group’s headquarters to a boarding house owned by a devotee named Lucy Thorn. Blumberger, who came from a wealthy background, contributed 20 valuable paintings to decorate the new premises. Her husband Samuel Blumberger filed a lawsuit to recover the paintings. In response, Carson allegedly began manipulating Edna, attempting to turn her against her husband by convincing her that he intended to poison her. Blumberger left her home and took refuge at the boarding house.
Several days later, Carson relocated her to a small house owned by another follower. There, she was reportedly kept in isolation. Samuel Blumberger filed for an injunction to prevent Carson and Thorn from “harboring” his wife. Around the same time, he received a phone call from a woman claiming to be Edna, pleading with him to “come and take me home.” The incident was reported on the front page of the Vancouver Sun, and after reading the article, another member of the Carson group urged her to return to her husband, which she did that night.
Two weeks later, the Sun published Edna Blumberger’s full account. She claimed that Carson had hypnotized her. Several followers rejected this claim, with one describing Carson as “the finest man who ever walked.” By that point, Carson had left Vancouver. While his wife remained behind, unconfirmed sightings placed him in Edmonton and Toronto. His final whereabouts were never determined, and the final fate of the paintings is unknown.
Key Source:
Mackie, J. (2021, October 29). This Week in History, 1935: A “religious cult” run by “a charlatan” bamboozles a wealthy housewife. The Vancouver Sun.