Branch Davidians

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The Branch Davidians (or the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, or the Branch Seventh-day Adventists) are a religious sect founded in 1955 by Benjamin Roden. They regard themselves as a continuation of the General Association of Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists, established by Victor Houteff in 1935. Houteff, a Seventh-day Adventist, wrote a series of tracts entitled the "Shepherd's Rod" that called for reform of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After his ideas were rejected, Houteff and his followers formed the group that became known as "Davidians," and some moved onto land outside Waco, Texas. They built a community called the Mount Carmel Center, which served as headquarters for the movement. After Houteff's death in 1955, his wife Florence took control of the organization. That same year, Benjamin Roden, a follower of Houteff, proclaimed what he believed to be a new message from God and wrote letters presenting it to Davidians. In 1957, Florence sold the Mount Carmel Center and purchased 941 acres (381 ha) near Elk, Texas – 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Waco – naming it New Mount Carmel Center. After the failure of Florence's prophecy of apocalyptic events on or near April 22, 1959, she dissolved the Davidian Association in 1962 and sold all but 77.86 acres (31.51 ha) of the New Mount Carmel property. Benjamin Roden took possession of it in 1962 and began efforts to purchase the remaining 77.86 acres (31.51 ha). On February 27, 1973, New Mount Carmel was sold to Benjamin, his wife Lois Roden, and their son George Roden. From then on, the property was simply known as Mount Carmel. Upon the death of Benjamin Roden in 1978, Lois became the next Davidian prophet at the compound. In 1981, a young man named Vernon Howell, later known as David Koresh, came to...