“There is no religion higher than the truth,” the Theosophical Society declared. They erected these words on their archways and inscribed them in their minds. Truth was the most important thing to them — it was that same truth that brought Katherine Tingley to Lomaland, known today as Point Loma Nazarene University.
The Theosophical Society was a religious movement founded by Helena Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott and William Quan Judge, who later passed it on to Tingley. They established their headquarters in Point Loma between 1897 and 1942 under Tingley, calling it Lomaland. Tingley specifically chose Point Loma as the Theosophical Society’s new home base because of its idyllic location and their pursuit of an agricultural Eden. They were aiming to create a utopian society.
Jill G. Hall, a Point Loma local, set out to discover the thing Tingley had devoted her life to: the truth. She wanted to find out the secrets of Lomaland, and more specifically, about Tingley, the woman behind it. Hall’s journey to finding the truth began in 2020 and came to fruition in 2025 with the release of her new novel, “On a Sundown Sea.”
The historical fiction book is set at the turn of the 20th century, and examines the life of Tingley, her rise to leadership in the Theosophical Society, and her decision to move their headquarters to Point Loma.
“Here, [Tingley] sets out to establish Lomaland — a sacred space of learning, artistry and divine harmony, built on a barren peninsula yet brimming with hidden potential,” Hall’s book description says. “As people from around the world converge to share in her vision, they form a community united in purpose to spread enlightenment. However, betrayals, lies and libels accumulate until a monumental court case ultimately decides her future and the fate of the white city on a sundown sea.”
Hall said that her decision to write this novel was sparked by her own curiosity. Kenneth Small, whose parents were members of the Lomaland community, helped with her journey to discovery.
“There had been so many rumors about [Tingley]; I couldn’t even believe what was in the newspapers,” Hall said. “So I wanted to know the truth, and Kenneth Small helped me a lot as I started to read more and more about theosophy.”
Through her research, she discovered that the Theosophical Society’s Lomaland campus extended far beyond PLNU’s current cliffside home.
“[Tingley] was a humanitarian, and she helped people all over the world,” Hall said. “And there was, at one point, 500 people living here at Lomaland and 500 acres … To me, that was a shock, especially because my house is part of that property. There were a lot of surprises.”
Hall said that some of the buildings from Lomaland are still here today at PLNU, and that Tingley considered this place to be “sacred land.”
“I think there’s a spirituality,” Hall said. “The energy of the property is very sacred and special.”
Hall did extensive research for “On a Sundown Sea” to ensure the book is as accurate as possible. The parts she added are Tingley’s own inner thoughts, which she said she came up with intuitively.
“I’m hoping [readers will] be enamored by Madame Tingley and all that she accomplished and how she was able to do what she did,” Hall said. “I also want people to reflect on what they can do to make our world better. I hope they’re inspired to do that.”
“On a Sundown Sea” is available now wherever books are sold.
Adee Tulcan