Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Dream Mine Today

A man named Delynn "Doc" Hansen is perhaps one of the best current sources of information on the Dream Mine on the internet. He describes himself as follows:

I became interested in Bishop Koyle and his Dream Mine starting back in the 1950's as a child. I was drawn to it like a magnet. When I was 28 and fresh out of college in practice, the Spirit told me to call the Relief Mine office. I didn't think they would have a phone as the project seemed dead. I phoned and talked to the president of the board, Quayle Dixon. The Spirit also told me to take $300. which was every last cent I had. My wife and I went up to the mine and talked to Bro. Dixon for 3 hours. The Spirit testified to both of us throughout the 3 hours. At the end...he said that Koyle recommended that a family have 100 shares of stock to see them through the hard time ahead. At $3. a share...it came to $300...so we bought our first stock.


The night before 9-11, the Spirit once again spoke to me. This time I was to set up a yahoo discussion group. I didn't' think there would be any interest but I was obedient. The group has grown steadily to about 880 members and still growing. Many people find us with the whisperings of the Spirit directing them.

3 years ago....the Spirit told me to compile as much information together about the mine as I could. So...I took the 3 published books, 2 BYU Master thesis and many stories from old timers I've talked to and put it into a book that is still growing in size. The name of the file is called: AN ONGOING UPDATED DREAM MINE BOOK.rtf and can be reached by clicking or cut and pasting the address below:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The-Dream-Mine/files/


If you take a look at the yahoo group, you will see that there are indeed many people who have a sincere interest in the mine. There are now more than 1000 members, who post back and forth with news that could fit into Koyle's prophesied events. Stock in the mine was selling for $25 to $35 a share a few months ago, and it is now up to $50 a share.

stock http://www.reliefmine.com/faqs/51-is-there-any-stock-available

"The dream hardens around you," Zeese Papanikolas explains. It is intolerant of your petty needs, your watching, your humanity. It is a Mountain."

What is the status of Dream Mine believers in the Mormon Church? The last official statement about the mine was given in 1970 when President Harold B. Lee repeated the 1913 First Presidency declaration printed in the Deseret News. The statement warned against the mining scheme and called it "out of harmony with the revelations of the Church." But last year, when Salt Lake Weekly inquired about the membership status of stockholders in the mine, the Church declined to comment.

John Adams, President of the Relief Mine Co., sees the mine as a business. He explains it as follows:
“The mine is not the church, and the church is not the mine... Some people have focused on the mine to an unhealthy degree. Some people end up on the fringes. Instead of focusing on the preparedness side [of the mine] and focusing on the interest of their fellow man, they tend to go off on tangents. There’s no mining going on now. We’ve got agricultural properties, rental homes and a gravel pit. We’re just generating enough revenue now to keep the lights on and the doors open.”


Debunkers have said that the Koyle Dream Mine is the history of Mormonism in microcosm:
"The whole enterprise was started by a gold-obsessed money digger, who claimed to have had spiritual/visionary experiences with an angel, who informed him of a marvelous work and a wonder and buried treasure of inestimable value. Convincing others that it was all real, the money digger soon collected a following of gullible gold seekers, who expect that instant wealth is always just right around the corner and who are always disappointed by the delays, but convinced that vindication will ultimately be theirs--and are certain that all naysayers are deceived by the devil." (Timmy Teaboy 10/2/2005)


In one of those unusual synchronicities which sometimes take place, I met a descendant of John Koyle on Saturday. I was surprised to learn that Brent Hansen Koyle had been called as our new Temple President for the Columbia, SC Temple and was speaking at our RS Conference. As the sisters were eating lunch, I saw him walking in the hallway and asked him if he was related to the Dream Mine founder. He smiled an embarrassed smile, admitted that John H. Koyle was his great-grandfather, then commented, "It's too bad he didn't understand the order of the Church."

17 comments:

David G. said...

Thanks for these posts, BiV. I've long been fascinated by the potential of using the Dream Mine as a window into Mormon anxieties at the turn of the century (i.e., conflicts over the morality of mining, desires to find wealth to help the church, yearnings to use that money to return to Jackson County), but I had no idea that it sheds light on contemporary Mormon anxieties! 1,000 people, all feeling the Spirit, giving money to a defunct mine and chatting about it online. What do you think it reveals about Utah culture? I guess we'd need to get somekind of profile of the type of people attracted to the mine to start drawing any kind of generalizations, but this really is fascinating.

Bored in Vernal said...

Yes, David. Messages at the egroup are fascinating. Just from reading them this week, I would say there is apocalyptic anxiety--so much discussion of the Last Days, suggestions on how to prepare for it, and--I see almost an excitement for it to arrive. Many of these people are the hard core stockpilers.

You're right, this has great potential.

Tim said...

What a sad comment from a great-grandson.

Bored in Vernal said...

Yes, I thought his comment was bittersweet. But he probably gets questioned about it and needs to make his position clear.

Mormon Heretic said...

Tim, did you expect a different comment?

Anonymous said...

Just a thought! Maybe Brent Koyle's comment was taken out of context or misunderstood. Plus what I am going to say next is constructive not negative. Since this comment came from BORED IN VERNAL, DOES THAT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HER AND WHERE SHE IS AT. If she is bored, then her mind may be idle and what does the scriptures say about that pertaining to one of the less favorite brothers known in the scriptures.
Please think before you write and speak about others. You cannot know what is going on in their mind as they made the comment ( if they actualy did). A lot of hearsay with no proof. Please do not ''cause any more grief'' for this family that has gone through so much already because of idle remarks like BORED IN VERNAL made. I am a Koyle also!!!!!!

Bored in Vernal said...

Dear Anonymous Koyle, how cool that you visited my blog! Are you one of the great-great grandchildren, too? I would absolutely love to hear your take on Bishop Koyle's relationship to the Church.

Mormon Heretic said...

Anonymous Koyle,

Don't get too hung up on titles like "bored" or "heretic." I think you'll miss some important points if you do.

Michelle said...

You are living a lie.

Bored in Vernal said...

Care to elaborate on that comment, Michelle?

Tim said...

MH--
I would have had a different comment such as "Yes he is my great-grandfather and wasn't that an interesting part of LDS history."

Biv--
I really enjoy your posts. I don't think that your mind is "bored"--you're always "exploring" the scriptures, history, etc..seeing things that others may not.
I've met you and know that AK is wrong and MH is right--AK shouldn't get hung up on "bored" or "heretic."
And how are you living a "lie?" How funny.
Biv--you're brilliant!

Anonymous said...

I am not LDS myself but I have the greatest respect for your faith, and I always found something poetic, beautiful and unaccountably sad in one of Bishop Koyle's attributed prophecies to the effect that America would be in danger but that "priesthood powers from Heaven" would protect it and that "Old Glory would always be safe."

Stephen said...

The real point of comparison is Jesse K. Knight.

Bored in Vernal said...

Oh, yes it is! And I'd love to blog that story, too, and do a comparison.

Anonymous said...

friggs,

As a 20 year old convet I went on a misson to Utah and worked in Springvill and Spanish Fork and learned a little about the dream mine. For 33 my years in the church I have studies the end times but have not had any real spiritual impressions. Just after the 2008 economic crisis
I for the first time of my 33 plus years in the church started to get spiritual impression about the last days. These impressions lead me to the present day Prophet with a powerful witness to get ready for what is ahead. I started reading the early prophets of Joseph Smith, John Taylors visions and dreams and started to obtain more spiritual witnesses. Then I was pushed by the spirit to other members that have had many dreams and visions about Tent Cities. Then the spirit knocked me out of my chair one day when I read about
Avraham Gileadi. The spirit pushed me over and over again with witness after witness that we are moving close to the time if civil unrest in the United States. All of this caused me to return to a time when some 5 years before I wanted to retire to a place in the center of the United States but the Spirit keep saying "NO" you will be going to this place. I would go over it time and time again. And the Holy Spirit would kept telling me "No" you will be going to a different place. Such things have never happened to me during the 33 years in the church. Then I stated reading some of the information on the Dream Mine. Again I started feeling the spirit. I don't know what it means and no I will not be moving there or buying any stock unless the spirit pushes me to do so. But something special happened there or is going to.
Just wanted to added that some times it appears that the leaders act contary to what the spirit tells us like the Dream Mine or Avraham Gileadi but I have come to learn that sometimes they are directed to keep some things for when the right time or when people are ready or let each person be guided by the spirit as a personal matter.

Just wanted to add that the spirit is moving me that we are drawing close so get your food storage, get out of debt, draw close to the spirit for where to go and what to do because you may lose direct contact with church or your local leaders.

DRD said...

Who are the current board of directors of the mine?

Unknown said...

I am interested in purchasing dream mine stock, can anyone help with me know where stock is being traded?