2002-10-31 03:19:00
The Relief Mine
By Ogden Kraut
First Published 1978
But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever. (2 Nephi 9:18)
John Koyle was a simple man. His desires in life were few and so were his possessions. He was mild-mannered and soft-spoken; and when he was asked a question, he often hesitated for a few moments before giving an answer. He was always willing to listen, as well as to talk, and yet he would never force his opinions on others.
He was a rather short man, stoop-shouldered from a lifetime of work and a vast array of burdens. His country style speech was homey, with a sort of wry wit which always put a distinct twinkle in his eyes. His kind manners and cordial friendship quickly won the love of all who knew him.
John was usually dressed in a faded work shirt and dungarees supported by wide suspenders. He was born and reared from that "common-folk" stock which made him an ideal friend and a good neighbor.
When John reached his 80th birthday, a special tribute was prepared for him by some of the mine stockholders. A small pamphlet was printed for the occasion which is reprinted here:
[166] WE SALUTE YOU John Hyrum Koyle
On the Occasion of Your
EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY Monday, August 14, 1944
[167] John Hyrum Koyle
JOHN H. KOYLE was born on August 14, 1864, in Spanish Fork, Utah. His father died when he was but nine years of age. He was reared in all the hardships of early pioneer life. One of the hard trials which he was called on to face was a move to the muddy river in the Moapa valley some 400 miles to the southwest, over a most difficult road. Here he nearly lost his life from the bite of a rattlesnake. He again had a narrow escape when his father lost his life in a rock slide. He filled a most remarkable mission in the southern states under presidents Wm. Spry (who later became Governor of the State of Utah), and J. Golden Kimball. The latter became his lifelong friend. [168] HE HAD SOME WONDERFUL dreams in which he was shown a gold mine whose treasures were to relieve an entire community in time of great distress. This seemed so stupendous to him that he went to his Stake President for counsel, who told him, "It was of GOD." Yet, not satisfied, he counseled with Apostle George Teasdale with whom he was personally acquainted. The Apostle sanctioned what his Stake President had said and said, "GOD bless you, go ahead." During the succeeding many years he devoted himself untiringly to this work which was outlined to him. During all this time he accomplished many wonderful things, among which are a tunnel and drifts in solid rock totaling 5,000 feet. Shafts and inclines also in rock amounting to 2,500 feet. A dugway up the mountain likewise carved out of rock which is three miles long, and graded so that an automobile can go up and down. All of this work was done the hard way, by hand. During the depths of the depression, in 1932, he built a concrete flotation mill which is fully equipped and its present value would be over $100,000.00 After having talked for many years about storing food for a famine, in 1932 he surveyed, leveled, graded and terraced a place on the hillside for the building of large grain bins which are to hold a million bushels of grain. More than 500 acres of land, not counting the mining claims, have been purchased, [169] costing $30,000.00 All of these items are paid for in full. They include two streams of water which are invaluable. He has been assisted by 5,000 stockholders who have stood solidly behind him. After his splendid mission in early life he was made Superintendent of the Sunday School in Leland Ward. During this time he served as Counselor to the Bishop. Later on he was ordained Bishop of that same ward. He was loved and honored by all the members. At the meeting when he was released from his calling as Bishop, the ward members voted 100 per cent to retain him. Again in Idaho he was chosen as counselor to the Bishop. Later in life he was made class leader of the High Priests in his ward, and the head block teacher. This was the ward where his Stake President lived. All through his life he has been a devoted Latter-day Saint, acquainting himself with the scriptures and thus becoming very qualified to expound them. He has a perfect tithe-paying record. He has a numerous posterity, all of them members of the church, and not one who uses tobacco or liquor. And now, Bishop Koyle, your stockholders salute you on this your 80th birthday, and we pray that you shall live many happy years to enjoy the fruits of your labor and complete the tasks that you have so nobly carried these many years.
[170] A Tribute to JOHN HYRUM KOYLE on his Eightieth Birthday August 14, 1944
The roof was made of willows-- The floor was made of earth Where eighty years ago today This great man had his birth. Throughout the days of childhood, Evil forces lurked nearby In an effort to destroy him, But a Power from on high Kept him safe--his footsteps guided While he grew from child to man, As his life was very precious To the great Eternal Plan.
For his daily bread he struggled, And his earthly goods were few: But his faith and honest effort Proved his heart was staunch and true. Thirty years had passed away When one night he had a dream, And a Messenger imparted Unto him a task supreme. While he took him through a mountain Which was precious, sacred ground And he showed him all the places Where rich treasures did abound.
[171] Then he gave him much instruction: Where to work, and how to mine, And convinced this man we honor That his mission was divine.... Twenty years he worked and labored-- Then, one January night From deep sleep he was awakened, In his room there came a light And two Messengers stood by him, While the taller of the two Spoke to him in careful detail Of the work he was to do.
For two long hours he listened, Sitting upright in his bed; He was told about the dreams he dreamed-- How he was being led By Higher Powers than his own, On each step of the way.... They told him they would guard this Hill Until that glorious day When these rich treasures should come forth According to the Plan To bring relief, and untold worth, And benefit to man.
Now fifty years have passed away The road's been rough and long, The persecutions many-- Yet still he presses on: Though Church, and State and Nation Have assailed him left and right And evil forces threatened To destroy--"Put out his light," He has never lost his courage-- He's been honest, loyal and true, For he knows with all his heart and soul That God will see him through!
--VIRGINIA LINDSAY THOMANDER.
[172] The tribute was well-deserved, although it was one of the few honors he would ever receive in his lifetime. In less than four years from its publication, he would be dead.
The story of his life is a complex one--mostly because of his conflict with those who were determined to be his enemies. The very persons whom he made his greatest efforts to befriend were those who dealt him most of his troubles.
Many stockholders seemed confused over the division between believers and non-believers among Church leaders. "How," they asked, "is it possible that a split in believers could cause a rift all the way up through the First Presidency of the Church?" Some leaders said the mine was of "the Evil One", while others prayed and received answers and testimonies that it was of God. But there were many reasons for such a division.
When the Church is in harmony with the laws of heaven, then it is the proper order of things to have God speak to and through the head of the Church. However, if Church leadership seeks to back away, or excuses themselves from obedience to any of the laws of God, then they are out of order, and God will go elsewhere to find people who will listen and obey Him. The Prophet Joseph Smith confirmed this by saying:
. . . if Zion will not purify herself, so as to be approved of in all things, in His sight, He will seek another people; for His work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear His voice, must expect to feel His wrath. (TPJS, p. 18)
By the turn of the century, it became evident that all things were not approved of in His sight. Church leaders began to discourage the gathering of Israel and belief in and practice of other important doctrines.
[173] It was very apparent that Bishop Koyle would never get to have a hearing with the First Presidency of the Church because they continued to grow more and more hostile towards the mine with each successive Church administration. Likewise, these men would never have a chance to hear the message the Nephite messengers told the Bishop during the hour and a half. Now it would be the duty of the third Nephite to deal directly with the Church leadership when the time was right. They would eventually be released from their offices--to their shame--for the manner in which they had treated the revelations of God.
Nevertheless, he was given to understand by the powers guiding the mine that these men would, in the due time of the Lord, be removed from their high offices, and others would replace them who would cooperate hand-in-hand in complete harmony with the operators of the mine so that this great work of the Lord might see a full and complete fruition of all its destined purposes, and the mission of this sanctified project would not fail, but all the sacred and special causes would be served for which these choice records and treasures had been reserved throughout so many generations of time by a wisdom above that of man's. Bishop Koyle was shown that when vindication came, a complete setting-in-order in the Church would be at hand. This, he said, was shown to him by the Prophet Joseph Smith, himself, who clearly demonstrated to him that not one single General Authority of the old order would be left, but that all would be removed, and that new ones called of God would replace them. (The Dream Mine Story, Pierce, p. 86)
When the Church and its members were sorely pressed for money during the depression of the 1890's, the Lord spoke to Jesse Knight, rather than to the President [174] of the Church, and relief came to the Church and its members through Jesse Knight's mine.
When the Church and its members are brought into the great financial collapse of this nation, they will also know that the Lord spoke to John H. Koyle when relief comes to the Church and its members from his mine.
When the Prophet Joseph Smith came to Bishop Koyle, he said, "Come, Bishop, I want to show you something that I am going to do." Joseph went to the leaders of the Church and began to release them one by one and replace them with some others. Finally the Bishop said, "Brother Joseph, are you going to let them all go?" The Prophet turned to him and sternly replied, "Every jack last one of them--they had their chance and they failed!"
This setting-in-order would include many people in many positions, because the Bishop said it would be "first the Church, then the State, and then the Nation." All of these would be "brought up standing to judgment like a wild colt is brought to a snubbin' post."
The scriptures abound with references to the Lord's setting His house in order. It shall be one of the most important events of the last days. To believe in this event, it requires much faith and an understanding of the scriptures. Men must prepare themselves mentally and spiritually for those crowning events, for God shall again speak from the heavens to reveal His will and to direct the affairs of men on earth in great power.
In May 1949 the Bishop became sick and although he was extremely ill, he fought for life. But he knew that he was not going to live much longer. He had received a dream indicating that his life's mission would soon come to a close.
[175] As his last days approached, he would have Dean Dallin take him down to the Second Ward Chapel where he had last been a member. He could not see what was going on because his eyes were dimmed from sickness and age; so he would ask Dean if the chapel was being torn down yet. When on one of these trips, Dean assured him that the chapel was now being torn down, and the ward members were using the high school auditorium for a chapel until a new one could be built, Bishop Koyle then felt that he was ready to die. In a few days, he took sick again and was taken to the hospital for the last time. (The Dream Mine Story, Pierce, p. 98)
Drilling out the main shaft, tunneling for the five "fingers", construction of the mill, and all the other work had finally been completed just as the Bishop saw it in 1894. All that remained was the firing of those few rounds of explosive charges that would bring in the ore. But this was yet in the future. The Bishop's mission in mortality, however, was finished. The mine would now fall into that void of "dark clouds" as he saw in a dream, which would completely cover the sky and the mine.
Bishop Koyle had become bent from the burden of many difficult years of work and toil. Now the old warrior lay sick on death's door, and life was ebbing away. He would soon find the peace and rest that only the righteous will ever know. As he lay quietly on his death bed, suddenly his eyes widened and he looked upwards. With an expression of rapture, he cried, "Joseph, Joseph, Joseph!" Then the last light and life of Bishop Koyle was gone. Here was a man who knew and talked with Joseph Smith, the Prophet, The Bishop had taught and honored the Gospel as it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph. Now as he passed into the world of spirits, he--like Brigham Young--uttered those same words at meeting again their beloved leader and friend.
[176] John H. Koyle Dies At Age 84
An official notice of the Bishop's death appeared in the Deseret News. It was not an ordinary obituary, for it was placed on the front page of the second section of the paper. It read:
Spanish Fork--John Hyrum Koyle, 84, president and promoter of the so-called "Dream Mine" in the mountains east of Spanish Fork, died Tuesday, May 17, 1949, at 9 a.m. in a Payson hospital. He had been in the hospital since last Wednesday when he suffered a heart attack. Mr. Koyle was founder and president of the Koyle Mining Co. which promoted and operated the widely known "Dream Mine". While the company was organized more than 50 years ago, the mine has always been on a "prospect" basis. [177] In promoting the mine, Mr. Koyle claimed divine guidance. He repudiated all such claims in a public statement Jan. 7, 1947. He was excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 16, 1948, after conviction in a Church court on a charge of insubordination. He had been conducting meetings contrary to the order of the Church. Mr. Koyle was born Aug. 14, 1864, at Spanish Fork, a son of John Hyrum and Aneda Hillman Koyle. He received his education in the Spanish Fork schools, and spent a few years in Idaho ranching. He was married to Emily Arvilla Holt, Dec. 9, 1884. She preceded him in death. He at one time served as bishop of the Leland Ward in Spanish Fork. Surviving are seven sons and daughters. John LeRoy Koyle and Merril Scovil Koyle, Spanish Fork; Ross Fielding Koyle, Mrs. Sarah Evelyn Stout, Mrs. Alinda Duke, and Mrs. Emma Winward, all of Burley, Idaho; Mrs. Lucille Weight, Pocatello; and about 15 grandchildren and several great grandchildren. (Deseret News, May 19, 1949)
Funeral services were held in the local school auditorium at Spanish Fork. Mourners filled the building to an overflowing crowd who came to pay their last respects to this prophet of God--perhaps the last of his kind in this generation.
The local Church authorities had no jurisdiction over the high school, so they were powerless to deny them the use of their "chapel", and from among his friends there was plenty of Priesthood authority to give the service all the sacred touch it needed. (The Dream Mine Story, Pierce, p. 99)
[178] It is true that the Priesthood was always well represented both in his life and at his death. Those few men in this dispensation who could speak to God and receive an answer, were the men who acknowledge Bishop Koyle as an inspired servant of God. Besides such men as President Anthony W. Ivins, Apostle George Teasdale, Apostle Matthais F. Cowley, President J. Golden Kimball, and other stake and ward authorities in the Church, there were men such as Joseph Musser who told the author that "The Lord has shown Bishop Koyle his work and He has shown me mine." Lorin Woolley also never spoke against the Bishop--even saying that riches would come from that mine and others for the benefit of the Saints.
Burial was in the Spanish Fork Cemetery. Joseph E. Geertsen, that man who stood so close to the Bishop in his last days, dedicated the grave. lt was a dedication, a prayer and a prophecy, for he said:
. . . by the authority of the Priesthood, we dedicate this ground, and this casket, and the clothing, the robes and garments, and the body that is resting here, that no evil power may harm or disturb or mar this resting place, until, Father, Thou shalt call forth his body to unite with his spirit, to accomplish his mission yet upon this earth. (Pierce, p. 102)
The day after Bishop Koyle died, Quayle Dixon, secretary of the mine, ordered a shut-down of all operations on the hill. Phil Tadje became president of the mining company for about six months, at which time he was replaced by Quayle Dixon who retained the leadership position until just before his death December 4, 1988. He was often questioned by Church authorities and threatened with excommunication, but it was never carried out.
Many people ask the question of why the mine has not yet produced any ore. This same question was asked Bishop Koyle by Austin Fife, who wrote:
[179] If you ventured the question which you thought would be the most embarrassing to him--How do you explain the fact that although you have dug for forty years, the mine has not yet produced a single ounce of pay dirt?--you were surprised by an answer that betrayed neither embarrassment nor lack of hope. The mine is to produce only when the financial structure of the world is about to collapse. It will begin to produce just in time to save the Saints from the economic ruin that will wreck the world. (Saints of Sage and Saddle, Fife, pp. 283-84)
Christ never saw the triumph of His Church while He lived; the Prophet Joseph Smith never saw the redemption of Zion while he was alive; and Bishop Koyle never realized the materialization of the ore deposited in that mountain. But in the last days they all shall see the fulfillment of their vision.
Brigham Young saw in vision and subsequently directed the labors for the construction of the Salt Lake Temple. Though he never lived to see the completion of that magnificent work, it took workmen over 40 years of drilling, carving and hauling rock. Yet he had hopes of seeing that temple "built in a manner that it will endure through the Millennium." (JD 10:254)
Bishop Koyle saw in vision and then directed the labors of the mine, and he too never lived to see the completion of that project. Workmen have labored on the mine for over 84 years, drilling, carving and hauling rock. Both the temple and the mine were divinely inspired; both were dedicated to the salvation of men--one for the spiritual, the other for the temporal. Both were labors to last into the Millennium.
Before John Koyle ever struck a pick into that mountain, he was told that the mine would come in when the world was in a chaotic state, when famine, war and [180] pestilence were about to pose a threat to all mankind. Why then do people judge the lack of ore in prosperous times as a way to determine that it is a fraud. Everything about the mine has taken place just as the Bishop prophesied that it would. Even this long shut-down was one of the major prophecies that had to come to pass.
The enemies of that work are gloating over the Bishop's death just as they did when Joseph Smith was killed and when they crucified the Son of God. They assumed that it would be the end of those "spiritualists," "rabble rousers" and "fanatics". But their work is still proceeding--slowly but effectively. It is a time of trial--it is a time when God is employing the most severe form of test to His people. Only a few are becoming diamonds in the rough--those precious stones that look like the rest of the gravel, but who, in the day of the Lord's return, shall become those polished gems of which He said he'd "make up His jewels" with a polish and beauty that would endure forever.
How significant and symbolic is the story of Joseph in Egypt in comparison to John H. Koyle. Joseph was denounced as a "dreamer" and was cast off by his brothers. But it was through the gift of dreams that Joseph brought honor and salvation to the house of Israel. Through his gift of dreams, God was able to provide food for a seven-year famine. Even his brothers, who had rejected him and his gift of dreams, came in repentance to acknowledge that God had indeed spoken to him. Also, the great patriarch over the Israelites, Jacob, came to pay honor and to be saved from the famine. It was through Joseph that the house of Israel was brought together and Joseph gave them food and prosperity. Through his gift of dreams, they were saved from disaster.
Because of the gift of dreams, John Koyle was cast out by his brethren. But in the day of distress and famine, his brethren will repentantly acknowledge that God had indeed spoken to him. The children of Israel will again be [181] gathered together, and they will be fed while famine and pestilence ravage the world. In that day, John H. Koyle shall receive the honor that was denied him in mortality.
When Bishop Koyle died and the mine was closed, only a caretaker, an occasional visitor, or a few stockholders doing assessment work were seen on the mountain. This was the beginning of the dark clouds that would overshadow the mine. The workmen had left, and most work had stopped. No more Thursday night meetings would be held. Bishop Koyle was dead, and the mine was dying.
But some work had to continue, as an annual assessment of $8,000 worth of work was required to continue the leases on the property. Much was done on the outside of the mine, but some felt that another attempt should be made to re-activate work in the mine. A letter was written to the stockholders by Lyman S. Wood for a meeting to be held on May 8, 1950, in Spanish Fork. It was an attempt to resume work in the mine with men and materials. This meeting never accomplished much because of the lack of interest and failure of sufficient numbers to be represented.
On May 27, 1950, a letter was written to the Board of Directors from the Advisory Board with a four-point recommendation:
1. The mine should be removed from a "closed-down" condition, and money and men should proceed with the objective of reaching the ore.
2. Elections for the Board of Directors should be held on June 17th. Members of the Board must be sustained by common consent of popular vote.
3. All stockholders should be notified of the forthcoming election, and work should proceed even if a quorum majority is not present.
[182] 4. A reply from each of the directors to the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Joseph E. Geertsen, was also requested.
The next five years were very difficult ones, with leading stockholders being divided on what should be done at the mine. It was very difficult to come up with even the money for taxes.
A flurry of short-lived activity came in 1955, when Quayle Dixon, who was elevated to the Board of Directors in 1950, began receiving several letters from an Al Sinclair in Texas. Sinclair requested a sample of ore from the mine. Later he bought several tons at $100 a ton which he processed into a compound for acidless automobile batteries. The next year Sinclair visited the mine and exhibited an interest in it and its potential. During the winter of 1956 work was started again and the rails, pumps, and ladders were repaired or replaced which led down into the winze. One hundred feet of water was pumped out and excitement was mounting--only to fall with the pump which broke and allowed all the water to again fill the winze. According to Bishop Koyle, there would be an earthquake which would drain the winze when the time should come for it to be worked. The discouraged miners probably took the incident as a warning, so they proceeded back to the 200-foot level and sought for ore. None of the ore realized any values and their enthusiasm and their finances were nearly exhausted.
Work was temporarily halted until the spring of 1958, when Al Sinclair made a new announcement. He convinced the mine leaders that they had misunderstood Koyle, that it was necessary to "first realize commercial value from the vast quantities of ore already taken from and stored in the mine." He proposed the idea of manufacturing a soil conditioner from the ore. By now many of the directors and stockholders were convinced that Al was one of the Three Nephites. Although some of the stockholders had seen Sinclair smoking (an old Lamanite habit), and reports [183] came back that he was teaching a Protestant Sunday School class in Texas, these things did not seem to dampen their faith in him as a Nephite. Others, however, claimed that after Bishop Koyle passed away, spirituality at the mine also died.
Tons of ore came from the mine and were used as a soil conditioner or fertilizer on gardens and lawns. This was not what the mine was intended for, but some of the stockholders were enthusiastic. Another idea was advanced for use of the ore. If a nuclear bomb was dropped, this conditioner would thwart the radioactive fallout. By 1960, plans were being made to market the material under the name of KOMICO, an abbreviation of Koyle Mining Company. Their hopes and expectations were to distribute their new product worldwide. Needless to say, KOMICO never met the international market, and operations at the mine soon returned to the usual assessment work.
March 21, 1961, was the anniversary of the incorporated Koyle Mining Company. If a majority of stock could be represented, then an amendment to the articles of the mine could have extended the incorporation and also continue the name of the company. However, that was not accomplished; therefore, the directors allowed the old company to become defunct. They decided to organize a new corporation called the "Relief Mine Company." On April 12, 1961, the articles of incorporation were filed with the Utah County Clerk and Secretary of State. The Koyle Mining Company was now dead.
The Koyle Mining Company was the name that appeared on all stock certificates, but because of the constant reference to the manner in which the mine was begun, it was soon called the "Dream Mine". While the Bishop was alive, and while the company existed under a 50-year incorporation, the mine continued on a "prospect" basis. After the re-incorporation, the name was changed to "Relief Mine". It is still called "Dream Mine" by most stockholders since it is still in its preparatory stages; [184] however, when the great strike of riches is made, it shall fulfill its mission for the relief of the poor. Then the title of "Relief Mine" will become significantly appropriate.
Capital stock in the new company was increased to 1,000,000 shares as compared to the 700,000 shares in the Koyle Mining company. It was to become a perpetual existence form of corporation rather than a 50-year corporation. The old stock could be surrendered "to the secretary of the Relief Mine Company for cancellation and may receive in exchange a like number of shares in the latter corporation;" however, these transactions had to be made within a seven-year period from the date of the announcement.
Since a stockholder was required to have 1,000 shares of stock to qualify as a director, Al Sinclair was given the necessary stock to qualify for the position, and was then added to the Board of Directors. The others were Quayle Dixon, Douglas Dixon (his brother), Homer Harwood, Horace Brough, and LaVar Hooley was the secretary.
The Bishop often told the story of the dream about a "little patch of blue sky" which was a prophecy concerning the last days of the mine. I heard the Bishop relate this dream while I was visiting with him one night. One of the Board of Directors came to his house to see him that evening, and the Bishop seemed very intent in relating this dream to this director:
Dark clouds began to gather until they had completely covered the sky. The whole heavens appeared to be black with very little light around. Everything was engulfed in darkness. Then I looked northwest toward the Point of the Mountain, and I saw a small patch of blue in the sky. Then it began to grow. Suddenly it pushed all the darkness away and then the whole sky was blue and sunny again.
[185] This was the Bishop's dream of the long shut-down at the mine.
Then in a Priesthood session of the 140th Annual Conference on April 4, 1970, President Harold B. Lee read the Statement of 1913 to reaffirm the Church's position. It was a sort of coup de grace for the mine.
So, today is a dark day for the mine, but a prosperous one for the Church and the rest of the world. All leading nations are reveling in prosperity but they are increasing in wickedness. Crime, corruption and conspiracy are bringing the nations of the earth to destruction. Men are bought and sold in high places--gold and governments are being traded or confiscated through the powers of deception and darkness. So subtle and successful are the influences of these "secret combinations" that the devil has gained nearly total control of the world. These things are happening according to the prophecies of Bishop Koyle, but soon the greatest of his prophecies will be fulfilled.
-- End Of Chapter --
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