By a very strong impression to do
today what I have long contemplated doing, I .... went to Spanish Fork ... and drove to the foot of the mountain east of Salem... to examine the "Relief Mine," commonly known as the "Dream Mine." Many rumors of this alleged mine have reached me and much has been said concerning supposed inspiration by which the work has been undertaken and prosecuted..... I found thirty men engaged in the work, each of whom is working for stock in the company, all having faith in the divine direction by which they say the mine was located. .... After returning to the surface I met Brother Koyle and all the brethren here engaged and told them that from the standpoint of geological structure and all the known laws of mineral occurrence their effort is absolutely without promise of success. I listened to their statements as to the coincidences by which Brother Koyle's action seems to them to have been justified on the basis of direction by a power above the wisdom of man, and to many testimonies of the brethren that they have received manifestations and inspiration directing them to continue this work. I told them I had made the subject a matter of prayer and had asked to be free from all prejudice or bias and to be able to recognize the facts and the truth, and testified to them ... that I considered it would be well for them to abandon this work ...
It is astounding to see the great effort they have made in what I believe to be an undertaking directed by the spirit of misguided zeal, which I believe to be the spirit of evil. Work has been in progress here for about 18 years, and on the statement made by the men themselves, the expenditure in labor and money is largely in excess of $100,000.00. I showed the men how utterly contrary to wisdom it is to go to the top of a mountain and there commence to sink a shaft in order seemingly to reach the bottom. .... As to any divine direction in the matter, I had upon the ground and so testified to the men, an impression not to be disregarded, that the source of the inspiration which they claim is the very opposite of divine.
This is but one of many such instances of alleged supernatural manifestations that work among our people, most of them tending to show that those who follow the course indicated will find great wealth in the hills. ... The predictions of old, that in the last days evil spirits, and even the spirits of devils will be working miracles among the people, are fulfilled. In this particular case stock in the company is now selling at $1.50 per share. ...
[Source: James E. Talmage, Diary]
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