TheJewel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Try this one:
> [www.reflectionsfromthewall.net]
> 6/8/24680235/jrs_the_walk.doc
>
> It just worked for me.


Thanks, Jewel.
Here is an excerpt (pg 34-35) regarding the mine debacle. Is this account accurate? Partially accurate? Completely bogus?? Certainly some people in this forum have first-hand knowledge. I came into the walk shortly after this went down.

"Holder, however, did not settle down into a normal Christian life at Grace Chapel. Until 1971, he was still wheeling and dealing all over North America, constantly getting in touch with Stevens to get permission to enter into another enterprise. It is not clear how many of these enterprises were funded by members of the Walk, but one thing is clear: by 1973, over one million dollars had been funneled to Holder and disappeared without any profit or material return. How could this be?
In 1971, John Robert Stevens' son-in-law was admitted into the practice of law. The same year Holder, Stevens, Steven's daughter, and Richard Helphand (Stevens' son-in-law) formed Western Ore Reduction Corporation in Carson City, Nevada. Holder was the president; Helphand was the vice-president; Helphand's wife (Stevens' daughter) was the treasurer; and Stevens (keeping his usual low profile) was on the board of directors. From this moment on the burden of the mine was shifted from being mainly borne by Holder to everyone in the Walk. It takes no genius to make the connection between this burden and the fact that Stevens and his family had a lot to profit by the union of free enterprise with church financial support. All that was needed to gain the support of the congregation was the right bait. John Robert wasted no time in baiting his hook.

The Hook
The hook (or bait) needed was given in a series of prophecies and ministries as well as two or three slickly presented pamphlets issued by Western Ore. According to, "To Take the Kingdom," concurrent with Holder's 1953 vision, prophecies were being made in Grace Chapel that indicated that God was going "to bring great wealth to His people so that the Apostolic Company could carry the gospel of the Kingdom to the 'ends of the earth.'[. "To Take the Kingdom" (Sepulveda, CA: Western Ore Reduction Corporation, no date), p. 9.] This piece of propaganda gives a history of world economics, placing Holder's mine within a salvation-history framework. Thus, the members could plainly see that the "Kingdom Mine" was part of God's divine plan for the End Time:
Kingdom Mine is located about 75 miles northeast of Los Vegas, just off Salt Lake Highway. In addition to being one of the richest gold deposits in the world, it has some of the world's best farming soil . . . . .Before long, Kingdom Mine will be Kingdom City. It will have all the facilities to be completely self-sufficient . . . . If we are to avoid the "mark of the beast" and still survive to do God's will we must be completely self-sufficient.
However, even more than just a means of financial support, this mine is intended in the perfect will of the Lord, to be instrumental in bringing the downfall of Satan's control over the monetary systems of the world. This will be the first time since the Garden of Eden that key resources have been part of the Kingdom . . . .Yet with all this, there is still the confirmed word of the Lord that the Kingdom Mine is in His perfect will; that He has spoken and ordained that it should come forth now. This seemed to be a stalemate until the Lord began to reveal that He would do it through His own people . . . .
What it boils down to is this: the Kingdom Mine is just like any other ministry: its lifeblood depends completely upon the sustained faith, prayers and support of the entire Body. Just as with the printing ministry, the tapes, the video ministry, the buildings, the camps, the Apostolic Company, or whatever, it is the continued sacrifice of the saints that brings it forth. What is needed right now, in addition to constant intercession, is the money and equipment to put the pilot plant into operation."

I think it’s accurate. I gave $6000.00 to John Hostetter and someone he was traveling with ( ? Paul Holder) when they visited the Salt Lake City church. I was 23 at the time and had saved nearly all my earnings from active duty during my exciting time in Vietnam. I don’t remember getting an official receipt or legitimate stock certificate, but there was some sort of a ‘thank you’ with a Western Ore Reduction Co. heading on the note.

That was it. No further communication except for what was heard through the grapevine in the membership. I didn’t take an investment loss due to extremely poor documentation (mentioned above) and I didn’t have any investment gains for an offset anyway. Never made another investment since.

Of course, at the time I didn’t care. God was in charge and the Kingdom was dawning and I was high on worldwide futility finally being put down by the honest and loving Saints of the Most High.

Tmason Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where did everyone go? Where you all raptured and
> only I was left behind?


Ha.....more likely struck by lightening (wink). Tmason your posts are like a breath of fresh air. I appreciate that although your parents remained in the Walk when you left, it seems you have managed to shake off bitterness.

FCSLC...I too invested about the same amount you did and probably took out a cash advance on my credit card but like you the loss never bothered me probably because as you said we were high on the false notion that WE were setting creation free from futility and I might add that God was a Genie in a Bottle.

FCSLC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think it’s accurate. I gave $6000.00 to John
> Hostetter and someone he was traveling with ( ?
> Paul Holder) when they visited the Salt Lake City
> church. I was 23 at the time and had saved nearly
> all my earnings from active duty during my
> exciting time in Vietnam. I don’t remember
> getting an official receipt or legitimate stock
> certificate, but there was some sort of a ‘thank
> you’ with a Western Ore Reduction Co. heading on
> the note.
>
> That was it. No further communication except for
> what was heard through the grapevine in the
> membership. I didn’t take an investment loss
> due to extremely poor documentation (mentioned
> above) and I didn’t have any investment gains
> for an offset anyway. Never made another
> investment since.
>
> Of course, at the time I didn’t care. God was
> in charge and the Kingdom was dawning and I was
> high on worldwide futility finally being put down
> by the honest and loving Saints of the Most High.

I know one individual that appreciated your donation and still does to this day......me.
I am sure one or two dollars got thru to the operation on the ground. We were busy: I got to drive the scraper or pan (this piece of s*** was very old and tired by the time it came to the mine), there was an old military jeep, a pick up truck that got the back window broken out and never got a new one (you had to wear eye protection like goggles because the sand would get in your eyes)a few mobile homes without utilities and an bunkhouse for the men. Don't forget the outhouse and whom contributed to digging the hole for that s***. We had a water tower that heated the water a bit(it was painted black) and in the summer they let water out into a concrete trough. Little Paul and I would sit in the trough and wait for that cold water. It was the greatest recreation in a place where the daytime Temps were over 120 in the shade.
To bath we had to boil water and put it in the bathtub. This kept the girls out of the bathroom for protracted periods of time.
My mom often cooked for everyone and for years and years after we left the mine she could not cook lower volume meals. We had leftovers forever!

Anyhow, I digress. The money (or some of it) went to feed and house the families that had moved there and provide those state of the art facilities we inhabited. There was an old centrifuge that worked a few times that I can recall. The biggest problem was keeping
the diesel generator running so we could have water.
I should write a book on our time at the mine, maybe someone would get some closure and value from knowing that there were people on the other end that lived on whatever was left of the money after the scammers took their reward.
I hate to find out that we existed on the backs of others, particularly veterans but I think that was largely how The Walk operated.
If it wasn't the mine there would have been some other scheme to defraud the congregants and part them with their cash. That was the goal.
In all sincerity I do thank you and anyone whom donated money as it certainly did provide food and shelter.
God bless!

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TheJewel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Try this one:
> >
> [www.reflectionsfromthewall.net]
>
> > 6/8/24680235/jrs_the_walk.doc
> >
> > It just worked for me.
>
>
> Thanks, Jewel.
> Here is an excerpt (pg 34-35) regarding the mine
> debacle. Is this account accurate? Partially
> accurate? Completely bogus?? Certainly some people
> in this forum have first-hand knowledge. I came0
> into the walk shortly after this went down.
>
> "Holder, however, did not settle down into a
> normal Christian life at Grace Chapel. Until 1971,
> he was still wheeling and dealing all over North
> America, constantly getting in touch with Stevens
> to get permission to enter into another
> enterprise. It is not clear how many of these
> enterprises were funded by members of the Walk,
> but one thing is clear: by 1973, over one million
> dollars had been funneled to Holder and
> disappeared without any profit or material return.
> How could this be?

> In 1971, John Robert Stevens' son-in-law was
> admitted into the practice of law. The same year
> Holder, Stevens, Steven's daughter, and Richard
> Helphand (Stevens' son-in-law) formed Western Ore
> Reduction Corporation in Carson City, Nevada.
> Holder was the president; Helphand was the
> vice-president; Helphand's wife (Stevens'
> daughter) was the treasurer; and Stevens (keeping
> his usual low profile) was on the board of
> directors. From this moment on the burden of the
> mine was shifted from being mainly borne by Holder
> to everyone in the Walk. It takes no genius to
> make the connection between this burden and the
> fact that Stevens and his family had a lot to
> profit by the union of free enterprise with church
> financial support. All that was needed to gain the
> support of the congregation was the right bait.
> John Robert wasted no time in baiting his hook.
>
> The Hook
> The hook (or bait) needed was given in a series of
> prophecies and ministries as well as two or three
> slickly presented pamphlets issued by Western Ore.
> According to, "To Take the Kingdom," concurrent
> with Holder's 1953 vision, prophecies were being
> made in Grace Chapel that indicated that God was
> going "to bring great wealth to His people so that
> the Apostolic Company could carry the gospel of
> the Kingdom to the 'ends of the earth.'[. "To Take
> the Kingdom" (Sepulveda, CA: Western Ore Reduction
> Corporation, no date), p. 9.] This piece of
> propaganda gives a history of world economics,
> placing Holder's mine within a salvation-history
> framework. Thus, the members could plainly see
> that the "Kingdom Mine" was part of God's divine
> plan for the End Time:
> Kingdom Mine is located about 75 miles northeast
> of Los Vegas, just off Salt Lake Highway. In
> addition to being one of the richest gold deposits
> in the world, it has some of the world's best
> farming soil . . . . .Before long, Kingdom Mine
> will be Kingdom City. It will have all the
> facilities to be completely self-sufficient . . .
> . If we are to avoid the "mark of the beast" and
> still survive to do God's will we must be
> completely self-sufficient.
> However, even more than just a means of financial
> support, this mine is intended in the perfect will
> of the Lord, to be instrumental in bringing the
> downfall of Satan's control over the monetary
> systems of the world. This will be the first time
> since the Garden of Eden that key resources have
> been part of the Kingdom . . . .Yet with all this,
> there is still the confirmed word of the Lord that
> the Kingdom Mine is in His perfect will; that He
> has spoken and ordained that it should come forth
> now. This seemed to be a stalemate until the Lord
> began to reveal that He would do it through His
> own people . . . .
> What it boils down to is this: the Kingdom Mine is
> just like any other ministry: its lifeblood
> depends completely upon the sustained faith,
> prayers and support of the entire Body. Just as
> with the printing ministry, the tapes, the video
> ministry, the buildings, the camps, the Apostolic
> Company, or whatever, it is the continued
> sacrifice of the saints that brings it forth. What
> is needed right now, in addition to constant
> intercession, is the money and equipment to put
> the pilot plant into operation."

I don't know about the backdoor dealing that went on but I can tell you that even a six year old child knows there was no millions or million spent on anything in that desert. Besides the millions of grains of sand and snakes and scorpions there were no millions there.

larry bobo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Several mentioned their relationship with Dan
> Statton, and I just wanted to say how much I
> appreciated him and his family during their time
> in Des Moines in the 70’s. All of them added a
> touch of class to our local church and were so
> kind to others in their relating. Dan was
> especially good to the young people and a great
> example and encouragement to me personally.
> Although I know he got crossways with TLWF
> leadership later on (so did I for that matter), He
> will always be special to me, even though he is no
> longer around. I was blessed to wear many of his
> hand-me-down lawyer shirts as a
> teenager/twenty-something – which was still a
> step up for a construction worker.
>
> Something I don’t think anyone has really
> mentioned is the impact that an adulterous and
> idolatrous relationship with Marilyn had on our
> personal marriages and relationships with God.
> For a wife to play second fiddle to another woman
> in a marriage was never God’s intention. Many
> marriages were destroyed by following Marilyn –
> starting with John’s. Neither was it God’s
> intention to have another human in between us and
> Himself pretending to be God and taking His place.
> It sabotaged both key relationships in life from
> becoming what they were meant to be and in the end
> only provided dust in the wind.
>
> I remember being asked by a shepherd about a
> personal directive from Marilyn, and if I had
> discussed it with my wife yet. I was shocked that
> he would even have to ask – I was “given” to
> Marilyn – not my wife. I didn’t even really
> care what my wife thought – I was doing what
> Marilyn said – with or without her. In
> hindsight, that was so wrong on so many levels –
> and so unfair to my wife. She should have been
> first – not Marilyn. I wouldn’t even dream of
> that now – I can see my wife’s talons coming
> out over a woman that wanted to violate our
> marriage - and she's a very kind and caring
> person. That was such a perversion! Too bad I
> could not see it at the time. So much for the
> ministries marrying Marilyn. Run that by other
> Christian leaders and see what kind of response
> you get. When I mention to my wife about
> changing God’s name to Marilyn’s name in
> worship songs, she can’t even imagine in her
> wildest dreams how we could get so far off track.
> In hindsight, I was so given to her control and
> yet I honestly had no clue to what she was like as
> a person – it was all just a fantasy. I
> didn’t even know her, just that I was driven to
> obey whatever she said, as though it was God
> speaking.


What's this thing about Marilyn asking the ministries to marry her? Did anyone ask her what the hell is that was supposed to mean? I'm going out on a limb here and I don't know for a fact, but I would guess that what people interpreted it to mean wasn't what she meant.

SouthGate Wrote:

> What's this thing about Marilyn asking the
> ministries to marry her? Did anyone ask her what
> the hell is that was supposed to mean? I'm going
> out on a limb here and I don't know for a fact,
> but I would guess that what people interpreted it
> to mean wasn't what she meant.

My guess, based on observing her tactics through the years, was to convey to the 'ministries' that she was to be their top priority. In other words, a married man was to regard the relationship with her (presumably spiritual) as more important than the one with his wife.
Oh how I miss those days...(sarcasm)

BTW, I just read an article on AmericanLibertyNewsGuardian.com that Melania Trump is insisting that anyone accepting a Cabinet position will need to marry her first.

Thank you Tmason. In a heartfelt way, your post about life in the hot desert at the mine with the sand blowing gives the ‘donation’ some legitimacy for me. My uncle ran a sand & gravel pit in similar circumstances. I remember as a child being amazed at small pebbles being sun scorched (burnt) on one side. Old wood shacks, well water, old D7 crawlers, drifting sand, goats, sage brush, a brutal life.

Helping you can be translated into helping my own flesh & blood family. God bless and thanks again.

Let's not lose sight that there were reports of families losing their life savings by investing in the mine and leaving the Walk. For them it wasn't a donation and it was a horrible financial loss. Yes, it was an investment with associated risks but for some the mine failure reflected on JRS, that he wasn't a seer prophet and the promise of prosperity from their investment was false. I remember at the time and being under the "spell" hearing a friend complaining about her husband being influenced by JRS to invest and I was thinking "you need to get with the program." Of course, I recognized now that was wrong thinking. I don't recall anyone blaming Marilyn for the mine failure or that she influenced JRS to get involved.