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In response to brother [Name Deleted]'s doubts that the True order of Prayer was ever practiced or condoned outside the Temples, I submit some relative information. You will notice in the following quotes that prayer circles were quite common in ward and stake buildings in earlier years when the clarity of its use and doctrinal understanding were more apparent. Michael Quinn's work on prayer circles from BYU Studies sheds light on these things:
The special prayer circles of the 1850s were not restricted to Salt Lake City or even to Utah. Although data are insufficient to identify the locations of all special prayer circles during this period, it is possible that they were functioning in each of the major Mormon settlements established in the American West. The Mormon colony in San Bernardino, California, and the St. Louis (Missouri) Stake were both far distant from Church headquarters, yet the former had a prayer circle as early as 1854 and the latter organized a prayer circle in 1857. (D. Michael Quinn, BYU Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1, p.97)
In 1851 these special prayer circles met in dedicated rooms of residences, but subsequently convened in the Lion House or in the Salt Lake Endowment House (1855-1889), in the Gardo House or private residences (1889-1893), and in the Salt Lake Temple (1893-1929). In some cases, prayer circles distant from a temple met in residences rather than in chapels. It was common for the circle president to admit his relatives since these special prayer circles included men irrespective of priesthood calling. Moreover, these special prayer circles often included men from various wards and stakes in the Salt Lake Valley. Men were released from a special prayer circle only in the event of unwillingness to attend regularly or if they ceased to be members of the Church in good standing. (D. Michael Quinn, BYU Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1, p.99)
"In addition to stake prayer circles, ecclesiastical prayer circles have been conducted by wards, priesthood quorums (e.g., the Salt Lake Stake Elders' Quorum, 1893-1929), and by temple presidencies and temple workers. Usually, these ecclesiastical prayer circles, even in local wards, were organized by members of the First Presidency or the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. For example on 18 December 1880 the President of the Church, his counselors and two apostles organized prayer circles in each of the Ogden, Utah, wards.63 Nevertheless, the presence of an apostle was not always required, since in 1937 Edward J. Wood, president of the Alberta (Canada) Stake and president of the Cardston Temple, organized a prayer circle in the Hillspring Ward.64 The number of ward prayer circles is not readily apparent, but in 1900 Apostle Reed Smoot said: "I hope that there will not be a ward but what will have a prayer circle inaugurated for it is a strength to the Church."65 With such encouragement, it is probable that ward prayer circles have been as common by proportion as stake circles. (D. Michael Quinn, BYU Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1, p.102)
The conducting of separate prayer circles has continued until recently in some wards and stakes. However, on 3 May 1978, the First Presidency announced that all prayer circles except those conducted as part of the endowment ceremony in the temples were to be immediately discontinued. As the number of stakes in the LDS Church reached nearly a thousand, the Council of the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles decided that it would be too difficult to comply with all the requests for new prayer circles. (Michael Quinn, BYU Studies.)
I am acquinted with several older LDS members that remember being asked to come down to the ward chapel with their 'Temple' robes to pray for inspiration. For instance, an acquaintance of mine was part of an Elder's quorum presidency in Provo in 1968. He was invited to a meeting in the 7th and 11th ward building in which he was to bring his robes. The True order of Prayer was engaged in for the purpose of receiving the Lord's will on new callings and decisions, etc..
Upper rooms in old chapels have either been covered over or are cleaning or storage rooms now. High council rooms were used for these prayer circles. My wife's grandfather in Provo back in the 30's and 40's used to take his Temple clothes to the ward chapel to pray in leadership meetings, etc.
Dedicating altar rooms in personal homes and praying in the True Order was common place in the early church:
A Prayer Answered:
I am standing on what to me is sacred ground. My grandparents and my parents and many other relatives lived here in Provo and some still live here. My father as a young man came near losing his life in the Provo river, not far from where we are now. His father, who was in Salt Lake City, felt impressed to go into a room that had been set apart for prayer. He clothed himself in Temple robes, knelt down at the altar and said: "Heavenly Father, I feel that there is something seriously wrong with my family in Provo. Thou knowest that I can not be with them there and be here. Heavenly Father, wilt thou preserve and safeguard them, and I will be grateful to thee and honor thee."
At the time when he was praying, just as near as it was possible to indicate by checking the time, my father had fallen into the river. It was at flood time. Logs and rocks were pouring down from the canyon, and he was helpless. Those who were near saw his predicament, but they could not reach him. The turbulence of the water was such that nobody could live in it. They just stood there in horror. Father was doing everything he could to keep his head above water, but he was being thrown up and down and being dashed against the rocks and logs. All at once a wave lifted him bodily from the water and threw him upon the shore. It was a direct answer of the prayer of a servant of the Lord. (George Albert Smith, Sharing the Gospel With Others, p.83-84, Church Section, Deseret News, February 16, 1946.)
If you search the words 'family altar' in the infobases (folio,1995) the reality of home altars and offering up the signs and praying in the privacy of one's home was encouraged by LDS church leadership. For example:
"The family altar should be in every man's house; he is the patriarch of the family, and everything should be done under his direction. He should offer prayer; his wife and children also should offer prayer in turn around the family altar. You cannot be a Saint without the fellowship of the Spirit of God; and you should train your children that they also may know the benefit of having its fellowship." (George Teasdale Gen. conf. Oct. 5, 1903.)
Using the Keys of the Priesthood and offering up the signs and praying in a sign of the priesthood was never relegated only to the interior of an Endowment House or Temple. These keys were taught in these edifices but were not restrictive in the use of them outside. My whole point is that endowed men and women are taught the True Order of Prayer so that they will use it to receive revelation and guidance in their lives and eventually pierce the veil and receive the ministrations of Heaven. It is, after all the 'True"order of Prayer, isn't it? Once being 'endowed' with these keys, the recipient is to use them. This is a concept that has been lost to the Latter-Day Saints today.
Having thus conferred the keys and form of the true order of prayer, Joseph Smith apparently also authorized members of the Anointed Quorum to practice the order of prayer apart the rest of the prayer circle. While Heber C. Kimball was campaigning for Joseph Smith's presidential candidacy in Washington, D.C., he recorded in his journal on 6 June 1844: "Last nite I clothed my self and offerd up the Sines of the Holy Preasthood--and called one the nameof the Lord he hurd me fore my heart was mad comfortable," and a month later he and Apostle Lyman Wight obtained confirmation of the actuality of the martyrdom in answer to the order of prayer. (D. Michael Quinn, BYU Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1, p.91)
Brigham Young, in giving instructions to Bishop Miller regarding the fullfilling of his calling said,
Let a Quorum of High Priests go into an upper room, and there appear before the Lord in the garments of the holy Priesthood, and offer up before the Father, in the name of Jesus, the signs of the holy Priesthood, and then ask God to give a revelation concerning that doctrine, and they have a right to receive it. If you cannot get the information in an other way, suppose you were upon the islands of the sea, far away from the main body of the Church, you are entitled, to the administration of angels who administer in the terrestrial kingdom; and they have a right to receive administrations from the celestial. In this capacity you could ask for revelations pertaining to doctrine. (Brigham Young, JD 9:91)
Also, President Young recorded the dimensions of the altar for those who may desire to build one:
The altar is 2 1/2 feet long X 2 1/2 feet high X (one) foot wide rising from a platform about 8 or 9 inches high and extending out on all sides about a foot forming a convenient place to kneel upon. The top of the altar and the platform for kneeling upon are covered with cushions of scarlet damask cloth; the sides of the upright part or body of the altar are covered with white linen. (Mss. Hist. of Brigham Young; by J. Watson, pg.8)
Wilford Woodruff added:
President Young said the family altar was the same as an altar in the prayer circle. It is for parents and children to join hands over the altar and pray. (Journal of Wilford Woodruff; April 25, 1858.)
There is more to praying than just praying. According to the Prophet Joseph, a person must learn how to approach God in the proper manner if he ever expects a reply:
Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us. (Joseph Smith 6 April 1844; Words of Joseph Smith.)
It is only when we learn how to approach God in the proper manner that we are able to have the heavens unfolded to us. On another occaision when Joseph was addressing a group of Relief Society sisters:
He spoke of delivering the Keys of the Priesthood to the Church, and said that the faithful members of the Relief Society should receive them with their husbands, and the Saints whose integrity has been tried and proved faithful, might know how to ask and receive an answer. (TPJS, pg.226)
This statement by the Prophet clearly points out that the saints of his day did not know how to pray so as to receive an answer from God, or at least not a full and complete answer. And how did they pray? They prayed just as we do now; they addressed their prayers to the Father, expressed thanks for their blessings, petitioned the Father's assistance in their lives, and closed in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet Joseph believed and openly taught that these steps were not sufficient. Bathsheba W. Smith, wife of Apostle George A. Smith re-emphasized this same point. She states that Joseph told her:
"...that we did not know how to pray and have our prayers answered. But when I and my husband had our endowments..Joseph Smith presiding, he taught us the order of prayer." (Words of Joseph Smith, p. 54)
I hope that more light is shed on the use of, history of, and continuing need for the regular use of the True Order of Prayer. Any properly endowed person (Pre-April 10th, 1990) has the right and the keys to use the True Order of Prayer in his or her own privacy, whether in a dedicated room for such in the home or in the wilderness. The robes are "robes of the Holy Priesthood", not just 'Temple' robes. The latter connotation infers that only in the Temple can you wear them. History and my own personal experience prove otherwise.
Hopefully, this has given some food for thought and introspection as to why you are even taught the True Order of Prayer in the endowment. The pattern to Eternal life rests in a true endowment and this order of prayer is pivotal in receiving heavenly direction for one's own probational journey. Until next time.....
Sincerely,
Jeff Hanks
"....because the things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. " (Joseph Smith, TPJS, p.137)