LDS First Presidency Letter on True Order of Prayer

3 May 1978

by John W. Pratt

Below is a scan of a letter signed by the First Presidency of the LDS Church on 3 May 1978 which officially stopped the practice of the True Order of Prayer by LDS members outside of LDS temples. In fact, it also stopped the practice of the True Order of Prayer by LDS members on their own, even inside the LDS temples as well, except for the instructional setting as a part of the endowment.

Since the above image of the letter is not easily legible, a complete transcript of this letter follows:

 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Office of the First Presidency
Salt Lake City, Utah

May 3, 1978

 
TO ALL STAKE PRESIDENTS AND BISHOPS:
 
- - - Over the years special permission has been given from time to time
for special prayer circles to be held either in the temples of the Church
or in special rooms designated for that purpose in stake, ward, or other
buildings.
 
- - - Because of the increasing number of requests for such prayer circles,
viewed in light of the rapid growth of the Church, and because of the com-
plications that holding prayer circles in temples on Sunday have created
and their tendency to take the participants away from their families and
their other Church responsibilities, the Council of the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve has decided that all such prayer circles,
whether held in the temples or outside the temples, be discontinued immed-
iately.
 
- - - However, recognizing the value of these prayer circles in developing
spirituality, commitment, and unity among those participating in them, we
suggest that in lieu of such prayer circles, stake leaders may wish to
consider the following: (1) that periodically stake leaders and their wives
attend a temple session together in connection with which arrangements be
made with the temple presidency for the prayer circle held during the endow-
ment session to be composed of several stake leaders and their wives; and
2) that periodically stake leaders and their companions be called together
in a special meeting where opportunity be given to those present to express
themselves by way of testimony or exhortation.

 Sincerely yours,

/s/ Spencer W. Kimball

/s/ N. Eldon Tanner

/s/ M.G. Romney

The First Presidency
 

The purpose of this article is to illustrate through official LDS First Presidency communication that the True Order of Prayer, also known as "prayer circles," was indeed a traditional part of LDS worship and practice, even outside of the temples, until fairly recent times. We admit that unfortunately this practice had seriously waned in recent years before 1978 as compared to former times, however we stress that the True Order of Prayer was originally intended to be a part of systematic worship and communication with God by persons having received a correct endowment. One of the primary purposes of the endowment was to bestow these keys of the Priesthood upon members of the church in order that they might use them to pierce the veil and to commune with God in this specially appointed and sacred way. The True Order of Prayer was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith as a way calling upon God of particular efficaciousness.

The above letter admits that "prayer circles" or the use of the True Order of Prayer was indeed a practice of the church outside of the temples when it states that:

" . . . prayer circles to be held either in the temples of the Church or in special rooms designated for that purpose in stake, ward, or other buildings."

and:

" . . . has decided that all such prayer circles, whether held in the temples or outside the temples, be discontinued immediately."

It is not the intent here to give a complete treatise on the True Order of Prayer. However we would like to reiterate a few points.

1. The practice of the True Order of Prayer was not confined to only the temples in previous times in the LDS church.

2. The purpose of giving the general membership of the church the "keys of the priesthood" in the endowment in great part is so that the people may use them on their own in the True Order of Prayer for their own benefit to pierce the veil and to receive revelation.

3. Today in the LDS church, as we have learned from the First Presidency letter above, and also by our own experience, endowed LDS members are not permitted participate in the True Order of Prayer on their own anywhere, even in LDS temples.

4. The "True Order of Prayer" accomplished during the endowment, is an instructional setting only to teach the endowed persons how to pray in this way. It is not a time in the endowment to merely pray and offer thanks. It is to teach the people how to pray in this special way.

Doesn't it seem funny to any of you out there in the LDS church that the endowment is to "teach you the True Order of Prayer," but that you never have an opportunity for your own needs and situations to be able to participate in it?

The True Order of Prayer is what is spoken of in the following verses in the D&C referring to the "keys of the spiritual blessings of the church:"

The power and authority of the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church--

To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. (D&C 107:18-20)

The keys taught in the endowment are indeed those that can enable us to enjoy the following blessings:

1. Receive the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.

2. Have the heavens open unto us.

3. Commune with the "general assembly" or the spirits in the spirit world.

4. Commune with the "church of the Firstborn," or the spirits of Just Men (and women) made Perfect, or those who are heirs to Celestial glory.

5. Enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus Christ.

These are descriptions of "through the veil" experiences. As a part of a 100-plus year long slow slide of apostasy, the idea has been lost to the membership of the LDS church of how to have these experiences and how to receive revelation (mysteries of the kingdom of heaven) through using the keys of the priesthood taught in the endowment.

Observe what Lorenzo Snow stated regarding accomplishing "certain specified acts" in order to receive revelation:

It will be recollected that this Gospel message proposed to give us divine manifestations through our doing certain specified acts; we have performed those acts in precisely the manner indicated. None but ourselves have attempted to conform to this arrangement; consequently, no other people are prepared to be witnesses either for or against this system. * * * That principle imparts the knowledge or the rock of revelation upon which the Savior declared His people should be established; and we constitute the only religious community which dares assume this Scriptural position; and our realization of the Savior's promise, "that hell shall not prevail against" a people thus established, affords us peace, tranquillity, unshaken confidence, and a cheering and happy assurance of security in the midst of all kinds of threatened ruin and overthrow. It is the people, the masses--not exclusively their leaders, who possess this knowledge, and boldly testify to its possession. (Lorenzo Snow, JD 26:378)

Can "the people--the masses" in the LDS church today "boldly testify" that they receive "divine manifestations through doing certain specified acts?" No, they cannot. What do LDS people today feel that Lorenzo Snow was referring to in these statements? If the True Order of Prayer was to be performed only by church leaders or only by a temple officiator, then why teach "the people--the masses" how to pray in the True Order?

Apostle George Teasdale stated in 1903 that every man should establish an altar in his home for the purposes of prayer:

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.)

Certainly traditional prayer would be engaged in when including unendowed persons or young, unendowed family members. However the altar is indeed intended to be there in dedicated rooms for offering up prayer in the True Order by those so qualified and instructed.

The dilemma, however, today in the LDS Church is that not only are the LDS members prohibited from contemplating using the True Order of Prayer on their own, but they also no longer possess the correct keys designated by the Lord to open the veil, due to the changes to the LDS endowment which occurred on 10 April 1990. These changes are reviewed in correct terms in some of the pamphlets, as well as in the article on the Allred Gravestone. Additional information about the True Order of Prayer may be found in Jeff Hanks' article on the True Order of Prayer.

We solemnly testify that the True Order of Prayer was intended for the general, righteous, and sacred use of correctly endowed persons. We testify that it does indeed open the heavens and secure the blessings of heaven. We admonish all who read these things to ponder them seriously.

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