Prayer Circles

Endowments after the Kirtland temple did not feature an endowment of the Holy Ghost as witnessed by outward manifestations. However, one item patrons did receive post-Kirtland was instruction on the true order of prayer.

There was special power in this form of prayer, over and above normal prayer. This type of prayer is seen practiced by Jesus in 3 Nephi. Joseph called this the key by which you could ask and receive answers.¹ Modern Mormons do not attribute much weight to the true order of prayer, as witnessed by its restricted practice as a semi-prescribed single prayer towards the end of the current endowment. It is not mentioned in talks about the temple as temple covenants and ordinances are, suggesting the possibility that modern Mormons understand it to be an unimportant piece of window dressing. Yet, despite the scope of changes to the temple, it is still illustrated in today’s endowment as the penultimate step in the dramatized return to God’s presence. Even in its current relegated form, it really ought to get more attention than it does.

In former days, the true order of prayer was a focal point of the temple ceremonies. It was one of only three pieces of temple worship that extended beyond the temple (the others being the garment and a much limited portion of the second anointing ordinance). Not only did temples once have dedicated altars in private rooms where individuals could go and engage in the true order of prayer, but chapels did as well.² Some members even had dedicated altars in their homes.² Patrons, not temple workers, were the voice of the prayer over the altar in the endowment until at least September 1965.³ They prayed according to what the Spirit told them to pray for, not a rote repetition of roughly the same prayer. There were multiple opportunities for normal members to voice a prayer in the true order.

Now, however, the altar rooms have been repurposed, patrons are not even allowed to kneel in prayer anywhere in the temple,⁴ temple workers offer up a repetitive prayer at the altar, and practice of the true order of prayer has been prohibited outside of temples.⁵

For those who dare exercise the key of asking and receiving in their own homes, they will find some difficulty in that what they have been taught varies significantly with what was revealed to Joseph. First, they will find themselves dressed differently than their forebears.⁶ They will also find themselves using different words than their forebears.⁷ Although the fact that the current form is different from the original is well documented, the oldest known documented form is the non-public 1877 transcript, safely hidden away in the First Presidency’s vault.

When one is offering different key words in different clothing than prescribed by God, it is little wonder that what Joseph called the key to asking questions and receiving answers results in no special attention by God.