Prayer

Improvement era Vol. XXV MARCH, 1922 No. 5 Prayer Prepared by Bishop J. W. Condie by Appointment of the Oneida Stake Presidency That prayer has always been one of the fundamental prin- ciples of the religious life of every people can scarcely be ques- tioned. There are very few pages of Holy Writ that do not breathe of its sacred essence. It is implied and expressed in such unquestionable terms, that even a superficial study of the Scriptures should convince the most skeptical as to its import- ance in the evolution of human society. Yet there are many of the so-called scholars of the day, who while they do not deny entirely the efficacy of prayer are inclined to regard it as of minor significance in shaping the destiny of a people or of an individual. Some even regard it as a practice that is out of date and "old fashioned," while those who are more liberal in their views consider its virtue as merely subjective. They may admit that it is a good thing for the individual to have faith in prayer, because they say it gives him a steadiness of purpose, an aim in life, as well as producing a stimulating effect on his courage and self determination, which of themselves become a power for bringing about the desired end. In other words they would argue that the only value served by prayer is the psycho- logical effect it may have upon the individual. But every now and then we hear of some of these learned men of materialistic bent of mind, who are confronted with such an array of evidence of Divine intercession that they are at a loss at times to know where to anchor their theories of life. There is an incident known to have happened in England within the last few years, whereby a little girl, perhaps the only child of a well-to-do family, became very ill. At once the family physician was summoned, but in spite of his efforts the child

386 IMPROVEMENT ERA grew worse. The parents in dismay called other medical aid — the best that could be found, but to no avail or purpose. Weeks passed by but each day found her growing weaker and more ill. Finally the doctors held a consultation and decided that her case was so critical that she could not possibly live. AJ1 earthly help had now come to be of no avail. The parents with hearts bowed down in grief knelt by the bed-side of the dying child and poured out their soul in tears to their heavenly Father. Here it was they solemnly promised to serve the Lord to the end of their days if he would but spare the life of their little child. >A few simple words were uttered but they came from two repentant souls in "sack cloth and in ashes." One of the physicians stood near with head bowed in reverence, and when the "amen" was spoken he became a living witness to the fact that the little girl was beginning to show signs of return- ing life. In course of time she became entirely healed. The attending physicians, while they had no explanation to offer, were obliged to admit that her recovery to health was not due to any human skill. While we as Latter-day Saints do not deny what this sub- jective motive for prayer is well worth while even though there were no other; yet we feel there are volumes of proof to sub- stantiate the fact that there is an objective phase to the ques- tion quite as important, if not more so, as the former one named. At a meeting held in the Oneida stake some few years ago one of our apostles, who ranks high in the scientific world to- day, declared in reference to this subject that there is as real and tangible power emanating from prayer, when properly en- tered into, as is generated from an electric dynamo. That the laws governing prayer are as natural as those which control the generating and distribution of electrical energy, and that some day we shall understand these laws as we now do the simplest ones of science. But the skeptic never fails to point out what appears to him to be an inconsistency in the possibility of God's being able to keep in daily communication with individuals scattered over this vast earth's surface; or, if even this were pos- sible, how one Supreme Being can administer to the personal needs of each. While this does present questions that seem inexplicable, yet there are countless truths of every day occur- rence quite as marvelous and unanswerable as the ones regard- ing God's manner of dealing with his children. The pulsation of the human heart ; the action of the brain ; the return of leaves and blossoms to trees in springtime; the magnet's attraction for certain metals at its positive poles, and its repulsion for the same objects at the negative end; the real meaning of gravity;

PRAYER 387 these and a thousand others too numerous to mention present questions equally incomprenhensible to the human mind. But if we know that God lives and answers our petitions, why should we fail to place ourselves in line to receive his blessings simply because we can not understand just how he performs these ap- parent wonders? Yet we are not in utter ignorance as to the hand dealing of God. When we consider the wonderful advance- ments made by weak mortal man along the line of scientific discoveries and inventions it does not require any great flight of the imagination to conceive of what God's possibilities are; yet both are obtaining results by the application of natural law. The wireless telephone, the Edison phonograph, the motion picture, the use of radium in prolonging life, these and count- less other discoveries of man reveal to him his possibilities of even duplicating, in a crude way, God-like powers and attributes. For any one today to deny the reality of man's ability to trans- mit the human voice through thousands of miles of unconnected space would be exposing his ignorance quite as much as the un- gainly, overgrown, country youth, who, going to a circus for the first time in his life stood gazing at a long-necked giraffe for several minutes. Finally turning on his heels in disgust, feeling that he had been duped, he was heard to exclaim, "There ain't no such animal." Fifty years ago the idea of such common feats as flying across the Atlantic ocean, voyaging in a sub- marine, being entertained in our own parlors by the noted musical artists of the world merely by pressing the lever of a phonograph, would have been considered the dream of a mad- man only, or the wild imagination of Darius Green. Then does it not appear that any person is in danger of exposing his lack of culture who undertakes to criticize too severely any principle of which he is ignorant? Returning to the principles governing prayer, we may say that while they have not been revealed to man in their fulness, yet we are not left in doubt as to the operation of many of them. In the first place the laws governing prayer are as immutable as those of chemistry, agriculture or any other science. That is to say, response is only to be predicated by complying with the conditions of the problem. Just as the farmer reaps his harvest as a result of following definite rules of planting and cultiva- tion, so we obtain answers to prayer by complying with cer- tain requests of our heavenly Father. For instance, we must live every day of our lives in such manner that we are entitled to the companionship of his Holy Spirit, for without this we sever the connection by which we communicate with him. "His Spirit will not always abide with man," we are told — only do we retain it by keeping his commandments. This prin-

388 IMPROVEMENT ERA ciple is like the wireless telephone whose success of operation depends upon all associated instruments being kept in perfect harmony with each other. Any disturbing factor interrupts the transmission of messages. So in prayer, man's soul must be kept in tune with God's Spirit, by righteous living, if he would gain the desired end. This being complied with God is obligated; he can not turn a deaf ear, for as was explained by the apostle referred to, there is a power emanating from prayer that the gates of heaven can not withstand. So every Latter-day Saint who so sets his house in order, has established such a perfect connection between his home and the throne of God that he will never fail to receive daily, hourly — yes, continuous — assist- ance from on High, and he will never be deserted, as were the people of Judah and Jerusalem who, as recorded in Isaiah 1:15, received the following chastisement: "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood." What a sad condition for people to be left in when, through transgression, they are shut out from the presence of God! How helpless we are without his assistance; how little we can do except by his guiding hand. Some one has said that not a human being in all the world can make even a blade of grass to grow. We can not produce a single head of wheat if God should withhold his help. This beautiful green and pros- perous world of ours would become as barren and desolate as the Sahara desert, if God forgot us but for one season. Then why should we be so neglectful of our prayers? Why should it be necessary for an apostle of our Church to deliver a message from the Lord to the people of this stake that we were so neglectful of this sacred duty, that it had become displeasing in God's sight? God has made no promise to the unfaithful; they can claim no blessings from him, so that if we have failed in this import- ant duty unless we repent we must pay the penalty. On the other hand the eternal riches promised to those who will love him and keep his commandments are more than worth every effort that it costs to obtain them. What can be more gratify- ing to grief-stricken parents who sit by the bed side of a beau- tiful child stricken with disease, when during the awful stillness of midnight they behold the features of death stamped upon the face of this child of their bosom? What comfort, I repeat, what a load of care is lifted, when two humble elders of the Church step upon the threshold of the doorway! They come by way of invitation of the fond parents in obedience to the iniunction of the ancient Apostle James who said: "Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the Church, and

PRAYER 389 let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." The child according to this promise recovers, or may perchance die, but whatever the re- sult, there comes to that family as a result of obedience to this commandment such a sweet, heavenly relief from anguish that convinces beyond all doubt that God does live and has heard their prayer. Then it is, like Abraham of old, that they are ready to stake their all upon the altar of God. But the la- mentable thing is that when health is again restored, and pros- perity comes their way, they, too, soon forget to observe that great commandment given by the Master in I Thessalonians 5: 17. "Pray without ceasing," and Psalms 55:17, "Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, he shall hear my voice." If Christ himself found it necessary while on earth to observe this principle, how much greater need have we to follow his example; and that he did make this a practice of his life might be inferred from the following, Luke 6:12: "And it came to pass, in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Our duty in this regard is furthermore made known in the Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 64:4. Pray unto the Lord, call unon his holy name, make known his won- derful works among the people." Again Sec. 61:37-39 (speaking to Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon and the same injunction applies to us all) : "And inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me the bless- ing of the kingdom ij yours. Pray always that you enter not into tempta- tion, that you may abide the <lay of his coming, whether in life or in death' As proof of the seriousness of this neglect in the sight of the Lord, observe Sec. 68:33: "And a commandment I give unto them, thai he that observes not his prayers before the Lord in the season thereof, let him be had in remem- brance before the judge of my people." Furthermore, our duty does not end by merely attending to this principle as parents, but we are instructed in the 68th Sec. 28 verse as follows: "And they sliall also teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before the Lord." Many of our hymns point out very poetically but none the less specifically this obligation to our heavenly Father, as in the following:

390 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ our Savior, Did you sue for loving favor, As a shield today?" "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Unuttered or expressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast." "How the Lord will provide From the store-house in Heaven, We know not alway, Yet to him will we pray: For we're never denied, When in poverty driven We ask of our Father, The Lord will provide." "Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Father's throne Make all my wants and wishes known: In seasons of distress and grief. My soul has often found relief, And oft escaped the tempter' snare By thy return, sweet hour of prayer." There are other principles upon which the efficacy of prayer depend; for example Luke 11:8 reads: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find," but the law also states: "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like the waves of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed." Again, Matthew 21:22: "And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." From these passages of scripture we are to infer that man must be sincere in what he asks for, and have faith that his prayers will be an- swered, and work to that end, otherwise they are of little consequence. Nor is the prayer that is learned and repeated by rote of much virtue. Although Jesus, when asked by his disciples to teach them to pray, gave a simple pattern as a guide, yet he did not expect this to be repeated parrot-like on all occasions. One can not be sincere in follow- ing any set form of petition day after day. Unless there is conscientious thought involved in what we ask of the Father, our prayers become as insincere as that of a certain man who, so the story goes, became so accustomed to asking for the same thing in the same monotonous way, day after day, that finally he decided as time became more pressing to have his prayer printed and hung upon the wall of his room. As each morning and evening arrived, instead of bowing down in the attitude

PRAYER 391 of prayer he simply pointed to his printed card and said, "Lord, these are my sentiments." Let us beware of falling into such a rut; for, as pointed out by Elder Talmage, at our recent con- ference, this is nol praying it is simply, "saying prayers." Another error we are likely to drift into, especially in pub- lic prayer is in the repetition of words and phrases not our own which mean little to us because they have been acquired from someone else and are used for rhetorical effect only. They are of the type that Jesus warned his apostles against using when lile said, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking." (Matthew 6:7.) In other words, God has made it plain to us that he does not care to listen to our petitions clothed in the splendor and glitter of high sounding terms and phrases, but prefers our simple, every-day language such as the following: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." While there are many types of prayer, such as secret prayer, family prayer, public prayer, blessing on the Sacrament and administration to the sick, the first two mentioned should con- cern us most at this time. Secret prayer is perhaps the most important of all in that it furnishes man an opportunity to "pour out his soul" in confidence to his Maker. Here in hu- mility he communes with God in a heart-to-heart talk where he knows mercy and charity will be extended for all his weak- nesses. That this should have a place in every person's daily program may be inferred from Matthew 6:6, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." What com- fort this is to a heart bowed down in grief to know that there is a solace to be found for every earthly ill! How beautifully this truth is made known in the hymn: "When sailing o'er life's stormy sea, ' Mid billows of despair, 'Tis solace to my soul to know God hears my secret prayer." As to the family prayer, this should come as a part of the daily worship. It is suggested that before bowing down in the family circle a passage of scripture might be read or a hymn sung. This will have a tendency to create a proper atmosphere for the sacred ordinance that is to follow. It will also be the means of concentrating thought upon what is to be asked. Like other forms of prayer, it ought not to be long and tiresome for younger members of the family to follow; it should breathe a

392 IMPROVEMENT ERA spirit of thanksgiving and praise to our Father for all bless- ings, both spiritual and temporal, which we are privileged to enjoy. In the same simple language as used by our Savior, in the Lord's prayer, we may ask for our daily needs. To be sure, it is not out of place to petition for material blessings; as for food and raiment, for success in business, and the reasonable comforts of life. Like a kind and indulgent father, the Lord is always pleased to grant us those things which will contribute to our happiness and well being, if only in return we will show our appreciation by remaining humble and keeping his commadments. In conclusion let it be said that God is no respecter of per- sons, that while he has promised to show mercy unto those that love and keep his commandments, yet will he deal justly by all. The scriptures are filled with injunctions pointing out man's duty in regard to prayer, so that no Christian is left with any excuse for neglect in this known duty. That it is not in- consistent with natural law for God to hear and answer per- sonal prayers has been pointed out and that there is evidence in support of this may be verified by myriads of living testi- monies, as well as instances from holy Writ. Then let us so order our lives in this stake that whatsoever trials we may be called to bear, we may go before the Lord with a clear con- science and ask for his divine assistance. Preston, Idaho