In Mormonism, a prayer circle, also known as the true order of prayer, is a ritual established by Joseph Smith that some Mormons believe is a more potent method of prayer that can lead to receiving greater blessings and revelation from God. The ritual involves forming a circle of participants around a person who offers a prayer, usually at an altar in a temple. The members of the circle repeat the words of the prayer.
Mormon prayer circles were once organized by local congregations on a monthly schedule, but in the late 1970s were restricted only to temples.
Prayer circles were common in the Protestant revivals of the Second Great Awakening that Smith or other early LDS leaders likely witnessed or engaged in.[1] Ritual circles were also practiced in Freemasonry,[2] to which Smith had been initiated in 1842 by Abraham Jonas.[3] Early Mormons may have practiced Protestant-type prayer circles at least as early as 1833 during the early phase of School of the Prophets, according to Zebedee Coltrin's recollection.[1]
On May 4, 1842, Smith met with nine other men and performed the first endowment ceremony. It is not clear whether this ceremony included a prayer circle. However, prayer circles became the main purpose of meetings of the Anointed Quorum beginning on May 26, 1843. Women were first included in the ceremony on September 28, 1843.[1]
Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsEdit
After Smith's death in 1844, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) continued to practice prayer circles in its temples. In addition, local stake and ward prayer circles were organized and conducted until May 3, 1978, when the church's First Presidency announced that all prayer circles should be discontinued except those performed in a temple as part of the endowment.[4] The reason for this change is not known, but could have resulted in part from the growth of the LDS Church, and the fact that prayer circles were usually organized by a member of the First Presidency or the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.[1] Only members who had received the endowment could participate in prayer circles outside of the temple.
LDS prayer circles were described in Sunstone magazine:
Dressed in temple clothing, circle members sang, prayed, bore testimonies, and listened to brief sermons. Led by the Stake President, the group would then stand together in a large circle and rehearse parts of the endowment ceremony. A prayer roll would be placed on an altar and a prayer would be offered in behalf of the stake's needy and afflicted.[4]
^ abcdMichael, Quinn, D. (Fall 1978), Tate, Charles D Jr. (ed.), Latter-day Saint Prayer Circles(pdf), vol. 19, Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, pp. 84 & 105, retrieved May 3, 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^George S. Tate, “The Prayer Circle,” at http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Prayer_Circle. See also, Albert G. Mackey’s, “An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, 2 vols, rev. ed, [NY: The Masonic History Co., 1920) 2:577].
Buerger, David John (2002), The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship (2nd ed.), Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ISBN1-56085-176-7: Excerpts.
Nibley, Hugh (Fall 1978), Tate, Charles D Jr. (ed.), The Early Christian Prayer Circle(PDF), vol. 19, Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, pp. 41–78, retrieved May 3, 2011[permanent dead link].
ldsendowment.org (a detailed, but respectful, source of information about the Endowment ceremony).
October 14, 2023
prayer, circle, mormonism, main, article, prayer, circle, mormonism, prayer, circle, also, known, true, order, prayer, ritual, established, joseph, smith, that, some, mormons, believe, more, potent, method, prayer, that, lead, receiving, greater, blessings, re. Main article prayer circle In Mormonism a prayer circle also known as the true order of prayer is a ritual established by Joseph Smith that some Mormons believe is a more potent method of prayer that can lead to receiving greater blessings and revelation from God The ritual involves forming a circle of participants around a person who offers a prayer usually at an altar in a temple The members of the circle repeat the words of the prayer Mormon prayer circles were once organized by local congregations on a monthly schedule but in the late 1970s were restricted only to temples Contents 1 Origin of Mormon prayer circles 2 Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints 3 Within Mormon fundamentalism 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksOrigin of Mormon prayer circles EditPrayer circles were common in the Protestant revivals of the Second Great Awakening that Smith or other early LDS leaders likely witnessed or engaged in 1 Ritual circles were also practiced in Freemasonry 2 to which Smith had been initiated in 1842 by Abraham Jonas 3 Early Mormons may have practiced Protestant type prayer circles at least as early as 1833 during the early phase of School of the Prophets according to Zebedee Coltrin s recollection 1 On May 4 1842 Smith met with nine other men and performed the first endowment ceremony It is not clear whether this ceremony included a prayer circle However prayer circles became the main purpose of meetings of the Anointed Quorum beginning on May 26 1843 Women were first included in the ceremony on September 28 1843 1 Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints EditAfter Smith s death in 1844 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints LDS Church continued to practice prayer circles in its temples In addition local stake and ward prayer circles were organized and conducted until May 3 1978 when the church s First Presidency announced that all prayer circles should be discontinued except those performed in a temple as part of the endowment 4 The reason for this change is not known but could have resulted in part from the growth of the LDS Church and the fact that prayer circles were usually organized by a member of the First Presidency or the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 1 Only members who had received the endowment could participate in prayer circles outside of the temple LDS prayer circles were described in Sunstone magazine Dressed in temple clothing circle members sang prayed bore testimonies and listened to brief sermons Led by the Stake President the group would then stand together in a large circle and rehearse parts of the endowment ceremony A prayer roll would be placed on an altar and a prayer would be offered in behalf of the stake s needy and afflicted 4 Within Mormon fundamentalism EditAmongst some Mormon fundamentalists such as the Apostolic United Brethren prayer circles within temples endowment houses and homes are still common See also Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prayer circle Mormonism nbsp Latter day Saints portalPrayer in MormonismNotes Edit a b c d Michael Quinn D Fall 1978 Tate Charles D Jr ed Latter day Saint Prayer Circles pdf vol 19 Provo Utah BYU Studies pp 84 amp 105 retrieved May 3 2011 a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link George S Tate The Prayer Circle at http eom byu edu index php Prayer Circle See also Albert G Mackey s An Encyclopedia of Freemasonry 2 vols rev ed NY The Masonic History Co 1920 2 577 Smith Joseph Journal December 1841 December 1842 Page 91 www josephsmithpapers org Retrieved 2018 09 21 a b Kenney Scott ed July August 1978 Update Prayer Circles Discontinued pfd 5 vol 3 Smith Randal Designer Salt Lake City Utah Sunstone Magazine p 6 retrieved May 3 2011References EditBuerger David John 1987 The Development of the Mormon Temple Endowment Ceremony Dialogue A Journal of Mormon Thought 20 4 33 76 archived from the original on 2011 06 13 Buerger David John 2002 The Mysteries of Godliness A History of Mormon Temple Worship 2nd ed Salt Lake City Signature Books ISBN 1 56085 176 7 Excerpts Nibley Hugh Fall 1978 Tate Charles D Jr ed The Early Christian Prayer Circle PDF vol 19 Provo Utah BYU Studies pp 41 78 retrieved May 3 2011 permanent dead link Tate George S 1992 Prayer Circle in Ludlow Daniel H ed Encyclopedia of Mormonism New York Macmillan Publishing pp 1120 1121 ISBN 0 02 879602 0 OCLC 24502140 External links Editldsendowment org a detailed but respectful source of information about the Endowment ceremony Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prayer circle Mormonism amp oldid 1165230119, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
