Prayer Circles - Ancient and Modern

About 10 years ago, in my Gospel research, I came across some interesting information about the history of prayer circles. In visiting with Sarah tonight about what my next blog post should be, the thought came to me to dig out this research and share it with you.

What I found added another testament to me of the truthfulness of our Church. Although we should seek our testimonies through faith and prayer, I find a lot of scientific and historical evidence that adds to that testimony.

Prayer circles date all the way back to Adam. In an ancient text, Adam is portrayed as the model for all participants as he prays with uplifted arms at an altar. Prayer circles were practiced during the time of Christ and carried on after his death until the Catholic Church condemned the practiced.

Hugh Nibley, from BYU did extensive research on the historical nature of prayer circles:

(From BYU Studies: "The Early Christian Prayer Circle") The prayer circle was very prominent in the early apocryphal Christian literature. In several accounts, the Twelve Apostles gather in a circle around Jesus Christ to be taught the mysteries of the kingdom, particularly how to progress in the eternal worlds.


Those in the circle often repeat the words of the prayer or say "amen" at the end of each line.  Other early literature describes the early Christian practices of helping the dead through saving ordinances and of placing names on the prayer altar as a way to devote special prayers to those people. Extensive and varied ancient sources generally state that prayer circles are solemn ordinances designed to introduce participants to the sacred mysteries of the kingdom; that prayer circles always take place within the temple or a similar setting; that the words and gestures integral to the prayer circle make sense to participants in the context of the circle, but not to outsiders; and that participants in the circle are ordinary church members, with a high priest presiding.

Before the construction of any Latter-Day Temples, Joseph Smith introduced the ancient order of prayer circles to the early saints. Prayer in a circle was inaugurated in the LDS School of the Prophets at Kirtland, Ohio, in 1833, according to a reminiscence of Zebedee Coltrin fifty years later:

They opened with prayer, Joseph then gave instructions to prepare their minds. He told them to kneel and pray with uplifted hands. . . About the time that the school was first organized some wished to see an angel, and a number joined in the circle, and prayed. When the vision came, two of the brethren shrank and called for the vision to close or they would perish.

In the early days of the Church it was common for members of prayer circles to receive special manifestations of visions and angels. In my opinion, that opportunity can still exist today, as we live the commandments and are faithful, the windows of heaven can open during our prayer circle experience, and allow us to commune with those beyond the veil.

After Joseph's death, prayer circles continued with specially selected individuals.  As members of the Church received their endownments they also became members of a special quorum called "The Quorum of the Anointed." The Holy Order, or the Quorum of the Anointed, organized by Joseph Smith in 1843 had at last achieved its ultimate purpose of including in its membership all the worthy Latter-day Saints who could receive the temple endowment. Those who had been privately introduced into the Holy Order during the lifetime of Joseph Smith would continue to feel a special attachment and status, but the sense of distinction and elitism that had characterized the Holy Order during the period 1842 to 1845 was now available to all endowed persons.

Over the years these prayer circles were held in many different places. Some were held in dedicated rooms of residences, the Lion House and chapels, as well as in the temples. Prayer circles extended to Stakes and Wards throughout the Church, and were continuously held until 1978, when the First Presidency announced that all prayer circles except those conducted as part of the endownment 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 throughout the Church.

I encourage you to attend the temple frequently and participate often in the prayer circle. I consider the prayer circle experience to be very sacred and holy. I personally have had some wonderful experiences in these prayers. With all the prayers we offer throughout the week, our personal and family prayers, prayers over our meals, in church meetings; remember that the prayers offered in temple prayer circles are "the true order of prayer." There are important reasons it is called the "true order of prayer." The reasons, because of its sacredness, cannot be explained here. But, I suggest that you ponder about all that is said and done in the prayer circle, and the spirit will reveal the sacred reasons to you.

As always, I hope our Gospel discussions give you greater motivation to draw closer to your Savior, live the commandments, so that one day the Lord will reveal himself to you and say "well done thy good and faithful servant."

Love,
Dad