Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 11/Prayer

PRAYER.

Prayer to the Lord is one of the most pleasing and necessary acts of worship. To enter into the closet and shut the door, and pray to the Father of all good, in secret, and then be rewarded openly, is so joyous, so heavenly, and so saintly—that we can only marvel at the goodness and mercy of HIM who sees, and knows; and was, and is, ETERNALLY. Religion is nothing without prayer, worship is nothing without prayer, and man is nothing without prayer. In all ages the saints, that were humble before the Lord, have prayed, openly and in secret. In the book of Mormon, we learn that Alma taught thus: "Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye might begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; yea, cry unto him for mercy, for he is mighty to save; yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him; cry unto him when you are in your fields; yea, over all your flocks; cry unto him in your houses; yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day and evening; yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies; yea, cry unto him against the devil which is an enemy to all righteousness." Without quoting farther from this pure example, let us remark, that few men have left a better specimen for the saint to follow, as a sample of daily worship. It is simple; it is easy; it is holy, and it is necessary, in order to be forgiven of our sins; to be justified before the Lord; to be humble; to be virtuous; to be faithful; to be diligent; to be temperate; to be charitable; to be holy—that we may become pure in heart. The just shall live by faith, and the prayers of the righteous avail much. "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees THREE TIMES A DAY, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime:" and the lions' mouths were shut, so that Daniel received no harm.

Now what saint ever thought of being heard in heaven and answered on earth, unless he prayed in faith? Who expects miracles without the prayer of faith? Who can heal the sick without the prayer of faith? Who can obtain blessings without asking for them?—Yea, did the Lord ever bless unless he was sought unto, in humility, with clean hands, and pure hearts? No; nor will he: He knows what we stand in need of before we ask, and when our humility, our contrition, our works, our hearts, our thoughts, and our faith, come up to God as a sweet savor, he grants our requests, and the angels and all the heavenly hosts rejoice. If we ever come up to the privileges of the ancient saints; or, if we ever find favor with God, so as to walk in the fire without being burned; or stop the mouths of lions; or put the armies of the aliens to flight; or cast out devils, it will be because we pray, in spirit and in truth, acceptably—and our prayers are registered in heaven; then the Lord will be as free to bless, as the saints are humble to pray; and the land will flow with milk and honey; peace will be extended as a river, and no good thing will be withheld.

All disciples are commanded to remember their prayers in the season thereof; and if they do not, they are to be called to an account for their neglect before the proper authorities of the church. In St. John's gospel we learn, that when the Savior sees his saints again, in that day, he will pray the Father for them, because the Father loves them.

When the love of God fills the heart of a saint, he will pray,—and God will hear, and the blessings of heaven will come to him as softly and as sweetly as the zephyrs of even. Where there is humility, and faith, and prayer, the Lord delights to bless. Mark the family where the father prays in public and in private; where the mother prays in public and in private; where the children pray in public and in private; where the words of God are held in sacred reverence; where the sweet incense of all hearts in the house, in prayer and praise, go up to heaven morning, noon and night, and there peace reigns; and there joy reigns; and there contentment reigns; and there Jesus reigns!

How much like heaven it seems to see little children kneeling and praying: yea, how sweet is the sound, and how pure the accents of a babe, calling on the maker of his frame, for the blessing of health, peace, and protection, before it is old enough to be tempted by satan? Parents! teach your little ones to pray; that they may remain in the kingdom of the Lord, and grow in grace and glory, till a day of righteousness shall come, when children can be bro't up before their parents, and their Savior, without sin unto salvation.

In one of the revelations to the church of Latter Day Saints, is found this important instruction:

"Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ the Son of the living God; and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the head of the parents, for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands: and they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy. And the inhabitants of Zion, also, shall remember their labors, inasmuch as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness, for the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord. Now I the Lord am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness: They also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.

This is good instruction, and let us profit by it; let us bring up our children to pray; and praise the Lord. If we set a good example before our children, the world may follow it, for no one is so lost to a sense of glory, and things to come, that he would think that prayer would do any hurt, if he even had no faith in its doing any good, and so the love of prayer might win a soul to God. Says the apostle, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;" yea, brethren, watch and pray always, that ye fall not into temptation. Tongue is unable to express the consolation derived from prayer.

We profess to worship a God that hears and answers prayer. We call upon a God nigh at hand, and not afar off, and how necessary is it, that all should pray in faith, and in spirit, and in truth? We say in spirit, as the apostle, because "the spirit helps our infirmities:" for we know not what we should pray for at all times, but the spirit makes intercession.

But beware of making long prayers, and of thanking God that you are not like other men, like the pretending Pharisee, lest you offend your benefactor. Remember the humble Publican: "God be merciful to me a sinner!"—Give the Lord your heart, and he will give you a treasure in heaven—where your heart may be also. P.