Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 2/Number 1/Secret prayer

SECRET PRAYER.

We have long looked upon this subject with feelings of pleasure, while in secret musing upon the things of God, and contemplating upon his marvelous works. When the influences of his Spirit were shed forth and quickened our understanding and enlightened our minds, like the dew drops of the morning quickens and enlivens the herb of the field; or as the rays of the sun when he appears at the approach of the day spreads his lucid rays over the creation of God.

We read Matthew 6:6, which says: "Thou, 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."

When we take into consideration this subject, it brings many ideas to our minds that cannot be penned. We look at the teachings of the Savior of mankind, and find that he gave very interesting instruction; when speaking of secret prayer he says: "When thou prayest enter thou into thy closet," &c. This passage gives us an idea that we should go to some secluded place, and pray to our Father who seeth in secret, and he will reward us openly. We understand by this that God seeth in secret, and what we ask in secret, if we ask according to his will, we shall realize openly.

We are at a loss to conjecture how the idea got into the hearts of men, and more especially those who call themselves saints; to suppose that they were in secret, and prayed in secret, when the hills and valleys, or woods and plains; were ringing with the reverberation of their voices. They would not need Elijah the prophet to tell them to call louder: for if their god had gone a journey; he could not help but hear them. In these matters we are not mistaken: for what we have seen with our eyes and heard with our ears, that we know of a surety.

We would advise the saints to read and practice the sixth chapter of Matthew, it is so full of instruction, that we cannot pass over it without inviting our friends and patrons to read it, at some of their leisure hours. And if they will, and pay strict attention to it we are inclined to think that we shall not hereafter lay a subject of this kind before them.

The Savior says: "When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward."