- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
I wonder if any of you guys know this one. Where did the requirement that the Priests read the Sacrament prayer with word-for-word accuracy originate? Do we have a belief associated with it being incorrect or are there essentially no consequences and this is tradition? Has the same prayer (from the BOM) been used since 1830 or was it adopted later? Well, I’m not sure about the word for word, other than what we read in the revelation in 1830 that the prayers came out of the Book of Mormon and that is how it should be done, as the way the baptism ordinance should be done. As in the temple, it seems many ordinances are different than prayers, and are dictated as word for word, in the same way the Sons of Aaron were dressed and paid heavy attention to detail out of honor for officiating in holy practices. Most people reference 3rd Nephi and state that if Christ appeared to the Nephites to show how the sacrament should be done, then that is how it should be done word for word. But I have never read any historical accounts stating it was ever done any different, and was officially made this way on some certain date. But clearly these things, as most things, evolved line upon line in the church as it developed and grew. I did read the following about the sacrament:
Quote:* Weekly administration of the sacrament did not begin until sometime in the 1850s. There is no known revelation commanding the weekly practice to have been adopted, but rather the custom developed and spread throughout the church over time.
* Until the late 1890s or early 20th century, the entire congregation generally knelt during the sacramental prayers. Modern practice is that only the individual giving the prayer kneels while congregants remain seated.
* Deacons and teachers didn’t originally take part in the preparing or passing of the sacrament, which seems to have been first encouraged in 1898 and was widely implemented between the 1920s or 1930s. Previous reluctance to involve them was probably due to the following verse from the LDS Doctrine and Covenants:
But neither teachers nor deacons have authority to baptize, administer the sacrament, or lay on hands. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:58, LDS edition) The term administer has since been interpreted as reading the sacrament prayer, which deacons and teachers still do not have the authority to do.
* Individual water cups, instead of drinking from a common cup, were introduced in 1911.
* Passing the sacrament first to the presiding church authority was emphasized in 1946.
That’s all a wikipedia source.
Interestingly, I was just reading with my son this morning how the church was organized on April 6, 1830 … which is a Tuesday. The Sunday observance of meetings and going to church services kind of moved from weekly meetings to the traditional Sunday style of meetings that most Protestants at that time were more used to. It doesn’t appear that from the beginning revelations established Sunday is the Sabbath…but as traditions make things acceptable…it becomes the way we do things.
hawkgrrrl wrote:Has the same prayer (from the BOM) been used since 1830 or was it adopted later?
It seems pretty clear the prayer from the beginning was taken from the Book of Mormon and always used, although as my prior post stated, it wasn’t standard on every Sunday until later.
Quote:The reason for this is contained in a manuscript in the handwriting of Oliver Cowdery, dated June 1829, which contains the basic Book of Mormon ceremonies, copied for the benefit of the first members of the restored Church. Oliver Cowdery labeled this compilation “The Articles of the Church of Christ.” As such, the Cowdery document was seen as inspired instruction. Its preface, in fact, indicates a divine direction to “write the words which I shall command you concerning my Church, my gospel, my rock, and my salvation.” This first known priesthood “handbook” fulfills in part the Lord’s promise to Oliver that he would “assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity.” (D&C 6:27.) His document included many quotations and paraphrases about the Church from Christ’s instructions to the Nephites and from the great doctrinal revelations of June 1829, now comprising Doctrine and Covenants sections 17 and 18 [D&C 17; D&C 18]. It also included the Savior’s instructions on baptism and the sacrament from 3 Nephi chapters 11 and 18 [3 Ne. 11; 3 Ne. 18] and the sacrament prayers from Moroni chapters 4 and 5 [Moro. 4; Moro. 5].
The Cowdery manuscript was apparently used during 1829 but was superseded by the fuller revelation on doctrine that Joseph Smith completed in connection with organizing the Church. Now known as section 20 [D&C 20], it followed the model of the Cowdery record of Nephite ordinances for the use of the restored Church. Thus, the Nephite sacrament prayer and Jesus’ instructions on it went from Mormon’s abridgment of Jesus’ words and Moroni’s compilation of ancient Church ordinances into the handwritten Book of Mormon manuscript. From there, it went to the Cowdery ceremony summary, then to Joseph Smith’s fuller statement of doctrine and practice in the Doctrine and Covenants.
In this way the Book of Mormon became the Lord’s instrument in restoring the form and words of the sacrament ordinance. But the Book of Mormon did more. It also restored the central purpose of the ordinance. That purpose centers in the concept of covenant.
Source: Ensign Feb 1992: The Restoration of the Sacrament (Part 2: A New and Ancient Covenant)
Awesome Heber! :clap: In recent years, there has been an effort to not be as . . . insistent . . . that every word be said exactly right no matter how many times it takes. I haven’t read CHI 1 and what it says about this, but the counsel recently has been to overlook minor errors that don’t change the meaning in any way – particularly if someone has had to try a couple of times and the situation is becoming embarrassing and difficult for the one offering the prayer. I start my travel season tomorrow, so I’m not sure I’ll remember to check – but I’ll try to borrow my Bishop’s copy of the CHI and look it up.
I thought the CHI was online now so that all members could reference it. I have a copy of volume 2, but I want to look at volume 1 – which is not online, except on anti- sites I won’t read. Okay, I must have been misinformed. I thought someone was saying the same handbook that the bishops and all the leaders use was online so all members could be on the same page. CHI-2 is online, but CHI-1 has the “good stuff”. Actually, I don’t really know, its been years since I’ve glanced at CHI-1 and I don’t know what changes have been made. But I like to joke that if it is secret and not openly published, there must be a reason for it. I have also noticed that the take on the sacrament prayer is to overlook minor details…it seems to kill the spirit of the meeting a bit when you see a youth struggling and can’t just get it exactly right, but the leaders make them repeat it more than once.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.