LeGrand L. Baker

Category: The Instructor

  • Thy Constant Companion

    Let thy bowels … be full of charity toward all men, and to the household of faith, and lt virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and … the Holy Ghost shall be …

    “THY CONSTANT COMPANION”

    Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46
    The Instructor, December, 1970

    by Chauncey D. Riddle

    Chauncey C. Riddle received his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Columbia University and now serves as dean of the Graduate School at Brigham Young University. A member of the Sharon (Utah) Stake high council, he is married to Bertha Allred. The couple have two children and are members of the Orem 16th Ward.

    This article first appeared in The Instructor December 1970

    This article discusses some practical points on enjoying the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit. It has its focus in the area of religion — the discipline of living the gospel — more than in theology, which is theory or understanding of the gospel. The points here reviewed are the personal conclusions of the writer, who hopes that each reader will enjoy comparing notes with him on this vital topic. In this article the Holy Ghost is referred to as a personage and the Holy Spirit as his influence.

    Recognize the Holy Spirit’s Voice

    1. The first and foremost problem of spirituality is to recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost. One key to this recognition is the knowledge that for some person, the voice of the Holy Spirit is their own conscience bringing word to them from the Savior. President David O. McKay said:

    When that word comes to you — call it conscience, or, if you are in the Church and doing your duty, the whisperings of the Spirit, because you are entitled to be a partaker of it — then be true to that whispering, and some day you will know for yourself that you are in harmony with the universe. (Conference Report, April, 1963, page 95)

    The “honest in heart” are those who are able to admit what the Holy Ghost tells them in their own consciences.

    Manifestations of the Holy Spirit through one’s conscience have two ordinary forms. One is the feeling of the rightness or wrongness of something we plan to do. The feeling of rightness is the burning in the bosom; this “burning” may be faint, but it is plainly warm and positive, assuring us of the correctness of our decision. If we have chosen wrongly. a feeling of sullen sadness warns us that we will be sorry if we proceed.

    Another manifestation of the Spirit is that of hearing actual words. We do not really “hear.” for this voice of conscience makes no noise, but we are enlightened with plain ideas, sometimes occurring as pictures, other times as sentences or words. Usually the burning will accompany these pictures or words.

    A third most important manifestation is the peace brought to us by the Comforter. When we receive insight through revelation from the Holy spirit, plus the burning in the bosom, and are then obedient to the Lord, we receive that great blessing of peace, of knowing, that we are doing what is right and are “in harmony with the universe,” as President McKay said. This is real living. In fact, it is the beginning of eternal life.

    A Demanding Discipline

    The Constant Companion appeared in the December 1970 issue of The Instructor – page 454

    2. It is important to know that living by the Spirit of God involves much labor in thinking, and that learning to live this way completely is as demanding a discipline as any human being can undertake. We must not suppose that the Lord always gives people ready-made answers to their prayers. Rather, he expects us to examine, explore, and attempt to resolve the issue ourselves. We should pray, of course, for his guidance in this process. Prayerful meditation should be most important part of our daily routine and lives, equal in importance to carrying out the Father’s will when we finally know it. When we reach a conclusion, we must not automatically suppose that our conclusion is correct, but must then present our idea to the Lord for his seal of correctness, according to the pattern which he gave to Oliver Cowdery:

    Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

    But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

    But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the things which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me. (Doctrine & Covenants 9:7-9.)

    The Lord will not always require that we search out the answer to a problem at length. Sometimes he will give us the answer even while we are asking him about the problem. But as a kind and all-knowing Father, he knows our needs and abilities and tries to help us grow in ability to think and understand whenever possible.

    The Constant Companion appeared in the December 1970 issue of The Instructor – page 454 & 455

    This is Our Pattern

    We must remember that in this life, no matter how much good practice at thinking the Father gives us, we will never be able to make righteous decisions without his help. Even the Savior, who was already a God during his earthly ministry, never did anything nor said anything save that which his Father commanded him. This must be our pattern too.

    3. There is a definite relationship between spirituality and pleasure. When we partake of pleasures of the flesh or of the mind as part of keeping the Lord’s commandments and of filling our assigned missions in the world, spirituality is heightened, increased; but when we indulge in pleasures merely because our bodies or our minds crave them, we cut ourselves off from spirituality. Alma counseled his son Shiblon as follows:

    … See that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love. (Alma 38:12.)

    The bridle on our pleasures and passions is supposed to be the Holy Spirit. If we accept that bridle, we will have forsaken selfishness. Then God can fill our hearts with the pure love of Christ.

    This is why living the Word of Wisdom is such a full aspect of living the gospel. To break the Word of Wisdom is to yield to the craving of the flesh. That yielding keeps us from growing spiritually, which means we cannot do great works of righteousness. The work of a saint, of the latter-days or otherwise, is to serve God by working the works of righteousness under divine direction.

    Satan is Ever Ready

    4. Great care must be taken, when we try to be spiritual, that we do not let ourselves be influenced by evil spirits. Satan is ever ready to give people spiritual manifestations, but he never will lead us to do a righteous act. Generally speaking, Satan’s promptings are permissive. They are whisperings to us that it is all right to get angry or to indulge our cravings or to break or “bend” the commandments of God or the standards of the Church.

    The following are safeguards to prevent our being misled by Satan:

    a. Keep in touch and in tune with those who preside in the priesthood. If we cannot fully support them and abide by their counsel, we are in trouble spiritually.

    b. Stay within the bonds of our own stewardship. Reject supposed revelations which relate to matters which are the priesthood responsibility of someone else.

    c. Know the scriptures. Satan cannot easily deceive us if we know the programs of the Church, what the presiding brethren say in general conferences, and the standard works, If we have not done our homework, Satan can easily slip us a lie.

    Spirituality Begins With Small Issues

    5. What happens when we pray and pray, but do not get an answer? Try a simple experiment in such a case. Stop asking the Lord what you want to know about; instead ask him what he would have you be concerned about and what he should have you do at the moment. Frequently we pray about the wrong problems and therefore do not receive answers. Spirituality begins with small issues and decisions related to the tasks at hand in our daily lives. If we can be faithful in these small matters, we gain the spiritual strength and obedience necessary to be able to enjoy receiving answers to the larger problems of life.

    What a joy to trust in the Lord, to stay ourselves upon the Holy One of Israel, to receive counsel and instructions from the only wise and true God! May we be true, as He is, that Zion might be established in the tops of the mountains, that righteousness and truth might sweep the earth as a flood, that we might prepare a New Jerusalem, worthy of our Master.

  • Faith, Hope, and Charity

    THE HIGHWAY TO ETERNAL LIFE IS MARKED BY…

    FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY

    The Instructor, October 1965

    by Chauncey C. Riddle

    As the Prophet Moroni was completing his message to the people of the latter days, he found it expedient in the Lord to include in his record some of the choice teachings of his father, Mormon. One of these specially preserved sermons is concerned with faith, hope, and charity, the three great virtues of the sons and daughters of God.

    The foundation of all righteousness, Mormon emphasizes, is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord blesses men with knowledge of His will; this makes faith possible.

    “And behold, there were divers ways that he [God] did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ.”… (Moroni 7:24.)

    Men who delight in righteousness believe God when they receive instruction from Him. Belief in the words of Christ enables them to act in faith, to carry out the instructions of God. As men obey God, the fruits of righteousness abound in their lives.

    “Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing.” … (Moroni 7:25.)

    One of the blessings consequent to faith in Christ is to be able to have hope, Mormon tells us. If we have kept the commandments of God, we then become heirs to the promises, and we an rightfully anticipate blessings from God:

    “And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.” (Moroni 7:41.)

    Those who see with the eye of faith look forward in hope to the overcoming of all of their personal problems. Putting their trust in the Savior, they strive to obey Him in all things, hoping for the time when every bad habit, every false notion, every evil desire, every thoughtless moment will have been subdued. They hope for strength to resist temptation, for help to avoid error, for courage to face adversity, for power to bring to pass much righteousness. Their hope is a bright, vitalizing, liberating power, for they know in whom they trust:

    … Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you. (Moroni 7:26.)

    Not only the personal but also the social problems of mankind are lightened through hope in Christ. He who mourns the tyranny in human history can hope for the reign of Him whose right it is to rule, knowing that righteousness will triumph over evil. He sees a day when men will serve God, not mammon the time of true brotherhood, real peace, and genuine prosperity for all. He sees order in homes, love in families, and consideration and kindness for all. He hopes for the new world which is to be built upon the ashes of the old

    But the greatest hope of the servant of God is not for this life. That hope is for eternity, where God and the angels dwell, where Satan is bound forever. He hopes for the perpetuity of the family wherein he and his dear wife, his parents, and his children can live and serve together in freedom and love forever. He hopes to gaze unashamedly into the face of the great Being who gave His all for mankind. He hopes to do the works of righteousness and godliness always. Thus, if a man has faith, he can have hope; if he has hope, then he can endure the trials of the world unto the salvation of his soul.

    When a man has this faith and hope in Christ, Mormon emphasizes, then he can have and needs to have the greatest of all virtues, which is charity, the pure love of Christ. This pure love is a gift from God through His Holy Spirit, which gift comes to all who seek it through faith. No man can love purely except he be taught how to do so by God; no one can return good for evil always, as pure love demands, except he has a hope in Christ. This virtue is so important that if his faith and hope do not lead him to that pure love, then he is nothing. That love is the bond which Elijah spoke of which would keep the earth from being utterly wasted. It is the ultimate power of the holy priesthood and the highest fruit of its ordinances. That love is the only motivation sufficient to enable a man or woman to overcome all things. It is a pure, selfless love for God and for one’s fellowmen, and through it comes the joy for which man was created.

    In answer to the question what does it mean to seek first the kingdom of Cod and his righteousness?” we might well answer that it means to attain fullness of faith, hope, and charity, through the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. We are much indebted to Mormon and Moroni for preserving for us these precious teachings, and we could well heed Mormon’s plea:

    Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. (Moroni 7:48.)

    Library File Reference: Charity

    OCTOBER 1965

    1. For Course 15. lesson of December 12. “Moroni’ s Farewell’:
    2. For Course 17. lesson of November 21. “Salvation Available to All”;
    3. General interest to courses 9. 13. 27, and 29; to support Family Home Evening lesson 40;
    4. Of general interest.

    *Chauncey c. Riddle is a professor of philosophy and chairman of the Department of Graduate Studies in Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University. He obtained his B.S. in 1947 from BYU and both his M.A. in 1951 and Ph.D. in 1958 from Columbia University. He presently serves on the high council of Sharon (Utah) Stake. His wife is the former Bertha Allred. They have eight children.

  • How Shall We Pray?

    Chauncey C. Riddle*
    The Instructor, p. 190–191
    June 1962

    * Brother Riddle is associate professor of religion and philosophy at Brigham Young University. He holds the following degrees: B.S., BYU, 1947; M.A., Columbia University, 1951; and Ph.D., Columbia University, 1958.

    The person who cannot pray cannot find peace. The person who will not pray must be his own god. The person who knows not how to pray is lost. The person who forgets to pray is captive. But the person who righteously and earnestly prays to his God in the worthy name of Jesus Christ, be he at the moment saint or sinner, shall find rest unto his soul. How should we pray? The following five steps are suggestions for seeking the Lord through prayer.

    1. Believe in Jesus Christ. In a time of educated unbelief such as ours, the first challenge of prayer is to believe sincerely in Jesus Christ. If we have truly received the Gospel message, we have also received divine witness that Jesus was and is the Son of the living God, that He as a perfect man and merciful God wrought an atonement for our souls, and that as an all-powerful, all-knowing benevolent Being, He is able to help us with every problem and to save us from all of our enemies. But it is one thing to entertain even correct ideas about abstract theological attributes of our God; it is quite another thing to embrace those ideas with a trust that will make such ideas the basis of our decisions and actions. Not blind faith, but implicit belief through the abundant sufficient evidence which the witness of the Spirit brings is the basis for true prayers.

    It is not who we are, it is not where we pray, it is not the words we say that make for great prayer. It is the strength of our feelings, the penetration of our conscious thought, the depth of our humility, the power of our love, the sincerity of our belief that make our prayers real.

    2. Pray as You Have Need. One pitfall we should not fall into in our praying is vain repetition—the saying of the same words and phrases over and over again without really thinking about what we are saying. One good way to avoid this pitfall is to remember to pray as we have need. The situation and circumstance of almost every prayer will be different from all others. If we will consciously think over our needs, then pray exactly as we have need, then our prayers will be neither repetitious nor vain. From time to time we have need to be grateful, to praise our Maker, to share sorrow with Him, to request His help in our various activities.

    What is the ultimate need we mortals have? As we progress in spirituality through prayer and righteous living, the time will come when we shall see that of ourselves we do not know what is good for us. Then as little children, we will rely on the love, power and knowledge of our God, claiming the promise of the scriptures:

    And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask; … (Doctrine and Covenants 50:29, 30.)

    Is there any matter too trivial to take to the Lord? The answer is that there is nothing trivial about any human being in the all-encompassing love of the Lord; not even a hair of our head falls to the ground unnoticed. Let us heed the admonition of Alma:

    Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. (Alma 37:36.)

    3. Pray always. The life of a true Latter-day Saint becomes more and more a never-ending two-way conversation with the Lord. As each of us takes the covenant of baptism and renews that covenant in partaking of the sacrament, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to remember Him always, and to keep His commandments which He has given us. The Lord promises us that if we do these things, we shall always have His Spirit to be with us. Always to have the guidance, the light, the comfort, the gifts, that come from the Saviour through the Holy Ghost! Always to hear the voice of the Lord, to know what is true, what is wise, what is good. Is this not indeed a pearl of great price? For this a man should be willing to give all that he has; and he will, if he loves righteousness and even begins to understand the worth of this great pearl.

    But what is it that we must do to enjoy this great gift? It is simply to keep our promises. As we keep the commandments of God, we become worthy of and able to bear all blessings. But we know the commandments of God only through the Spirit. We receive the Spirit as we remember Him always and honor His name. And what more significant way is there to remember Him always than to pray in His name continuously? Note the witness of Amulek:

    Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. … Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening … But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. (Alma 34:18–27.)

    4. Reinforce Prayer with Fasting. The great damper upon spirituality is lack of self-control, giving way to the bestial impulses that beset all of us. If our passions control us, we are minions of the adversary; if we control our passions and allow them satisfaction only within the bounds of righteousness as prescribed by the Lord, then we are children of the Most High.

    Fasting, the temporary abstaining from food, drink or other physical satisfaction, is the God-given way of overcoming and subjecting our own physical tabernacles. As we exercise control, we gain power over our bodies. As we use this control to do good works, we gain power in the Holy Spirit, which gives us the possibility of even greater control over the physical body.

    Every good thing is available to those who love the Lord. Fasting is not a denial of the flesh, but rather a training of the flesh to do the will of God and thereby to receive a fulness of inspiration. Thus it is that fasting is a special key to help us make our prayers more effective through righteousness. To all who would truly serve Him the Lord has said:

    “… I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:76.) Can we understand and profit by this counsel?

    5. Heed the Lord and He Will Heed You. How many persons have said, “I don’t think my prayers are getting past the ceiling”? Our Father hears all prayers, but doubtless as far as getting any result goes, many times it is as though the prayer were never uttered. How can we be assured of doing better than that?

    We must remember always that it is the purpose and delight of our Father and of His Son to bless us with all good things. But in their mercy, they generally give us only those blessings which we can stand; and we can stand blessings only in direct proportion to how well we have learned to live the Gospel. Let us not suppose that when we are obedient to the Lord we earn a blessing. Though the receiving is always predicated upon the fulfillment of law, the blessing is almost always a result quite out of proportion to the effort put forth to fulfill the law. The purpose of the law is then mainly to give us the strength to cope with the blessing when we receive it. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of a pattern of life wherein we may be prepared by God to receive a fulness of all blessings. Is it any wonder then that our prayers are effective only when we are obedient? It is the just reproof of a guilty conscience which makes us doubt the worth of our own prayers. And it is the spiritual witness of worthiness to receive that makes a righteous man mighty in prayer. If we cannot hearken when the Lord entreats and entices us to become worthy and capable of receiving blessings through living His commandments, can the Lord hearken to us? To live by one’s conscience in all things is the key to righteousness; and righteousness is the key to all blessings.

    “… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16.)

    The light that shineth in darkness commands us to pray, thus to enjoy communion with the Spirit and to prepare to fulfill the end and purpose of our existence when we are reunited with our Maker. Truly, no words can express fully the manner nor the rewards of effective prayer; these are known only by our own careful experiment and experience. But we can say that in and through the God-given opportunity of prayer lies everything good which eternity can offer.

    “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matthew 7:7.)