Literary BMGD #14: Awake! ye Saints of God awake!

Perhaps the most dramatic incident in gospel doctrine lesson #14 is Enos’ prayer; an example that has no doubt led many LDS Church members to wonder about their persistence and perseverance in prayer. Indeed, Enos’ story of his prayer is generally taken as a lesson in how to pray and what prayer means.

It might also be said that Mormonism began with a prayer, and an answer to that prayer that came by way of a vision. That fact, as well as many other examples of prayer, is common in Mormon literature. However, few poems actually discuss the role of prayer or give the kind of lesson that Enos does.

This poem is a bit of an exception. In urging the Saints to “call on the Lord in Mighty prayer,” Eliza R. Snow suggests many of the things we should pray for, and even seems to urge the same goals that drove Enos after he has obtained forgiveness for his sins. Knowing something of Church history at the time this was written (early 1841, just a couple of years after the Saints were expelled from Missouri), much of what Snow sought in urging prayers were in response to direct threats and concerns that the Saints faced:

Awake! ye Saints of God awake!

by Eliza R. Snow

Awake! ye Saints of God awake!

Call on the Lord in Mighty pray’r,

That he will Zion’s bondage break,

And bring to nought the fowler’s snare.

He will regard his people’s cry-

The widow’s tear-the orphans moan!

The blood of those that slaughter’d lie

Plead’s not in vain before his throne!

Tho’ Zion’s foes have counsel’d deep,

Altho’ they bind with fetters strong-

The God of Jacob does not sleep,

His vengeance will not slumber long.

Then let your souls be stay’d on God-

A glorious scene is drawing nigh!

Tho’ tempests gather like a flood,

The storm, tho fierce, will soon pass by.

With constant faith and fervent prayer

With deep humility of soul-

With steadfast mind and heart prepare,

To see th’ eternal purpose roll.

For God in judgment will come near;

His mighty arm he will make bare:

For Zion’s sake he will appear-

Then O ye Saints! awake! prepare!

Awake to union and be one,

Or saith the Lord you are not mine.

Yea, like the Father and the Son,

Let all the Saints, in union join.

Times and Seasons,
1 February 1841

While I don’t think this poem is well known, I’m sure at least some readers will recognize it as one of the hymns found in the current LDS hymnal (#17). In fact, it has been in LDS hymnals since 1841, albeit with a different tune (since the current tune was composed by Evan Stephens, who was born in 1854). The text above is also slightly different from the current hymn text, coming from the original publication in the Times and Seasons. In any case, I think it fits with the discussion of Enos’ prayer.