Lund, wrote Talmage a letter requesting that he convert his lectures into a book, “believing that they will prove a valuable acquisition to our Church Literature, and that the proposed work should be placed within the reach of Church members and general readers.” 2 On July 18, 1905, the First Presidency, which at the time included Joseph F. The previous September, he had agreed to teach a course on Jesus Christ to the University Sunday School, an organization similar to the Church’s current institute program. Talmage was first asked to write a book about the life of Christ in the summer of 1905 at the age of 42. 1 He followed this pattern of seeking the Lord’s will and obeying throughout his life. He prayerfully sought the will of the Lord, and when the answer came to teach at the academy, he obeyed. At the same time, he was asked to teach at Brigham Young Academy, a “missionary institution” that would yield little pay. As a young man, he was offered a well-paid position with the Provo public schools. Long before he wrote Jesus the Christ, James Edward Talmage was a man committed to the Lord.
It is a unique book not only in terms of its content and influence but also in terms of its own story, a story that deserves retelling during this centennial anniversary. It has been used as a course of study for priesthood and Relief Society classes, is one of the texts in the approved missionary library, and has contributed to readers’ doctrinal understanding of the Savior the world over.
For 100 years, the book has never been out of print, going through numerous reprints and editions in multiple languages and formats. In the century since its publication, Jesus the Christ has become a classic work among Latter-day Saints.
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