New 'Jesus the Christ' a winner despite a flaw

JESUS THE CHRIST, by Elder James E. Talmage, Collector's Edition, Covenant, 563 pages, $39.95

To its everlasting credit, Covenant Publishers in American Fork has published a large attractive collector's edition of Elder James E. Talmage's best-known work, "Jesus the Christ," complete with beautiful illustrations of the life of Christ by well-known painters Carl Heinrich Bloch, Robert Barrett, Harry Anderson, David Lindsey and others.

To the reader who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is the definitive work on the life of Christ, written by Elder Talmage, a scholar as well as a member of the LDS Quorum of the Twelve. This book has long been considered a close companion to what Mormons refer to as the standard works, meaning the Bible, the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.

Unfortunately, Covenant chose not to include the original date of publication or any information about the background of Elder Talmage, one of the most interesting of contemporary LDS leaders.

President Joseph F. Smith, then-president of the LDS Church, asked Elder Talmage to write the book, and Elder Talmage did it on assignment from the First Presidency. It has long been rumored that Elder Talmage "never left the temple while writing the book," which, according to James E. Harris in his excellent "The Essential James E. Talmage," is not true.

According to Harris, who quotes Elder Talmage's son, John Talmage, "the author not only left the temple frequently but managed to devote many hours a day to his regular duties as a member of the Council of the Twelve. He was spared most weekend stake conference assignments. . . . He even slept at home most nights."

Both "Jesus the Christ" and "The Articles of Faith," (also written by Elder Talmage) are unique in that they are, according to Harris, "the only single-authored church-related books to have been commissioned by the First Presidency, reviewed by committees consisting of general authorities and published under the president of the church's official imprimatur."

Mormons do not accept the books as scripture but, as Harris says, "No other church book has surpassed the status of 'Jesus the Christ.' " It was published in 1915 and used as a Melchizedek Priesthood manual the following year, and it is still considered required reading for missionaries.

Although the book is Elder Talmage's own interpretation of the life of Christ, he was influenced by LDS doctrine and the works of Frederick Farrar, J. Cunningham Geikie and Alfred Edersheim. Elder Talmage was an educated man, specializing in geology and serving as a teacher at Brigham Young Academy. He was also a mining consultant and president of the University of Utah prior to his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve.

E-mail: dennis@desnews.com