An Examination into and an Elucidation of the Great Principle of the Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1882. First edition. Leather. 205pp. Flake-Draper 8833. Full black leather with vinelike blindstamped designs on the four corners of the front and rear covers; title in gilt in center of front cover; spine is plain. Endsheets and edges are plain white.
Minor repairs and addition of small pieces of leather at the head and foot of the spine as well as minor repairs to leather along the edges; hinges have been strenghtened with tissue.
Mediation and Atonement holds the distinction of being the first book published by a president of the LDS Church. With much of the heavy lifting done by secretary George Reynolds-who spent a lot of time "hunting up scriptures"-the two quickly composed the manuscript which was essentially a scriptural commentary. As Reynolds' biographer Bruce Van Orden notes, "some of the commentary in Mediation and Atonement also bears the marks of George Reynolds's unique literary style, thus suggesting an actual coauthorship or a ghost writing." After completion, a committee composed of the First Presidency and several apostles listened to a reading of the manuscript and recommended it for publication. Though George Q. Cannon indicated that Taylor was leaning toward a private publication, by May 1882, it was advertised in the Deseret News, though it appears that finished copies were not actually available until October. While the second edition-published a decade later-shows up more often, first editions have become quite scarce. We have seen a total of only four copies in twenty years. Condition: Very good. Item #40403
Price: $1,750.00