1936 — The Progress of Man

In 1936, when Joseph Fielding Smith's book The Progress of Man was published by The Genealogical Society of Utah, Heber J. Grant was still President of the Church. In this book, Elder Smith explained the doctrine of no death before the fall as follows:

"When the earth was prepared for the advent of man, the Lord declared that the earth itself and all these creations were 'very good.' Things did not remain 'very good,' however, for a great change came. Man fell from his station where there was no death, pain, sin, or sorrow, but where he was unable to distinguish between good and evil, for he had not received the knowledge which the earth-life was destined to bring. In the wake of his fall there came a great change in and upon the earth. Mortality replaced immortality, temptation, misery, sin and death were ushered in and spread over the face of the earth." (pp. 62-63.)