Grant first encountered the book while he was in England between 1903 and 1906 serving as president of the LDS Church's European Mission. He purchased over 4,000 copies of it before returning to the United States. He thereafter started a long-running correspondence with William George Jordan.
While serving as president of the LDS Church's European Mission from 1903 to 1906, Grant acquired over 4,000 copies of a book and subsequently began a lengthy correspondence with William George Jordan.