The Hand of Providence: As Shown in the History of Nations and Individuals, from the Great Apostasy to the Restoration of the Gospel

This 1883 work offers a striking example of 19th-century American religious historiography, reading world history through the lens of Latter-day Saint theology. J.H. Ward argues that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the subsequent "Great Apostasy" of early Christianity, the rise of Islam, the Crusades, and the turbulent evolution of European societies all served a divine purpose: preparing the world for the Restoration of the Gospel through Joseph Smith. Ward traces how the brutal siege of Jerusalem, the spread of Islam across the Mediterranean world, and the religious wars of Europe were not random catastrophe but instruments in what he sees as a cosmic design. The book opens with the starvation and desperation inside Jerusalem's walls during the Roman siege, framing this destruction as the beginning of a long period of spiritual darkness from which humanity needed rescue. For readers interested in 19th-century American religious thought, the history of Mormonism, or how faith traditions have historically interpreted world events, this text offers a fascinating window into a particular theological vision of history's meaning and purpose.