Your cart is empty 
"They that go down to the sea . . . these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. . . . Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" —Psalm 107:23â€"24, 31 Many pioneers' journey began long before the trail across the plains. Brigham Young University professor Fred Woods' quest to learn more of these unheralded "sail before the trail" travels unearthed the little-known story of the Julia Ann, which shipwrecked in 1855. A group of Australian saints en route to the Salt Lake Valley was on board the Julia Ann that fateful night, ending with the survivors stranded on a desert island with little food and water. In Divine Providence, Woods unveils the story of these forgotten immigrants, who were involved in the only documented seafaring crash involving Mormon immigrants that resulted in the loss of human life. Their story will reveal the power of God in the preservation of these saints' lives and will instill a sense of admiration for their perseverance along the unheralded pathways to Zion.
Dr. Fred E. Woods completed a BS degree in Psychology (1981) and a MS degree in International Relations (1985) from Brigham Young University. In 1991 he earned a PhD in Middle East Studies from the University of Utah with an emphasis in Hebrew Bible. He is a professor at Brigham Young University in the department of Church History & Doctrine. Professor Woods has lectured at many universities in America and internationally and is a bridge builder among peoples of varied cultures and faiths. He held the Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding (2005–2010).Professor Woods has produced several documentaries, including The Soul of Kalaupapa, and That Promised Day: The Coming Forth of the LDS Scriptures. He was also the historical consultant for Fires of Faith, a three-hour documentary on the history of the English Bible. His most recent publications include Mormon Yankees: Giants On and Off the Court, and Finding Refuge in El Paso: The 1912 Mormon Exodus from Mexico, which include a DVD documentary, each of which was published by Cedar Fort in 2012. Dr. Woods is the compiler and editor of the Mormon Migration website http://mormonmigration.lib.byu.edu/ and has authored dozens of articles and several works on Mormon migration. He has a specialty in Mormon maritime immigration to America in the nineteenth century, which has prepared him to carefully analyze the story of the Julia Ann. He is married to JoAnna Merrill and they are the parents of five children and five granddaughters.
Sneak Preview
