| The Wonders of Nature | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Josiah Priest |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Curiosities and Wonders |
| Publisher | Josiah Priest |
| Publication date | 1826 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 600 pp (Paperback edition) |
The Wonders of Nature is a book by Josiah Priest that was published in 1826.[1]
Some critics of Mormonism, such as Jerald and Sandra Tanner and Richard Arbanes,[2] consider The Wonders of Nature to be a relevant work for its historical connection to Mormonism. David Persuitte concluded that there were a number of parallels between the Book of Mormon and The Wonders of Nature.[3] The Wonders of Nature was published five years before the Book of Mormon was published and Josiah Priest knew Oliver Cowdery, who later assisted Joseph Smith, Jr. with the production of the Book of Mormon. The chapter of Priest's book that is of interest in regards to this subject is "Northern and Western Indians, Proofs that the Indians of North America were lineally descended from the ancient Hebrews." Page 377 indicates that the origins of the North American Indians were speculated to be of Hebrew descent for at least 50 years before the writing of this book.