Those Who Went North in Hagoth’s Ships – Part V

Continued from the previous post, regarding those who went north in the ships that Hagoth built that is recorded in Alma 63:5-7.
    There are two specific matters discussed in connection with Hagoth’s ships that have a bearing on where the Nephites and some Lamanites went in his hips.
First, we learn that some sailed northward to “the land which was northward” (Alma 63:4), as opposed the Land Northward. In addition, we see that “many of the Nephites who did enter therein and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many women and children; and they took their course northward” (Alma 63:6, emphasis added). Finally, “many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward” (Alma 63:7).
    It should also be noted that “they were never heard of more” (Alma 63:8). Thus, in some cases, the Nephites in the Land of Promise had no idea where these immigrants went, or if they lived or died, or if they sailed to a distant land, not connected to the Land of Promise.

Hagoth’s shipyard was near the narrow neck of land and along the West Sea; from there he launched several ships that took their course northward, and at least one other ship that went to an unknown destination 

Secondly, an additional ship sailed, at least that was recorded by Mormon: “one other ship also did sail forth; and whither she did go we know not” (Alma 63:8). Now in this case, any others that were not specifically recorded in the scriptural record, a ship sailed on a course that was unknown to the Nephites. This would have not been north, since on four occasions the destination of Hagoth’s ships were given as “northward.” For one to have gone in an unknown direction would mean it did not go north. It would not have gone south, first because the currents would not have allowed it, and second, because the Lamanite strongholds were in that direction. That leaves only sailing west on the West Sea (Alma 63:5).
    Now, the currents along the coast move either northward (Humboldt), or outward (South Pacific Gyre) in a circling motion toward the west and then curve down into Polynesia because of the Earth’s trade winds and Coriolis force. No other course would have been available to a ship sailing on the West Sea from the area of the narrow neck of land as Mormon records.
    Even non-scriptural sources suggest that Hagoth led an expedition, sailing into the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. In addition, as we have reported numerous times, some Church leaders and scholars have stated that the people of the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, Polynesia and New Zealand, are descendants of the Nephites (Robert E. Parsons, “Hagoth and the Polynesians,” in The Book of Mormon: Alma, the Testimony of the Word,” Religious Studies Center,  BYU, Provo, 1992; “Latter-day prophets have indicated that Pacific Islanders are descendants of Lehi,” LDS Church News, July 9,1988). 

Hagoth is described in the scriptural record as a builder of ships, not one who sailed in them 

Before proceeding with Hagoth, we need to make it crystal clear that Hagoth was a shipwright. He built ships. When the ships went northward (Alma 63:5-7), Hagoth was still in his shipyard building other ships (Alma 63:7). There is absolutely no record, suggestion or inference that he ever traveled anywhere by ship, or that he accompanied any of his ships on any of their voyages. When we talk about Hagoth we refer to the ships he built and where those ships went—not where Hagoth went, for it is unknown if he ever went anywhere.
    Even though there is no statement, inference, or insinuation sbout anything regarding Hagoth other than he built many ships, John L. Sorenson, who was a missionary in Polynesia, and who states in his book An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (p269): “I am well aware of the Hagoth theme in LDS tradition,” then goes on to write, “The Book of Mormon itself, of course, says only that the man and his mates disappeared from the knowledge of the people in Zarahemla. For all they knew he might have died at a ripe old age on the west Mexican coast without a suitable vessel in which to make the return voyage.” For one “who is well aware” it is interesting that he makes up the entire concept of Hagoth sailing somewhere and being stranded there and unable to return home since he had no suitable ship—even a more interesting attitude since Hagoth was an experienced shipwright.     
    In addition, a BYU Studies article stated, “Hagoth sailed into the Pacific where he and his shipload of people became at least part of the progenitor of the Polynesian people” (vol.17, no.1, Autumn 1976, pp59-73). According to Mel Waanga, it states in New Zealand Church History, that: “Hagoth built large ships and sailed north,” (Foz Emz Kd Wanoa, March 9, 2015, LDS New Zealand Church History, Teachers Seminary Manual, p193). A similar statement appears in the article “Polynesians of Lehi,” which states: “The story of Hagoth in the Book of Mormon, a Nephite who built several ships and sailed away with a large group of Nephites” (Nephite and Lamanite Link to Polynesia, Works of Joseph, September 30, 2018).     Another similar article: “The Book of Mormon talks very briefly about the voyages of one Hagoth who disappeared about 55 BC “northward” along with some colonists” (Mark Blanchard, “Do Mormons believe Polynesians are Descended from Hagoth?” Quora, June 21, 2017). Also, David Richins writes that: “oral traditions of Polynesians and Hawaiians suggest that Hagoth may have ventured out into the Pacific…This is consistent with the Book of Mormon account which says that Hagoth ventured out from the narrow neck Alma 63:5” (Geography Wars: Toward a Reconciliation, The Lunch is Free, March 22, 2016).
    The point is, there are many members, historians, theorists and scholars who claim, without thinking or researching, that Hagoth himself sailed on his ships, when there is not a single comment, suggestion, or expectation that Hagoth every left his shipyards where he built many ships.

Hagoth’s ships sailed westward from his shipyard filled with Nephite immigrant men, women and children to settle the islands of the Pacific 

On the other hand, it is interesting that Elder Matthew Cowley used the term “descendants of Lehi,” Heber J. Grant used the term “the blood of Lehi and Nephi,” Mark E. Petersen used the term “descendants of Lehi and blood relatives of the American Indians,” David O. McKay and Hugh B. Brown both used the term, “descendants of Father Lehi,” Joseph F. Smith, speaking to some Maori from New Zealand: “You are some of Hagoth’s people, and there is no perhaps about it!” Spencer W. Kimball, speaking in Samoa, stated, “your ancestors moved northward and crossed a part of the south Pacific” and also speaking in New Zealand, “you are some of Hagoth’s people” and also called the Maoris people “the children of Lehi.” 
    It should also be noted that the Tongans and Samoans were adamant in their tradition that they came from the east, not the west as some modern scholars affirm. This means they came from South America, not from Indonesia. Maoris have an ancient tradition that they came to the islands “from the place where the sweet potato grows wild, where it is not planted, does not have to be cultivated.” Again, referring to Andean Peru where the sweet potato first appeared and was taken by the Spanish back to Europe. They also state emphatically that they came from the joining of two great lands at the two waters; specifically: “I haere mai taua i tawhiti nui, tawhiti roa, tawhiti pamamao i te hono i wairua,” that is: “You and I have come from a great distance away, an extended distance away, and extremely remote distance away, even from the joining at the two waters.” Now the two great lands, were the Land Northward and the Land Southward, which were joined by the narrow neck of land, and the two waters at this joining were the West and East Sea, which the narrow neck separated.
    It should also be added here that the doctrine that the Hawaiian people and all other Polynesians are heirs to the blessings promised to the posterity of Abraham had its origin through Elder George Q. Cannon of the Quorum of the Twelve and later member of the First Presidency. While he was at Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, he received a knowledge directly from the Lord that the Hawaiians were of the house of Israel. From this time on Elder Cannon and his associates began to teach that the Hawaiian people were an offshoot branch of Israel through the posterity of Lehi, the Book of Mormon prophet (R. Lanier Britsch, Unto the Islands of the Sea: A History of the Latter-day Saints in the Pacific, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 1986, pp97-98).

Hagoth stayed in his shipyards building other ships with no mention that he ever went anywhere aboard the many ships that he built

Since we can see that Hagoth never set sail for anywhere according to the scriptural record, we should not get caught in the sloppy writing and thinking that he did. Therefore, we also cannot make claims that Polynesians or any other exotic or distant culture are descended from him, or that his descendants are among them. What we should concentrate on along this matter is that those who set sail in the ships Hagoth built traveled mostly northward, but also to destinations unknown to the Nephites, which would have taken them westward into the west sea and toward Polynesia.
(See the next post, "Those who Went North in Hagoth’s Ships – Part VI,” regarding the people who preceded the Maya, Aztec and Inca, and who built those vast advanced cities and pyramids that still stand in Meso-, Central, and South America, and more importantly, how those civilizations began and from wench they came)