David Evan Jones (missionary): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Baptist missionary in India (1870–1947)}}
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'''David Evan Jones''', Mizo name '''Zosaphluia''' (15 February 1870 &ndash; 10 August 1947) was a Welsh missionary in [[Mizoram]], India, connected to both the [[Mizoram Presbyterian Church]] and the [[Baptist Church of Mizoram]].<ref>N. Venuh, Bonita Aleaz ''British colonization and restructuring of Naga polity'' 2005 p23  "... they reached Mizoram on 11th January, 1894 and this day is now observed as the day of the advent of Christianity in Mizoram. DE. Jones was the first Welsh Presbyterian missionary in The Women and the Within Structural Patriarchyl 23".</ref><ref>William K. Kay ''Pentecostalism'' p62  2009 "The Khasi mission started in 1841 by Welsh Presbyterians who needed help and so the Revd D. E. Jones was sent in 1897, and revival began in January 1904: soon after that John Roberts returned from Wales with the news of the revival ..."</ref>
'''David Evan Jones''', [[Mizo name]] '''Zosaphlua Pachuau Ralte''' (15 February 1870 &ndash; 10 August 1947), was a British missionary to the [[Mizo people]] in the [[Lushai Hills]], what is now [[Mizoram]], India.


Jones was born at [[Brynmelyn]], [[Llandderfel]]. educated at [[Bala, Gwynedd|Bala]] Grammar School, then the [[Liverpool Institute]], [[Bala College]] and the Presbyterian [[United Theological College, Aberystwyth]]. He was pastor of a church in [[Bettws Cedewain|Bettws, Montgomery]], for two years before being formally ordained into the English Baptists in 1897 prior to sailing for India on 26 June 1897. He arrived at Aizawl, in the Lushai Hills, two months later on 31 August.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> While in the Lushai Hills area, he spent [[Christmas]] in the hamlet of Pukpui, and stayed there for [[Christmas]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lloyd|first=J. Meirion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkgFAQAAIAAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&q=D.E&hl=en|title=History of the Church in Mizoram: Harvest in the Hills|date=1991|publisher=Synod Publication Board|language=en}}</ref>
== Biography ==
Jones was born at [[Llandderfel|Brynmelyn, Llandderfel]] and educated at [[Bala Grammar School]], then the [[Liverpool Institute]], [[Bala College]] and the Presbyterian [[United Theological College, Aberystwyth]]. He was pastor of a church in [[Bettws Cedewain|Bettws]], [[Montgomeryshire]], for two years before being formally ordained into the English Baptists in 1897 and sailing for India on 26 June of that year. He arrived at Aizawl, in the Lushai Hills, two months later on 31 August.<ref name="vehicles">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Jones |first=J. Edward |entry=JONES, David Evan (1870—1947) |editor-last1=Rees |editor-first1=D. Ben |title=Vehicles of Grace and Hope: Welsh Missionaries in India, 1800-1970 |date=2002 |publisher=William Carey Library |isbn=978-0-87808-505-7 |pages=82–83 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8rMKm-Ee1dYC&pg=PA82 |language=en}}</ref>


In 1903 he married Katherine Ellen Williams, at [[Sylhet]], now in Bangladesh.<ref name=":0">John Hughes Morris ''The history of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists' foreign mission'' Page 319  1996 "DAVID EVAN JONES — Born February 15th, 1870, at Brynmelyn, Llandderfel. Educated at Bala Grammar School, Liverpool Institute, Bala and Aberystwyth Colleges. For two years pastor of Bettws church, Mont. Ordained in 1897. Sailed for India, June 26th, 1897, arriving at Aizawl, Lushai Hills, August 31st. In 1903, married Miss K. E. Williams, Sylhet."</ref><ref name=":1">Vehicles of Grace and Hope: Welsh Missionaries in India 1800-1970 - Page 78 D. Ben Rees - 2002 "JONES, Bessie (nee Williams) (1870-1952) A missionary in Shillong and wife of the missionary the Revd ... her two nieces who became missionaries in India - Bessie and her sister Katherine Ellen Williams, later Mrs D. E. Jones."</ref>
In 1904, he married Katherine Ellen Johnson, at [[Sylhet]] (now Bangladesh), and they had a son Alwyn. The Joneses retired to Britain after 30 years in Mizoram in 1927 and lived in Liverpool and Prestatyn. David died in [[Prestatyn]], on 10 August 1947, aged 77.<ref name="vehicles"/> Katherine died on 20 May 1950.<ref>{{cite web | title = Mizo Story 4 | url = http://www.mizostory.org/mizostory/Mizo_Story_4.html | date = 15 April 2013 | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20130415114708/http://www.mizostory.org/mizostory/Mizo_Story_4.html | archivedate = 15 April 2013 }}</ref>


Jones learnt the [[Mizo language]] from Scottish missionaries [[James Herbert Lorrain]] and [[Frederick William Savidge|Fred W. Savidge]] who had devised the [[Lushai language]] alphabet.<ref>[http://www.mizoramsynod.org/index.php?phek=bawm&bid=33 Presbyterian Communication - Mizoram Synod] "D.E. Jones of Welsh Presbyterian Church arrived in 1897, learned Mizo language from Savidge and Lorrain."</ref> and became a member of team making Bible translations into the local languages - the [[Mara language|Lakher language]] and [[Lushai language]].<ref>Encyclopaedia of India - Volumes 31-32 - Page 105 ed. Pran Nath Chopra - 1992 "It was in Lakher and Lushai that the full Bible was translated and published in the previous decades. ... D.E. Jones later on joining them, considerably helped in the translation work; the success of the publication was due to the great help  rendered by Mr. Suaka and Mr. Thangphungaphunga.."</ref>
==Mizo language==
 
Jones learnt the [[Mizo language]] from fellow missionaries [[James Herbert Lorrain]] and [[Frederick William Savidge|Fred W. Savidge]] who had devised the [[Lushai language]] alphabet.<ref>[http://www.mizoramsynod.org/index.php?phek=bawm&bid=33 Presbyterian Communication - Mizoram Synod] "D.E. Jones of Welsh Presbyterian Church arrived in 1897, learned Mizo language from Savidge and Lorrain."</ref> He was part of a team translating the Bible into the local [[Mara language|Lakher]] and [[Lushai language]]s.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Encyclopaedia of India|volume=31–32|page=105|editor=Pran Nath Chopra|year=1992}}</ref>
David Evan Jones retired after 30 years in Mizoram in 1927 and returned to Britain to live at Liverpool and Prestatyn. He died at [[Prestatyn]], on 10 August 1947. Katherine died on 20 May 1950.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Baptist Church of Mizoram]]
* [[Baptist Church of Mizoram]]
* [[Mizoram Presbyterian Church]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
{{Lushai frontier}}
* [http://www.mizostory.org/mizostory/Mizo_Story_4.html D. E. Jones ‘Zosaphluia’ and his wife with a group of Mizo evangelists in 1916].
 
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[[Category:Welsh Baptist missionaries]]
[[Category:Welsh Baptist missionaries]]
[[Category:Presbyterian missionaries in India]]
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[[Category:Missionary linguists]]
[[Category:British missionary linguists]]
[[Category:British missionaries in India]]

Latest revision as of 08:24, 10 December 2025


David Evan Jones, Mizo name Zosaphlua Pachuau Ralte (15 February 1870 – 10 August 1947), was a British missionary to the Mizo people in the Lushai Hills, what is now Mizoram, India.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Jones was born at Brynmelyn, Llandderfel and educated at Bala Grammar School, then the Liverpool Institute, Bala College and the Presbyterian United Theological College, Aberystwyth. He was pastor of a church in Bettws, Montgomeryshire, for two years before being formally ordained into the English Baptists in 1897 and sailing for India on 26 June of that year. He arrived at Aizawl, in the Lushai Hills, two months later on 31 August.[1]

In 1904, he married Katherine Ellen Johnson, at Sylhet (now Bangladesh), and they had a son Alwyn. The Joneses retired to Britain after 30 years in Mizoram in 1927 and lived in Liverpool and Prestatyn. David died in Prestatyn, on 10 August 1947, aged 77.[1] Katherine died on 20 May 1950.[2]

Mizo language[edit | edit source]

Jones learnt the Mizo language from fellow missionaries James Herbert Lorrain and Fred W. Savidge who had devised the Lushai language alphabet.[3] He was part of a team translating the Bible into the local Lakher and Lushai languages.[4]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Jones, J. Edward (2002). "JONES, David Evan (1870—1947)". In Rees, D. Ben (ed.). Vehicles of Grace and Hope: Welsh Missionaries in India, 1800-1970. William Carey Library. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-0-87808-505-7.
  2. "Mizo Story 4". 15 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. Presbyterian Communication - Mizoram Synod "D.E. Jones of Welsh Presbyterian Church arrived in 1897, learned Mizo language from Savidge and Lorrain."
  4. Pran Nath Chopra, ed. (1992). Encyclopaedia of India. Vol. 31–32. p. 105.

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