David Evan Jones (missionary)

David Evan Jones, Mizo name Zosaphluia (15 February 1870 – 10 August 1947) was a Welsh missionary in Mizoram, India, connected to both the Mizoram Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church of Mizoram.[1][2]

Jones was born at Brynmelyn, Llandderfel. 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, 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.[3][4] While in the Lushai Hills area, he spent Christmas in the hamlet of Pukpui, and stayed there for Christmas.[5]

In 1903 he married Katherine Ellen Williams, at Sylhet, now in Bangladesh.[3][4]

Jones learnt the Mizo language from Scottish missionaries James Herbert Lorrain and Fred W. Savidge who had devised the Lushai language alphabet.[6] and became a member of team making Bible translations into the local languages - the Lakher language and Lushai language.[7]

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.

See also

References
  1. 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".
  2. 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 ..."
  3. 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."
  4. 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."
  5. Lloyd, J. Meirion (1991). History of the Church in Mizoram: Harvest in the Hills. Synod Publication Board.
  6. Presbyterian Communication - Mizoram Synod "D.E. Jones of Welsh Presbyterian Church arrived in 1897, learned Mizo language from Savidge and Lorrain."
  7. 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.."

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