David Jones (missionary)
Encyclopedia
David Jones was a pioneering Welsh
Christian
missionary
to Madagascar
. A gifted linguist, he was noted for establishing the orthography
of the Malagasy
language and for his translation of the Bible
into Malagasy, a work that he undertook with fellow missionary David Griffiths
.
.
At 16, he offered himself for service with the London Missionary Society
(LMS) and was sent to Gosport
for training, with his friend Thomas Bevan
. He was ordained at Neuaddlwyd on 20 and 21 August 1817. He married Louisa Darby of Gosport.
Directed by the LMS to serve in Madagascar, Jones and Bevan with their families landed at Tamatave from Mauritius
in September 1818. There, he was laid low with malaria
, from which his wife and child died. Bevan, his wife and child also died.
He gave himself to educational and religious work among the Malagasy population, opening a number of schools. He settled at Antananarivo
in 1820. By 1828, there were 37 schools, 44 teachers, and 2,309 students. A "Malagasy Schooling Society" was established and King Radama 1 took great personal interest in it. In consultation with the king, Jones devised an orthographic system for the Malagasy language.
In conjunction with David Griffiths, Jones translated the Bible into Malagasy. With the help of David Johns, he also published a spelling book, a catechism
and a hymnary.
Following the king’s death, Christianity in Madagascar was banned in 1835, with some Christians being martyred. Jones returned to Mauritius, which he used as a base for evangelisation. Suffering from malaria, he died there in 1841.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. A gifted linguist, he was noted for establishing the orthography
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
of the Malagasy
Malagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
language and for his translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into Malagasy, a work that he undertook with fellow missionary David Griffiths
David Griffiths (missionary)
David Griffiths , was a British Christian missionary and translator in Madagascar. He translated the Bible and other books into the Malagasy language...
.
Life and work
David Jones was born in Penrhiw, near Neuaddlwyd, Cardiganshire. He studied under Thomas Phillips at the Neuaddlwyd Academy and later at LlanfyllinLlanfyllin
Llanfyllin is a small town in Powys, Mid Wales, United Kingdom.- Location, history and amenities :Llanfyllin's population at the date of the 2001 Census was 1,407. The town lies on the River Cain by the Berwyn Mountains in Montgomeryshire. It is known for its holy well, dedicated to Saint Myllin....
.
At 16, he offered himself for service with the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
(LMS) and was sent to Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
for training, with his friend Thomas Bevan
Thomas Bevan
Thomas Bevan was, with fellow Welshman David Jones, the first Christian missionary to Madagascar, sent by the London Missionary Society.- Life and work :...
. He was ordained at Neuaddlwyd on 20 and 21 August 1817. He married Louisa Darby of Gosport.
Directed by the LMS to serve in Madagascar, Jones and Bevan with their families landed at Tamatave from Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
in September 1818. There, he was laid low with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, from which his wife and child died. Bevan, his wife and child also died.
He gave himself to educational and religious work among the Malagasy population, opening a number of schools. He settled at Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
in 1820. By 1828, there were 37 schools, 44 teachers, and 2,309 students. A "Malagasy Schooling Society" was established and King Radama 1 took great personal interest in it. In consultation with the king, Jones devised an orthographic system for the Malagasy language.
In conjunction with David Griffiths, Jones translated the Bible into Malagasy. With the help of David Johns, he also published a spelling book, a catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
and a hymnary.
Following the king’s death, Christianity in Madagascar was banned in 1835, with some Christians being martyred. Jones returned to Mauritius, which he used as a base for evangelisation. Suffering from malaria, he died there in 1841.
Works by David Jones
- Abstract of a Journey of Mr. David Jones, Missionary at Madagascar, Containing a Brief Account of his Journey to the Capital of Radama, &c. Transactions of the London Missionary Society, October 1821.
Biographies
- William Edward Cousins, David Jones: The Pioneer of Protestant Missions in Madagascar. London: London Missionary Society, c.1908.
- Ernest Henry Hayes, David Jones: Founder of the Church in Madagascar. London: Capsey, 1933.
- Joyce ReasonJoyce ReasonJoyce Reason was a British author of missionary biographies and historical fiction for young readers.- Life and Works :Joyce Reason was born in Canning Town, London...
, Storm over Madagascar: David Jones. London: Carrgate Press, 1937.