David Jonathan East: Faith, Patience and Paradise

 

David Jonathan East was born in England in 1810.  After benefiting from ministerial training at the College at Stepney, London (now, Regent’s Park College, Oxford), he served as pastor for 15 years of Baptist churches at Leamington, Arlington and Waltham Abbey, England. During these years of his life, Mr. East’s ministry included literary works, including a small book on the Crusades for the Religious Tract Society and an abridgement of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton’s work on Western Africa and Slavery.  East’s interest in Africans was influenced by the work of William Knibb, Thomas Burchell and Buxton and, unsurprisingly, when the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), London, invited him to commit to serve as president of the Calabar Institution in Jamaica, East consented. Together with his wife, he travelled to Jamaica, landing in St Ann’s Bay on January 13, 1852. He went to serve as pastor of the Rio Bueno Baptist Church, while Joshua Tinson completed his tenure as Calabar’s founding president.

Within a year of East’s arrival, tragedy struck as Mrs East died on April 22, 1853, leaving a widower and motherless children behind. Just imagine what that loss would have meant for the East family.

Two and a half years passed before East married again. He was united in marriage to Miss Martha Vitou, whose father had been a French Huguenot refugee in England. Miss Vitou had served from 1845-1852 as a missionary teacher in Fernando Po, West Africa, under the auspices of the BMS and the Jamaica Baptist Missionary Society in a jointly sponsored mission. At the end of her time of service, she returned to England. Her marriage to East took place in August 1855. In 1861, the union produced Ada Louisa, who became the wife of Rev. James Balfour, who was, for several years, senior tutor at Calabar College. Mrs. Martha East outlived her husband by seven years, dying in London on May 10, 1908.

When East assumed the presidency of Calabar College, the institution was training Jamaica-born students for the Christian ministry and as school teachers. By the time his service ended, East had trained “some 60 ministers and 100 teachers …scattered by their labours in this [Jamaica] and neighbouring lands and in the United States of America and Africa.”

As Calabar’s president, he bore the main responsibility for the transfer of the College from Rio Bueno to East Queen Street, Kingston. There, he was greeted by buildings that were in a sad state of disrepair. He oversaw the restoration process and fulfilled the other duties of his office as Calabar president. Meanwhile, at the insistence of the East Queen Street Church, he assumed the role of pastor of the then largest Baptist Church in Jamaica; he retired from the post in 1892.

Two resolutions are included in the record of last meeting of the Calabar College Committee meeting that took place on March 2, 1892:

 

That in reference to the resignation of the Rev. D. J. East, President of the Baptist College, Calabar, Kingston, the General Committee of the College desire to place on record an expression of the high esteem in which Mr. East is held by them and also of the great and far-reaching work he has performed in connection with our Institution for training young men for the Christian ministry, and for the work of day-school teaching.

Mr. East entered upon his tutorial duties in the year 1852, in the College then located at Rio Bueno, and continued them on its removal to Kingston in 1868 up to the present time. Thus, for the prolonged period of forty years, Mr. East has occupied the position of President, with much honour to the denomination, and having the highest esteem of the pastors and students who have been associated with him.

The growth of the influence and power of the Institution is a matter for much thankfulness to Almighty God, for when Mr. East took charge, there were but four theological students, and now there are thirty-seven young men in the theological and normal school departments, and as many as sixty ministers and 120 teachers have also passed under his tuition.

The Committee feel that this satisfactory growth is due largely to Mr. East's fostering care, prudent management, and earnest labours. The high moral tone of the Institution has been carefully maintained during Mr. East’s presidency, and by his truly godly life many of those who have passed through the College have received spiritual impressions which will abide with them during their ministry on earth.

It is with deep regret that the Committee contemplate Mr. East’s retirement, but his advanced age compels him to relinquish his duties. To a ripe old age, he has continued his labours, and now he feels that for the sake of the Institution, as well as for his own sake, he must vacate the Presidency.

The Committee pray that, in his declining years, the knowledge that he has done so much for the moral elevation and spiritual benefit of the people of Jamaica, and the assurance of the sincerest Christian love of all the pastors and churches of the denomination in the island, may prove a source of comfort and joy to him.

The Committee also remember with much affection Mrs. East, who has been a true helpmeet with Mr. East in the work of the College, and who in so many ways, especially in the domestic management, has rendered invaluable services to the Institution.

The Committee pray that their dear friends may have a safe and pleasant voyage across the ocean, when they leave Jamaica; and also pray that they may be comforted with the consolations of the Gospel, and in the time of old age experience richly the sustaining grace of God, and at last be gathered home into the reward and rest of the Divine glory.

 The second resolution read:

That the sincerest thanks of the Committee be given to the Rev. D. J. East for his valuable gift of books to the College, numbering nearly 800 volumes.

The Committee feel that this is another expression of Mr. East’s great interest in the Institution, which he has served so faithfully for forty years, and whose work in connection with it has been signally blessed of God in preparing so many of our pastors for the office of the Christian ministry, and so many teachers in the work of day-school teaching. They value this gift in an especial manner as it is presented on the eve of his departure to his native land, and they pray that God’s loving presence may be continued to him and Mrs. East, wherever in God’s all-wise providence they may be called to reside.

 In addition to his contribution to education, East gave 38 years of service as pastor of churches in JBU. As indicated earlier, the was pastor of the Rio Bueno Church. Besides this, he was acting pastor for several congregations, serving as such for his ministerial colleagues who were on furlough. He also served as interim pastor for churches that needed help to pay off a debt or build a new “chapel.” Kettering, Dry Harbour, Waldensia, Mt Carey, Shortwood are among the churches that benefited from East’s generous pastoral care.

After Calabar College was transferred to Kingston, East assumed the pastorate of the East Queen Street Baptist Church and served as such from 1868- 1890. At East’s Memorial Service held in the East Queen Street Baptist Church in March 1903, Rev. William Pratt, his successor at East Queen Street and the preacher at the service gave a summary of East’s life and ministry.

According to Pratt, East “found the [East Queen Street] church reduced and broken down in membership with hardly a name to live. He once again built it up and made it a light and power in this city.” In a resolution adopted by the East Queen Street Church, before East left Jamaica in 1892, this is what the church declared concerning their former pastor: “We feel we have great reason to esteem him very highly in love for his work’s sake” for Mr East came to the help of this church in its “low estate” and for 22 years so faithfully and, under the divine blessing, so successfully, he laboured for it that its membership grew from 50 to 500. Throughout this period, Mr East regularly, diligently and almost gratuitously fulfilled the duties of his pastorate. His wise management of the church, his able and earnest exposition of [the holy scriptures], his loving enforcement of the gospel of the grace of God were such that the members of this church had little difficulty in obeying the apostolic precepts by remembering him that had the rule over them. The holy walk, the dignified yet ever kindly bearing of the true Christian gentleman, which were the outcome of his personal faith will ever be cherished as a precious memory and a noble example.”

Needless to say, East was loved by his colleague pastors, ministerial students and members of the churches he served. East’s commitment to the work of God and his appetite for hard work are reflected in his willingness to serve on four separate occasions as JBU chairman (now, president). In addition, he found time to write for the benefit of the churches.

When BMS was marking its jubilee, East was the one who undertook to prepare the introduction to the volume on Jamaica Baptist history that was published in connection with that BMS celebration of the Mission in Jamaica. East was also the author of the section of the book on the West Indies that was written in 1792 in connection with the centenary of the [English] Baptist Missionary Society. This was East last important literary work.

In 1892, East’s failing health led him to submit his resignation as Calabar’s president and, on May 3rd 1892, he returned to his native land. He spent most of the remaining years of his life in Watford, some 30 kilometres from London, serving as a deacon in the church. For his committed service in his church congregation, his grateful pastor said that he could find no truer friend or helper. 

After the death of his son-in-law, Rev James Balfour, Mr and Mrs East went to live with their widowed daughter, Ada Louisa, in Highgate, London. The last public event Mr East performed was to propose a resolution of sympathy with the family of Dr Angus at a meeting of the Regent’s Park College in September, 1902. And one of the last acts he did was to prepare and to send a letter to the Committee of the English Baptist Missionary Society in December 1902, urging them to help to erect new Calabar College buildings.

His daughter, Ada Balfour, said that, from January 12, 1903, East was confined to his bedroom and his final illness was in many respects trying. However, she wrote: “He was most beautifully patient. Toward the end, he constantly repeated verses of hymns and passages of Scripture. His last words were “For we know that if this earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” and as the loving watchers listened to his whispers, the last words they could distinguish were “Sunshine” and “Love.”

Mr. East died on the February 3, 1903 and his mortal remains were buried in Finchley Cemetery, London, four days later.  His widow, four daughters and several grandchildren were among those who gathered at the funeral services at the house and the graveside to bid David Jonathan East farewell.

As Pratt stated at East’s Memorial Service, “Let us, one and all, “not become lazy, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12).