At the first John Hyde was not a remarkable missionary. He was slow of speech. When a question or a remark was directed to him he seemed not to hear, or if he heard he seemed a long time in framing a reply. His hearing was slightly defective, and this it was feared would hinder him in acquiring the language. His disposition was gentle and quiet; he seemed to be lacking in the enthusiasm and zeal which a young missionary should have. He had a wonderful pair of blue eyes. They seemed to search into the very depth of your inmost being, and they seemed almost to shine out of the soul of a prophet.

On arriving in India, he was assigned the usual language study. At first he went to work on this, but later neglected it for Bible study. He was reprimanded by the committee, but he replied: "First things first. "He argued that he had come to India to teach the Bible, and he needed to know it before he could teach it. And God by His Spirit wonderfully opened up the Scriptures to him. Nor did he neglect language study. "He became a correct and easy speaker in Urdu, Punjabi, and English; but away and above that, he learned the language of Heaven, and he so learned to speak that he held audiences of hundreds of Indians spellbound while he opened to them the truths of God's Word."

The Punjab Prayer Union

In every revival there is a Divine side and a human side. In the Welsh revival the Divine element comes out prominently. Evan Roberts, the leader, under God, seems in a sense to have been a passive agent, mightily moved upon in the night seasons by the Holy Spirit. There was no organization and very little preaching—comparatively little of the human element. The Sialkot revival, while just as certainly sent down from Heaven, teems not so spontaneous. There was, under God, organization; there was a certain amount of definite planning, and there were seasons of long continued prayer.

Just here, as showing where the human agency avails I wish to mention the Punjab Prayer Union. This was started about the time (1904) of the first Sialkot Convention. The principles of this Union are stated in the form of questions which were signed by those becoming members.

1. "Are you praying for quickening in your own life, in the life of your fellow-workers, and in the Church?"

2. "Are you longing for greater power of the Holy Spirit in your own life and work, and are you convinced that you cannot go on without this power? "

3. "Will you pray that you may not be ashamed of Jesus?"

4. "Do you believe that prayer is the great means for securing this spiritual awakening?"

5. "Will you set apart one half-hour each day as soon after noon as possible to pray for this awakening, and are you willing to pray till the awakening comes?"

John Hyde was associated with this Prayer Union from its beginning, and also had a definite part in the Sialkot Convention. The members of the Prayer Union lifted up their eyes according to Christ's command and saw the fields white to the harvest. In the Book they read the immutable promises of God.

They saw one method of obtaining this spiritual awakening, even by prayer. They set themselves deliberately, definitely, and desperately to use the means till they secured the result. The Sialkot revival was not an accident nor an unsought breeze from Heaven. Charles G. Finney says: "A revival is no more a miracle than a crop of wheat." In any community revival can be secured from Heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die-or if need be to win and die. "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12, NKJV).

David's mighty men are catalogued in the Scriptures; there were the first three, then the second three, and afterwards the thirty; Jesus had many unnamed disciples. He had the Twelve, but in the inner circle nearest to himself were the special three: Peter, James, and John. Hundreds came to Sialkot and helped mightily by prayer and praise. But God honored a few men as leaders. This sketch is not given to flattery or fulsome praise, but God's Word says: "Honor to whom honor is due. " 

God laid a great burden of prayer upon the hearts of John N. Hyde, R. M’Cheyne Paterson, and George Turner for this wonderful convention. There was need for a yearly meeting for Bible Study and prayer, where the spiritual life of the workers-pastors, teachers, and evangelists, both foreign and native—could be deepened. The church life in the Punjab (as indeed in all India), was far below the Bible standard; the Holy Spirit was so little honored in these ministries that few were being saved from among the Christless millions. Sialkot was the place selected for this meeting, and 1904 became memorable as the date of the First Sialkot Convention.

Before one of the first conventions, Hyde and Paterson waited and tarried one whole month before the opening date. For thirty days and thirty nights these godly men waited before God in prayer. Do we wonder that there was power in the convention? Turner joined them after nine days, so that for twenty-one days and twenty-one nights these three men prayed and praised God for a mighty outpouring of His power. Three human hearts that beat as one and that one the heart of Christ, yearning, pleading, crying, and agonizing over the Church of India and the myriads of lost souls. Three renewed human wills that by faith linked themselves as with hooks of steel to the omnipotent will of God. Three pairs of fire-touched lips that out of believing hearts shouted, "It shall be done!"

Do you who read these words look at those long-continued vigils, those days of fasting and prayer, those nights of wakeful watching and intercessions, and do you say, "What a price to pay!" Then I point you to scores and hundreds of workers quickened and fitted for the service of Christ; I point you to literally thousands prayed into the kingdom and I say unto you, "Behold, the purchase of such a price!"

Surely Calvary represents a fearful price. But your soul and mine, and the millions thus far redeemed and other millions which may yet be redeemed, a wrecked earth restored back to Eden perfection, the kingdoms of this world wrested from the grasp of the usurper and delivered over to the reign of their rightful King!—when we shall see all this shall we not gladly say, "Behold the purchase"?

1904—The First Sialkot Convention

One of his dearest friends in India writes about the great change that came to John Hyde's spiritual life at this convention in 1904. He writes that though John was a missionary and a child of God, for he had been born of God, he was yet a babe in Christ. He had never been compelled to tarry at his Jerusalem till he was endued with power from on high. But God in his love spoke to him and showed him his great need. At this convention, while he was speaking to his brother missionaries on the work of the Holy Spirit, God spoke to his own soul and opened up to him the Divine plan of sanctification by faith. Such a touch of God, such a light from Heaves, came to him, that he said at the close of the convention: "I must not lose this vision." And he never did lose it, but rather obtained grace for grace, and the vision brightened as he went obediently forward.

Another missionary tells how John came to this convention to lead the Bible studies. During those days he spoke of the length and breadth and height and depth of the love of God. That mighty love seemed to reach out through him and grip the hearts of men and women and draw them closer to God. This brother writes:

"One night he came into my study about half-past nine, and began to talk to me about the value of public testimony. We had an earnest discussion until long after midnight, and I think until after one o'clock, and as I remember it, quite an interesting argument.

"We had asked him on the next evening to lead a meeting for men which was being held in the tabernacle out on the compound, while the women of the convention were holding a meeting of their own in the missionary bungalow.

"When the time for the meeting arrived the men of us were seated there on the mats in the tent, but Mr. Hyde the leader had not arrived. We began to sing, and sang several hymns before he did come in, quite late.

"I remember how he sat down on the mat in front of us, and silent for a considerable time after the singing stopped. Then he arose, and said to us very quietly, 'Brothers, I did not sleep any last night, and I have not eaten anything to-day. I have been having a great controversy with God. I feel that He has wanted me to come here and testify to you concerning some things that He has done for me, and I have been arguing with him that I should not do this. Only this evening a little while ago have I got peace concerning the matter and have I agreed to obey Him, and now I have come to tell you just some things that He has done for me.

"After making this brief statement, he told us very quietly and simply some of the desperate conflicts that he had had with sin, and how God had given him victory. I think he did not talk more than fifteen or twenty minutes, and then sat down and bowed his head for a few minutes, and then said, 'Let us have a season of prayer.' I remember how the little company prostrated themselves upon the mats on their faces in the Oriental manner, and then how for a long time, how long I do not know, man after man rose to his feet to pray, how there was such confession of sin as most of us had never heard before, and such crying out to God for mercy and help.

"It was very late that night when the little gathering broke up, and some of us know definitely of several lives that were wholly transformed through the influence of that meeting."

Evidently that one message opened the doors of people’s hearts for the incoming of the great revival in the Indian Church.

More to come—

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