John Hyde

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1761 - 1834
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1837 - 1899
    Hudson Taylor      ----   
1832 - 1905
    John Hyde          ----     
1865 - 1911
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1860 - 1931
    Billy Sunday       ----     
1862 - 1935
    J. Frank Norris    ----    
1877 - 1952
    Jack Hyles         ----      
1926 - present

                                                    John Hyde

  In 1888 a young man named John Hyde went to Bible College in Carthage, Illinois. He had been influenced to go through his oldest brother Edmond's testimony for Christ. Edmond Hyde was preparing for full time Christian service. He served as, what was called in this Bible College, a "student volunteer" for the mission field. During one summer vacation, Edmond had given up his break time to go to Montana to work among the "mountain" people. He contracted mountain fever, and returned home. He died a few days later.
  Broken hearted over his brother's death, John went to Bible College, bowing to do whatever God wanted with his life.
  During his final years in College, a special meeting concerning foreign missions was held. As Missionary John Herrick of India spoke, John became restless.
  After one service he went to his roommate and said, "Give me all the arguments for the foreign field." He replied, "You know as much about foreign missions as I do. Arguments are not what you need. What you need to do is to go to your room, get on your knees, and stay there until it is settled with God..."
  He decided to take this advice and prayed all night long for the first time. The next day he told his friend, "It,s settled. I'm going to India."
  John Hyde began to pray for others to go out as foreign missionaries. He personally shared his burden for the lost in other nations to the 46 graduating men. Twenty six of these men surrendered for missions by graduation time. One classmate named Lee went to Korea and in 36 years started 67 churches!
  When he arrived in India he found the people very unreceptive to the Gospel. For eight years he labored without any results. It seemed that no matter how hard he worked, no matter how many people he witnessed to, nothing happened.
  He finally decided to pray and fast until there was revival. For 30 days he did not eat and he spent each day on his face before God praying that he would open up the hearts of the people.
  Some may have thought that results didn't come because John Hyde was very slow of speech. When a question or remark was directed to him he seemed not to hear, or would take a long time to reply. Since he lacked in ability, he came to the place that he used prayer as his greatest weapon.
  At one time, during those 30 days, he spent 36 continuous hours on his knees, begging God for His power. The Indians began to call him "The man who never sleeps." Most of those who were saved through his labors later did not call him by his first name. They called him "Praying Hyde." It was not long after those 30 days before his prayers began to have their desired effect. Other Christians he knew became convicted about the great need for revival. These Christians would gather together to pray and "Praying Hyde" asked those who were serious to sign a list of principles they would live by:
  "Are you praying for quickening in your own life, in the life of your fellow workers, and in the Church? 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? Will you pray that you may not be ashamed of Jesus? Do you believe that prayer is the great means for securing this spiritual awakening? Will you set apart one half hour each day as soon as possible to pray for this awakening, and are you wiling to pray till the awakening comes?"
  God began to answer his prayer. He had left impressed to pray that God would give him one soul saved each day for one year. He prayed that god would give him not only a soul saved, but that he would baptize at least one convert each day as well. This seemed impossible in India at the time, but after one year, he had personally baptized more than 400 of his own converts! Even though he would win one or two souls each day, he had a great longing and passion for more and more lost souls to know Christ as Saviour.
  The next year he prayed for two souls a day and at the end of the year over 800 precious souls had received Christ as Saviour and followed the Lord in believer's baptism through his personal soul winning that year!
  "When we keep near to Jesus it is He who draws souls to Himself through us, but He must be lifted up in our lived; that is, we must be crucified with Him. It is self in some shape that comes between us and him, so self must be dealt with as He was dealt with. Self must be crucified. Then indeed Christ is lifted up in our lives, and he cannot fail to attract souls to Himself. All this is the result of a close union and communication, that is fellowship with him in His sufferings!"
  The next year he prayed for souls a day. A friend recalled that if on any day he had not led four souls too Christ, there would be such a weight on his heart that it was positively painful, and he could not eat or sleep. He would pray and fast and beg God to show him what was the obstacle in him. God wonderfully blessed his humble heart, fervent prayers, and burning desire to see the Indians saved. "Praying Hyde" baptized over 1600 of his own converts that year!
  In my study of great men I don't know of a man that had any greater burden or prayed more fervently  for a foreign field as John Hyde did for India. In 1910 he was very sick and went to a doctor. The doctor told him, "This is one of the most unusual cases I've ever come across. Your heart has shifted out of its natural position on the left side and is now leaning toward the the right side."
  On February 17, 1912, at the age of 46, John Hyde died; literally of a broken heart. He had accomplished what his predecessor William Carey had said 10 years before his time:
  "Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God."

Home

    George Whitefield  ---- 1714 - 1770
    William Carey      ----   
1761 - 1834
    Adoniram Judson    ----
1788 - 1850
    Charles Finney     ----   
1791 - 1875
    D.L. Moody         ----    
1837 - 1899
    Hudson Taylor      ----   
1832 - 1905
    John Hyde          ----     
1865 - 1911
    C.T. Studd         ----      
1860 - 1931
    Billy Sunday       ----     
1862 - 1935
    J. Frank Norris    ----    
1877 - 1952
    Jack Hyles         ----      
1926 - present