24. CHAPTER V - ONE CAUSE OF HIS SUCCESS
CHAPTER V ONE CAUSE OF HIS SUCCESS’ THE JOY OF THE LORD’
IT will be a comfort to many when they hear that Mr. John Hyde was not naturally a bright e" and happy man. On the contrary he was in himself inclined to be morose, retiring, shy and silent. Yet he became one of the most joyous souls I have ever met.
He was very fond of Isaiah lxi, v. 3, where that wonderful exchange is effected by our Lord. He will give us His own Beauty,’ His own ’ Oil of Joy’ and His own ’ Garment of Praise,’ if we hand over to Him our ashes (what is our past life but ’ ashes ’), our mourning and our spirit of heaviness. So he received our Lord’s Double Gift of Joy (John xv, v. r r) freely from his Master’s Hand, and then would burst out into joyful praise. For no one can be filled with the Divine Joy and not sing His Praise ! As we joy in God we soar up into His immediate presence and it is only in Song that our joy finds vent. As well expect the soaring lark to keep silent, as expect the joyous saint not to sing God’s praise. In this matter of praise Mr. Hyde used to tell how ’ a little child shall lead them.’ He was taught again and again that joyful praise is the Divine Method for catching men alive.
One day he was in a country-cart travelling to a distant village. His faithful Punjabi evangelist was with him—one who was transformed through contact with John Hyde. Two of the evangelist’s little children were in the cart. The elders were speaking sadly about the village—how long the Gospel had been preached there and how little interest had been aroused among its people I The children had no such sad thoughts, they were so happy that they sang and went on singing Psalms and Hymns one after the other. This was infectious and the two men were constrained to join them and they too were so carried away with the spirit of praise that they all continued singing till they came to that village. Imagine their amazement when they found the people full of real interest and zealous to confess Christ and follow Him. Before they left, over a dozen showed such a living faith in their Lord and Saviour that Mr. Hyde felt he dared not refuse them baptism then and there. This was the first Gospel triumph in that village, heralded and brought about, he was confident, by the spirit of praise which the children had evinced.
Another time they had a more marked experience. He, with a party of his evangelists, was encamped in a certain village where the work had been carried on for thirty years. The farm-servants had for years been putting off the question of deciding for Christ, they were now in the habit of saying, Not now during the harvest, but afterwards when it is over.’ So alas I every year it had ended with— The harvest is past, the summer ended, And we are not saved.
—Jeremiah viii. 20. This mission party were so disheartened by their previous experiences that on this occasion they had made up their minds to leave early next morning. That night some one suggested they should all go into the village and sing the Gospel in it. This they did and they were so carried away that they sang on and on till after midnight. Next morning they were preparing to leave when a young man came running from the village. He begged them not to go away, for the Panchayat (council) had been called and was meeting even now. No one had gone to work that morning, they were considering whether they should not at once decide for Christ and confess Him before all men. They gladly waited and presently the same young man came running back with the welcome news that they had all decided to serve Christ. Mr. Hyde found some fifteen men—mostly the heads of families—quite prepared for baptism and with an overflowing heart he baptized them before all. After the service that same young man who had brought the message—a new convert—said to Mr. Hyde, This is the result of your singing last night.’
You remember how we sang—
Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, And let the King of Glory enter in ! Has he not entered in this morning ?’ No one had noticed till then the connection between the song of triumph of the night before and the reality of that triumph of the next morning until they learnt it from this babe in Christ. Yes verily—
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou heel perfected praise. In fact, Mr. Hyde used to say that at any time when he noticed few souls being led by him to Christ he invariably found it was all due to his lack of the spirit of praise. He would then confess his sin, ask pardon and take the Garment of Praise for the spirit of heaviness. His experience then invariably was that Christ would again draw souls to Himself through him. Now the reason for this is plain. No fisher can possibly throw his line lightly when he is dull and sad. It is only the bright and joyous soul that can win souls to Christ. Notice how St. Paul connects these two in Php 4:1-23. He is speaking of his fellow-labourers or fellow-fishers and of their success in the work. Then he goes on as if to give the reason for this success and how it may be continued—Rejoice in the Lord always, And again I say unto you, Rejoice. This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’
—John Icy. 12-14.