27. CHAPTER VIII - HONOURING THE HOLY SPIRIT

CHAPTER VIII HONOURING THE HOLY SPIRIT

ALL know how loyally John Hyde supported the Sialkot Convention. It was really his addresses that led to the great blessing in that first Convention of 1904. This Convention was attended largely by missionaries especially those in the vicinity : and it was a time when God met His own people : when self ’ was unveiled : when God called His own to a deeper consecration : when the Holy Spirit convicted of sin and led to many changed lives. In fact, it was there that the heart-surrender of the leaders took place which led to the Revival of 1905. Mr. Hyde’s addresses on the Holy Spirit were much used of God to this great end. This Convention in the summer of ¹⁹⁰⁴ owed much also to the Punjab Prayer Union, begun by a few souls (about April, 1904) on whom the burden of united prayer for Revival had been heavily laid. Needless to say, one of the moving spirits of this Union was John Hyde. All its members were greatly in­spired by his habits of prayer—and by his whole life of intercession. Most particularly did they value and benefit by his presence at the annual meetings of the Union. His addresses there appealed to many hearts, and the conversation he had with them led to lives of joy and service such as had never been dreamt of before. Who can forget that memorable annual Meeting of the Punjab Prayer Union in the spring of 11905 ? It was a time when all felt the great burden of the Indian Church, and her need of Revival, so very keenly as to be in­expressible in words. This was mainly due to the teaching of John Hyde and those like him in regard to the fellowship of Christ’s suffer­ings.’ There was a general break down of all hearts when this subject was talked and prayed about. To many the Lamb of God appeared with His wounded hands and side, and showed them how His heart was still being made to bleed by His children when they were not fully consecrated to Him, and when they were not filled to overflowing with His Spirit. Little wonder that the Convention of 1905 touched so deeply the life of the Punjab Church I Here again John Hyde was the moving spirit of the whole Convention. It seemed as if the mantle of his second great spiritual teacher (the first was the Rev. Mr. Ullmann)—the Rev. D. Lytle of the American United Presbyterian Mission—had descended upon him. The burden of Mr. Lytle’s later teaching had been that self-support could only be looked for on the old Apostolic lines—when the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and then the constant infilling of the Holy Spirit, received its true place in the heart and life of the Christian community. Then self-supporting congregations would spring up everywhere as a natural consequence. Mr. Lytle loved to point out that almost all the Apostolic congregations over forty in number were self-supporting and also self-propagating simply because they put first things first and never rested till they had received the Baptism, and then the infilling of the Holy Spirit for every new service. This was the burden of John Hyde’s addresses at the Sialkot Convention of 1905. What a thrilling message he delivered ! How plainly he showed that the Holy Spirit was the One True witness—to be put first and foremost by all Christians—so that they might also give their witness in His strength and by His help. When he addressed Pastors asking them who was first and foremost in thenepulpits—they themselves, or the Divine Teacher and Guide into all the truth—I don’t think there was a single preacher who was not convicted of this sin.

Then he went right through the Life of Christ—showing how all the mysterious events of that Life were performed by means of the Holy Spirit—Our Lord’s Birth : His Baptism ; His Preaching : His Miracles : His Sacrifice : His Resurrection, the Holy Spirit was witness of each event, so He alone is the true witness. When John Hyde called upon all to see to it that this Divine Witness was depended on to teach all enquiring souls the meaning and the mystery of each event, few hearts were un­moved. And then afterwards when John Hyde intimated that he had no other message to give, the Chairman was led to leave each meeting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit—surely that was the direct result of this teach­ing ! What else could result but that the Divine Spirit, given His true place, should move all hearts, break them down, melt them into confession and tears, so began the first Great Revival in the Punjab ? In the Convention of 1904, missionaries were much blessed. It was then that oane leader brought things to a crisis by saying : Either we missionaries receive Power from on high now, or let us all take the first steamer home for we are otherwise unfit for this task.’ In the 1905 Convention our Pastors and elders were laid hold of largely through Mr. Hyde’s teaching and perfect obedience. In the Con­vention of 1906 the blessing extended to Christians generally and reached outside congregations all over Northern India. But they that wail upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk and not faint.

—Isaiah xl. 31.

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you 1.62110 Myself.

—Exodus xix. 4.