The Life and Letters of Praying Hyde

Book excerpt: John Nelson Hyde (November 9, 1865 - February 17, 1912) was an American missionary who preached in the Punjab. Born in Illinois, the son of a Presbyterian minister. He came to believe that God was calling him to India where he arrived in 1892 to preach in the Punjab region. His mission at first gained few converts and endured persecution. So he began to pray very intensely. From 1899 he began to spend entire nights in prayer to God. He formed the Punjab Prayer Union, the members of which set aside half an hour a day to pray for spiritual revival. In 1908 he told the conference his dream that there would be one conversion a day, and a year later over 400 more converts had been made. He came to be called "Praying Hyde" for his passionate prayers to reach lost souls. Hyde's last words were "Shout the victory of Jesus Christ!"