21. Home at Last

Home at Last "And the toils of the road will seem nothing, When we come to the end of the way."

John Hyde arrived in New York, August 8, 1911. He went at once to Clifton Springs, N. Y. His purpose was to obtain relief from a severe headache from which he had suffered much before leaving India. A tumor soon developed which when operated on became malignant and was pronounced by the physician to be sarcoma, for which as yet medical science has found no remedy. He rallied from this operation, and on December 19 went to his sister —the wife of Prof. E. H. Mensel at Northampton, Mass. But soon after New Year’s he began to have pains in his back and side. He thought it was rheumatism, but the physician knew it was the dreaded sarcoma again.

He passed away February 17, 1912. His body was taken by his brother Will Hyde and his sister Mary back to the old home at Carthage, Illinois, and the funeral was held in the church where his father was for seventeen years the pastor. At the time of John’s funeral the Rev. J. F. Young, his classmate, was pastor of the home church and preached at the funeral. It was my privilege to assist in the service and to stand on the platform and look down into the casket at that dear, dear face. He was greatly emaciated, but it was the same sweet, peaceful, gentle yet strong, resolute face that I had known in 1901,—the last time I saw him alive. That February the 2Oth was cloudy and chill and gloomy as out in beautiful Moss Ridge we ten- derly laid him beside his father and his mother and his brother Edmund. But I know that by and by the clouds and the shadows will flee away, the chill and gloom of the grave be dispelled, and that man of prayer and praise come forth in the likeness of the Risen Son of God!