The death of no other man staving this summer at Karuizawa could have caused a greater shock, or called forth more genuine grief and deep-felt sympathy, than did that of John E. Hail. To know him was but to love and admire him. To us he seemed much too young in years, far too valuable in the service of the Kingdom, and altogether too indispensable to his loved ones, to be removed from the earth. But the heavenly Father knew better, and in His inscrutable yet loving providence, He called our brother to "come up higher."
John E. Hail was born in Cumberland, Guernsey Co., Ohio, on November 22nd, 1873, and "fell asleep" on top of Mount Asama, near Karuizawa, Japan, August 15th, 1911, death resulting from wounds received early that morning by an eruption from the volcano. He was the only surviving son of the well-known missionaries Dr. A. D. and Mrs. Hail of Osaka, Japan. An only daughter, Miss Annie Hail, who is also a missionary in Japan, mourns with her parents the earthly loss of a dearly beloved brother and son.
When their son John was three years old, his parents first came to Japan as missionaries of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. John Hail, therefore, tho not born in Japan, was brought up here, amid the Peculiar advantages and disadvantages adhering to the life of missionary children in this country. In boyhood he was sent to the United States for his education, and graduated from the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., with the degree of A.B. when he was not yet twenty years of age. Two years later, in 1895, he graduated from his theological studies with the degree of B.D. In 1898 he finished a post-graduate course at the Chicago University. He served as pastor of the Church at Khedive, Penn., until he was appointed by the Foreign Mission Board of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church as missionary to Japan in the year 1900. His personal support was assumed, and carried on for several years, by a wealthy Christian layman by the name of I. M. Biddle.
On July 12th, 1905, Mr. Hail married Miss Harriet Wyckoff, daughter of the well-known missionaries Dr. and Mrs. M. N. Wyckoff of Tokyo, Japan. Miss Wyckoff was, up to the time of her marriage, a missionary in Japan, in connection with the Reformed Church in America, and she herself had been born in Japan. Both therefore had some years of experience in Mission work in this country, and were eminently fitted for a life of great usefulness in the field. Mrs. Hail is now left with four young children, three girls and one boy, a precious care for the God of the fatherless and the widow. There is also left to her the very fragrant memory of a most devoted husband and loving father.
For a short time after the arrival of Mr. Hail as missionary, he tarried in Osaka for the fresh study of the language. In this he became so rapidly proficient that he passed his language examination after only six months of study. He then labored for several months in the Kawaguchi district near Osaka, after which he was transferred to Tsu, in the province of Ise, and there he continued to labor till the end of his earthly career. His main work was evangelistic, and he had the true evangelistic spirit, that same spirit which has been so signally characteristic of the fruitful missionary labors of his father, A. D. Hail, and of his uncle, J. B. Hail. The younger Hail was fast treading in the footsteps of his father and his uncle, besides initiating new kinds of work as new needs sprang up. As such, special mention must be made of his work in connection with the "Miller Kindergarten" at Tsu. As a lover of, and sympathizer with, children, he was deeply interested in this work for the young, gave some of his best efforts for its advancement, and, by the blessing of God, developed it to a high degree of success. Many children, taught in this Kindergarten, will rise up some day and call him "blessed."
Mr. Hail also devoted much of his time and energy to the upbuilding of the "Drennan Memorial Church" in Tsu, which has now grown into a strong organization.
Another special line of work he was permitted to do was in connection with the Exposition held in Tsu in 1906. To the preparation of plans and their carrying out he gave much thought and application, and the marked success that ensued has become an inspiration and incentive to missionaries in different parts of Japan to do similar work. In all his undertakings John Hail was indefatigable, never sparing himself. Having been blessed with a healthy, vigorous constitution, he was capable of a great deal of work, and he never lacked the zeal to do his utmost in anything he undertook. Being splendidly conversant with the Japanese language, he was able to indulge his zeal to the full extent of his capacity.
Mr. Hail wrote several mission tracts, which are widely used in Japan, namely, "Makoto no Sukui-nushi," "Kokoro no Michibiki," "Ruka-den no Tebiki," and "Nyukaisha Kokoroye." He also wrote a book in English, entitled "Hirano," describing Japanese life, and for this he obtained a prize.
One of his colleagues in the work describes Mr. Hail as "a man of high spiritual thought, progressive and pushing in the work, with an eye always open for advance." In the counsels of his Mission, and in the meetings of the Council of the Presbyterian and Reformed Missions, young Hail was fast becoming a leading figure. He was planning greater things for the work at the very time of his departure. A new residence was being built in Tsu for himself and family, which they hoped to occupy soon after the summer vacation. But the Father had for him in readiness "the house of many mansions."
When in the autumn of last year the Presbyterian Mission wished to send a special evangelistic touring party to Korea to stimulate the work among the Japanese there, Mr. Hail was chosen, with Mr. J. B. Ayers, to perform this service in company with three Japanese pastors sent by the "Church of Christ in Japan."
As a man, our brother was greatly appreciated and genuinely loved by his fellow-missionaries throughout the country. Rather reserved in character, of unruffled temperament, modest in appearance, courteous and pleasant in intercourse, and unfailingly true, he most naturally won the respect of all who came to know him in various relations of life. Only today someone in my hearing described John Hail as "that overgrown boy." He had the freshness of a boyish look, the sure mark of a healthy moral character and of true brotherliness of heart. Beautifully irenic in his intentions, yet unswervingly loyal to his moral convictions, he was helpful and safe as a fellow-counsellor.
Look at this man from what side you will, and there was something to admire, something to emulate, something to love, and much to be thankful for to "the Father of lights, from whom comes every good and perfect gift." I have been told that it was John Hail whom Ellis, the Philadelphia correspondent, that shrewd observe of men, referred to as "an ideal missionary."
The Psalmist prayed: "O, my God, take me not away in the midst of my days." "My days,"--but no one of God's children is ever taken away in the midst of His days. The day of God for our dear brother had come when the earthly day of yesterday dawned on him and his companions on the top of Mount Asama. Tho so unexpected and sudden on his part, and on the part of his loved ones, it was not so on God's part. John Hail's work on earth--"till Jesus comes"--was finished when he commended his spirit to God in the midst of mortal pain, borne without a murmur. The faithful earthly physician, Dr. Morris of Shanghai, who so unselfishly and lovingly stayed till the last moment by his fellow-brother whose name up to that time he did not even know, when his human resources were exhausted, did but hand him over into the loving care of "the Great Physician," whose very touch in the moment of physical death is truly life eternal, a life of "joy unspeakable and full of glory." It was as near to heaven from the top of Asama, as it would have been from the midst of the loved ones on the plain below.
God, by His mysterious providence, has made us to see and realize anew that in His work He is not dependent upon even the choicest of human instruments. Had the choice been ours, John Hail would have been among the very last we should have chosen to be removed. But the choice was His. And is it not the special prerogative of the Owner of the garden to pluck from among His flowers the choicest one for beauty and for fragrance in His own Chamber?
Hush, my heart, it is the Master,
Hush, why still beat faster, faster?
Ne'er His coming means disaster,
Trust Him for His love.
Yes, my heart, I know thou'rt bleeding,
Gone, the loved one thou art needing,
Every joy seems now receding,
But, there's light above.
O, the anguish, and the sorrow,
This today: and what tomorrow?
Heart of mine, no trouble borrow;
God is ever near.
No, my heart, thou'lt not be chiding,
Neath His frown His smile is hiding;
Rest thee,--in His love abiding,
Peace! the Lord is here.He is speaking! heart, He's pleading!
Child of mine, I still am leading
Take this cross, no storms be heeding;
I will hold thy hand.
Lord, with gracious care provide me,
In thy secret presence hide me,
With thy lambs do gently guide me
To the trysting land.
A. Oltmans.
[The above sketch was prepared by the writer at the request of the Hail family. Ed.]
[Source: The Japan Evangelist, Vol. XVIII, No. 9, pages 346-348]
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1912, page 310]