Lyde developed a deranged mental state and had delusions that he was John the Baptist, Jesus Christ or God himself.[1][2] However, he subsequently recovered sufficiently to write a book on the Alawites, which he completed in Cairo shortly before his death. He died in Alexandria in Egypt in April 1860.[3][11] He was 35 years old.[5] He bequeathed his mission at Bhamra to two American missionaries, R. J. Dodds and J. Beattie[note 1] of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.[13]