Smith Wigglesworth
Smith Wigglesworth was a British evangelist who was prominent in the early history of Pentecostal Christianity.
Born: June 8, 1859
Died: March 12, 1947
He preached about the intimacy of his relationship with God and an unquestioning faith in His teachings and word.
He attributed illness to demonic forces and emphasized the importance of healing through faith. Many people acknowledged miracles to Wigglesworth's prayer over them. He primarily, though, credited his ministerial success to speaking in tongues through the Holy Ghost.
"I am here before you as one of the biggest conundrums in the world. There never was a weaker man on the platform. Language? None. Inability - full of it. All natural things in my life point exactly opposite to my being able to stand on the platform and preach the gospel. The secret is that the Holy Ghost came and brought this wonderful edification of the Spirit. I had been reading this Word continuallv as well as I could, but the Holy Ghost came and took hold of it, for the Holy Ghost is the breath of it, and He illuminated it to me.
Wigglesworth was born into an extremely poor family in Yorkshire, England. Through his childhood he worked in the fields and in factories to help provide for his family. He eventually became a plumber, but quit working to preach in 1907 which required extensive travel.
He was illiterate for most of his young life, only learning to read after he married his wife Polly in 1882. She was a preacher with the Salvation Army and taught Wigglesworth to read the Bible. He often claimed that it was the only book he had ever read and did not allow other reading material in their home.
Wigglesworth's Healing Ministry
Although he and Polly had once healed their own sick children through prayer, Wigglesworth preferred to collect those in need and take them to a Divine Healing Ministry nearby in Leeds. Knowing that Wigglesworth had a genuine compassion for the sick and needy, one day the leaders asked him to oversee their services while they were out of town at a convention. While he was reluctant, he agreed to the responsibility. Upon arrival he looked for someone else to take his place, but was told that he had been chosen and so needed to do it. He wrote of the event:
"And so I had to begin. I do not remember what I said but I do know that when I had finished speaking fifteen people came out for healing. One of these was a man from Scotland who hobbled on a pair of crutches. I prayed for him and he was instantly healed. There was no one so surprised as I was. He was jumping all over the place without his crutches. This encouraged the others to believe God for their healing and all the people were healed. I am sure it was not my faith, but it was God in His compassion coming to help me in that hour of need."
Wigglesworth's Evangelist Travels
This experience led him, especially after the death of his wife in 1913, to travel extensively preaching and healing around the world the rest of his life.
1914 USA1920 Switzerland
1921 Scandinavia
1922 Australia & New Zealand
1922 USA
1926 India & Ceylon
1927 Australia
1927 Los Angeles, USA
1930s-40s World Travels
Many of Wigglesworth's sermons can be read by clicking: Sermons by Smith Wigglesworth