Smith Wigglesworth (1859- 1947)

Smith Wigglesworth was a British evangelist who was influential in the early history of Pentecostalism.

Smith was born in Menston, Yorkshire on 8th June 1859 into an impoverished family. As a small child he worked in the fields pulling up turnips. He was illiterate.

Nominally a Methodist aged 8 he became a born again Christian. His grandmother was a devout Methodist. His parents regularly took him to either a Methodist or Anglican church.
He was confirmed by a Bishop in the Church of England. In the Baptist church he was baptized by immersion. He had grounding in Bible teaching in the Plymouth Brethren.

He learned his trade of plumbing from a man in the Brethren movement

On 4th December 1882 he married Polly Featherstone. Polly was a preacher with the Salvation Army and she taught Smith how to read the Bible - he said it was the only book he ever read. Smith and Polly evangelized together - she preached, he did the altar calls.

Smith worked as a plumber until he was too busy preaching.

In 1907 he experienced speaking in tongues. He believed his ministerial success was due to his speaking in tongues. He referred to himself as a conundrum. Language? -none. Inability- full of it The secret is that the Holy Ghost came and brought this wonderful edification of the Spirit.

Polly died, unexpectedly, in 1913- she had been his light and joy. When she died he asked for a double of the Spirit. His daughter Alice and his son-in-law began to travel with him to handle his affairs.

Smith ministered in many churches throughout Yorkshire. He also ministered in USA, Australia, New Zealand South Africa, Pacific Islands, India, Ceylon plus several European countries.

He spoke at some of the Assemblies of God (AofG) events in G.B. He received ministerial credentials from the AofG in the USA where he evangelized from 1924-9.

Some of his sermons were collected in 2 books*Ever Increasing Faith & Faith that Prevails *
He had 4 principles
1 read the Bible
2 consume the Word of God until it consumes you
3. believe the Word of God
4 act on the word

Smith continued to minister until his death on 12th March 1947.
1000s were saved and healed. He impacted whole continents for Christ.

The beginnings of his healing ministry (3 pages) makes very interesting reading as does* Apostle of Faith ( 2 pages)

HEALING and cancer
He often hit the inflicted part of the body! I don’t hit them, I hit the devil
He was flexible in Sweden where he was not allowed to lay hands on the congregation. He preached ‘corporate healing’ - people laying hands on themselves.

His grandson, Leslie Wigglesworth, spent 20 years as a missionary in the Congo and served as president of the Elim Pentecostal Church.

Sources used
Amazon
Biography of S. Wigglesworth
Wikipedia