Smith Wigglesworth has been called an apostle of faith. He reportedly won thousands to Jesus, saw multitudes
healed, raised 14 from the dead, and planted several Pentecostal churches
across five continents. He began as an illiterate plumber turned street
preacher.
Wigglesworth was born in 1859 in a shack in Menston, a small village in
Yorkshire, England. At age seven, Wigglesworth, his older brother, and his
father were hired at a textile factory. Finally, food ceased to be scarce.
Though neither of his parents were people of faith, Wigglesworth
explained to biographer Stanley Frodsham, “I can never recollect a time when I
did not long for God.” At eight, Wigglesworth joined his grandmother at a
revival meeting. He recalled, “As I clapped my hands and sang,…I looked to the
Lamb of Calvary. I believed that He loved me and had died for me. Life came
in—eternal life—and I knew that I…was born again.” Wigglesworth explained, he
immediately became a “soul-winner,” first winning his own mother to Christ.
At nine, Wigglesworth began full-time work in a mill. He felt he was
“robbed of an education.” Like his mother, Wigglesworth had great difficulty
expressing himself. Until three old men, family friends, laid hands on him. He
remembered, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I was instantly set free
from my bondage. I not only believed, but I could also speak.”
When Wigglesworth joined the Salvation Army at 16, he was delighted by
their passion. Wigglesworth learned to fast and pray for the salvation of lost
souls. He said, “Every week we saw scores of sinners yielding their hearts to
Christ.”
A fellow believer at the mill taught Wigglesworth Bible doctrine and
plumbing. At 18, Wigglesworth began work as a plumber, giving all his earnings
to feed children that gathered to hear him preach. Wigglesworth opened his own
plumbing business at age 23 and met a woman, he called “the best girl in the
world!”
Mary Jane Featherstone, called Polly, was born again at a Salvation Army
open-air meeting. Wigglesworth was in the audience and noticed her at the
altar. General William Booth invited Polly to join the Salvation Army as an
open-air preacher and singer. She was fearless and eloquent, and Wigglesworth
was attracted.
When Polly and Smith were married in 1882, she began teaching her
husband to read and write. Polly would preach, while Smith counseled sinners at
the altar. He said of his wife, “She was a great soul-winner.” Smith continued
plumbing and brought their five children to meetings. When Smith was called
upon to preach, he would often break down into sobs for the lost. Another
preacher would step in to finish his message.
During a trip for supplies from Leeds, Smith attended a divine healing
meeting. He then started paying for the sick in his hometown, Bowland, to
travel to Leeds. When Polly grew ill, he brought her, unsure of how she would
respond. Polly received prayer and was instantly healed. Both Wigglesworths
recognized this as a true movement of the Holy Spirit and founded the Bowland Street
Mission. Polly and Smith began teaching about Christ’s healing power and saw
several healed.
In 1907, Smith heard that believers in Sutherland were reportedly receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues like on Pentecost. Smith and Polly were among those who believed true Christians had
already received Spirit baptism. Because
Smith desired to speak in tongues though, he traveled to Sutherland. He was so
disappointed, he interrupted the meeting, saying, “I do not understand why our
meetings seem to be on fire, but yours do not seem to be so.”
Before leaving, Smith received prayer from the vicar’s wife. He saw a
vision of Christ at the Father’s right hand. He opened his mouth to praise and
spoke in new tongues. Smith preached that evening like never before. Afterward,
50 were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The local paper, the
Sunderland Daily Echo, headlined a story of Smith’s experience.
When Smith returned home, Polly greeted him, saying, “I want you to know
that I am just as baptized in the Holy Spirit as you are, and I don’t speak in
tongues.” That Sunday, Smith preached. Polly decided she would test the
legitimacy of her husband’s experience. He spoke with new boldness. Polly
reported thinking, “That’s not my Smith, Lord!” In the coming weeks, hundreds
in Bedford received the baptism with the Spirit and spoke in tongues, including
Polly and the Wigglesworth’s oldest son.
Soon, the couple began receiving calls to preach throughout England,
riding trains and even bicycles to pray for the sick. Smith was known for
preaching a simple gospel and would call hearers to “only believe.” In 1914,
Smith began ministering overseas.
He called himself a man of one Book. His sermons were mainly comprised
of Scripture quotations. Newspapers reported miracles, the dead raised, and
healings following his preaching ministry. Though he was not present at any of the revivals
that sparked Pentecostalism, Pentecostals view Smith as one of the movement’s
greatest modern patriarchs.
In 1947, at another minister’s funeral, Smith breathed his last and
painlessly bowed his head. Smith never exalted himself and never wrote a book,
but his stubborn faith in the Spirit and undying love for Jesus empowered him
to demonstrate the gospel to the world.
