The Legacy of Smith Wigglesworth; An Apostle of Faith.
Smith Wigglesworth; An hero of faith
Smith Wigglesworth was a prominent British evangelist who played an influential role in the early history of Pentecostalism. Despite his humble beginnings, he developed a deep faith in God and a powerful healing ministry. His mission and great service had a great impact not only on those around him but throughout the world. He is referred to as the Apostle of Faith.
Wigglesworth early life and ministry.
Smith Wigglesworth was born to John and Martha on 10 June 1859 in Menston, Yorkshire, England. As a small child, he worked in the fields, pulling turnips alongside his mother and in factories to help provide for his family. He was illiterate as a child, being unschooled because of his labours. He became a born-again Christian at eight.
His grandmother was a devout Methodist; his parents, John and Martha, had a great influence on Smith as they took him to Methodist and Anglican churches on regular occasions. He was later confirmed by a bishop in the Church of England, baptised by immersion in a Baptist church and a grounding in Bible teaching in the Plymouth Brethren while learning the plumbing trade as an apprentice from a man in the Brethren movement.
Wigglesworth married Mary Jane “Polly” Featherstone on December 4, 1882, at St. Peter’s Church, Bradford. At the time of their marriage, she was a preacher with the Salvation Army, and they had one daughter, Alice, and four sons, Seth, Harold, Ernest, and George. Wigglesworth learnt to read after he married Polly; she taught him to read the Bible. He became fond of the Bible and stated that it was the only book he ever read and did not permit newspapers in his home, preferring the Bible to be their only reading material.
Wigglesworth continued working as a plumber; he abandoned this trade because he was too busy for it after he started preaching. Wigglesworth’s ministry gained widespread attention, and he conducted healing revivals throughout the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. His emphasis on the power of faith and the Holy Spirit aligned with the emerging Pentecostal movement. Wigglesworth’s teachings and ministry had a significant impact on the development of Pentecostalism. He helped to popularise the idea of divine healing and the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Wigglesworth believed that healing came through faith and was flexible in his approach. In 1907, Wigglesworth visited Alexander Boddy during the Sunderland Revival; following a laying-on of hands from Alexander’s wife, Mary Boddy, he experienced baptism with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. He was at some of the Assembly of God events in Great Britain. He also received ministerial credentials with the Assemblies of God in the United States, where he evangelised from 1924 to 1929.
Wigglesworth largely believed his ministerial success was due to his baptism with the Holy Spirit. He said, “I want you to see that he speaks in an unknown tongue, which edifies himself or builds himself up. We must improve before we can edify the church. I cannot estimate what I owe to the Holy Ghost’s method of spiritual enlightenment. I am here before you as one of the biggest problems in the world.
There never was a weaker man on the platform. Language? None. The 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 instruction of the Spirit. I had been reading this Word continually 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.”
He continued ministering at many churches throughout Yorkshire, often at Bethesda Church at Swallownest (on the outskirts of Sheffield), and Wigglesworth claimed to have made many prophecies. He also had an international ministry. Wigglesworth ministered in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, the Pacific Islands, India, Ceylon, and Europe. Some of his sermons were transcribed for Pentecostal magazines, and these were collected into two books: Ever-Increasing Faith and Faith that Prevails
HIS LEGACY
Smith Wigglesworth’s legacy continues to inspire Christians around the world. His emphasis on faith, healing, and the power of the Holy Spirit remains relevant today. Wigglesworth authored several books, including “The Anointing of His Spirit,” which have been widely read and studied.
Smith Wigglesworth’s life and ministry are a testament to the power of faith and the potential for God to work through ordinary people. His contributions to the Protestant movement have had a lasting impact on the Christian church.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Wigglesworth
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