In my own Christian walk Smith Wigglesworth was the first person that I read about that could perform miracles like the ones Jesus performed. His book Ever Increasing Faith became my companion and I would eventually go through three copies in twenty years. He did not write the book, the book was published from many of his sermons and stories. Today there are many, many books about him but he did not write any. Early in his carrier he said that he would never write a book to compete with Gods book the bible. Wigglesworth kept everything simple; he just believed that if Jesus said it, than Jesus could do it. His favorite verse was Mark 11:24, "therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Born In 1859 in Menston, Yorkshire, England, one of three boys and one girl, Smith knew nothing but poverty in his childhood. At the age of six he was working in the turnip fields and a year later started working in a woolen mill with his older brother. From an early age he spent time seeking God and even though he never had schooling he knew how to pray and make his needs known to God. At the age of sixteen he went to help the Salvation Army in a project they had started in Bradford but soon realized that he had very few words to make his testimony known, having no education his vocabulary was limited. This went on until one day he cried out to God to please heal him and let him speak like everyone else. Immediately he had words he had never known and could speak and give his testimony in front of the congregation.

At age eighteen he left the factory and started as an apprentice to become a plumber while still keeping up his work with the many missionaries In Bradford. He went to Liverpool but was soon back in Bradford where he met his wife Polly who was working for the Salvation Army. At first Polly did most of the preaching and Smith helped out as much as possible while still running his plumbing business, Soon though Smith had so much business that he left the ministry and devoted his time to earning a living. Polly kept praying for Smith to recommit his life to the Lord till one day he did just that.

The miracles started one morning in their own home when Polly told him that the children were sick and she wanted to pray for their healing. They were healed and soon after Smith and Polly started praying for other children to be healed as well. One day Smith himself became so sick that the doctor said there was no cure and he would die. When the doctor left to make some other calls an older lady came in with a young man to pray for Smith, The young man laid hands on Smith who was lying in bed and commanded Satan to come out in Jesus Name. Immediately Smith felt the power of God and knew that he was healed. He got out of bed and went to the kitchen to ask Polly for food. After eating he took the days plumbing jobs and went to do them as if nothing had happened.
He was sure that healing came from God but considered himself unworthy of this type of ministry until he attended a healing service and was left to run the meeting where many people were healed of many different sicknesses. In 1907 at the age of 48 Wigglesworth received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, something that he had longed for and had sought after. It is said that he became quite fluent after this in his preaching. Great miracles continued and his commitment to God grew greater as he and Polly decided to ban all medicine and doctors from their house.

In 1913 Polly went to be with the Lord, at first Smith refused to let her go by bringing her back from death. When this happened Polly scolded him and told him that Jesus wanted her to be in heaven with him and to let her go, which he did. It is told that he would visit her grave site and spend hours crying till one day Jesus told him not to come back to the grave to which Wigglesworth said "only if you give me a double portion of power, hers and mine" to which Jesus said "yes".
Jesus called Smith to leave his plumbing business and come follow him. The business was doing very well at the time and Smith thought about it and said that if he ever needed shoes or suits after leaving the plumbing business then Jesus could not afford him and he would go back to being a plumber. The Lord agreed to be his sole provider and Smith never did without again. Smith Wigglesworth went to be with his master in 1947 but not before giving one of the greatest prophecies to have been uttered on earth, that God would bring the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the mainline denominations and that he would use David du Plessis to bring this message, which we now call the Charismatic movement. David du Plessis went on to have his own ministry fulfilling Smith Wigglesworth prophecy which is still going on today. You can read about David du Plessis in his book Mr. Pentecost.

About Author / Additional Info:
For more information on Smith Wigglesworth follow these links. http://www.smithwigglesworth.com/life/birth.htm http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=246