You will know them by their fruits. Mt.

7:16
HIS SECRET OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
by Stanley Frodsham
Foreword
Note: Frodsham could only guess about Smith's personal reality
1. Timing: The boo was !irst printed in 1"#$. Smith %igglesworth himsel! died in 1"#6 at the ripe old age o!
$7& a !lame o! 'od to the (ery end. Smith could not re(iew the manuscript.
). There has been enough time !or the *'reat +waening, to be a memory rather than a present e-perience&
while the spiritual strengths and weanesses o! the new .entecostal in!illing were poorly understood.
/. Frodsham was de(out a .entecostal man appointed by Smith's daughter to write !rom accounts recorded by
others. 0e did not en1oy 0is rest& and so could not understand Smith.
HIS SECRET OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
M+N2 %344 as& *0ad Smith %igglesworth any spiritual secret5 %herein did his great strength lie5, The two
main !actors in his spiritual li!e were these: his reliance upon the Spirit o! 'od and his con!idence in the %ord
o! 'od. These were the !oundations o! his holy audacity and his constant boldness o! action.
0e was preeminently a man o! the %ord 1ust as he was preeminently a man o! the Spirit. 0e declared& *4ibraries
mae swelled heads& but the %ord o! 'od maes enlarged hearts. %e are to ha(e enlarged hearts& hearts !illed
with the !ragrance o! the lo(e o! 'od that will show !orth the li!e and power o! the 4ord.,
0e said& *Faith cometh by hearing& and hearing by the %ord o! 'od6not by reading commentaries. Faith is the
principle o! the %ord o! 'od. The 0oly Spirit& who inspired the %ord& is called the Spirit o! truth7 and as we
recei(e with meeness the engra!ted %ord& !aith springs up in our hearts7 !aith in the sacri!ice o! 8al(ary7 !aith
in the shed blood o! 9esus7 !aith in the !act that 0e too our weanesses upon 0imsel!& that 0e has borne our
sicnesses and carried our pains& and that 0e is our li!e today. The %ord o! 'od is li(ing and power!ul& and in
its treasure you will !ind eternal li!e. 3! you will dare to trust this wonder!ul 4ord o! li!e& you will !ind in 0im
e(erything you need.,
0e !re:uently said& *3 ha(e ne(er read any boo but the ;ible., + critic who heard him say this& wrote saying&
*0ow is it that this man who says he has read no boo but the ;ible has been guilty o! writing a boo5 For we
see his boo& Ever Increasing Faith ad(ertised in the columns o! The Pentecostal Evangel. %e wrote bac to
that good man and said& *Smith %igglesworth was not guilty o! writing that boo. 3t came into e-istence in this
way: 0e came to Spring!ield& Missouri& in 1")/& in the early days o! 8entral ;ible 3nstitute. <ach morning he
taled to the students and each night he spoe to a large crowd at the 8on(ention 0all. %e too down these
messages !or The Pentecostal Evangel and a!ter they had appeared in that paper we ased the printers to hold
the type. %hen su!!icient messages were ready& we put them into a boo. Smith %igglesworth did not e(en read
the copy., %e are conscious that there are crudities in the boo but ne(ertheless 'od owned it and has made it a
blessing to the sal(ation and healing o! a great many the world o(er.
The prophet <=eiel recei(ed the word o! the 4ord:
*>pen thy mouth& and eat that 3 gi(e thee., 0e tells us& *%hen 3 looed& behold& an hand was sent unto me& and
lo& a roll o! a boo was therein., The 4ord commanded& *Son o! man& eat that thou !indest7 eat this roll& and go
spea., +nd the prophet said& *So 3 opened my month& and 0e caused me to eat that roll., +gain the 4ord said&
*Son o! man& cause thy belly to eat& and !ill thy bowels with this roll that 3 gi(e thee.,
>ur 'reatheart was continually eating the *roll, and it was made ali(e in his inner being7 so he would go and
spea with authority and !aith to those to whom 'od sent him. 0is son?in?law& 9ames Salter& who was (ery o!ten
tra(eling with him& says: *0e was essentially a man o! the ;ible& and he ne(er considered himsel! !ully dressed
without a copy o! the %ord o! 'od in his pocet. 0e not only carried it& but he used it continually. %hile others
might read no(els or newspapers in railway cars& he read his ;ible. >n board (arious ships as he tra(eled& at the
seaside where occasionally he went !or rela-ation& or sitting in his !a(orite place in the par near his home& his
New Testament was constantly in his hand. 0e ne(er le!t a !riend@s table without reading Aa bit !rom the ;oo&@
and usually his comments on it were choicer than any course in the meal.,
0is constant ad(ice to young people was& AFill your head and your heart with the Scriptures. Memori=e passages
!rom the %ord& with the name o! the boo& the chapter& and the (erse& so that you can :uote the scripture
correctly in addresses or in open?air meetings. +s you do this& you are sowing in your heart seeds which the
Spirit o! 'od can germinate. 0e can bring to your remembrance !rom time to time that which you ha(e once
memori=ed. 2ou must be so soaked with the %ord o! 'od& you must be so filled with it& that you yoursel! are a
li(ing epistle& nown and read o! all men. ;elie(ers are strong only as the %ord o! 'od abides in them. The
%ord o! 'od is spirit and li!e to those who recei(e in simple !aith& and it is a (i(i!ier o! all who own its sway.
Bnow your ;oo& li(e it& belie(e it& and obey it. 0ide 'od@s %ord in your heart. 3t will sa(e your soul& :uicen
your body& and illumine your mind. The %ord o! 'od is !ull and !inal& in!allible& reliable& and up?to date& and
our attitude towards it must be one o! un:uestioned obedience. 3! a thing is in the ;ible it is so7 it is not e(en to
be prayed about7 it is to be recei(ed and acted upon. 3nacti(ity o! !aith is a robber which steals blessing. 3ncrease
comes by action& by using what we ha(e and what we now. 2our li!e must be one o! going !rom !aith to !aith.,
0e constantly taught that the %ord o! 'od must be 3mplicitly obeyed. 0e repeatedly :uoted the scripture& *To
obey is better than sacri!ice., >bedience& to him& was a normal !ruit o! true !aith. *;ecause you dare to belie(e&
you act in obedience.,
3n addition to taing time each day to read the %ord o! 'od& our 'reatheart learned the secret o! o!ten turning
aside !rom the multitude and getting alone with 'od !or a spiritual renewing. 0e became ac:uainted with a (ery
godly minister who was one time (isiting <ngland and who carried with him an unusual degree o! the presence
o! 'od. 0is preaching was plain and unadorned& but he too his hearers into conscious contact with the 4ord.
Many =ealous souls sought to learn the secret o! his power& but he was reluctant to tell them. 0owe(er& a!ter he
had prayed about the matter& the 4ord ga(e him liberty to tell those who in:uired the secret o! his deep spiritual
ministry. 0e said& *2ears ago the Spirit o! 'od began to spea to me& but 3 was too busy to heed 0is (oice. 0e
persisted& until 3 commenced to go aside when 0e spoe& so that 3 could hear what 'od the 4ord had to say. This
became my manner o! li!e. 3 obeyed 0is pleading (oice7 until now& at the slightest breath o! the Spirit& 3 lea(e
e(eryone and e(erything to be in 0is presence& to hear and to obey 0is %ord.,
>ur 'reatheart caught the (ision o! this godly minister& and with the %ord o! 'od in his hand he could be
*otherwise engaged&, completely shut in with 'od alone& in any crowd or company. 0is secret may ha(e been a
borrowed one& but it is now an open one to e(ery de(oted ser(ant o! 'od.
>ne day he was tra(eling in a railroad car when a mother and her daughter were both stricen ill. 0e told them
that he had in his bag a remedy !or e(ery trouble and that it ne(er !ailed in the worst cases7 in !act& it had ne(er
been nown to !ail where the conditions were met. 0e taled so much about what he had in his bag that they
pleaded !or a dose o! this wonder!ul uni(ersal remedy. 0e opened his bag& too out his ;ible and read the
scripture& *3 am the 4ord that healeth thee., +nd he prayed that they might ha(e !aith in this wonder!ul 0ealer.
3n a short while both declared that they were healed.
>ne time in the city o! 8ardi!! in South %ales he prayed !or a woman who was instantly healed. She came to the
ne-t meeting and testi!ied with great 1oy to what the 4ord had done !or her. She said that she wanted to spread
the truth that had been so bene!icial to her& and ased our 'reatheart !or some tracts. 0e answered& *The best
tracts 3 now o! on healing are Matthew& Mar& 4ue& and 9ohn. They are !ull o! incidents o! the power and
woring o! 9esus 8hrist. 0e is the same yesterday& and today& and !ore(er. 2ou cannot ha(e anything better.,
>ne time he prayed !or a young man who was sic. +!ter he had prayed& the young man said: *;rother& 3 want a
promise to stand on., %igglesworth put his ;ible on the ground and said to the young man& *Now stand on
that., 0e stood on it and was told& *Now you are standing on a great heap o! promises. ;elie(e e(ery one o!
them.,
.re(ious to the year 1"C7& the year he recei(ed the .entecostal ;aptism& the 0oly Spirit !igured constantly in his
e-perience and teaching& but !rom that time !orward a new epoch began in his li!e. 0e relied implicitly upon the
0oly Spirit !or e(ery phase o! his ministry. 0e certainly sought to li(e in the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit.
The gi!t o! tongues was a priceless treasure to him and many times e(ery day his heart went out in lo(e and
adoration to 'od& not in the de!iled languages o! earth& but in the 0oly?Spirit?gi(en language o! lo(e that 'od
had graciously gi(en him. 0e !ound that this speaing in tongues was always a source o! spiritual edi!ication.
0e li(ed that (erse in 9ude )C& *;elo(ed& building up yoursel(es in your most holy !aith& !raying in the "oly
#host and he also li(ed that (erse& *.raying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit& and watching
thereunto with all perse(erance and supplication !or all saints.,
9ames Salter says o! his preaching: *0ow o!ten& metaphorically speaing& he built up the altar o! 'od and got
ready to sacri!ice7 and then 'od sent the !ire and consumed the o!!ering& thus consummating his e!!orts.
0e certainly searched the Scriptures& and prayed day and night to show himsel! appro(ed unto 'od& a worman
that needeth not to be ashamed& rightly di(iding the %ord o! truth. ;ut it was the breath o! 'od& the unction
!rom hea(en& and the person and power o! the 0oly Spirit that made him what he was. 0e new it& and 1ealously
guarded this deposit., %e ha(e heard him say& *3 am nothing apart !rom the 0oly Spirit&, and he certainly was
not.
+nother secret o! his power was that he was constantly *mo(ed with compassion., 0e saw that the source o!
8hrist@s mightiest miracles was 0is wonder!ul compassion. Tears would stream !rom his eyes as he beheld the
sin?scarred souls and the sicness?wreced bodies. 0e burned in his =eal to undo the wors o! the de(il& and was
positi(ely aggressi(e as he tried to emulate his Master in going about doing good& and healing all that were
oppressed o! the de(il.
>ne who new him intimately wrote o! him: *%hen the mail arri(ed at his home and the time !or the opening o!
the letters came& we all had to stop whate(er we were doing and get under the burden. There was nothing rushed
or slipshod about his methods o! dealing with these pathetic appeals !or he1p. <(erybody in the house must 1oin
in the prayers and lay lands on the handerchie!s sent out to the su!!ering ones. They were treated as though the
writers were present in person.
<ach re:uest was dealt with separately and sincerely& and thousands o! grate!ul people all o(er the world
testi!ied to the outcome o! this compassionate ministry.
*>ne day the mail brought him :uite a long letter !rom a lady who was su!!ering intensely !rom a serious
disease. 0er letter was !ull o! :uotations on the sub1ect o! di(ine healing& and showed that she new all that she
needed to now on that sub1ect. 0e read the letter a time or two& and then he passed it on to me& saying& A%hat
do you thin o! that5@ 0e reread it& and then wrote on the bottom o! the letter: A;elie(e your own letter& apply it
to your own body lie a handerchie!& and you will be healed.@ 0e sent it bac to her& and a short time later he
recei(ed a letter !rom her saying that she was per!ectly whole.,
THE CHALLENGER
T0<D< ES<F to be a daily train !rom 8hicago to 8ali!ornia named The $hallenger. *The 8hallenger, would
ha(e been an e-cellent name !or Smith %igglesworth.
Fre:uently he would begin his preaching by sending out the challenge: *+re you ready5 %hat !or5 Deady to
belie(e 'odG Deady to catch the (ision o! what 'od has !or youG Deady to enter right into 'od@s plan !or you
todayG,
For himsel!& he was always %igglesworth the e(er?ready.
.aul sent a letter to the citadel o! the 8aesars& declaring: *3 am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at
Dome also., Domans 1:1H. >ne day %igglesworth made a trip to the city o! Dome& and he was ready to preach
there. >n the street he met an 3talian brother who had heard him preach in 8ali!ornia. This man too him to
where the .entecostal saints worshiped in Dome& and there it was his 1oy to minister 8hrist.
0e later (isited the city o! Dome with Mr. and Mrs. Salter to hold special meetings there& and one day it was
decided to pay a (isit to the catacombs. + special young <nglish speaing priest was allocated to be their guide.
They were each gi(en a thic wa- taper to light their way underground. The priest seemed to !orget the rest o!
the party& but too a special interest in Smith %igglesworth& who was intensely interested in all that he saw and
heard. Depeatedly the priest would say to him& *2ou would mae a good 8atholic. 2ou ought to be a 8atholic7,
and each time he would answer: *3 am a 8atholic& but not a Doman 8atholic.,
The priest continued speaing with %igglesworth until the end o! the tour and the time came !or them to ascend
the steps and lea(e the catacombs. Then Smith %igglesworth sei=ed the opportunity and said to the priest:
*Now& you would mae a good 8hristian i! you were to get sa(ed. Bneel down here on the !loor& and 3 will as
'od to sa(e you., The priest was astounded& burst into a !lood o! tears& and nelt down. .utting his hand on the
man@s head& Smith %igglesworth prayed that 'od would sa(e his soul. The priest issed his hands most !er(idly
and it too Smith %igglesworth some time to get !ree !rom his embrace.
>ne day&in 8ardi!! in %ales& a man who had a reputation !or large?heartedness gathered together a large and
representati(e group o! 8hristian leaders. Enity and harmony were the themes o! this con(ention& and emphasis
was gi(en to the need o! the 0oly Spirit and personal holiness.
+s is the custom at many such gatherings& all the speaers dealt in general terms& none o! them acute enough to
hurt anyone@s !eelings. <(erything seemed to be going (ery well& and the organi=er beamed his satis!action. ;ut
there was one man in that large audience who was stirred by the thought: *+ll these !ol are missing 'od@s best.
8an 3 remain criminally silent and not tell this great audience that there is a mighty baptism in the 0oly Spirit
!or e(ery one o! them lie that which the disciples recei(ed on the Fay o! .entecost5,
+nd so that man& our courageous 'reatheart& caused no small stir when he arose& too o!! his coat and came
!orward in his shirt?slee(es& and !rom the plat!orm sent out this challenge: *3! 3 had all you ha(e now be!ore 3
recei(ed this what is this 3 ha(e recei(ed since and in addition to all 3 had when 3 had all you ha(e5,
+ tense atmosphere !illed the building and the chairman hurriedly brought the meeting to a close. ;ut Smith
%igglesworth had sent out his challenge. 0e !elt that the .entecostal testimony was worth standing !or& and as
always he !ought a good !ight& a !ight !or the distincti(e testimony o! the .entecostal belie(ers. 0e !elt that the
.entecostal heritage must not be bartered !or a mess o! pottage. Then& as always& he !earlessly contended that the
!ull .entecostal baptism in the Spirit is in(ariably accompanied by the speaing with other tongues as the Spirit
gi(es utterance.
0e would constantly send out the challenge: *4i(e ready. 3! you ha(e to get ready when opportunity comes your
way& you are too late. >pportunity does not wait& not e(en while you pray. 2ou must not ha(e to get ready7 you
must li(e ready.,
>n the occasion o! his !irst (isit to +merica& he heard o! a camp meeting being held in 8a=adero& in northern
8ali!ornia& and he decided to attend. %hen he arri(ed he told Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery& who had con(ened the
camp& who he was7 and the !irst night& a!ter se(eral ministers had spoen& the one in charge o! the meeting
looed critically at %igglesworth as he said& *Now it is your turn. +re you ready5, %igglesworth smiled and
replied& *+lways., Taing o!! his coat& he ad(anced to the !ront o! the plat!orm& and be!ore he had been
speaing many minutes he had capti(ated his large audience by his uni:ue message. From that day !orward& he
was ased to spea e(ery morning and e(ery night during the remaining three wees o! the camp& !or the (arious
in(ited speaers said: *This man has a message o! !aith that is outstanding and we want to hear him.,
+t that camp meeting in(itation a!ter in(itation was gi(en to him to come and minister in (arious 8ali!ornian
cities.
Smith %igglesworth would challenge his audience& *+ll who belie(e in prayer& put one hand up. +ll who
belie(e in praying aloud& put two hands up. Now& e(erybody stand up and do it& and get what your heart desires.,
+t the commencement& this method o! procedure met with a mi-ed reception. Some tolerated it& but others
openly opposed it. 3n the main& people obeyed and got much bene!it. 3n conser(ati(e <ngland there was not a
little ob1ection to his methods& but he was :uite sure he was in harmony with the saints o! the early church who
Then he added: *3 was sa(ed among the Methodists when 3 was about eight years o!
age. + little later 3 was con!irmed by a bishop o! the 8hurch o! <ngland. 4ater 3 was
immersed as a ;aptist. 3 had the grounding in ;ible teaching among the .lymouth
;rethren. 3 marched under the ;lood and Fire banner o! the Sal(ation +rmy&
learning to win souls in the open air. 3 recei(ed the second blessing o! sancti!ication
and a clean heart under the teaching o! Deader 0arris and the .entecostal 4eague. 3
claimed the gi!t o! the 0oly Spirit by !aith as 3 waited ten days be!ore the 4ord. ;ut
in Sunderland& in 1"C7& 3 nelt be!ore 'od and had an +cts ):# e-perience. The
0oly Spirit came and 3 spoe with new tongues as did the company in the upper
room. That put my e-perience outside the range o! argument& but inside the record
o! 'od@s 0oly %ord. 'od ga(e me the 0oly Spirit as 0e did to them at the
beginning. 3 want harmony& unity and oneness& but 3 want them in 'od@s way. 3n the
+cts o! the +postles& speaing with new tongues was the sign o! the in!illing and
out!lowing o! the 0oly Spirit& and 3 do not belie(e that 'od has changed 0is
method.,
*li!ted up their (oice to 'od with one accord., 0e would say& *This li!ting up o! holy hands is not something
that %igglesworth has in(ented. 3t is !ound in the !irst boo o! the ;ible. +braham did it. +nd in the last boo
o! the ;ible& we may read about the angel doing it.
Moses& +aron& Fa(id& 9eremiah& <=eiel6al3 did it. 3t meant all the di!!erence between winning or losing a
battle when Moses li!ted up his hands to 'od against the +maleites. 3n 0ebrews we read& A4i!t up the hands
which hang down.@ 3n .salm 1/# the psalmist bids all the ser(ants o! the 4ord& A4i!t up your hands in the
sanctuary& and bless the 4ord.@ .aul echoes this in 1 Timothy ):$& where he writes: A3 will there!ore that men
pray e(erywhere& li!ting up holy hands& without wrath and doubting.@ 3n the boo o! Nehemiah we ha(e an
e-ample: A+nd <=ra blessed the 4ord& the great 'od. +nd all the people answered& +men& +men& with li!ting up
their hands7 and they bowed Their heads& and worshipped the 4ord with their !aces to the ground.@ So you see
we can go e(en a bit !urther and still be scriptural,
+t the close o! his ser(ices& he would !re:uently round up the audience with an appeal on this wise:
*Now& who wants to get nearer to 'od5 %ho would lie a special blessing5 4et e(erybody who is hungry !or
'od stand on his !eet <(erybody who is in real earnest& mo(e !orward. 3! you mo(e !orward only a !oot& it will
shew that you mean business. 3! you will come right up to the !ront& we will pray with you and 'od will meet
you., The people would !loc to the !ront. 0e would e-hort them: *%ho will li!t up his hands in !aith and as
'od !or something5, *Now than 'od !or it.,
*Now again& as 'od !or something., *Now than 'od., The e-ercise o! !aith brought the answer to hundreds&
and many were bapti=ed in the Spirit as they li!ted up their hands and (oices to 'od.
+t these a!ter?meetings he adopted a de!initeness and a conciseness that got !ol !urther and got more !or them
in a minute than some ministers would ha(e obtained in a millennium. 0e taught them that a de!inite !aith
brought a de!inite e-perience and a de!inite utterance. 0e instructed his hearers how to leap o(er obstacles and
intermediate things& and get :uicly and e!!ectually to their goal and obtain their ob1ect.
0is instructions to the seeers were usually (ery terse: *+s !or what you want7 belie(e& recei(e !rom 'od& and
than 'od !or it., *3! you as 'od se(en times !or the same thing& si- times are in unbelie!&, was one o! his
sayings. *2ou can !eel 1ust how you !eel any time you lie to !eel. Feelings are liars. 3saac !elt 9acob& but he was
cheated 1ust the same. Faith is better than !eelings& and i! you ha(e !aith you will ha(e all the !eelings you can
!eel. %hen the woman with an issue o! blood touched in !aith the hem o! 0is garment& she soon had plenty o!
!eelings. She !elt in her body that she was healed o! that plague.,
+lthough his li!e was a combination o! incessant prayer and praise& and e(ery word and wor was an act o!
worship& he was not gi(en to protracted periods o! !asting and prayer. 0e practiced himsel! and encouraged his
hearers to li(e a li!e o! consistent con!idence in 'od so that they were ready !or any occasion and ne(er taen
unawares by any emergency. To him& 8hrist@s words& *>nly belie(e&, meant *%nly belie(e ., >ther methods o!
approach to 'od and getting things !rom 'od were o! secondary importance to him. 2et he reali=ed and
sincerely appreciated the !act that his ministry was sustained largely by a host o! people who would gi(e
themsel(es to the ministry o! prayer& and in all his letters to such !ol he pleaded !or a continuance o! their
prayer!ul support.
*+ preacher must not tell his audience what he thins but what he nows& and let them do the thining&, he
would say. 0e certainly set a lot o! !ol thining whene(er he arose to spea. 0e was not always as clear in his
use o! ;ible terms as some !ol wished he would be. 8onse:uently& there were occasions when he was accused
o! teaching doctrines which were open to :uestion. 0is use o! the word *mortality, led some 8hristians to
a!!irm that he taught the theory that there is no need to die. +ctually& the champions o! that teaching had no
stronger opponent& as some o! them could testi!y. Iuoting Domans $:11& he maintained that it was gloriously
possible to now the surging resurrection li!e o! 8hrist in the mortal body now& but none new better than he
that *the outward man perisheth.,
0is entrance into any meeting introduced a new element. The spiritual temperature would rise& and the
e-pectancy o! something di!!erent would !ill the building.
*+nyone can be ordinary&, he would say& *but a person !illed with the 0oly Spirit must be e-traordinary., The
people looed to him !or something new& something out o! the usual run o! things& and they were not
disappointed.
0e constantly taled about the power o! !aith in 'od. 0e would say& *Fear loos7 !aith 1umps., *Faith ne(er !ails
to obtain its ob1ect. 3! 3 lea(e you as 3 !ound you& 3 am not 'od@s channel. 3 am not here to entertain you but to
get you to the place where you can laugh at the impossible& to belie(e and to see the goodness o! the 4ord in the
land o! the li(ing., *Men o! !aith always ha(e a good report, *3 am satis!ied with the dissatis!action that ne(er
rests until it is satis!ied and satis!ied again., *%e ha(e to get rid o! our small measure because 'od@s measure is
so much greater than ours6a measure than cannot be measured.,
0ere are a !ew o! his challenging assertions.
Favorite Wigglesworth Quotes
Far too many o! us dwell on the lowlands o! sal(ation. 8an@t you hear (oices calling you to the uplands o!
di(ine grace5 Mountain climbing is thrillingG 4et@s be o!!G 0ebron@s heights rise be!ore us. Shall we e-plore our
unclaimed inheritance in the hea(enlies5
*;e !illed with the Spirit&, i.e.& ;e soaked with the Spirit7 so soaed that e(ery thread in the !abric o! your li!e
will ha(e recei(ed the re:uisite hue o! the Spirit. Then when you are misused and s:uee=ed to the wall& all that
will oo=e out o! you will be the 9esus nature.
The Bnights o! .entecost6all they see is a place o! ser(ice& and they care little about its being a place o!
honor7 they aspire a!ter tra(ail rather than applause7 i! they can but be popular with the Supreme .otentate o!
their society& they as nothing more.
%e should be !ar more concerned about a rich and noble character than we are about a big reputation. .opularity
can be bought almost any day !or a song and sold !or a sparrow& but a noble character is the product o! years o!
di(ine training and discipline.
3t is not po(erty !rom which 8hristians su!!er& but it is the disease called stinginess and sel!ishness7 and hence&
while they ha(e enough and to spare !or themsel(es& their children& and their pleasures& they lac the heart to
gi(e in order to promote 'od@s glory and the good o! their !ellow?men.
Far too many people spend their entire li!etime maing a li(ing. Maing a li(ing is the small& time?ser(ing&
dwar!ed and paraly=ed man@s ob1ect. Maing a li!e is the ingly& righteous and holy man@s ob1ect. The one li(es
in the narrow& prison?limited circle o! sel!& and the other in a world which is bounded only when in!inity and
eternity ha(e limits. -
4ittle souls delight in !ault?!inding7 big ones in appreciating. Mean !ol are always minus !ol7 it is the great
hearts who are the plus ones. They add to li!e and mae it richer7 they call out all that is best within us by the
sunshine o! their appreciation.
'i(e attention to li!e@s in!low7 outward ser(ice will dwindle i! inward energies are not renewed.
Much o! our spectacular organi=ation in .entecost is 1ust a splendid emptiness& while some :uiet and
unobtrusi(e !ellowship is 1ust laden with the e-cellent glory o! the 4ord.
%e ha(e only touched the outer circle o! the great maelstrom o! li!e in the Spirit7 there are hidden wonders in
the untrodden realm o! the di(ine lo(e7 there are new trails to be !ollowed through the tropical lu-uriance o!
redeeming grace.
*;e !illed with the Spirit&, i. e.& ;e crammed with the Spirit& so !illed that there will be no room le!t !or anything
else. %hat is the ad(antage o! such a li!e5 %e can only !eel what reaches the central realm o! consciousness. 3!
we eep e(il out o! that inner realm& we destroy its (irulence. So i! we ha(e our consciousness !illed with the
presence o! the glory o! the 4ord& there will be no room e(en !or the aggressi(e errors o! destructi(e criticism& or
!or bitter disappointment.
There is no person e(er able to tal about the (ictory o(er temptation without he goes through it. +ll the
(ictories are won in battles.
2ou must e(ery day mae higher ground. 2ou must deny yoursel! to mae progress with 'od. 2ou must re!use
e(erything that is not pure and holy. 'od wants you pure in heart. 0e wants you to ha(e an intense desire a!ter
holiness.
3t is when we belie(e that something happens.
The %ord o! 'od ne(er pro!its unless it is mi-ed with !aith in them that hear it.
'od wants you so !ull o! the Spirit that your whole li!e is praise.
The greatest plan that 8hrist showed !orth was the ministry o! ser(ice. %hen we come to a place where we ser(e
!or pure lo(e@s sae& we shall !ind the hand o! the di(ine Master upon us& and we shall ne(er !all.
2ou are bound !ore(er by loyalty to 'od to see that no schism shall come into the body6the church.
'od has no room !or the man that loos bac& thins bac& or acts bac.
The %ord o! 'od has not to be prayed about7 the %ord o! 'od is to be recei(ed and obeyed.
There is always blessing where there is harmony. *>ne accord, is the eynote to (ictory. See to it that nothing
e(er comes out o! your lips that would disturb harmony& but rather li(e in the place where you are helping
e(erybody& li!ting e(erybody& and causing e(erybody to come into per!ect harmony.
;e not a!raid to as& !or 'od is on the throne ready to answer.
2ou can always be down in the dumps when you li(e by your !eelings. Demember that 'od has raised us up in
8hrist !ar abo(e all things. 0e says& *+ll things are yours., %e are *heirs o! 'od& and 1oint?heirs with 8hrist.,
Two things will get you to leap out o! yoursel(es into the great promises o!
'od today. >ne is purity& and the other is !aith& which is indled more and
more by purity.
>ne Sunday he was in a strange town& and in his search !or a place o! worship he !ound himsel! in a Friends@
Meeting 0ouse. 0e sat :uietly 1ust lie other people !or a time& and then his e-perience became lie that o! the
psalmist who said& *%hile 3 was musing the !ire burned: then spae 3 with my tongue., 0is soul was abla=e& !or
he had 1ust le!t a Sal(ation +rmy *nee drill&, and li:uid !ire !lowed !rom his lips. +t the close o! the ser(ice the
leaders gathered around him e-claiming& *0ow :uicly you are mo(ed by the SpiritG %hat is your secret5 Fo
please tell us., They were somewhat astounded at his blunt reply: *%ell& you see& it is lie this. 3! the Spirit does
not mo(e me& 3 mo(e the Spirit., That was doubtless a crude way !or him to e-press himsel!& but we ha(e o!ten
heard him say& *+s 3 start out in the natural& in !aith& the Spirit o! 'od always meets me and anoints me& so that
although 3 start in the natural 3 continue in the Spirit,
3t could be said o! Smith %igglesworth that he was uni:ue& original and illimitable. 0e was too sincere to be a
mimic and too transparent to be imitated. There were those who sought to borrow his inno(ations& but they
!ound that these imitations were as incongruous to them as Saul@s armor was to Fa(id& as useless as <lisha@s rod
was to 'eha=i& and as re(ealing as was the terrible e-perience o! the se(en sons o! Sce(a who sought to cast out
demons in the name o! the 8hrist whom .aul preached.
%ith these perspecti(es in (iew& let us hear Smith on these things: JFrom K<(er 3ncreasing FaithK by Smith
%igglesworthL There was a man who had a large business in 4ondon who was a great church?goer. The church
he attended was beauti!ully decorated& and his pew was delight!ully cushioned? ?1ust about enough to mae it
easy to sleep through the sermons. 0e was a prosperous man in business& but he had no peace in his heart. ;ut
there was a boy at his business who always looed happy. 0e was always 1umping and whistling. >ne day he
said to this boy& K3 want to see you in my o!!ice.K %hen the boy was in his o!!ice he ased him& K0ow is it that
you can always whistle and be happy5K K3 cannot help it&K answered the boy. K%here did you get it5K ased the
master. K3 got it at the .entecostal mission.K K%here is that5K The boy told him& and the ne-t thing was& that the
man was attending. The 4ord broe him up there& and in a short while he was entirely changed. >ne day& shortly
a!ter this& he !ound that& instead o! being distracted by his business as he !ormerly had been& he was actually
whistling and 1umping. 0is whole position and his whole li!e had been changed.
The shout cannot come out unless it is in. There must !irst be the inner woring o! the power o! 'od. 3t is 0e
who changes the heart& and trans!orms the li!e& and be!ore there is any real outward e(idence there must be the
in!low o! di(ine li!e. Sometimes 3 say to people& K2ou weren't at meeting the other night.K They reply& K>h yes& 3
was there in spirit.K 3 say to them& K%ell& come ne-t time with your body also. %e don't want a lot o! spirit here
and no bodies. %e want you to come and get !illed with 'od.K %hen all the people will come and pray and
praise as did these early disciples there will be something doing. .eople who come will catch !ire and they will
want to come again. ;ut they will ha(e no use !or a place where e(erything has become !ormal& dry& and dead.
The power o! .entecost as it came at !irst& came to loose men. 'od wants us !ree on e(ery line. Men and women
are tired o! imitations7 they want reality7 they want to see people who ha(e the li(ing 8hrist within& and are
!illed with 0oly 'host power.
3 recei(ed se(eral letters and telegrams about a certain case& but when 3 arri(ed 3 was told 3 was too late. 3 said&
KThat cannot be. 'od has ne(er sent me too late anywhere.K 'od showed me when 3 went that something
di!!erent would happen to anything 3 had seen pre(iously. The people 3 went to were all strangers. 3 was
introduced to a young man who lay helpless& and !or whom there was no hope. The doctor had been to see him
that morning and had declared that he would not li(e through the day. 0e lay with his !ace to the wall& and when
3 spoe to him he whispered& K3 cannot turn o(er.K 0is mother said that they had had to li!t him out o! bed on
sheets !or wees& and that he was so wea and helpless that he had to stay in one position. The young man said&
KMy heart is (ery wea.K 3 assured him& K'od is the strength o! the heart and thy portion !ore(er. 3! you will
belie(e 'od& it shall be so today.K
>ur 8hrist is risen. 0e is a li(ing 8hrist who indwells us. %e must not ha(e this truth merely as a theory& 8hrist
must be risen in us by the power o! the Spirit. The power that raised 0im !rom the dead must animate us& and as
this glorious resurrection power surges through your being& you will be !reed !rom all your weanesses and you
will become strong in the 4ord and in the power o! 0is might. There is a resurrection power that 'od wants you
to ha(e and to ha(e it today. %hy not5 Decei(e your portion here and now.
3 said to these people& K3 belie(e your son will rise today.K They only laughed. .eople do not e-pect to see signs
and wonders today as the disciples saw them o! old. 0as 'od changed5 >r has our !aith waned so that we are
not e-pecting the greater wors that 9esus promised5 %e must not harp on any minor ey. >ur message must
rise to concert pitch& and there must be nothing le!t out o! it that is in the ;oo.
3t was winter time& and 3 said to the parents& K%ill you get the boy's suit and bring it here5K They would not
listen to the re:uest& !or they were e-pecting the boy to die. ;ut 3 had gone to that place belie(ing 'od. 3n
Domans #:17& we read o! +braham& KJ3 ha(e made thee a !ather o! many nations&L be!ore him whom he belie(ed&
e(en 'od& who :uiceneth the dead& and calleth those things which be not as though they were.K 'od help us to
understand this. 3t is time people new how to shout in !aith as they contemplate the eternal power o! our 'od to
whom it is nothing to :uicen and raise the dead. 3 come across some who would be giants in the power o! 'od
but they ha(e no shout o! !aith. 3 !ind e(erywhere people who go down e(en when they are praying simply
because they are 1ust breathing sentences without uttering speech& and you cannot get (ictory that way. 2ou
must learn to tae the (ictory and shout in the !ace o! the de(il. K3t is doneGK There is no man who can doubt i!
he learns to shout. %hen we now how to shout properly& things will be di!!erent& and tremendous things will
happen. 3n (erse )# we read& KThey li!ted up their (oice with one accord.K 3t surely must ha(e been a loud
prayer. %e must now that 'od means us to ha(e li!e. 3! there is anything in the world that has li!e in it& it is this
.entecostal re(i(al we are in.
3 belie(e in the baptism o! the 0oly 'host with the speaing o! tongues& and 3 belie(e that e(ery man who is
bapti=ed in the 0oly 'host will spea in other tongues as the Spirit gi(es him utterance. 3 belie(e in the 0oly
'host. +nd i! you are !illed with the Spirit you will be superabounding in li!e?? li(ing waters will !low !rom
you.
+t last 3 persuaded the parents to bring the boy's clothes and lay them on the bed. From the natural (iewpoint&
the young man lay dying. 3 spoe to the a!!licted one& K'od has re(ealed to me that& as 3 lay my hands upon you&
the place will be !illed with the 0oly 'host& the bed will be shaen& you will be shaen and thrown out o! bed by
the power o! the 0oly 'host& you will dress yoursel! and be strong.K 3 said this to him in !aith. 3 laid hands on
him in the name o! 9esus and instantly the power o! 'od !ell and !illed the place. 3 !elt helpless and !ell !lat on
the !loor. 3 new nothing e-cept that a short while a!ter the place was shaen& 3 heard the young man waling
o(er me and saying& KFor Thy glory& 4ordG For Thy glory& 4ordGK
0e dressed himsel! and cried& K'od has healed me.K The !ather !ell& the mother !ell& and another who was
present !ell also. 'od mani!ested 0is power that day in sa(ing the whole household and healing the young man.
3t is the power o! the risen 8hrist we need. That young man is today preaching the gospel.
Fare you tae your inheritance !rom 'od5 Fare you belie(e 'od5 Fare you stand on the record o! 0is %ord5
%hat is the record5 3! thou shalt belie(e thou shalt see the glory o! 'od. 2ou will be si!ted as wheat. 2ou will
be tried as though some strange thing tried you. 2ou will be put in places where you will ha(e to put your whole
trust in 'od. There is no such thing as anyone being tried beyond what 'od will allow. There is no temptation
that will come& but that 'od will be with you right in the temptation to deli(er you& and when you ha(e been
tried& 0e will bring you !orth as gold. <(ery trial is to bring you to a greater position in 'od. The trial that tries
your !aith will tae you on to the place where you will now that the !aith o! 'od will be !orthcoming in the
ne-t test. No man is able to win any (ictory sa(e through the power o! the risen 8hrist within him. 2ou will
ne(er be able to say& K3 did this or that.K 2ou will desire to gi(e 'od the glory !or e(erything.
3! you are sure o! your ground& i! you are counting on the presence o! the li(ing 8hrist within& you can laugh&
when you see things getting worse. 'od would ha(e you settled and grounded in 8hrist& and it is only as you are
!illed with the 0oly 'host that you become steadfast and unmoveable in 0im. The 4ord 9esus said& K3 ha(e a
baptism to be bapti=ed with7 and how am 3 straitened till it be accomplished.K 0e was assuredly straitened in the
way& at 'ethsemane& at the 1udgment hall& and& a!ter that& at the cross& where 0e& through the eternal Spirit&
o!!ered 0imsel! without spot to 'od. 'od will tae us right on in lie manner& and the 0oly Spirit will lead
e(ery step o! the way.
Mthe laugh comes !rom such a huge solid and unshaeable assurance within that it de!ies all understanding. This is in such
contrast to the human (iew upon the reality& that a 1oyous laugh or shout is una(oidable...?T.
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