SCANDINAVIA 1921
SWEDEN AND DENMARK February-May 1921
Report published in Confidence, p. 23 April – June 1921
HERR TH PLUM (St. Annœsplads, Copenhagen, Denmark) wrote to the Editor of “Confidence” to tell him how God was using Bro. Wigglesworth greatly in Sweden, etc.
* * *
Since then he has been with Pastor Barratt in Christiania, and he asks for our prayers. “So far, no buildings have been large enough, and hundreds have been turned away.” After ministering in a hall which holds 3,000, a hall holding 5,000 was to be obtained.
* * *
Police on horseback had to control the crowds. “Only by a great squeezing could I get into the hall, assisted by the police officers.” Piles of crutches were left behind, the blind saw, epileptic fits dealt with, etc: “I am at the feet of Jesus, and weep through my address, and God breaks up the people, and there are rows of people each night seeking salvation.”
Bro. Wigglesworth writes: “A poor lame man in hospital asked the doctor for leave to attend the meetings, but was refused permission. He was told that if he broke the regulations he would not be permitted to return. He replied that he did not expect that he would have to return, and it was so.” When Bro. Wigglesworth laid hands on him (not knowing all this) he was healed, and left his crutches with the others. The people have given largely to the missionaries and their work. Bro. Wigglesworth is to re-visit Denmark and Sweden, and later he returns to Switzerland.
* * *
Orebro Castle
Report published in Confidence, p. 22-23, 26 April – June 1922
The Very Same Jesus. Divine Healing in Scandinavia, etc.
“That, which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you.” 1 John i., 3.
The Writer (whose personal testimony was in the last issue of “Confidence”) had the privilege for three months last year to be in the centre of Mr. Smith Wigglesworth’s meetings in both Sweden and Denmark. It was a time of visitation from on high. I dare to say that hundreds of people received Jesus as their Saviour, thousands were healed from all kinds of diseases, also thousands of believers awoke to a new life, and many, many received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost. For all this we give glory to Jesus. Here are a few examples of miracles my eyes have seen.
I will begin with the first meeting I attended. It was in OREBRO (Sweden) where at that time there was held a Pentecostal Convention. I came to seek help myself, being worn out with long unbroken service in the Lord’s work. I had not heard of Mr. Wigglesworth before, but I knew that Pastor Barratt, my spiritual father, was there. The next day there was a meeting for healing. After the preaching service I went forward into the other hall and I was surprised to find in a few minutes a crowd following.
It was wonderful to notice, as the ministry continued, the effect upon the people as the power of the Lord came over them. Some lifted their hands, crying, “I am healed! I am healed!” Some fell on the platform overpowered by the power of the Spirit, having to be helped down. Others walked away as in a dream; others as drunk with new wine, lost to everything but God; but all had faces as transfigured with the glory of the Lord and magnifying Jesus.
A young blind girl, as she was ministered to, cried out, “Oh, how many windows there are in this hall!” During the three weeks the meetings continued the great chapel was crowded daily, multitudes being healed and many saved. The testimony meetings were wonderful. One said, “I was deaf, they prayed, and Jesus healed me.” Another, “I had consumption, and I am free,” and so on.
AT SKOFDE.
In the smaller hall, set apart for those seeking the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, I shall never forget the sight, how the people with eyes closed and hearts up-lifted to God waited. Did the Holy Spirit fall upon them? Of course He did. Here also many were healed. At another place there was a young man whose body was spoiled because of sin, but the Lord is merciful with sinners. He was anointed, and when hands were laid on, the power of God went mightily over him. He said, “I am healed,” but being broken down, he cried as a little child confessing his sin; at the same moment the Lord saved him. Glory to God! He went into the large hall and testified to salvation and healing.
STOCKHOLM.
Here long queues waited for hours to get in. The hall held 1,800 people. At nearly every meeting crowds were unable to enter the building, but they waited on often hours and hours for the chance, if any left the building, to step into the place. Here a man with two crutches, his whole body shaking with palsy, is lifted on to the platform. (Behind him five or six hundred more are waiting for help.) This man is anointed and hands laid upon him in the Name of Jesus. He is still shaking. Then he drops one crutch, and after a short time the other one. His body is still shaking, but he takes the first step out in faith! Will it be? He lifts one foot and then the other, walks round the platform. The onlookers rejoice with him. Now he walks around the auditorium. Hallelujah!
During this meeting a woman began to shout and shout. The preacher told her to be quiet, but instead she jumped up on a chair, flourishing her arms about, and crying, “I am healed! I am healed! I had cancer in my mouth, and I was unsaved; but during, the meeting, as I listened to the word of God, the Lord has saved me and healed me of cancer in my mouth.” She shouts again, “I am saved! I am saved! I am healed of cancer!” She was quite beside herself. The people laughed and cried together.
Here was another woman unable to walk, sitting on a chair as she was ministered to. Her experience was the same as hundreds of the others. She rose up, looking around, wondering if after all it was a dream. Suddenly she laughed and said, “My leg is healed.” Afterwards she said, “I am not saved,” and streams of tears ran down her face. They prayed for her, and later she left the meeting healed and saved and full of joy. We have a wonderful Saviour; glory to His Holy Name!
Pastor T.B. Barratt
Out of many, many, I quote two taken from Pastor Barratt’s paper, “Korsets Seir” (the Victory of the Cross). A man and his son came in a taxi to a meeting. Both had crutches. The father had been in bed two years and was unable to put his leg to the ground. He was ministered to. He dropped both crutches, walking and praising God. When the son saw this he cried out. “Help me too,” and after a little while father and son, without crutches and without taxi, walked away from the hall together. That word again is manifested; the same Jesus, the wonder-working Jesus is just the same today.
NOW COPENHAGEN,
my homeland! During three weeks thousands daily attended the meetings. Each morning two or three hundred were ministered to for healing. Each evening the platform was surrounded. Again and again, as each throng retired another company came forward seeking salvation. Here many were baptised in the Holy Ghost. The testimony meetings were wonderful.
Now I will close with a vision a brother had who attended these meetings. He was lost in intercession for the hundreds of sick waiting to be ministered to for healing. He saw an opening from the platform, where the sick were, right into the glory. He saw wonderful beings in the form of men resting who, with interest, looked on. Again he looked at the platform and saw a heavenly Being clothed in white, who all the time was more active than any other in helping the sick, and when He touched them the effect was wonderful. Bent forms were made straight, their eyes shone, they began to glorify and praise the Lord. A Voice said: “Healings are the smallest of all gifts; it is but a drop in the bucket in view of what God has in store for His children. Ye shall do greater works than these.”
I pray that the Lord may be magnified by this attestation to signs, wonders, and mighty deeds, and that there may be a multiplication in every land that shall redound to the glory of God.
Written by Anna Lewini, 149 Winston Road, Stoke Newington, London.
* * *
Report published in Pentecostal Evangel, p. 13 May 14, 1921
ANNUAL CONVENTION AT OREBRO, SWEDEN
A Baptist church seating about 2000 people was rented for the purpose. We had a wonderful time, the most refreshing convention we have been in for a long time. About 200 preachers and missionaries were present, among them Bro. Andrew Fraser from Chicago, Bro. Smith-Wigglesworth from England, and Bro. Benj. Schilling from Berlin, and Bro. T. B. Barratt from Norway.
These brethren were all used of God in a blessed way. Bro. Fraser’s straight messages on the fundamentals were a great uplift. Bro. Wigglesworth is being used of God in praying for the sick. Bro. Schillings is one of the pastors in Berlin that is standing for the full Gospel truths. A goodly number were saved, many sick were healed and believers were filled with the Holy Ghost. The church could not hold the crowds. Every hotel in this city of 40,000 was crowded.
On Sunday two other Places were rented for meetings, and still many could not get in. We are still feeling the effect’s of this wonderful meeting, and believe God is preparing His people for still greater things.
We are still watching for the door to open into Russia and in the meantime feel God wants us to keep busy for Him here. Pray for us.
Arthur F. Johnson.
* * *
Report published in Pentecostal Evangel, p. 3 July 23, 1921
REVIVALS IN SWITZERLAND AND NORWAY
We are pleased to hear of blessed apostolic revivals in Switzerland and Norway, where the Lord has greatly owned the ministry of Bro. Smith Wigglesworth of England. There were many remarkable healings. Many suffering with cancer, tumors, tuberculosis, rupture, rheumatism and many other diseases have been miraculously healed through the prayer of faith.
We read of one man who was suffering with tuberculosis of the stomach who attended one of our brother’s meetings in Switzerland. He was brought in a dying condition on a stretcher in a wagon. By his side was a basket of food, and a friend, knowing his condition, asked the reason for its presence. “I shall eat it going back,” was his simple answer, and he did!
“Four ‘spies,’ sent by doubting ‘believers’ to detect the counterfeit, were all convinced of God’s working and are to-day in Pentecost, one of them filling the place as leader in one of the assemblies that have sprung up in the wake of the revival.”
Bro. Wigglesworth writes: “Great things have taken place in Norway and Sweden. The crowds have been too large for the buildings, so that at times I have had to move to large open-air meetings, where stands have been erected for the occasion. The newspapers have described many of the remarkable healings. A great number have been saved and blessed. Was four weeks in Stockholm, Sweden, where a place holding 2000 has kept under a mighty revival spirit. Thousands of handkerchiefs have been sent out with returned testimonies of blessing and healing.
People have waited outside buildings for hours in order to get a seat. Pastor Barrett writes that never before has Norway been stirred like this, and he writes that the faith and work is continuing.”