AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND 1922

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND 1922

Report published in Confidence, p. 27-28 April – June 1922

HEALINGS IN AUSTRALIA.

To Rev. A. A. Boddy,
All Saints’ Vicarage,
Sunderland, England.

Our dear Brother Wigglesworth arrived in Melbourne last Thursday, February 16th, and he had a meeting that night, when many came to hear his blessed message, and—Glory to God! — many dear sick ones were delivered in answer to the prayer of faith. Some of those who attended the meeting had come many hundreds of miles for the purpose, and were addressed by the evangelist from the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Ye are my witnesses.”

When God is upon the smallest person in the place, He can make us mighty, and when we are simple enough to believe Him, the whole of our lives are changed, and the things which we have merely heard about begin to be realities in our own experiences.

REALITIES.

“My theme to-night is that Jesus would not have us to be less than realities. My message is to Y-O-U, not to somebody else. It was hard for the disciples to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, and there was something of remarkable order that took place to bring these men into the knowledge of this living fact. It is the power of this risen Christ that I am here to-night.”

Although Mr. Wigglesworth made it quite plain and clear to his hearers that he would rather see one sinner saved than 10,000 people healed of bodily ailments, he invited any who were in pain to come forward for prayer in the Name of Jesus, Who said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth,” at the same time taking much trouble to impress upon them the thought that by no power of his would any receive deliverance, but only through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who healed all who came unto Him.

Amongst those who came forward for prayer were several who declared that they had received remarkable and instantaneous healings. A few of those were as follows: One little girl, six years of age, was seen, after prayer by the evangelist, walking out of the front door of the building with her mother, who was delightedly exclaiming to all and sundry, “Look at her! She has never walked in her life before!” A man who had not walked for over four years owing to rheumatoid arthritis, was instantly healed, and after triumphantly passing his stick and crutch up to the platform, gave an impromptu exhibition of the power that had come into his legs by jumping and leaping and praising God.

Others suffering from weak spine, nerve and heart trouble, weak eyesight, asthma, kidney trouble, loss of voice, etc., claimed to have been wonderfully helped.

Since the first night there have been many other wonderful healings. Last night a dear woman who had been unable to walk for 61 years was brought to be prayed for, and—glory be to God !—she got out of her chair and walked, and her husband pushed her chair along, with her walking behind. Praise our covenant-keeping God! Truly He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.

There have also been many conversions—at one meeting alone 40 dear ones accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour—and we are believing for still greater things. The revival showers are falling and God is working. Bless His holy Name! We also have some precious times of blessing in the morning meetings conducted by our dear Brother Wigglesworth, and many go away praising God for the feast they have had. Truly “Man shalt not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Am enclosing newspaper cuttings, so you will see how the press are taking it up.

Just this morning a mother brought her little girl along, who had fallen on a pair of scissors, and cut her mouth so that she could not close it. After the evangelist had laid his hands upon it and prayed, she was able to close her mouth and was quite well. Glory to God !

I must now close, praying that God will abundantly bless you in your labours of love for Him, and asking your prayers of behalf of Australia.

With Christian greetings,
Yours in Christ’s happy service,

SISTER WINNIE ANDREWS,
Secretary.

104, Queensberry Street, N. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Feb. 23rd, 1922.

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AUSTRALIA

Published in Melbourne ‘Age’ February 18, 1922

Smith Wigglesworth Revival Campaign

Will be held at the “Olympia” Daily.

From Sunday, February 19, till Sunday,
5th March, inclusive,
Excepting Mondays and Saturdays.

Meetings:

Sundays .. .. .. .. .. 2.45 and 7 p.m.;

Week Days, .. .. .. .. .. 7.45 p.m.
_ _ _
Bring your sick. Brother Wigglesworth will pray for them, and Jesus will heal them.
_ _ _

Bible Readings will be conducted on the same days as above at Good News Hall, Queensberry street, North Melbourne (near Town Hall), at 10 a.m.

(courtesy webjournals.org)

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Published in Melbourne Argos February 22, 1922

“HEALING BY TOUCH.”

MANIFESTATIONS AT OLYMPIA.

At a series of meetings conducted during the last ten days by Mr. Smith Wigglesworth, a Yorkshire evangelist, there have been many “manifestations of healing.” Mr. Wigglesworth held his earlier meetings in the Good News Hall, North Melbourne, and at first the attendance was only moderate; but this week it was necessary to transfer to Olympia, as so many persons had to be turned away from the smaller hall.

Last night a large number of persons came “for aid,” to use the evangelist’s expression; and though he was not successful in all cases, there; were many in which there appeared to be startling and immediate improvement after he had laid his; hands on the afflicted and prayed over them. In one instance a woman who was said to have been very deaf was able to answer him when he spoke to her in an ordinary tone. In another an elderly man, who declared that he had suffered from; noises in the head for ten years, said that he was free from them at last. An elderly woman who was described as almost crippled with rheumatism, was directed to stoop down and touch the ground With her hands. “I don’t suppose you have bent your back for some time,” Mr. Wigglesworth said. The patient stooped down without effort! apparently, and was so delighted that she laughed heartily. “No pain and no stiffness now?” asked the evangelist, and she replied that she had none. A girl who had an affliction of the hip and knee, which it was said had prevented her walking without a stick for some years, walked up and down to front of the audience at a rapid pace, whereas she had only been able before to limp slowly with the aid of her stick. “Throw your stick away; burn it,” said Mr. Wigglesworth. “You will not want it again.” Many other cases gave interesting results.

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Published in Melbourne Argos February 23, 1922

FURTHER DEMONSTRATIONS.

Further demonstrations of “healing by touch” were given by Mr. Smith Wigglesworth, a Yorkshire evangelist, before a very large assemblage at the Olympia last night. After the evangelist had given an address on the subject of “Faith,” he called upon those who had come “for aid” on Tuesday night to testify as to the results; and several persons who had been suffering front deafness, rheumatics, and lameness declared that their ailments had completely gone. Mr. Wigglesworth healing by touch.” An elderly man, who said that he had been deaf for years, cried “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” when asked by Mr. Wigglesworth if he could hear, after hands had been placed on him and he had been prayed over. A woman who, it was declared, had had stiff legs for over 20 years, and who limped to Olympia on the arm of a relative, ran about the hall in joy after she had been “touched.” Another woman, who was said to have been an invalid in a chair for 23 years, declared that her limbs were “beginning to move.” She was advised by the evangelist to retain her faith in Jesus Christ and her cure; would be complete. A young woman with pains of long standing “in her back was able to stoop and touch the ground with her hands, and she laughed heartily as she told the audience that her trouble had gone. A woman, who asserted that she had been unable to walk owing to pain in her feet, ran up and down in front of the audience, crying, “Praise the name of the Lord.” She declared that her pain vanished when the evangelist touched her.

There were a few failures, some deaf persons and some almost blind stating that they could nor admit any improvement. “Strengthen your faith in the Lord” was the advice given them by Mr. Wigglesworth.

Published in Triumphs of Faith p. 137-138 June 1922

MR. SMITH WIGGLESWORTH

We have received encouragement from Mr. Smith Wigglesworth that he will come to California from Australia (on his way back to England) probably in August.

Some of our readers will remember hearing this brother at our Cazadero Camp meeting in 1914. Many were blessed through his message at that time. We herewith publish an account of some of the cases of healing which have occurred through his ministry in Australia, and which were sent us by a brother in the Lord. – EDITOR.

On February 16, 1922, God began His mighty work in Melbourne under the ministry of Mr. Smith Wigglesworth, who had come in answer to the many prayers which have ascended to the Throne of Grace on behalf of this needy country, Australia. Often during his sermons the Evangelist is moved to tears, and each night scores of anxious souls signify their desire to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, after they have been pointed to the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Testimonies are called for in order that the faith of those who come to receive the Saviour’s touch may be quickened. A young woman who had been suffering with consumption declared, “I was brought to last Sunday’s meeting a poor dying woman, with a disease that was eating into every part of my being. I was full of corruption outside as well as in, but Jesus Christ came and loosed me and set me free. I have slept better and eaten more heartily than I have for eight years.”

The President of the Methodist Local Preachers’ Association testified to having been delivered from nervous trouble. A prominent businessman said, “The first night of this campaign God delivered me from an affliction of the feet I had had for fifty years, since I was two years of age. I am now fifty-two. Ever since I was prayed for I have had no pain. Friends have never seen me do this (stamping his feet). I have no further use for my stick.”

A lady testified, – “As soon as I was anointed, the power of God went through me. Also my families have all been saved during these meetings.” Mrs. S. said, “While sitting in my seat listening to the Word, God healed me of liver trouble, gallstone, and sciatica. He has also touched my daughter and manifested His power in her body. She was suffering with her feet and had been operated on twice, but as she sat in her seat the Lord began to operate and all pain was gone.”

Mrs. B. said, “I was deaf, and suffering with anemia and with my feet, but as soon as hands were laid upon me for healing my ears were opened and I thank God for healing me and for this wonderful salvation for spirit, soul and body which I never saw before.”

Mr. L., a Church of England reader, testified that he had been immediately healed of a stiff knee.

Mr. B. testified that a lady of Box Hill, who had been twenty-two years in an invalid’s chair, rose and walked after Mr. Wigglesworth had ministered to her in the Name of Jesus.

Mr. V., a suburban Protestant Federation Society Secretary, testified that a friend was healed the night before of rhomboid arthritis of four years’ standing, and had discarded stick and crutch. The friend rose in the audience saying, “I am the one.”

Mr. J., of Spring Vale, who had been deaf for twenty years, was healed, and also his wife, who had sat in a wheel chair for six years; both were immediately healed. The empty chair was wheeled to the railway station, while the woman testified to all bystanders of the great things the Lord had done for her. Many were healed through the application of anointed handkerchiefs.

Mr. Wigglesworth said, “The closing up of the meetings was wonderful. God was with us in power. Was in Adelaide two weeks, then Ballarat. Five hundred at the latter place were converted at one meeting. We praise God for all and pray that He may be glorified in all.”

F. E. Braithwaite.
Lyndhurst,
Holley Pk., Crouch Hill,
London, England

* * *

A11 other ministers preaching in their pulpits during the mission decided to ignore the subject as far as their religious advertisements were concerned, and the situation became a little strained later at ministerial level when the Evangelist addressed the Wellington Council of Churches, in a meeting which was arranged to bring about a better understanding of Pentecostal theology and phenomenon. Regrettably, this meeting widened the gulf between the older churches and the new charismatic Christians, a situation which was to continue until the 1960’s.

The first Sunday evening saw 800 present and the third evening saw 3000 present. From then on crowds were unable to gain admission each night. It was said that the singing was electrifying and was thought to surpass even the Torrey-Alexander and the Chapman-Alexander Revival services. In his preaching the Evangelist emphasised the key words, “Only believe,” and his ministry covered such subjects as “The Baptism of the Holy Ghost,” “The Sanctification of the Believer,” the “Second Coming of Christ,” “Divine Healing for the sick,” and “Exorcism from evil spirits.” The whole Gospel for the whole man was preached fully in the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit, with very many conversions to Christ taking place and backsliders being restored. The services received, on the whole, fair treatment from the Press, and Wellingtonians were no doubt startled when reading their morning paper to see the bold caption, “FAITH HEALING, EXTRAORDINARY SCENES AT TOWN HALL; THE DEAF MADE TO HEAR.” A vivid description of the services then followed.