Smith Wigglesworth (1859–1947) has been seen as the archetypal preacher of early Pentecostalism: brusque, uneducated, unconventional, biblical, tongues-speaking and with a compassionate evangelistic and healing ministry. Born into a poor rural working-class family in the north of England he never seems to have gone to school. His grandmother was Methodist but he was confirmed in the Church of England and later underwent believer’s baptism.

Becoming a plumber he started to prosper while continuing to be fervent and denominationally eclectic. He worshipped for…