Glad Tidings Hall, Wakefield

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My visit to Wakefield in the autumn included a visit to the New Life Christian Centre. I called with an aunt and uncle, the latter once attending this chapel as a small child, when it was known as the Glad Tidings Hall. If its current name well reflects contemporary trends in evangelical style, its former name is certainly redolent of the period from Victoria to the fifties. My uncle was pleased to see it, and especially delighted when someone appeared and kindly offered to show us round. The insides were modern and well kept; the congregation has outgrown its building, the gentleman excitedly explained.

It was also pointed out that this is the place at which Smith Wigglesworth, Pentecostal pioneer and healer-extraordinaire, received his call into eternity. I understand that the church receives a number of tourists and visitors enquiring about this event, so influential was Wigglesworth the man. Although he leaves me asking a number of questions, and he was no stranger to controversy, he has certainly left a legacy. Regarding the death itself, Doms Desk, writing on the Doms2cents site, states:

In the beginning of March 1947, he was invited to preach at a funeral of a fellow minister in Wakefield, Yorkshire. He accepted the invitation and traveled by train with some friends. Along the way, he pointed out the different places where he and his late wife, Polly, had visited or preached, and told stories of the great miracles that had happened there. He also said that he felt “wonderful” and that he was ready to go home to be with the Lord.

When he arrived at the church, his son-in-law, James Salter, opened the door and helped him into the vestry, where a warm fire was burning. As he entered, he was greeted by the father of a young girl he had prayed for days earlier. The girl had been given up to die, but Smith had great faith for her healing. When he saw the man, he asked, “Well, how is she?” He was expecting to hear that the girl was completely delivered, but the answer came hesitantly. “She is a little better, a bit easier; her pains have not been quite so bad during the past few days.” Disappointed by what he heard, Smith let out a deep compassionate sigh. Then his head bowed, and without another word or experiencing any pain, Smith Wigglesworth went home to be with the Lord.

I understand that vestry is through the door, below, just beyond the contemporary music stands. Whatever his healing ministry, of some condition he himself had to die; whatever his integrity and faith, he would, like us all, appear before Christ to give account. No matter how sensational, powerful or famous the minister, his time is still brief and his eternity long. Let us live -and die- in light of this.