宣信簡史 (A．B．Simpson 1843—1919)
宣信(A．B．Simpson 1843—1919)是一位著名的希伯來文及希腊文學者、傳道人，以及國外布道事工發起人，并且又是一位著述者、圣詩 寫作家，他更是一位敬虔愛主的人。
在一八四三年十二月十五日，生于加拿大愛德華太子島灣景地方。祖系出自蘇格蘭長老會，父母都是敬虔愛主的基督人。在一八四七年 時，他的父親將机厂与商業轉售出去，舉家遷居到加拿大的安大略省漆咸縣附近經營農場。十四歲時，宣信清楚蒙了神的呼召，獻己事奉基督，決志成為傳道人。他受完了优越的小學教育之後，轉升漆咸中學，因為勤學過分，以致神經衰弱，不得不輟學等候身體的康复。在十六歲那么小年紀，就開始教書，藉以得著足夠經費來自給供讀大學。
在一八六一年，他投入多倫多市的諾克斯學院，該學院如今并入成為多倫多大學之一部。當在學院攻讀時期，他取得了多項獎學金与成績优 良獎品，同時在許多禮拜堂講道，大受歡迎。到了一八六五年，他畢業於諾克斯學院，被 按立，受任為加拿大之安大略省，漢密敦城，諾克斯禮拜堂的牧師。結果，該教會屬靈光景極其 發達，但到了一八七四年，他因為體弱關系，不得不退而接受美國肯得基省，羅以斯威老城，栗樹街長老會的牧職。在該地方，他給眾教會燃起复興之火。
一八七九年，他赴紐約城，任牧職於第十三街長老會。一八八一年，他辭去這發達的教會的工作， 轉而專向城中沒有教會的區域傳幅音。他在跳舞廳、戲院、公寓講道，大奏果效。一八八九年，他成立『福音帳幕』，作為工作的總部。有些他所引領歸主的青年，有志獻己為宣教土，宣信為之開設查經班及布道課程。從 這一個微小的開頭，日後發展為紐約城、奈約克宣教士訓練學院，以及其他區域的圣經學院。宣信之信仰，屬於禧年前派，相信基督快將再來，所以，他很熱切地要把福音傳到世界一切未曾傳到的地方，以作為主再來的准備。一八八七年，他發起了『宣道會』，該會中心是要差遣宣教土往普世界被人忽略的地方。
宣道會在全世界有十六區工場，四百多處的教會。在一八九三年，他把全世界宣道會布道區 作了一個總巡視，以後又繼續作數次的部分巡視。 他寫了許多的屬靈書籍，如《先賢之信——四重福音》、《列王与先知》、《全然成圣》、《能 力的澆灌》 (舊約、新約)、《馬太福音講義 》、《馬可福音講義》、《士師記靈訓》、《基督的生命》、《神醫的福音》、《神醫》等，及作了圣詩三百多首，大都滿有屬靈生命上的供應。 他息勞於紐約，奈約克家中，時在一九一九年十月廿九日。
以下是他內在更新的剪影：
得救与重生
以下是他的自述：
「我作孩子的時候，不像現在許多基督徒家庭的環境，叫我更早得救。我生長在極嚴謹的長老會中。從小接受嚴格的宗教習慣訓練。雖然，這些并沒有讓我早一點得救。這些宗教的習慣和智識，堆積在我心中，那時雖不甚明了，后來得了圣靈光照，都成真理，在我屬靈經歷里面，成為寶貴的器皿。我滿心相信家庭教育最好的原則，必須有嚴格的訓練，和基督福音的愛和自由。
在我十四歲時
我和哥哥一同讀拉丁文、希腊文，和更深的數學。后來我在高中讀書，但因為過于用功體質不好，乃生病回我父家去了。病狀太可怕，好像天勢都要崩墜下來，休養一晚，忽然有一粒星在眼前發光像火焰，我正看的時候，我的神經大發緊張，我從床上跳起來，戰兢得很，几乎暈過去，覺得近乎死門，登時就發抖得極其厲害，有一夜之久，差不多像死去一樣。醫生告訴我經年不可看書，因神經系已經受傷，我有生命之虞。隨即經過長期神經及身體上的苦痛，這苦痛筆墨難以形容。我常有這种快要死去的意念，一天過一天愈近死亡，神經越呈緊張，一面又頂希奇，何以死亡還未臨到，我仍然活著！
有一天這樣情形更坏了。似乎無法挽救，在那張皇失措之時，我就請我父親來為我祈禱，因我覺得我快要死了。最可怜的是我還沒有基督，沒有盼望。我所有基督教家庭教育仍然使我還未得救，未得福音好處。我所認識的神是一位極尊嚴的神，我所知道的神學不能叫我得到重生，因為只有認識神自己和主耶穌，才能使我得永生，而蒙圣靈的重生啊！我何等盼望重生得救之日快到，但救恩并未臨到我身上！我父親那天何其懇切為我祈禱，我自己痛哭流淚，大聲求神留我生命，延長到我得救為止，我就滿意了。過了那可怕的感覺以后，心中有點安息，有點平安，那危机又過了一天我看我的鐘表，那時間已過去了。我以為神只要留我活在世上一天，所以我必須掙扎，苦求，好像一個將亡的人，盼望能得救，我自己祈禱，我又請人代禱，那夜我怕睡去，那么，我就失去尋求神和永生的良机。那一天又過去了，然而我還未得救，今天想起來，真是一件希奇的事，那時也沒有一個人把那簡單的救法告訴我，叫我去接受為人預備的那白白的完全的救恩。自從那時起我常常歡喜用以下的話告訴那些貧窮可怜的罪人：
我們何必傷心流淚，等候苦叩天門？
因為父神早已預備，完全白白救恩。
那事以后一天過一天，未有什么進步，我的生命，只有一線希望，因我想望，如果我專心繼續尋求救恩，神必存留我直到我得救為止。此后有一天我在牧師的書房里，找到一本書，名叫圣洁的福音奧秘，我打開看的時候，我眼目所讀的一段，就為我開起永生的門，其大意如下：
「你所能做的第一件最好的事，就是相信主耶穌基督。若沒有做這事，你所有的行為、祈禱、眼淚，以及一切的立志，都是徒然的。相信主耶穌，就是信祂照自己的話，此時此地，就收留你，拯救你，因祂曾經說過，『凡到我這里來的，我必不丟棄他』，你做這事時，就有永生了，你就得赦罪，稱義了，且得著新心，有圣靈住在你的心中了。」
「這事在我迷糊還未得救時，就像大數的掃羅在大馬色的路上見了天上的光照。我立刻跪在主前，仰望主，求告主說，「主耶穌阿，你曾經說過，『凡到我這里來的，我必不丟棄他』，你知道我想到你這里來，是已經有多久，且是多么熱切的想來信你，但是我不知道怎樣的來。現今我真心的來就你。并且我敢信你已收留拯救我，我今有權柄作你的儿子，已經得赦罪，得救了，只因我照你的話接受你，相信你。阿爸父啊，你是我的，我是你的，阿們！」
自然我不必多說。我未說出這些話，膽敢作出這見證之前，我与我的大仇敵作過殊死戰，打信心的胜仗。但我一作這見證的時候，得救的把握立即從神那里臨到我的心，這把握每次必這樣的臨到凡真心信主的人心里，因為『信神儿子的，就有這見證在他心里』(約壹五10)前此我不用信心去尋求這見證，但自從敢相信主的話時，我就有這見證，就是得救的把握。
奉獻
當我健康恢复的時候我得到一張學校的文憑，可以作教員，那時我正十六歲，我教一間公立學校，學生有四十多人。四分之一是很大的男女學生，我比他們更為年輕，我愿意出代价使我看得更老一些，那就好了。但是不夠，我自己常常希奇我怎會管理這些粗頑的鄉下學生；但我能看出這是主的能手幫助我，主喜歡給我能力超過我所想所求的，我教書的目的，乃是積些錢作入大學的用費，其間我抽暇讀預備考大學的書本。我才得到重生后那几個月，充滿了屬靈的福祉，神的應許，帶著又新又奇的亮光涌進我心，從前我以為虛空的言語，于今都變為新的啟示，每句都是為我而說似的。我想從我母親遺傳下來一些想象的天才，這天才把以賽亞和杰里邁亞二先知的應許披戴在我心上的一种榮光，是言語不能形容的。我極其喜樂的念出，且記下以下的經文：「我也照樣起誓，不再向你發怒，也不斥責你，大山可以挪開，小山可以遷移，但我的慈愛永不离開你，我平安的約也不遷移，這是怜恤你的耶和華說的。」(賽五十四9-10)當我听見別的信徒述說他們的恐怕和失敗時，我希奇不知道我也會失去這起初的愛心的無上喜樂否？我能記得我常常祈禱主宁可收去我的靈魂，不可讓我回世界犯罪去。
我起初基督徒生活中，有一可記念的事，就是我与神訂立契約。我決計效法這种提議，便是一日禁食禱告，我就与主訂立一長篇文約，我將自己交托神，接受祂一切有福應許，特別奉獻一生給主使用，以作榮神益人之工。主給我一切屬靈及物質需用，不至缺乏，那時起我常希奇神這樣恩待我，使我一生蒙恩在祂面前；在過去六十余年中，我真能從心里，說祂從未辜負我，祂真是信實的主，我在那一天禁食時，寫出全篇文約，封好保存直到今天。約文如下：
『永在全能的神，管理宇宙的主啊，你創造世界和我，你是以眼目鑒察人心的主，求你明白我的心思意念，我知如今我沒有屬世的動机來到你面前。但是，我「心比万物都詭詐，坏到極處」，我并不信任我心；但主知道，我有心一生永遠奉獻給你。我本是罪魁，在你面前是個畜類，惟靠耶穌為中保，我來到你施恩座前，立此文約，諸天哪，我在主前和我良心前，作此見證，我相信主耶穌，為我救主，先知，祭司，及君王，神已使祂成為我的智慧，公義，圣洁，救贖，我今生全獻給你；主阿，求你為你榮耀之故，收留我，使用我。主阿，在試誘時，求記念我，救人的元帥阿，使我剛強，靠你這愛我的主，使我得胜有余，求主用圣靈加倍充滿我，并賜我天上一切屬靈的福气，使我全然成圣，合乎主用，我乃基督精兵，愿跟羔羊而行，愿主保守我，忠心至死，到主再來，主阿，無論處何環境，若合主旨，「使我也不貧窮，也不富足，賜給我需用的飲食，恐怕我飽足不認你說，耶和華是誰呢？又恐怕我貧窮就偷竊，以至褻瀆我神的名。」求主用全能的圣靈時刻保守我到底，奉主名，立此永約，阿們。』時在一1861年1月19日禮拜六日，1863年9月1日及1878年4月18日重新奉獻，重申此約。
生命中的第二個轉机
生命的成熟是必須經歷「被棄絕的道路」，有一句名言說，「沒有人能完全被接納，除非他先完全被棄絕。」完全被人棄絕，是在完全被神悅納之先。
1879年他為了要傳福音給更多的人听，他答應了紐約長老會的聘請。由于他專心倚靠圣靈，不久聚會人數增多許多。天天晚上有聚會，神的子民大大复興起來。但宣信并不以此為足，有二年之久，他竭力向教會眾信徒鼓勵向貧窮人傳福音。但他們不愿將教堂打開容納社會低階級的人。于是他花了一個禮拜，多方禱告后毅然決定离開這個城市最大的教會。
宣信博士，他親自講述當時的情形說：「我回想那個孤單及懮傷，卻是不可言喻有福的夜晚。當所有的事物似乎都是不幸、失敗，并且所有的感覺在黎明前都被帶到死地。我的心卻帶著澈底的奉獻及降服向主說：
主耶穌阿！我今背起十字架跟從你，
不論是貧窮、藐視、孤單，
今后我將完全歸你。
次日，主日的早晨，我帶著前所未有的喜樂，從我心中唱出了這些詩歌。」
而后，宣信博士答應了神的呼召，就是所謂真正的貧窮、藐視与孤單，他辭去了牧師職位。他放棄了伍仟薪水的職位，即美國最大教會主任牧師的地位，而去從事未曾嘗試過的工作。他在這大城中沒有隨從的人、組織及經濟的來源，帶著眾多人口的家庭及他最親密的同工，所以他過去的組織預言他必定遭到失敗。他遇到完全的誤會，甚至從他盼望得到同情的人們身上也是如此。他說，當他走在街道上企望得到一點同情時，所遇到的卻是各處的反對。這條完全被棄絕崎嶇的道路，所帶來的不只是順服，而且是歡樂。因他知道，借著被置于网羅中，經過水火，是帶他進入丰富之地的屬天法則。
他終于到達了丰富之地，而且超過他所曾夢想的，他發現自己完全被神所悅納了。在他開始紐約城偉大工作的頭一次聚集中，只有七個人參加。但是不久，后來他在貧窮社區搭帳棚傳福音，每次聚會都不斷的被那些前來聆听他所傳講四福音信息的會眾所擠滿了。
回想當時，他設立了五所傳道人的學校，成百的傳教士及福音工作者散布在十六個地區上，有許多人成為蠻荒地區重要的拓荒英雄，他滿了膏油丰富的文章供應了許多扣人心弦的信息，并產生了高水平的宗教作品，「他雖然死了，卻仍舊說話」。而最重要的，他不只是受到眾人的稱贊，而是他們都因著他的教導從罪中轉向公義。
這是一個被棄絕道路何等醒目的例子呢，不只如此，有成打以上這偉大信息的例子。而起頭跟隨基督的道路，卻是令人相當惊訝，正如「祂是被人藐視及棄絕」。
A. B. Simpson (1843-1902)
Beginnings
Albert Benjamin Simpson was born December 15, 1843, in Bayview, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Albert was an answer to the prayer of his mother. She had lost her firstborn son when he was just a toddler. In prayer then she asked the Lord to send her another son, and asked that he would be a minister or missionary "if the Lord so wills, and he lives to grow up, and is so inclined." A missionary brother baptized him shortly after his birth and dedicated him to the ministry.
Albert's parents exercised a great influence upon him in his younger years. His mother, being a reader and very poetic cultivated in him a love for books. His father was the industrious, religious, and capable disciplinarian. He made sure that Albert grew up learning the catechism of the Presbyterian Church.
Despite his rigorous religious training, no one ever shared with young Albert the way of salvation. By the age of ten, he had some secret yearning to become a minister. Since he was not saved this was a difficult decision. After a period of time he made a decision that that is what he would become. As he grew into his teens this desire stayed with him. Eventually he requested permission of his father to enter the ministry, telling him he would get his education at his own cost without any expense to his family. His father granted him permission for this.
Salvation Experience
Albert was still unregenerated as a teen. He had no salvation experience up to this time, no satisfying experience of grace. He began to realize that the poet and the theologian were at war within him. Eventually his learning of all the doctrines within his catechism caused him much consideration and even anguish concerning the total depravity of man, the damnation of the non-elect, and the state of his own soul. He realized he needed help, but was not clear to whom he should turn. He was too proud to turn to his mother, and too timid to turn to his father for help.
At this time Albert was coming into such a state that he was brought to a physical and emotional breakdown. His pride finally gave way and he cried out to his father to come and pray for him. His father did not fail him. In love and tenderness he poured out his heart in prayer for his son. After a few sleepless nights Albert was finally able to rest, but still no one told him the simple way of salvation.
After he recovered to a certain extent, he was up and about, though still in distress for his soul. One day while visiting his old minister's library, he came across an old book entitled Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. There he read the following: "The first good work you will ever perform is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Until you do this, all your works, prayers, tears, and good resolutions are vain. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is to believe that He saves you according to His word, that He receives and saves you here and now, for He has said: ‘Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.'" This was enough for his hungry soul. Albert knelt in prayer and restfully realized the forgiveness of his sins and the sweeping away of all his fears. God delivered him. He was regenerated.
Initial Growth
Following his new birth came a time of spiritual growth. Albert said, "The promises of God burst upon my soul with a new and marvelous light." He became hungry for the Scriptures. He took them into his soul with "unspeakable ecstasy." He was also moved within to give himself to the Lord. At the age of 17 he spent a whole day in fasting and prayer and made a covenant with God. His written and signed covenant was mingled with the word and with hymns he had previously learned. He concluded his vow with the following prayer: "Now give me Thy Spirit and Thy protection in my heart at all times, and then I shall drink of the rivers of salvation, lie down by still waters, and be infinitely happy in the favor of God."
Teaching school, studying the Bible, and making vows; this was how the Lord was preparing this purposeful young man for the Master's use. He continued to pursue his intention to go into the ministry. Before his 18th birthday he was approved by the Presbytery in London, Ontario for admission to Knox College in Toronto. It was there that he studied Hebrew, Greek, theology, church history and government, and was also being perfected in his speaking. After the completion of his education he applied to be a minister, and at the age of 21 Simpson was licensed to the Presbyterian ministry. His mother's prayer, the missionary's baptismal prayer, and his desire were finally answered.
Initial Work
The newly licensed minister was soon offered two positions as a pastor. He had a choice between serving a small congregation and a larger one. It is interesting to note his desire to challenge from the beginning of his years of service. He describes his considerations and conclusion to take an assignment with the larger church in Hamilton, Canada as follows, "If I take the small church it will demand little, and I will give little. Result, stagnation; I will get soft and cease to grow. If I take the large church I will be compelled to rise to meet its heavier demands, and the very effort will develop the gifts of God which are in me. The small church may break me; the large church will certainly help to make me."
He began the new pastorate with a new bride who was not always understanding or sympathetic to all of her husband's spiritual aspirations. She was, however, loyal to her husband and cared unselfishly for their family of six children. Later in life she became a real help to her husband in his ministry.
Simpson remained in Hamilton for eight years where he saw his congregation grow by 750 members without any special evangelistic meetings. He raised up many prayer groups within the congregation and sparked the people on to fervent missionary giving. During those eight years Simpson developed in experience with his congregation and through his traveling. He also began to be in demand as a speaker both in Canada and in the United States.
On to Louisville, Kentucky
Simpson began to sense a burden for a new field of labor. After prayer and consideration, he took a new position as a pastor for a congregation in Louisville, Kentucky. This new assignment brought him to a larger congregation and city.
The time of this new beginning was shortly after the Civil War. The city of Louisville was on the border of the North and the South. This caused many problems as one could imagine. At the time of Simpson's coming there were still bitter feelings remaining. Simpson, being a servant from Canada, was just the right neutral prescription for this people at the time.
Simpson began his labor there by bringing pastors together in reconciliation to pray and lead men to Christ in city-wide revival meetings. Major Whittle, a gifted speaker and one with a consuming passion for souls, was invited to be the speaker for these meetings. Hundreds came to the Lord in these revivals. These gospel meetings has a great effect on Simpson. He began to have a real change in his life and service. He reconsidered his dignified church ministry service and began to see that people were more precious to God than all the church forms and activities. He was beginning to view the unbelieving lawless as objects of God's present love. Simpson was beginning to realize that these were dearer than all the rules and regulations of the Presbytery.
The Louisville evangelistic meetings caused him to be burdened for many lost sheep, regardless where they were from. He was becoming an evangelist to the lost world. Until he came in contact with Major Whittle he had not realized how proud and self-absorbed he had been and how little of the power of Christ was exhibited in his life and service. Simpson dealt with the Lord in his prayer following these times and experienced the Lord's work of the cross upon his old man. Through his time with the Lord he desired now to live from this time on a "consecrated, crucified, and Christ-devoted life."
Simpson now became burdened more than ever to evangelize. He still endeavored to continue to work with the other city pastors. He suggested to them that they continue the work begun by Major Whittle by having more evangelism meetings to reach out to the lost in the city of Louisville. Simpson encountered a wall of unwillingness by the pastors. They rejected his proposal for regular Sunday evening evangelism services. They feared that these would interfere with their regular Sunday evening services of their congregations. With no other recourse, Simpson did not drop his burden, but began these services with the help of some of his own congregation. These meetings included enjoyable gospel music and singing. These meeting were both effective in the city to reach the lost and were a real joy to Simpson and his co-laborers. He was beginning to enjoy this work of evangelism like never before.
In the following year his labors in the gospel service led him into some unconventional territory. In an effort to secure a building large enough for these meetings, he rented a theater. Many believers were shocked by this. All these frustrations were working upon Simpson, causing him to realize that to labor for the Lord was not easy, and that to follow the Lord in His burden for the lost would sometimes cause him to encounter misunderstanding, scorn, and persecution, especially from some religious ones.
The dream of Simpson's heart was being fulfilled by the fact that many in Louisville were hearing the gospel and hundreds were receiving salvation. Eventually his congregation grew and they built a new tabernacle.
On to New York City
The call of the unevangelized was continually on Simpson's heart. After a few years in Louisville, he once again felt a growing burden towards a larger field of service. At this time he also realized the great need with regard to foreign missions. He became burdened to launch a new mission magazine which would give believers information about what was happening on the mission fields. In order to carry out this burden it became necessary for him to be close to some center of missionary operations -- a port from which missionaries sailed. His way became clear when he received an invitation to begin working with a congregation in New York City.
Simpson continue to labor in his new assignment as he had done before in Hamilton and Louisville. Among the members in his congregation, he saw people revived. In his gospel service he began to see church attendance increase by the many new converts being added to the congregation.
Simpson struggled, however, with the well-to-do congregation. He endeavored to bring them out of their exclusivity and tried to open their hearts to the needs of the masses around them. He was by and large unsuccessful at this. He continued to labor tirelessly until after a little more than a year with that congregation, his labors were interrupted by another break in his health. This forced him to take a leave of absence. Because of his heart trouble and nerves, he fell into depression and despair. One prominent physician told him frankly that his days were numbered.
Simpson went away for a period of rest. While away, he visited an old-fashioned service where he listened to a Negro spiritual and was "strangely lifted up." He initially felt some restoration, and therefore returned to work. Although he returned to his duties in New York City, he was still not well. He walked around as an old tired man at the age of 37.
Many movements in America were springing up at this time which were to become a great influence on Simpson and his followers. There was a move in gospel evangelism with ones like Finney and Moody. Then there was the holiness movement with Muller, Bonar, Havergal, Finney, and others. The modern missionary movement rose up with Cary and others. Their was a reviving of the premillennialism teaching. There were also street meetings occurring along with rescue missions established in some cities. Another great movement of the time was that of divine healing. Simpson visited one of the great proponents of divine healing, Dr. Charles Cullis, who sought to bring his patients back to health through the prayer of faith alone.
Simpson visited one of his meetings and was impressed with the doctor and his teaching. After a search through the Bible, Simpson became convinced that healing was part of Christ's work of atonement, and should be a part of the gospel for a sinful and suffering world. Of course, as was his usual practice, he was not satisfied with the doctrine alone, but also desired the experience. He was open to experience the power of the diving healing. After some time of prayer, the Lord visited Simpson in his sick condition, healing him and saving him from an early grave. This changed the entire direction of his ministry. He was later to become one of the greatest exponents of divine healing that the church had seen in a thousand years. With revived health, he continued to serve without interruption for the next 35 years. For the rest of his life he preached divine healing, but always subordinated it to the greater truth of salvation.
A New Beginning
After Simpson's healing experience he encountered misunderstanding and suspicion by many. Some began to reject his "questionable teaching." Simpson further ruffled feathers when he was baptized by immersion a few months later. Shortly thereafter he resigned from the Presbyterian Church.
Simpson launched out on his own to do the work of evangelizing the multitudes in New York City. In his new endeavor, he had to trust God not only for his health but also for his daily bread. This was not an easy task for his wife who already was having difficulty following her husband in all his visions.
He began his labor with a small prayer group of seven to pray for the evangelizing of New York City. Also midweek meetings at his home started up and eventually Sunday meetings at a rented hall. This new band of brothers had one burden -- to bring the lost to the Savior. They learned by trial and error and the Lord blessed their labor and their number increased.
Brothers among them were from low degree to well-to-do. Simpson was free from the old conservative traditions that had hindered his progress in the past. This new group of believers received one another with open arms. They began to build up a meeting life of deep spirituality with a mighty flowing power.
Eventually a work center was needed and they built one. The Gospel Tabernacle became the hub from which busy workers radiated. Originally they had no plan of forming another church, but as many needs developed for such things as baptism and the Lord's table, they could not send ones away. Through Simpson's consecration and faith, many others were raised up to serve. In fact, everyone was expected to help. Simpson was burdened for the functioning of many members. He prayed and motivated. His new band of brothers and sisters held street meetings, established rescue missions, visited hospitals and jails with the gospel message, held special sailor meetings, and also opened an orphanage and a free dispensary for the poor. They also worked with children, young people, and different language immigrants. Simpson himself launched a missionary journal, The Gospel in All Lands, the first illustrated missionary magazine in North America. Eventually a missionary society was formed out of their love for God and the perishing world. Simpson also became involved with large conferences with many speakers sharing on the deeper Christian life, on healing, and fellowship concerning the work on the mission field.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
Under the criticism of other believers, Simpson continued to labor with his "full gospel" message. He eventually formed a group of like-minded Christians the world over who were hungry for a better and more satisfying life in Christ. It was not to become a separate body of believers, but a fellowship or bond of united believers who had the same hunger for the deeper things of God. At this time two alliances were formed: the Christian Alliance for the pursuing of the deeper Christian life, and the Evangelical Missionary Alliance for the rapid evangelization of the most neglected foreign mission fields. Two years later these two alliances were joined together, becoming The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Simpson said, "We are an alliance of Christians for world wide missionary work. It is to hold up Jesus in fullness, ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever!' It is to lead God's hungry children to know their full inheritance of privilege and blessing for spirit, soul and body. It is to encourage and incite the people of God to do the neglected work of our age and time among the unchurched classes at home and the perishing heathen abroad."
Simpson never intended the society to become a denomination. He sought to provide fellowship only, and looked with suspicion upon anything like rigid organization. As their numbers grew, however, things became more complex. People were looking for a spiritual home. Simpson remained committed not to become a denomination, but he did take steps to provide local "superintendents" or shepherds instead of official pastors to meet the needs among local groups of believers in different cities.
They endeavored to keep their focus of the one mighty job of winning men to God. They held that the return of Christ depended upon a world-wide proclamation of the gospel. In order to meet this need, they established a Bible and missionary training school for special training of their missionaries in Nyack, New York.
A Laborer to the End
Simpson's work load continually increased. He established a home for the ill, he directed a growing army of missionaries in the field, he edited his missionary magazine, and wrote many books and magazine articles, while he continued to pastor a congregation in New York City. His life text was, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." Many of his workers came from those who had been converted through their efforts in the gospel.
Simpson loved the Bible as a portrait of Christ. He had an utter love for the person of Jesus and was able to reach hearts for the Savior. He enjoyed the presence of the indwelling Christ. Moody said, "No man gets at my heart like that man." Simpson was known to live what he preached. Tozer said that Simpson would make theology sing. "In his mouth doctrine became warm and living."
Simpson was also a hymn writer. He wrote many wonderful hymns like Jesus only is our message, and Once it was the blessing. In his hymns he would exalt the Lord's name, teach of the abiding life, minister the gospel and stir hearts for gospel service. One such hymn asked the question, how much can we do for our Savior. He would lead others through his hymns into the deeper life. The hymns, O Lord, breathe Thy Spirit on me and Speak to the Rock, bid the waters flow are two examples. He also wrote hymns on dealing with the enemy self, and of living a crucified life. His hymns would call ones to come to the fountain of life. He also wrote on the subject of spiritual warfare and of the glorious, coming king. Some hymnals include a selection of his hymns.
Simpson loved to close his messages with a stanza or two of song, which would sum up his burden. With few exceptions, his songs were simply sermons in verse. He was a master at coming up with Bible slogans. He would take a Bible phrase or one adapted from the Bible, such as "Jesus Only" and set it as a watchword for multitudes to sing.
As he labored in the field, he was determined to imitate Paul in presenting the gospel without charge. He refused to accept any salary, either from the Tabernacle or from the society. He conducted his own businesses and managed to keep himself free of any covetousness or fraud.
His kept his convictions concerning medicine between him and God alone. He never used any remedies at any time after he came into the light concerning divine healing. He would not, however, place these convictions as burdens on the consciences of others. He advised others that if they cannot have faith for their healing, then they should get the best physician they could afford.
He served in all lowliness. He refused an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity saying he did not want any honor "that would exalt him in any measure above the lowliest of his brethren."
Although Simpson was definitely for the manifestation of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, he did not agree with the Pentecostal teaching that tongues must be without exception the proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Concerning the Pentecostal movement, he said, "I am not able to approve the movement, though I am willing to concede that there is probably something of God in it somewhere."
In his last years much of Simpson's work shifted from his shoulders to those of younger, stronger brothers. In the spring of 1919 he suffered a slight stroke from which he recovered. On October 28, 1919, he fell into a coma after a time of prayer for all his missionaries. Simpson never rallied from this and the next morning he finally rested from all his labors.
A. B. Simpson labored intensely during his lifetime. He founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance, established a publishing house, edited a weekly magazine for more than 40 years, and wrote over 100 books. He pastored churches, raised up social ministries, founded a college, wrote dozens of hymns and gospel songs, and traveled constantly.