A. B. Simpson

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Simpson</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="02ad2c00dkelyh.gif"> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Spiritual Food"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Spiritual Food</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Psalms, Hymns Spiritual Songs"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gospel Outreach"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Gospel Outreach</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id159.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">"About Us"</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id186.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Related Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id639.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="JESUS IS LORD!"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011899330000.gif" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">JESUS IS LORD!</B></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>A. B. Simpson</I></div> <div> see also <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00BF00" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Quotes from Church History"><U>Quotes From Church History</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >see also </FONT><A HREF="id608.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A B Simpson Biography 2 Part 1"><U>A B Simpson Biography </U></A><A HREF="id608.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A B Simpson Biography 2 Part 1"><U>2</U></A><A HREF="id608.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A B Simpson Biography 2 Part 1"><U> (parts 1 - 10)</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="626" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#C0C0C0 HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="622"><div> <B>A. B. Simpson (1843-1919) </B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Beginnings</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Salvation Experience</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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 <I>Gospel Mystery of Sanctification.</I> 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Initial Growth</div> <bR> <div> 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." </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Initial Work</div> <bR> <div> 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."</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> On to Louisville, Kentucky</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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."</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> On to New York City</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> A New Beginning</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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, <I>The Gospel in All Lands</I>, 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> The Christian and Missionary Alliance</div> <bR> <div> 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."</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> A Laborer to the End</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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."</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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.</div> <bR> <div> 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." </div> <bR> <div> 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."</div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <div> 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. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> The Fourfold Gospel</div> <bR> <div> Based on Simpson’s religious experiences four points were crystallized and publicly conveyed as the distinctive doctrinal convictions of his movement. These four points were focused on Christ as the Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and as the coming King. Concerning Christ as the Savior, the simple way of faith was emphasized along with the experience of regeneration and the joyful assurance of the forgiveness of sins. All the believers in this movement were then encouraged to live a life of commitment to evangelism both at home and overseas. The emblem of the cross was used to signify their burden for the gospel on the group’s logo. </div> <bR> <div> The second emphasis of knowing Christ as the Sanctifier initiated out of a dissatisfaction with the inner spiritual condition of many at the time. Simpson himself sensed a lack of personal experience of the deeper things of the Spirit about which he spoke. He was influenced by book, <I>The Higher Christian Life</I> by Boardman. The Lord began to reveal Himself as a living and all-sufficient presence who justified, but was waiting to also to sanctify. Simpson and others entered into the mystery, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." They identified with the deeper life movement and also with the British Keswick movement. </div> <bR> <div> Simspon had a restorationist view of church history. He was committed to recover the lost message and vitality of the New Testament church. They saw themselves standing near the end of two millennia of church history. They desired to return to the apostolic beginnings of Christianity. They realized that the church had a present need for renewal and purification. They called for the restoration of the supernaturally empowered church authenticated by "signs and wonders and ....diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit." At that time they fought against the evils of the age, such as Darwinian evolution, higher criticism of the Bible, theological liberalism, philosophical moralism, and socialism.</div> <bR> <div> Simpson saw many doctrinal deficiencies within the Protestant Reformation. He viewed the established churches as ignorant and negligent of apostolic power. Knowing the Sanctifier included an emphasis on Spirit baptism or "second conversion." Simpson taught that the Spirit-filled life was an issue of both a crisis experience and an ongoing experience. They practiced a discipline of "holy stillness" in their quest for increased personal holiness. They repudiated the teaching of "perfectionism." They enjoyed the writings of the mystics like Madam Guyon and Fenelon, as well as being drawn to the Quietest literature. They also appreciated the discipline of listening prayer and felt that the knowledge of the Sanctifier was the turning point to the experience of the Sabbath rest of the soul, the sweetest blessing known to believers. This experience resulted in new-found spiritual power for personal holiness and public ministry as well as commitment to aggressive evangelism to the lost. Many were encouraged into a life of deeper dependence on the Holy Spirit. The emblem of the laver was used to signify the need of the sanctifying grace of God for this second aspect of the fourfold gospel. </div> <bR> <div> The third aspect of this fourfold gospel was to know Christ as the Healer. Simpson initially was influenced by the teachings of Charles Cullis, the physician from Boston who propagated holiness and healing doctrines alongside medical relief. Simpson embraced the doctrine that physical healing could be received by faith as a benefit of salvation. He said that "deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers based on Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:16-17, and James 5:14-16."</div> <bR> <div> Simpson was miraculously healed of a chronic heart disorder. Divine healing became an essential part of Simpson’s private life and public ministry. He began meetings for consecration and healing, involving himself with the American faith-healing movement. He later became a spokesperson for the faith-healing movement.</div> <bR> <div> This new emphasis alienated Simpson from the more conservative evangelicals. Some accused him of devaluing the importance of the future redemption of the body. Some further accused him of the tragic deaths of three young missionaries by indoctrinating them with anti-medicine beliefs. Through this trial Simpson maintained his convictions regarding divine healing, however, with some modifications.</div> <bR> <div> Simpson would not allow any undue elevation of healing above his foremost concerns of evangelizing lost souls and promoting the Spirit-filled life. The emblem of a pitcher of oil was used to symbolize the emphasis on divine healing.</div> <bR> <div> The fourth aspect of this gospel was that of knowing Christ as the coming King. This came about as a result of a prophecy conference movement of Bible teachers and evangelists. They felt that the greatest unfulfilled prophecy and condition for the Lord’s return was the evangelization of the world. They considered the time of WWI to be climax of human history. The emblem of the crown was used to signify their desire for the coming King.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>A selection of Simpson’s Quotes</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Holiness</B></div> <bR> <div> Holiness is not personal character slowly attained, but union with the Lord Jesus Christ, so perfectly intimate that He Himself has described it under the figure of the vine and the branches and adds: "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). We do not have to climb by slow and painful ascent the heights of holiness, but rather to receive the Holy One Himself...(<I>Christ Our Sanctifier</I>, p.4)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Conditions of Sanctification</B></div> <bR> <div> First of all, there must be a clear understanding that this sanctification is provided in our redemption, promised in God’s Word and possible and practicable for each one of us. (Ibid, p.6) </div> <bR> <div> There must also be a real conviction of your special need of this blessing, a deep sense of your sinfulness and failure and of the misery and wrong of such a life as you are living. (Ibid, p.7) </div> <bR> <div> There must also be a readiness to acknowledge your sin and shortcoming and to bewail your unholy and defeated life as something entirely wrong, offensive to God and contrary to His will for any of His children. (Ibid, p.7) </div> <bR> <div> You must most earnestly desire His deliverance, His sanctifying grace and His coming into your heart and life in holiness, victory and power. (Ibid, p.8) </div> <bR> <div> There must now come a definite and entire surrender of your life to God that this very thing may be accomplished in you. You must do this act of consecration which will give to Him the right to take possession of you and work His gracious and perfect will in you and through you. (Ibid, p.8) </div> <bR> <div> You must then believe that God does really come, that He does accept the sacrifice, the He does receive the offering, that He does enter into you inmost being to abide, and that you now have the right to draw upon Him for all your spiritual needs. (Ibid, p.8)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Nature of Sanctification</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  Sanctification is thus distinctly recognized not as our improved character but as the inworking and the outworking of Christ’s own life in us. (Ibid, p.10)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  This is not our working; it is His grace. It is not an attainment slowly acquired by painful effort, but an obtainment instantly received by intelligent faith. It is above all the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ibid, p.11)</div> <bR> <div> 3.  It is not moral improvement or the culture of personal character; it is not the building up of ourselves on an ethical plane of higher living and human virtue. It is the complete giving up of our own righteousness, strength and goodness, and the receiving instead of the Lord Jesus Christ as a living and divine Person to dwell within and, in doing so, to become our life and righteousness. (Ibid, p.11)</div> <bR> <div> 4.  This is not sinless perfection, nor the glorifying of our righteousness and our attainments as though we ourselves were infallible or faultless. We continues to recognize our utter worthlessness and helplessness and our entire dependence on Him alone for all that is pure, holy and useful in our lives, and our constant testimony is "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. This life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). (Ibid, p.12)</div> <bR> <div> 5.  It is not so much character as relationship. It is not so much a blessing as the Blesser. It is not so much "it," but Himself, our all-in-all forever." (Ibid, p.14)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Gospel Burden</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  What is the specific idea of this work? It is not merely the conversion of many souls or even of whole nations, equally, fairly and speedily to all the people and nations on the face of the earth during the present generation. Everyone must have the opportunity of salvation, and the Bride of Christ must be fathered in from all nations, tribes and tongues, the fullness of the Gentiles brought in and the way fully prepared for the Lord’s return. We believe literally in the prophecy contained in the last words of Jesus: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). (<I>Called to Serve at Home</I>, p.4) </div> <bR> <div> 2.  What can be more stimulating than to be the heralds of His advent and the diplomats of His kingdom, carrying the last manifesto of the coming King to all the provinces of this revolted empire? What can be more majestic than the thought that we have it in our power to hasten the close of this tragedy of sin and sorrow, the consummation of this dispensation and the advent of an era of peace and glory, perhaps even in our own lifetime? (Ibid, p. 6)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Prayer</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  Let each of us give ourselves to this ministry of prayer as we never have before. Let us be definite; let us have our hour of missionary prayer and let nothing interrupt it. Let us have special ones for whom we pray, and yet not forget to pray for all. (Ibid, p. 19)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  This wonderful prayer was dictated by our Lord in reply to the request from His disciples: "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1). His answer was clear and simple: "Pray." This is the only way we can ever learn to pray -- by just beginning to do it. . . . prayer will teach us how to pray, and the more we pray, the more we will learn the mysteries of the heights and depths of prayer. (<I>The Life of Prayer</I>, p. 11)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Seeing Christ in the Scriptures</B></div> <bR> <div> I once saw a copy of the Constitution of the United States, very skillfully engraved in copper plate, so that when you looked at it closely it was nothing more than a piece of writing, but when you looked at it from a distance, it was the face of George Washington. The face shone out in the shading of the letters at a little distance, and I saw the person, not the words, nor the ideas. I thought, "That is the way to look at the Scriptures and understand the thoughts of God; to see in them the face of love, shining through and through; not ideas, nor doctrines, but<I> Jesus Himself</I> as the Life and Source and sustaining Presence of all our life." (<I>Himself, A Timeless Testimony</I>, p. 3)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Christ for the Moment by Moment Supply</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.   I found it was <I>Himself</I> coming in instead of giving me what I needed at the moment. I wanted to have a great stock, so that I could feel rich; a great store laid up for many years, so that I would not be dependent upon Him the next day; but He never gave me such a store. I never had more holiness or healing at one time than I needed for that hour. He said, "My child, you must come to Me for the next breath, because I love you so dearly I want you to come all the time. If I gave you a great supply, you would do without Me, and would not come to Me so often; now you have to come to Me every second, and lie on My breast every moment." (Ibid, p. 5)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  "You never can draw more than you need at the time." (Ibid, p. 5)</div> <bR> <div> 3.   I had to learn to take from Him my spiritual life every second; to breathe Himself in as I breathed, and breathe myself out. So, moment by moment for the spirit, and moment by moment for the body, we must receive. (Ibid, p. 5)</div> <bR> <div> 4.   I am like the little bottle in the sea, as full as it will hold. The bottle is in the sea and the sea is in the bottle; so I am in Christ, and Christ is in me. But, besides that bottleful in the sea, there is a whole ocean beyond; the difference is, that the bottle has to be filled over again, every day, evermore. (Ibid, p. 6)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Finding Christ as Our All in All</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  The Apostle Paul tells us that there is a secret, a great secret which was hidden from ages and from generations (Colossians 1:26), which the world was seeking after in vain, which wise men from the East hoped they might find, and God says it "is now disclosed to the saints." Paul went through the world just to tell it to those that were able to receive it. That simple secret is just this, "Christ in you the hope of glory." (Ibid, p. 8)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  Years ago I came to Him burdened with guilt and fear; I tried that simple secret, and it took away all my fear and sin. Years passed on, and I found sin overcoming me and my temptations too strong for me. I came to Him a second time, and He whispered to me, "Christ in you," and I had victory, rest and blessing." (Ibid, p. 9)</div> <bR> <div> 3.  I heard of the Lord’s healing, but I struggled against it. I was afraid of it. I had been taught in the theological seminaries that the age of the supernatural was past, and I could not go back from my early training. My head was in my way; but at last when I was brought to attend "the funeral of my dogmatics," as Mr. Schrenck says, the Lord whispered to me the little secret, "Christ in you." From that hour I received Him for my body as I had done for my soul. I was made so strong and well that work has been a perfect delight. (Ibid, p. 9)</div> <bR> <div> 4.  So too, I came to Him for power for His work and all the resources for His service, and He has not failed me. (Ibid, p. 10)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Gifts of the Holy Spirit</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  First of all let us carefully remember that the gifts of the Spirit here defined are quite distinct from the grace of the Spirit, and that our possession of these gifts does not affect our personal salvation and sanctification and our standing with God as subjects of His grace. (<I>Gifts and Grace</I>, p. 1)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  The most pernicious error abroad today in connection with these gifts is to make them a necessary test of our having received the Holy Spirit, and come into the fullness of Christ. (Ibid, p. 2)</div> <bR> <div> 3.  We are not cold and passive instruments in the hands of the Master, but warm, living, responsive co-workers with Him, receiving in our own hearts the blessing when we are ministering to others. (Ibid, p. 3)</div> <bR> <div> 4.  Every disciple of Christ ought to have some special manifestation of the Holy Spirit and some gift for Christian service.</div> <bR> <div> 5.  There is no place for idlers and drones, and there is no excuse for the fruitless Christian. God has power and work for all who will yield themselves to Him for His service and glory. (Ibid, p. 3)</div> <bR> <div> 6.  It is preposterous to say that the gift of tongues, for example, is the criterion of having received the Holy Spirit. (Ibid, p. 3)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Word of Knowledge</B></div> <bR> <div> It is not a general stock of crystallized knowledge laid up by mere human study, but it is a particular revelation as we need to use the Word for each occasion and service. (Ibid, p. 5)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Faith for Service</B></div> <bR> <div> The next gift is the gift of faith. It is not saving faith, faith that justifies, sanctifies and brings to use every supply of divine grace, but it is the special faith which fits us for effectual service. It is the faith that removes mountains of difficulty, the faith that uproots sycamore trees of evil, the faith that knocks until doors are opened, the faith which equips the evangelist for the winning of souls and the worker for the accomplishing of great and mighty things in the pulling down of strongholds and the building up of the kingdom of God. No gift of the Holy Spirit is of more unspeakable value than the gift of faith.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Healing</B></div> <bR> <div> Just as God gave to some the special ministry of leading souls to Christ, so He gives to others as distinct a ministry in leading sufferers to receive the healing power of the Great Physician (Ibid, p.6)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Prophecy</B></div> <bR> <div> Ordinarily, we associate this gift with the foretelling of future events. The scriptural idea of it is different. It is rather a divine inspiration enabling the possessor to speak direct messages of the Holy Spirit for the spiritual profit of the hearer. (Ibid, p.8)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Gift of Love</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  Finally, there is the preeminence of love. Above all gifts, above all ministries is the grace of love; that love uses every gift and ministry, not to exploit its own greatness, but to glorify God and bless men. (Ibid, p. 12)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  Finally, let us pray for love, let us cultivate love, let us take the Lord Jesus Himself to be our love, and let our deepest cry be "give me a heart like Thine." (Ibid 14)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Coming King</B></div> <bR> <div> The solemn and eventful times amid which we meet call us to "be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, redeeming the time because the days are evil." The things which we have long expected from the study of the prophetic Word at last appear to be gathering fast and bringing near the crisis of the age. It is a time of worldwide opportunity, wonderful privilege, and sacred responsibility. Upon us "the ends of the age have come," and the Master may be sending us forth as the last heralds of His kingdom and His coming. We seem to hear the midnight cry, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh!" Shall we from this council with new earnest, and faith and hope go out to meet Him? (<I>A.B. Simpson and the Pentecostal Movement</I>, p. 24) </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Condition of the Church</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.  Alas! Even in our democratic age the bribe of the world’s favour and the popular applause of the multitude has [sic] proved as fatal to the church’s purity and left her with Laodicea, which means to "please the people," basking in the smiles of the world, but standing on the very verge of the awful and impeding judgment of her indignant and insulted Lord. (Ibid, p. 54)</div> <bR> <div> 2.  We are in the age of miracles, the age of Christ, the age which lies between two Advents . . . the age of power, the age which, above all other ages of time, should be intensely alive . . . . Until he [Christ] comes again, the world will never cease to need the touch of His power and Presence in the form of supernatural spiritual manifestations. (Ibid, p. 67)</div> <bR> <div> 3.  The church today is suffering from too much intellectual culture and too little spiritual unction. No class of men more than the class represented by Apollos need the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The more brain we have, the more spiritual power we need to preserve the true balance of humility and heavenly mindedness. (Ibid, p. 71)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Restoration</B></div> <bR> <div> God’s Word was buried for centuries, and we sometimes think that when Luther came, he gave us back all the Gospel, but that was what we had no right to expect. He gave us part of it; he gave us justification by faith. He pulled out the telescope of divine revelation one length, and that was all. Then came those blessed men, the leaders of the revival in Germany and England, the men who brought in the Gospel of regeneration and the Holy Ghost -- men like Lock and Whitfield [sic]. These men pulled out another length of the telescope, and then came others who taught us to expect mighty things of God, and to look to the real fulfillment of His promises, and then came this blessed hope, of Christ’s coming as if emerging from the ashes of centuries. And then came the gospel of divine healing. (Ibid, p. 57) </div> <bR> <div> ...from age to age God speaks the special message most needed so that there is always some portion of Divine truth which might properly be called present truth, God’s message to the times. (Ibid, p. 57)</div> <bR> <div> <B>These notes were complied from:</B> </div> <bR> <div> <I>A.B. Simpson and the Pentecostal Movement by Charles W. Nienkirchen, published by Hendrickson Publishers, 1992.</I></div> <div> <I>Wingspread</I> by A.W. Tozer, a biography of A.B. Simpson., published by Christian Pubications, 1943. </div> <bR> <div> see also <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00BF00" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Quotes from Church History"><U>Quotes From Church History</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>