- Home
- Speakers
- A.B. Simpson
- The Trial Of Your Faith, Being Much More Precious Than Gold
A.B. Simpson

Albert Benjamin "A.B." Simpson (1843 - 1919). Canadian-American preacher, author, and founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), born in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. Raised Presbyterian, he experienced conversion at 14 and studied at Knox College, Toronto, graduating in 1865. Ordained, he pastored in Ontario, then Louisville, Kentucky, where his church grew to 1,000 members. In 1881, after a healing experience, he moved to New York, founding the independent Gospel Tabernacle to reach the marginalized. In 1882, he launched The Word, Work, and World magazine, and in 1887, merged two ministries to form the C&MA, emphasizing the "Fourfold Gospel": Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Simpson authored 101 books, including The Fourfold Gospel, and composed hymns like "Jesus Only." In 1883, he started Nyack College, training 6,000 missionaries. Married to Margaret Henry in 1866, they had six children. His global vision sent 1,500 missionaries to 40 countries by 1919. Simpson’s teachings on holiness and divine healing shaped modern Pentecostalism.
Download
Sermon Summary
A.B. Simpson emphasizes that trials are not obstacles but divine opportunities to experience God's love and power. He encourages believers to view difficult situations as moments for God's glorious manifestations, transforming clouds into rainbows and mountains into paths of ascension. Simpson reflects on how often God's richest blessings come during times of pressure, suggesting that the rough packages of trials contain the treasures of God's love. He calls for the purifying fire of God to burn away self and sin, allowing believers to walk through the furnace with Him.
Scriptures
The Trial of Your Faith, Being Much More Precious Than Gold
0ur trials are great opportunities. Too often we look on them as great obstacles. It would be a heaven of rest if each of us would recognize every difficult situation as one of God's chosen ways of proving to us His love and power. It would be an inspiration of unspeakable power if, instead of calculating upon defeat, we should begin to look around for the messages of His glorious manifestations. Then indeed every cloud would become a rainbow and every mountain a path of ascension and a scene of transfiguration. If we will look upon the past, many of us will find that the very time our heavenly Father has chosen to do the kindest things for us and give us the richest blessings has been the time when we were under great pressure and hemmed in on every side. God's jewels are often sent to us in rough packages, but within we find the very treasures of the King's palace and the Bridegroom's love. Fire of God, thy work begin, Burn up the dross of self and sin; Burn off my fetters, set me free, And through the furnace walk with me.
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download

Albert Benjamin "A.B." Simpson (1843 - 1919). Canadian-American preacher, author, and founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), born in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. Raised Presbyterian, he experienced conversion at 14 and studied at Knox College, Toronto, graduating in 1865. Ordained, he pastored in Ontario, then Louisville, Kentucky, where his church grew to 1,000 members. In 1881, after a healing experience, he moved to New York, founding the independent Gospel Tabernacle to reach the marginalized. In 1882, he launched The Word, Work, and World magazine, and in 1887, merged two ministries to form the C&MA, emphasizing the "Fourfold Gospel": Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Simpson authored 101 books, including The Fourfold Gospel, and composed hymns like "Jesus Only." In 1883, he started Nyack College, training 6,000 missionaries. Married to Margaret Henry in 1866, they had six children. His global vision sent 1,500 missionaries to 40 countries by 1919. Simpson’s teachings on holiness and divine healing shaped modern Pentecostalism.