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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.
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Sermon Summary
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the significance of recognizing the Holy Spirit's sufficiency in our lives through the story of the widow and her pot of oil. He illustrates that while the widow felt she had nothing, the pot of oil represented the Holy Spirit, which is more than enough for all our needs if we learn to utilize it properly. The sermon teaches that our capacity to receive the Holy Spirit expands through the challenges we face, as God uses our trials to create opportunities for greater fullness of His grace. Simpson encourages believers to view their difficulties as vessels for receiving more of God's presence and power.
Scriptures
Thine Handmaid Hath Riot Anything in the House, Save a Pot of Oil
Elisha asked the widow, "What hast thou in the house?" And she said, "Nothing but a pot of oil." But that pot of oil was adequate all her needs, had she only known how to use it. In truth it represented the Holy Spirit, and the great lesson of the incident is that the Holy Spirit is adequate for all our needs, if we only know how to use Him. All the widow needed was to get sufficient vessels to hold the overflow, and then pour out until all were filled. Even so the Holy Spirit is limited only by our capacity to receive Him, and when God wants us to have a larger fullness, he has to make room for it by creating greater needs. God sends us new vessels to be filled with His Holy Spirit in the needs that come to us and the trials that meet us. These are God's opportunities to give us more of Himself. As we meet them He comes to us in larger fullness for each new necessity. Lord, help me to see Thee in all my trying situations and to make them vessels to hold more of Thy grace.
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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.