of
the Christian and Missionary Alliance
. HISTORY OF
THE C&MA
We have a history rich in ministry. The cornerstone of our National Office
building in Colorado Springs is a visual reminder of our roots. It was
first
laid at the Gospel Tabernacle in New York City in 1889.
Worldwide we are linked to other believers who share a passion to reach
those without Christ through The Alliance World Fellowship.
The message is Fourfold: Christ our Savior, Christ our Sanctifier, Christ
our Healer, and Christ our Coming King.
Chronological Highlights of C&MA History
1843 Dr. Albert Benjamin Simpson born to James and Jane
Clark
Simpson at Bayview, Prince Edward Island.
1847 The James Simpson family moves to Chatham, Ontario.
1858 Albert Simpson believes in Jesus as his Savior
and is convinced he
must preach the gospel.
1861-1865 A. B. Simpson begins and completes college
and theological
studies at Knox College in Toronto.
1865-1873 Dr. Simpson pastors Knox Presbyterian Church,
Hamilton,
Ontario. During his tenure 750 people became members of the church.
1874-1879 Dr. Simpson pastors Chestnut Street Presbyterian
Church,
Louisville, Kentucky.
1874 Dr. Simpson gives control of his life completely to God.
1875 The Whittle/Bliss citywide evangelistic campaign
in Louisville
radically alters Simpson’s view of the Christian ministry. Evangelism is
now his priority.
1875-1876 Dr. Simpson continues Sunday evening services
in public
halls.
1880-1881 Dr. Simpson pastors the 13th Street Presbyterian
Church,
New York City.
1880 The monthly missions periodical, The Gospel in All Lands,
is
inaugurated.
1881 In August Dr. Simpson is miraculously healed of
a heart disorder
during a vacation at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. A few months later he is
baptized by immersion in a Baptist chapel in New York City. Then in
November he resigns his pastorate to begin independent evangelistic
ministries in NYC.
1882 Dr. Simpson conducts evangelistic meetings in several
public halls.
The first issue of The Word, Work and World, forerunner of Alliance
Life, appears. The Gospel Tabernacle Church in NYC is organized and
grows to 1,000 members within a few years. Dr. Simpson starts Friday
afternoon meetings for consecration and healing.
1883 Dr. Simpson organized The Missionary Union for
the
Evangelization of the World. The Midnight Mission on 27th Street is
opened by women from the Tabernacle. It is the first of several rescue
missions. The first Healing Home is opened at the Simpson's residence.
It
is the forerunner of the Berachah Homes. The first classes of the
Missionary Training College are held at 446 Eighth Avenue, NYC.
1884 Simpson conducts the first fall convention for
deeper Christian
living and evangelism. Visitors come from several states.
1885 Dr. Simpson speaks at the Bethshan Conference for
Holiness and
Healing in London, England, where he delivers the sermon “Himself.”
1886 The first Simpson convention at Old Orchard Beach,
Maine, is
conducted. The assembly calls for an alliance for the promotion of
missionary work.
1887 The assembly of Old Orchard votes to form two societies,
The
Christian Alliance and The Evangelical Missionary Alliance. The Board of
Directors of the Missionary Alliance appoints its first missionary
candidates, the William Cassidys, to go to China, and Helen Dawley to
India.
1888-1890 Thousands of Christians in the United States
and Canada
join The Christian Alliance. About 20 missionaries are sent overseas.
1890 A building for the Gospel Tabernacle at Eighth
Avenue and 44th
Street in New York City is dedicated. Dr. Simpson calls for a prayer to
accomplish the purpose of The Missionary Alliance. Prayer pledge cards
were distributed and returned to Alliance headquarters.
1891-1897 A period of rapid expansion of missionary activity.
1891 Support pledged by Alliance people for 100 missionaries.
The
goal is increased to send 200 missionaries. By 1897 about 350 had been
sent overseas. More than 50 of these died or withdrew.
1897 The two Alliance organizations amalgamate to form
The Christian
and Missionary Alliance. The Missionary Training Institute and Berachah
Home move to Nyack, New York.
1898-1911 A period of revival, stabilization, maturity,
and growth both
overseas and in North America. The missionary force remains between
250 and 280.
1900 Nineteen Alliance Swedish missionaries and 13 children
are
murdered in China during the Boxer Rebellion.
1906 The Pentecostal movement enters many Alliance branches
and
conventions.
1906-1911 A revival movement strengthens the Alliance,
but some
Alliance members and leaders go over to the Pentecostal movement.
1912 The C&MA adopts a new constitution at Boone,
Iowa. New
departments and offices are created. The property reversion clause is
adopted. Dr. Simpson donates Christian Alliance Publishing Company to
the C&MA Board of Managers.
1913-1917 A period of consolidation of the work under
the new
departments. Many independent congregations join the Alliance but are
not considered Alliance churches. The number of missionaries remains
about the same.
1918 Dr. Simpson suffers a stroke. He donates the Alliance
Press (the
printing company) to the Board of Managers.
1919 The Board debates the nomination of Dr. Paul Rader
to be the
vice president nominee. Council elects Dr. Rader as vice president. Vice
President Rader becomes the president of the C&MA upon the death of
Dr. Simpson.
1920-1923 The Rader period is characterized by growth
overseas,
especially in the Near East and French Indo-China. Public awareness of
the Alliance in North America increases via citywide evangelistic
campaigns and the Rader-sponsored tabernacle movement. There is
dissent within the Board of Managers over Dr. Rader’s activities and
organizations outside the Alliance.
1924 Dr. Rader resigns. Vice President F. H. Senft assumes
the
presidency. Mrs. A. B. Simpson and her husband’s biographer, Rev. A.
E. Thompson, die at Nyack, New York.
1925 Vice President H. M. Shuman is installed as president
upon the
death of Dr. Senft. Dr. Shuman served as president until 1954, a total
of
29 years.
1926-1939 By a quiet transition the Alliance begins
to change from a
“movement” to a denomination.
1939-1945 World War II interrupts some missionary activity.
Ten
missionaries are killed or die as a result of internment. Overseas work
grows some. The missionary force increases from 469 to 522. The
number of churches and branches increases from 632 to 690 and
baptized members from 57,294 to 58,016.
1949 All Alliance missionaries leave China due to the
takeover of the
government by Communists.
1954-1959 Dr. H. L. Turner succeeds Dr. Shuman as president
in
1954. Similar growth of previous years continues. The number of
missionaries increases to 824, overseas churches to 1,486, and baptized
members to 131,843. In North America, branches and churches total
1,151 and membership 67,641. Missionary contributions in 1959 climb to
$3,511,691.
1960 Dr. Nathan Bailey is elected to the presidency
of the Alliance and
serves until 1978.
1967 The Alliance Youth Corps is organized.
1973 The Alliance Key 73 program for aggressive evangelism
is
lanuched.
1974 A new constitution is ratified by Council, effectively
making the
Alliance a denomination.
1975 The Indochina fields of Laos, Cambodia, and Viet
Nam are
closed by a Communist takeover of the governments.
1977 The number of missionaries has increased to 890,
overseas
churches to 4,453, and baptized church members to 332,443. Inclusive
membership now numbers 952,000. Missionary contributions reach
$12,331,273. North American churches total 1,561; baptized members,
112,867; inclusive membership (including adherents) 192,336.
1978 Dr. Louis L. King becomes the seventh president
of the Alliance.
Council votes a goal of doubling Alliance membership by Council 1987.
1981 The Christian and Missionary Alliance of Canada
becomes
autonomous. Dr. Melvin Sylvester is elected president.
1985 By this date the number of missionaries has increased
to 1,134;
organized churches overseas number 10,649; 569,743 baptized members
are associated with overseas churches; inclusive members in those
churches total 1,836,277, a net gain of 883,834 persons since 1978. In
the United States, churches number 1,646, with 227,846 inclusive
members. Canadian Alliance churches total 287, with 56,768 inclusive
members.
1987 The Christian and Missionary Alliance celebrates
its centennial
Council in St. Paul, Minnesota.