In 1880, Simpson was called to the Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church in New York City where he immediately began reaching out to the world with the gospel. By 1881, after only two fruitful years at Thirteenth Presbyterian, he resigned in order to begin an independent gospel ministry to the many new immigrants and the neglected masses of New York City. Beside active evangelistic work in the church, he published in 1882 a missionary journal, "The Gospel in All Lands", the first missionary journal with pictures. Simpson also founded and began publishing an illustrated magazine entitled "The Word, Work, and World". By 1911, this magazine became known as "The Alliance Weekly", then "Alliance Life." It is the official publication of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, in the US and Canada.