Simpson, George W., a Presbyterian minister, was born near Churchtown, Lancaster Co., Pa., June 1, 1821. He early embraced religion, and, feeling it to be his duty to preach, he pursuetl his studies at Easton College, Pa., and Princeton Theological Seminary. He chose Africa as his field of labor, and sailed for the Ga- boon in Sept., 1849, where he was cordial!}' received by Rev. J. L.Wilson and other missionaries. Corisco was chosen as a missionary station, and Mr. Sinijison and his wife immediately occupied it. They embarked March 25, 1850, in an J^nglish vessel for Fernando Po, but on the evening of April 5 the ship was capsized by a tor- nado, and all on board except one of the crew were lost.
Simpson, Robert, D.D., a Scottish divine and in- structor, was born at Little Tillerye, near Milnathort, in Kinross-shire, Feb. 15, 1746. Having completed his academic studies, he [)reached in Yorkshire and Lan- cashire, and was for several years pastor of a Church at Bolton-le-Moors, near Manchester. He went to London in 1786, where his preaching attracted considerable at-
SIMPSOX
762
SIMULTANEUM
tention. lie was chosen presiilent of the Dissenting school afterwards known as the lloxton Academy, and applied liiinself wh<illy to tliis work. His health fail- ing in May, 1817, he tendered his resignation, althongh he contiinied to lecture liis classes as often as illness would permit. He died I)ec. 1*1, 1817.
Simpson, or Sympson, Sydrach, B.D., a Pu- ritan divine, was educated at the University of Cam- bridge, and became curate and lecturer of St. Margaret's, Fifth Street, London. He was summoned before arch- bishop Laud for nonconformity in 1035, and retired to Holland. Returning to England at the commencement of the civil wars, he was chosen one of the Assembly of Divines in 1643. He joined the Independents against the Presbyterians, was appointed by Cromwell's visitors master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1650, and died in 1655. He published a few sermons and the- ological treatises, for which see Darling, Cyclop. Bihliofj. 8. v. ; Watts, Biblioth. Brit. s. v.
Simpson, VJTilliam, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Huntingdon County, Pa., Jan. ii, 1812. He professed conversion and united with tlie Church in June, 1832, and received license to preach June 3, 1837, at Blooraington, 111. He entered the Illinois Conference in Sept., 1837, and was ordained deacon in Sept., 1839, and elder in August, 1841. His ministry closed with his life, Feb. 22, 1864. See Min- utvg of A nuuul Conferences, 1864, p. 178.
Sim'ri (1 Chron. xxvi, 10). See Shimri.
Sims, Edward Drumgoole, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Bruns- wick County, Ya., March 24, 1805. He graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1823 ; was tutor in that institution, and afterwards principal of an academy at La Grange, Ala. ; and on the establisliment of the college at that place was elected professor of mathe- matics and natural philosophy. He then travelled two years in connection with the Tennessee Conference •, afterwards was professor of languages in Randolph Ma- con College, Va. In 1836 he visited Europe and spent two years at the University of Halle, in Germany; in 1837 he travelled through France and German}', Italy, Holland, Belgium, and England; in 1838 he returned to the United States, and filled the chair of English literature in Randolph Macon College ; and in December, 1841, was elected by a unanimous vote of the trustees of the University of Alabama to the same department. He died April 12, 1845. Prof. Sims was a man of various, extensive, and accurate learning, especially in the department of language in general. Besides the ordinary classics, he wrote and spoke French and Ger- man. He was master of the philosophy of language, and almost the entire circle of the sciences; and had col- lected materials for an Anglo-Saxon grammar, and also for an English grammar, which he designed publishing. As a minister, the (pialities of his mind and piety in- fused themselves into his preaching and distinguished it. Eminent as he was in learning and the social vir- tues, his Christian character was Ids highest ornament. His religion was deeply experimental. See Minuter of A nn. Cimferenccs ofM, E. Church, South, 1845-53, p. 48; Sprague, A nnuls if the A mer. Pulpit, vii, 766. (J. L. S.)
Simsterla, a goddess of the Slavic mythology, chiert)' worshipped by the Russians, but not unknown among the Poles. She was the awakener of spring, and the wife of Pogoda (the weather). ,She possessed wondrous beauty and grace. — VoUmer, Wurterb. d, My- thol. s. V.
Simultaneum (sell. Rrlifiioim Kxerdtium.) is a term wbicli in Europe designates, in its general bear- ing, the religions services common to churches or de- nominations having diverse creeds, and which has par- ticular reference to the employment in common of cer- tain religious arrangements and institutions.
The denial of a churchlv character bv Romanism to
any but the Papal Church renders a simultaneum impos- sible on that assumption ; but the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 insured to the Evangelicals both that character and the resultant rights of worship. The progress of the new Church, however, was irregular, in some places being much more vigorous and rapid than in others, so that the relations existing between Romanists and Protestants were very diverse ; and it was thought necessary to provide legal prescriptions for the exer- cise of a common worship. These prescriptions erect- ed a barrier against religious persecution on the part of a sovereign prince, but they also suggested the de- nial of religious privileges to certain parties, since the status of the j'ear 1624 was made the condition for granting or refusing the free exercise of religion — they who had then enjoyed it being held to be entitled to a continuance of the privilege, while others were gener- ally, though not always, judged to have no claim to its enjoyment. These regulations were intended to settle the case as between Romanists and Protestants. A dif- ferent arrangement regulated the affairs of the Luther- an and the Reformed parties, so that the condition of the churches at the conclusion of the Peace of West- phalia was made the basis of their future relations.