the rev. dr. matthew simpson was elected to the episcopacy of his denomination by the m.e. general conference, may 1852. in discharging his duties, bishop simpson visited and presided over conferences in all of the states encompassing the m.e. church as well as most of the related u.s. territories. he was sent by the general conference as a delegate to the irish and british wesleyan (i.e., methodist) conferences in 1857, as well as to the evangelical alliance in berlin the same year. he traveled with john mcclintock. from berlin, bishop simpson extended his travels through turkey, the holy land, egypt, and greece, returning to the united states in 1858.