Recent Articles | About Authors | About the Syndicate | Archives

To receive a plain text copy of this article by email, see info at the bottom of this page.

Real Answers™
kw64
Copyright: © 2007 Kendall Wingrove
635 words

AMAZING GRACE MOVIE SHOWS POWER OF COMMITMENT TO CAUSE

By: Kendall Wingrove

Thanks to the eloquence and insightful leadership of Abraham Lincoln, our nation was preserved during its civil war. Almost four-score years before America's bloody conflict, another intense debate over slavery began across the ocean. Several determined abolitionists fought overwhelming odds for decades to awaken the English conscience and end the wicked practice.

Among those leading the charge was William Wilberforce, a name largely unknown to modern audiences.

A new movie, “Amazing Grace,” aims to change that. The film’s release coincides with the 200th anniversary of the vote when Wilberforce and other members of Parliament brought about the end of the slave trade in the British Empire.

The story of Wilberforce’s remarkable career tops any screenwriter’s imagination.
Surrounded by wealth, young William preferred the social whirl over academic study.
Although he managed to win election to Parliament in 1780 at age 21, Wilberforce did nothing at first to distinguish himself.

A few years later, Wilberforce underwent an intense spiritual journey and reassessed his beliefs. “My walk is a public one,” he wrote in his diary. “My business is in the world, and I must mix in the assemblies of men or quit the post which Providence seems to have assigned me.”

An old friend, John Newton, persuaded Wilberforce that political life could be a way to serve God.

Newton, best known for writing those memorable verses in the hymn Amazing Grace, was a former slave trader who witnessed firsthand many travesties on the high seas. Each year, English traders were capturing more than 30,000 Africans and shipping them into slavery. Wilberforce decided his business “in the world” included the abolition of slavery, and it became one of his causes.

The economic powers behind this industry were enormous. Only the most courageous soul would dare to confront these giants. But the determined Wilberforce refused to give up, and his focus became the embodiment of Matthew 17:20: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Wilberforce spent a lifetime moving that mountain. It was an arduous journey fraught with many setbacks. The opposition was fierce and its leaders were cunning. There were parliamentary maneuvers and other delaying tactics. Witnesses called to testify abruptly changed their comments under pressure. Bigotry also remained a powerful obstacle.

The Anglican theologian John Wesley understood the forces working against
Wilberforce. On his deathbed in 1791, Wesley wrote to his young colleague: "Unless
God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils." Then, echoing words in the eighth chapter of Romans, he added: "But if God be for you, who can be against you?"

While the entrenched powers blocked reform, time was on Wilberforce’s side. By 1807, there were many new members of Parliament and the abolitionist forces finally prevailed. Trading slaves became illegal on British ships.

Even this tremendous victory wasn't the beginning of the end; it was only the end of the beginning. There were other mountains for Wilberforce to topple. Slavery remained a reality in British colonies and the elder statesman attacked it for another quarter century despite bad health and renewed resistance from the government.

Wilberforce lived to see his quest succeed. Just days before he died in July 1833, the persistent politician learned that an Emancipation Bill had sufficient support and slavery was about to be abolished in England.

Wilberforce changed the course of history and exhibited the power described in John 8:32: "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Overcoming hurdles that would have defeated others, William Wilberforce came to know the truth and his amazing faith helped free millions of people from the tyranny of slavery.

 

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

 

Request this article:
To instantly receive a plain text copy of this article by email, enter your publication title, city and state, and email address, then retype the article number (shown in bold below). Then click the "Send It" button once.
Fields marked (*) are required

Publication Title: *
City & State: *
Email: *
Requested Article: *
(Type kw64.txt in this field)
 

back to top

© The Amy Foundation 2006 Privacy Statement