William Wilberforce was born in 1759 and served in Parliament from 1780
to 1825. A turning point in his religious life was a tour of Europe. In
the luggage of a travelling companion he saw a copy of William Law's book, A Serious Call To a Devout and
Holy Life. He asked his friend, "What is this?" and received the
answer, "One of the best books ever written." The two of them agreed to
read it together on the journey, and Wilberforce embarked on a lifelong
program of setting aside Sundays and an interval each morning on arising
for prayer and religious reading. He considered his options, including
the clergy, and was persuaded by Christian friends that his calling was
to serve God through politics. He was a major supporter of programs for
popular education, overseas missions, parliamentary reform, and religious
liberty. He is best known, however, for his untiring commitment to the
abolition of slavery and the slave trade. He introduced his first
anti-slavery motion in the House of Commons in 1788, in a
three-and-a-half hour oration that concluded: "Sir, when we think of
eternity and the future consequence of all human conduct, what is there
in this life that shall make any man contradict the dictates of his
conscience, the principles of justice and the law of God!" The motion was
defeated. Wilberforce brought it up again every year for eighteen years,
until the slave trade was finally abolished on 25 March 1806. He
continued the campaign against slavery itself, and the bill for the
abolition of all slavery in British territories passed its crucial vote
just four days before his death on 29 July 1833. A year later, on 31 July
1834, 800,000 slaves, chiefly in the British West Indies, were set free.
Let thy continual mercy, O Lord, enkindle in thy Church the Never-failing gift of charity, that, following the example of thy servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend the children of the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever.
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, enkindle in your Church the Never-failing gift of love, that, following the example of your servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend the children of the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Psalm 146:4-9 or 112:1-9
Galatians 3:23-29
Matthew 25:31-40 (St2)