Tomorrow will be the 182nd anniversary of William Wilberforce’s death. His crusade to abolish slavery is a remarkable example of the power of perseverance.
oil on canvas
© Wilberforce House, Hull City Museums and Art Galleries, UK
German, out of copyright
Wilberforce was born into a wealthy family. He did not have to work to support himself, he enjoyed a university education. In common with most wealthy young men of that era, he spent much of his time partying and gambling.
First elected to the British Parliament in 1780 at the age of 21, he did not show much interest in the plight of slaves until his religious conversion in 1784 when he became an Evangelical Christian.
For the next 40 years, until his retirement in 1825, he worked to abolish slavery. He also campaigned for many other reforms, including the protection of women and children.
Never a healthy man and cursed by poor eyesight, he died on 29 July 1833, just 3 days after the House of Commons passed the Act abolishing slavery.
His achievements, struggles and acts of humanity are too numerous to list in this short post. The William Wilberforce Wikipedia entry records his amazingly generous life and acts of compassion.
For almost 40 years, he struggled to get bills passed in parliament, to overcome opposition from commercial and political players with vested interests in maintaining the slave trade, disinterest from large sections of the public and suspicion from the elite.
What makes his story more remarkable, is that he did not have to do any of it. He was wealthy, did not have to work to survive, he could have continued his former hedonistic lifestyle of drinking, partying and gambling his entire life without running out of money.
Why his perseverance to abolish slavery?
He had a cause, something that was bigger than himself. In his case he found his cause after a religious conversion. It gave his life purpose, a clear direction away from the superficial life of partying and gambling.
He stayed committed to that cause for 40 years, more than half his life. Despite illness, frail health, poor eyesight and none of the modern conveniences we consider essential today. He endured repeated setbacks, defeats of his bills in parliament, opposition from mainstream churches and accusations of disloyalty to his country.
Throughout it all, he persevered until he achieved his goal 3 days before he died.
That’s perseverance.
In the modern world of endless distractions, many people have no purpose, cannot stay committed to a single cause, persevere at anything for 40 minutes, let alone 40 years.
Do you have a purpose in your life? A cause? Do you have the power of perseverance to achieve your goals?
Leave a comment.
Photo: By Karl Anton Hickel [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Very interesting story. I think I have perseverance to achieve goals. At least I have achieved many of the goals I have set in my life time. I have even exceeded goals a few times. And I think I will continue to have the perseverance to achieve more.
However, it is the story of William Wilberforce itself I am most interested in from this post.
Ohio has a college in the south west corner of the state name Wilberforce and named after William Wilberforce. Mr. Wilberforce would be proud to know that Wilberforce was named for him.
From Wiki: “Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university (HBCU) located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans.”
Full link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilberforce_University
Oh how I wish the ‘black lives matter’ folks knew half of the history of black people in the world and especially in England and America. Black lives have always mattered and has a rich history in both England and the USA. These modern day haters need to be educated.
Link to Wilberforce web site: http://www.wilberforce.edu/