Celebrating Civil Freedom

Nearly 200 years ago, on March 25, 1807, the British Parliament in London enacted a law that would have repercussions around the world. The new law prohibited British ships from transporting slaves on the high seas. Those caught breaking the law would be fined heavily, and if caught again would lose their shipping license. This 1807 Slave Trade Act was the British Parliament's first significant move to deal with what many people considered the scandal of the Empire. Twenty-six years later, Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act, giving freedom to all slaves in the British Empire.

Few people realize the Slave Trade Act of 1807 was proposed, promoted, and carried to success by a small number of determined Christians. Leading them was William Wilberforce, a Cambridge University graduate who entered politics at the age of 20 and was converted to personal faith in Christ at the age of 25. He became a member of the Clapham Sect, a group of evangelical Anglicans who worshiped at Clapham in south London. The group included Thomas Clarkson, classical scholar and campaigner against slavery; Zachary Macaulay, a colonial governor; Granville Sharp, scholar and administrator; Hannah More, writer and philanthropist; and John Venn, rector of Holy Trinity Church in Clapham.

Vilified in the press of the day as "the saints," the Clapham Sect devoted their time, money, influence, and prayer to various social causes, but their attack on slavery in the British Empire was their greatest success. Clarkson and Sharp collected facts about the slave trade and traveled widely in British territories in their research. They produced irrefutable evidence that since the days of Sir Francis Drake, the celebrated English national hero who died in 1596, 12 million slaves had been taken from Africa by force. This made slave traffic the largest forced migration of men and women in history. They also produced evidence and harrowing eyewitness accounts of the terrible sufferings endured by slaves on the long sea voyages and in the plantations of the West Indies.

Supported by his friends inside and outside Parliament, Wilberforce presented his first Abolition Bill in 1783 but was defeated. His second attempt in 1787 was also defeated. Undaunted by those who opposed him and by their virulent personal attacks, Wilberforce continued to gather evidence and lobby members of Parliament.

He was defeated twice again, in 1791 and 1805, but victory finally came in March 1807.

Two hundred years after the anti-slavery campaign of William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect, this anniversary has special significance for Wesleyan Holiness people around the world. One of the first voices raised in Britain against slave trafficking was that of John Wesley, now known as "the father of the Holiness Movement." In 1774 Wesley published his Thoughts upon Slavery, an impassioned attack on the foundation and system of slavery in the British Empire. Believing that true Christianity is characterized by love for God and man, Wesley attacked slavery as inhuman and unjust, denouncing those who profited financially from the misery of their fellow humans.

As Wesley lay dying in his house in London 17 years later, he wrote his last letter. Across 60 years of itinerant ministry he had written thousands of letters and now, at the end of his journey, he was still protesting against the slave trade. His last letter was addressed to William Wilberforce, who was about to present another petition in Parliament. Wesley encouraged Wilberforce to continue in "opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature." If John Wesley had lived to see the victory of Wilberforce's 1807 bill, he would have rejoiced and given thanks to God. Now, after two centuries, holiness people everywhere should give thanks to God for what was accomplished in 1807 and in subsequent legislation.

Herbert McGonigle is senior lecturer in Historical Theology and Wesley Studies at Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, England.

Please note: All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of original publication but may have since changed.