As birds chirped in the surrounding trees, a sharply dressed gentleman entered Hyde Park in London on his way home from Parliament. As he strolled through, he cheerfully began, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” By the time he reached his house a mile later, he had recited the entirety of Psalm 119 from memory.
Well versed in the laws of England, William Wilberforce likewise was well acquainted with Scripture, his memorization of Psalm 119 becoming famous. Scripture memorization wasn’t always part of his life, but the Lord had a plan all along.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9
Entrusted with young William’s care after his father died and his mother became sick, wealthy relatives introduced him to the Methodist movement sweeping across the country. For a few years, William learned from prominent preachers who came to parlors in homes and shared their evangelical Christian faith. Their devotion to Christ was in stark contrast to the cultural standard of church attendance and little else by way of religious practices.
But his introduction to the transformative work of God was short-lived. His mother and grandfather, appalled at the embarrassing Methodist he had become, resolved to develop him into a prestigious young man. By the time he entered Cambridge, William was a perfect picture of sophistication, articulation, and most importantly to his mother, spiritual aloofness.
“I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” Psalm 119:46
Elected to Parliament at the age of twenty and promoted even further at twenty-four, William Wilberforce met internationally influential individuals in his prominent role, including King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, and Queen Victoria. Popular and powerful, William engaged in debates and discussions at high levels of government and mingled and mixed with other figures at parties and clubs.
But a trip to the French and Italian Rivieras in 1784 changed everything. Far more important than the destination was the journey of more than twelve hundred miles.
“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” Psalm 119:63
Towering peaks of the Alps overshadowed the caravan of coaches weaving its way through Europe. Slightly jostled with each plod of the horses’ hooves, the travelers within one dark coach were distinctly different in both stature and convictions. Broad shoulders filled one side of the coach while William Wilberforce’s just over five-foot frame occupied the other.
“He takes things a bit too far,” Wilberforce dismissed the subject of the conversation, an evangelical pastor who preached his God too seriously for Wilberforce.
“Not a bit.”
Isaac Milner’s words caught Wilberforce off guard. Was this well-respected Cambridge professor – and childhood friend – a radical Methodist? Never one to turn down an intellectual challenge, Wilberforce took on the theological topics as they ascended the winding roads of the Alps.
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” Psalm 119:71
After returning through the mountain pass, William Wilberforce found himself at a personal impasse. With previous cultural beliefs dismantled by Milner, the next few years compelled him to confront the impact of his rediscovered faith on every area of his life.
Two famous figures touched his life during this pivotal point, directing the trajectory of his life. John Newton, a former slave trader and author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, encouraged Wilberforce to use his political position to make an impact for Christ. John Wesley, leader of revolutionary revivals, wrote a letter to Wilberforce about the great injustice of defining people by the color of their skin.
“It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.” Psalm 119:126
Convicted by the Lord on several social injustices that contradicted Scripture, Wilberforce began fighting against the slave trade, child labor, alcoholism, and human trafficking. Famous abolitionists of the day were grateful to have a representative in Parliament who could take political action. Eighteen years later, the slave trade ceased to exist in England and he moved to the frontlines of abolishing slavery itself, not only in his own country but in other major nations of the world. On his last day of consciousness on earth, 73-year-old William Wilberforce received the news that Parliament officially outlawed slavery. His life’s work was complete.
“Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.” Psalm 119:132
When biographer Eric Metaxas was asked how William Wilberforce did what he did, he stated, “Wilberforce wasn’t just ‘religious’ but actually had a personal relationship with God. He seems to have been motivated by love – love of God and the love of his fellow man – more than by a simple sense of right and wrong or justice and injustice. This is probably the single most important factor in what he was able to do.”Metaxas also noted that crucial to his campaign against slavery was his full reliance on God’s strength to fulfill his calling, daily prayer and Scripture memorization, and the community of fellow believers.
He continued, “But we who admire [William Wilberforce] shouldn’t compare ourselves to him directly. We should rather ask ourselves: Am I using what God has given me for his purposes? Do I have a relationship with him so that I know he is leading me? Am I obeying him in all areas of my life – or trying to do so – so that I can know I am in a real relationship with him?”
“Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133
Perhaps in a similar way to William Wilberforce’s Scripture recitation on his daily commute in the late 18th century, you’re working on Scripture memorization during your daily drives or walks. Don’t let your recitation become a mindless routine but rather a meditative rhythm in your everyday life. Wilberforce didn’t recite Psalm 119 each day simply out of habit; from one side of Hyde Park to the other, the word hidden in his heart compelled him to obey God’s calling on his life. As you proclaim the powerful word of God from a love for the Lord, let it motivate you to take action out of love for others like Wilberforce. Consider the questions posed by Eric Metaxas out of his evaluation of Wilberforce’s life and take steps to fulfill God’s purposes in your life: relying on His strength, praying daily and memorizing Scripture, and engaging in Christian community!
Written by NBB Alumna: Julia Cagasan
