William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce (Born::August 24, 1759 — Died::July 29, 1833) was born in Hull, Britain. He was son to a wealthy merchant, and in his later years studied at Cambridge University where he befriended the future prime minister of Britain (1783 to 1801), William Pitt the Younger. In 1780, Wilberforce became a member of the parliament for Hull, it later represented Yorkshire.

In 1784, his life changed when he became a Christian, which can be seen with his inspired interest in social reform and health, specifically factory conditions in Britain. He was an extraordinary Christian of U.S. history, as well as the world over. Because of his actions, faith, and persistence, nearly two centuries ago in 1807 William Wilberforce was a major force behind the abolition of slavery, when the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade was passed. It effectively banned the slave trade within the British Empire, which at the time encompassed nearly all of the world. In 1921 the British Empire held sway over a population of about 458 million people.

Life Devotion
In 1787 William Wilberforce wrote regarding his sole missions or objectives in life under the rule of God almighty, was the; suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.