Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Commemoration of William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, 1833

Thy country, Wilberforce, with just disdain,

Hears thee, by cruel men and impious, call’d

Fanatic, for thy zeal to loose th’ enthrall’d

From exile, public sale, and slav’ry’s chain.

Friend of the poor, the wrong’d, the fetter-gall’d,

Fear not lest labour such as thine be vain!

Thou hast achiev’d a part; hast gain’d the ear

Of Britain’s senate to thy glorious cause;

Hope smiles, joy springs, and tho’ cold caution pause

And weave delay, the better hour is near,

That shall remunerate thy toils severe

By peace for Afric, fenc’d with British laws.

Enjoy what thou hast won, esteem and love

From all the just on earth, and all the blest above!

... William Cowper (1731-1800), The Works of William Cowper: his life, letters, and poems, New York: R. Carter & Brothers, 1851, p. 643 (see the book; see also Matt. 5:7; Isa. 61:1-2; Matt. 5:9; Luke 4:14-21; more at Exile, Hope, Joy, Labor, Love, Poverty, Slave, Zeal)

 
Compilation Copyright, 1996-2024, by Robert McAnally Adams,
        Curator, Christian Quotation of the Day,
        with Robert Douglas, principal contributor
Logo image Copyright 1996 by Shay Barsabe, of “Simple GIFs”, by kind permission.
Send comments to curator@cqod.com.

Last updated: 08/20/20

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