What is the Agora Penang up to this year (2008)? It all began here in-between Christmas and New Year... Then one of us saw the movie... So we thought, WHY NOT?!
Coz we can learn a lot from Mr. Wilberforce, such as his life story...
...and his convictions: "Wilberforce, having converted into evangelicalism was seriously contemplating about what we’ll say as “giving up his job to go into fulltime ministry”, i.e. leaving politics to go into pastoral ministry. One of his Clapham saints, a lady, told him in a very sure tone, “We humbly suggest that you can do both”.
Do stay tune for further details on our first meeting which will be a movie screening (Amazing Grace - the story of William Wilberforce) to be held sometime after Chinese New Year. But till then, we covet your prayers and well wishes.
Sim Chee Keong, Steven
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Fortunately for me, I had the time to watch the film this past week. It portrays the life of William Wiberforce and his efforts at leading the parliamentary campaign against the slave trade. Much of the debate that goes on in "Wilber's" own mind surrounds his desire to do the work of God and his placement as a person of influence in the Parliament. It's actually really compelling, and many of the conversations that were had really spoke to me. One of my favorite dialogue exchanges in the movie was between Wilber and a preacher confidant/mentor. I grabbed my computer and typed a bit to share their dramatized words:
Preacher: So, what do you want with an old preacher?
Wilberforce: I’m here to seek your advice.
Preacher: When you were a child, you used to ask God for advice.
Wilderforce: Then I grew up and grew foolish.
Preacher: And now?
Wilberforce: Now, slowly, my faith is returning.
Preacher: How slowly?
Wilberforce: No bolts of lightning.
Preacher: God sometimes does His work with gentle drizzle, not storms. Drip, drip, drip…
In 1793, William Wilberforce had written to a friend:
"In every small question of politics, there appears to me room to consider the times and seasons. But where a real moral evil is in question, a man who fears God is not at liberty. Even if I thought that the immediate abolition of the slave trade would cause an insurrection in our islands, I should not for an instance stop my endeavors. Be persuaded then, if I would not stop because of the insurrection, I shall even less sacrifice this grand cause to motives of political convenience or personal feeling."
The preacher was actually John Newton, the converted slave trader and author of the song Amazing Grace. I heard that he was William's pastor...
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