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attempt to invest their work with a high literary character, they would render it unsuitable to its purpose, and would in consequence counteract their own design. But they imagine that correctness of sentiment, simplicity of style, comprehensiveness of view, and vigour of intellect, may be rendered as intelligible to the poor as they are attractive to the better informed. But in order that these qualities should be exhibited in their pages, it is necessary that they receive extensive assistance from their friends. For this assistance they earnestly plead. To the intelligent and reading portion of their denomination they would say, "Make the Baptist Magazine your own, the representative of your mind, the mirror in which you may discern the form and features of your character. If it be not what you wish, afford us help to make it so. Suggest the alterations which you think requisite; and, as we have no private purpose to answer by our labours, we will readily adopt whatever appears suited to improve the work."

By an arrangement already formed, the Editors hope to effect a considerable improvement in the Review department of their work. It will be their object to comprise their notices of minor publications within narrower limits, in order to afford space for a more extended examination of other works. But they would rather their readers should be apprised of this and of other points of projected improvement by their future performances than by their present promises.

They would merely add an earnest request to their friends, and to the ministers of the denomination more especially, to attempt an extension of the sale of the work. The funds which its present sale supplies are far from being adequate to the claims which are made upon them. The widows and fatherless children of our departed brethren look to it for bread, but the portion which it gives is scanty in the extreme.

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BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1833.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF W. WIL-|lation to the county till 1812. From
BERFORCE, ESQ. WITH A BRIEF that year to the close of his parlia-
HISTORY OF THE ABOLITION mentary career in 1825, he was
OF THE SLAVE TRADE, AND A chosen for Bramber.
REVIEW OF THE PRESENT
STATE OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY lent himself to no faction, but main-

CAUSE.

In his career as a statesman, he

tained a laudably independent course. Though warmly attached, from early THE name of Wilberforce will ever association, to William Pitt, he made be associated with the abolition of his strong judgment, rather than the the African slave trade. He will be partiality of friendship, the guide of known to future generations as the his votes, and succeeded probably early, zealous, and persevering friend beyond any of his contemporaries of this most righteous and benevo- in commanding the esteem of all lent measure. While the Statesman parties. He supported Catholic and Warrior will lose much of emancipation and parliamentary retheir present honour as the public form, reprobated the lottery as inmind becomes more enlightened and jurious to public morals; contended upright in its decisions, the memory that the employment of boys in the of this friend of Africa will be held sweeping of chimneys was an inin increasing esteem. Already has tolerable cruelty, and attempted, he received the blessing of those though in vain, to procure a legiswho were ready to perish. The ho- lative enactment against duelling. mage of the virtuous has been freely His benevolence was founded on tendered him, and even his ene-principle, and was therefore univermies have been compelled to do jus- sal in its application. He has been tice to the integrity of his principles described by Lord Brougham as the and the policy of his measures. It" venerable patriarch of the cause of is not our purpose to enter at large the slaves, whose days were to be into the circumstances of his life; numbered by acts of benevolence but merely to mention two or three and piety; whose whole life—and of these, and then to proceed he prayed it might long be extended to the history of that great for the benefit of his fellow-creacause of which he was so able tures-had been devoted to the an advocáte.

highest interests of religion and Mr. Wilberforce was born at Hull, charity." In private life we have in August, 1759, and received his reason to believe that Mr. W. is education at St. John's College, beloved and honoured. He was Cambridge. In 1780, he was re- married in 1797 to a daughter of turned to parliament for his native Mr. Spooner, a wealthy Birmingplace, but being shortly afterwards ham manufacturer, by whom he has chosen one of the representatives of a large family. May it be their Yorkshire, he made a selection of honour to participate in the spirit of the latter, and continued in this re- their father, that when he is removed VOL. VIII. 3d Series.

R

enormity of this traffic till towards

to the place of his rest they may continue his labours, and share in the middle of the 18th century.

the esteem he so extensively enjoys. The Society of Friends took the With this brief sketch we must lead, and by this and their subsesatisfy ourselves, in order to secure quent conduct have entitled themsufficient space for the narrative on selves to the esteem and gratitude of which we purpose entering. It is mankind. So early as the year much to be regretted that so little is 1727, they passed the following regenerally known of the circum- solution at their annual meeting in stances which preceded and led to London: "It is the sense of this the abolition of the slave trade. meeting, that the importing of Many evils result from this igno- negroes from their native country rance. Colonial writers take advan- and relations by friends, is not a tage of it in various ways, parti- commendable nor allowed practice, cularly, in claiming for their party and is therefore censured by this praise, which they have never meeting."

merited. It is by no means uncommon for the abolition of the slave trade to be attributed by these authors to the colonists, as though we had no records to which to appeal in proof of their determined, malignant, and persevering opposition to this act of national justice. It cannot be too deeply impressed on the mind, that the opposition of the Planters and West India merchants to the abolition of the African trade was as strenuous, as that which they now evince to the emancipation of the negroes.

In 1758 they passed another resolution, marking more strongly their abhorrence of the traffic, and warning all in profession with them "that they carefully avoid being in any way concerned in reaping the unrighteous profits arising from it." At length, in 1761, they determined to disown all such as engaged in it, thus furnishing an example to Christendom which will cause their name to be held in everlasting veneration. Had other religious bodies imitated the conduct of the Quakers, the enormities of slavery, as well as those of the slave trade, would, long ere this, have ceased to call down the vengeance of heaven upon our country. These bodies have sufficient influence in the nation to secure the execution of whatever wise and righteous measure they may unite in enforcing. On this account we rejoice, though on many others we deeply grieve, at the recent insurrection in Jamaica. The circumstances connected with this event have served effectually to dissipate the delusion under which some religious bodies have been conducting their Missionary operations. Neutrality, in the case of slavery, is now seen to be as impolitic as it is unchristian.

But to proceed with our narrative. Our country became implicated in the slave trade during the reign of Elizabeth. To Sir John Hawkins belongs the unenviable distinction of having been the first Englishman who engaged in it. This occurred in 1562. He deceived his royal mistress, by representing the Africans as voluntary labourers. The queen is stated to have expressed a concern lest any of the negroes should be forced from their country, declaring "it would be detestable and call down the vengeance of heaven upon the undertakers." A large number of vessels sailed annually from this country, taking with them fire arms, intoxicating liquors, and other articles of trifling value which But the efforts of the Quakers, they exchanged for slaves. But though honourable to themselves little attention was drawn to the and efficient in reference to their

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