William Wilberforce

“The first years in Parliament I did nothing - nothing to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object.”

“How can we judge fairly of the characters and merits of men, of the wisdom or folly of actions, unless we have . . . an accurate knowledge of all particulars, so that we may live as it were in the times, and among the persons, of whom we read, see with their eyes, and reason and decide on their premises?”

“Servile, and base, and mercenary, is the notion of Christian practice among the bulk of nominal Christians. They give no more than they dare not with-hold; they abstain from nothing but what they must not practise.”

“Can you tell a plain man the road to heaven? Certainly, turn at once to the right, then go straight forward.”

“We can scarcely indeed look into any part of the sacred volume without meeting abundant proofs, that it is the religion of the Affections which God particularly requires. Love, Zeal, Gratitude, Joy, Hope, Trust, are each of them specified; and are not allowed to us as weaknesses, but enjoined on us as our bounden duty, and commended to us as our acceptable worship.”

“Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the secret place of prayer.”

“No man, ever indulged more freely or happily in that playful facetiousness which gratifies all without wounding any.”

“We have different forms assigned to us in the school of life, different gifts imparted. All is not attractive that is good. Iron is useful, though it does not sparkle like the diamond. Gold has not the fragrance of a flower. So different persons have various modes of excellence, and we must have an eye to all.”

“If you love someone who is ruining his or her life because of faulty thinking, and you don't do anything about it because you are afraid of what others might think, it would seem that rather than being loving, you are in fact being heartless.”

“God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.”

“I would suggest that faith is everyone's business. The advance or decline of faith is so intimately connected to the welfare of a society that it should be of particular interest to a politician.”

“Surely the principles of Christianity lead to action as well as meditation.”

“Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us, and the path of duty will be clear before him.”

“As much pains were taken to make me idle as were ever taken to make me studious.”

“Life as we know it, with all its ups and downs, will soon be over. We all will give an accounting to God of how we have lived.”

“It must be conceded by those who admit the authority of Scripture (such only he is addressing) that from the decision of the word of God there can be no appeal.”

“The objects of the present life fill the human eye with a false magnification because of their immediacy.”

“true Christians consider themselves not as satisfying some rigorous creditor, but as discharging a debt of gratitude”

“I am disturbed when I see the majority of so-called Christians having such little understanding of the real nature of the faith they profess. Faith is a subject of such importance that we should not ignore it because of the distractions or the hectic pace of our lives.”

“It is the true duty of every man to promote the happiness of his fellow creatures to the utmost of his power.”