![]() ![]() Milner was brilliant and a fitting guide for Wilberforce as they worked through the basic apologetic issues of Christianity that first winter and studied the Greek New Testament together the next year. Only two known evangelicals were members of the House of Commons, even though the historic revival called the Great Awakening had begun years before, creating large numbers of converts. Enthusiasts were looked down upon in English society. At first he did not realize that Milner was “an Enthusiast”-an evangelical Christian. Of course, all that was before what Wilberforce called “the great change.” During the winters of 17, Wilberforce asked an old school friend, Isaac Milner, to accompany him to the French Riviera and the Italian Riviera for vacations. Still, he gradually began to earn notoriety in Parliament for his rapier wit and ruthless eloquence in debate. He was wealthy and spoiled, given to excess and had what he called a “butterfly mind,” prone to flitting lightly from topic to topic. Seeing this great expense might cause someone to think that Wilberforce had a serious political agenda he hoped to implement, but nothing could be farther from the truth. All in all, Wilberforce spent about £9,000 (over a half-million dollars in today’s money) wooing his constituents and won the election by a landslide. He invited everyone in the district to a lavish celebration and provided food, drink and music to celebrate his 21st birthday, which coincidentally fell just two weeks before the election. He spent the summer of 1780 hosting expensive dinners and charming the electors in his district, culminating with a huge ox-roast at his estate in August. ![]() He was only 20 years old when he began campaigning to represent Hull, one of the top 20 districts in all of England. William Wilberforce bought his way into politics. ![]() He thought back with regret over the years since they had last met in his Uncle’s home, and wondered just what the outspoken former slave-ship captain would have to say about the situation in which William now found himself. William was anxious as he walked around the square one more time, trying to summon courage to face his scheduled meeting with John Newton, a friend and pastor from his boyhood. ![]()
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