Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:27:22 EST
From:         JEK@NIHCU.BITNET
Subject:      Charles Simeon, with others (Nov 12)

CHARLES SIMEON (NOV 12) WITH HENRY MARTYN AND WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

Two hundred years ago, students at the English Universities were
required to attend church regularly, and to receive the Holy
Communion at least once a year. This latter requirement often had
bad effects, in that it encouraged hypocrisy and an irreverent
reception of the sacrament. Occasionally, however, it had a very
good effect, as with the Cambridge student Charles Simeon. He wrote:
    "On 29 January 1779 I came to college. On 2 February I
understood that at division of term I must attend the Lord's Supper.
The Provost absolutely required it. Conscience told me that, if I
must go, I must repent and turn to God."
    By this experience his life was transformed. Upon finishing his
college work he was ordained, and shortly appointed chaplain of Holy
Trinity, Cambridge, where he remained for 55 years, until shortly
before his death on 12 November 1836. His enthusiasm and zeal
brought him much ridicule and abuse, which he bore uncomplainingly.
Though he himself remained in one place, his influence extended
through the Anglican world.

   O loving God, who orderest all things by thine unerring wisdom
   and unbounded love: Grant us in all things to see thy hand;
   that following the example and teaching of thy servant Charles
   Simeon, we may walk with Christ in all simplicity, and serve
   thee with a quiet and contented mind; through Jesus Christ our
   Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
   one God, for ever and ever.

Simeon exercised an enormous influence on many undergraduates. A not
untypical example was Henry Martyn, a young man with a considerable
facility in languages. Under Simeon's encouragement, he abandoned
his intention of going into law and instead went to India as a
chaplain in 1806. In the six remaining years of his life, he
translated the New Testament into Hindi and Persian, revised an
Arabic translation of the New Testament, and translated the Psalter
into Persian and the Prayer Book into Hindi. In 1811 he left India
for Persia, hoping to do further translations and to improve his
existing ones, there and in Arabia. But travel in those days was not
a healthy occupation, and he fell ill and eventually died at Tokat
on October 16, 1812. He was buried by the Armenian church there.
His diary has been called "one of the most precious treasures of
Anglican devotion."

   O God of the nations, who didst give to thy faithful servant
   Henry Martyn a brilliant mind, a loving heart, and a gift for
   languages, that he might translate the Scriptures and other
   holy writings for the peoples of India and Persia: Inspire in
   us, we beseech thee, a love like his, eager to commit both life
   and talents to thee who gavest them; through Jesus Christ our
   Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
   one God, for ever and ever.

Life as a clergyman is by no means the only way to serve God.
Another friend of Simeon's, William Wilberforce, determined to serve
God as a politician. He was born in 1759 and served in Parliament
from 1780 to 1825. A turning point in his religious life was a tour
of Europe. In the luggage of a travelling companion he saw a copy of
William Law's book, A SERIOUS CALL TO A DEVOUT AND HOLY LIFE. He
asked his friend, "What is this?" and received the answer, "One of
the best books ever written." The two of them agreed to read it
together on the journey, and Wilberforce embarked on a lifelong
program of setting aside Sundays and an interval each morning on
arising for prayer and religious reading. He considered his options,
including the clergy, and was persuaded by Simeon and others that
his calling was to serve God through politics. He was a major
supporter of programs for popular education, overseas missions,
parliamentary reform, and religious liberty. He is best known,
however, for his untiring commitment to the abolition of slavery and
the slave trade. He introduced his first anti-slavery motion in the
House of Commons in 1788, in a three-and-a-half hour oration that
concluded: "Sir, when we think of eternity and the future
consequence of all human conduct, what is there in this life that
shall make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the
principles of justice and the law of God!"
    The motion was defeated. Wilberforce brought it up again every
year for eighteen years, until the slave trade was finally abolished
on 25 March 1806. He continued the campaign against slavery itself,
and the bill for the abolition of all slavery in British territories
passed its crucial vote just four days before his death on 29 July
1833. A year later, on 31 July 1834, 800,000 slaves, chiefly in the
British West Indies, were set free.

   Let thy continual mercy, O Lord, enkindle in thy Church the
   never-failing gift of charity, that, following the example of
   thy servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend
   the children of the poor, and maintain the cause of those who
   have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us,
   thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with
   thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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