The Power of a Dream
March 12th, 2007William Wilberforce is the central character to the movie, Amazing Grace. The movie depicts Wilberforce’s ambition to end the British involvement in the slave trade. It took many years to accomplish this task. It culminated with some ingenious political maneuvering. The end result was that Wilberforce achieved his dream.
Wilberforce’s impact does not actually end with the removal of England’s slave trade. It had a much broader impact. It affected the American Civil War as well as other international events.
While the Confederacy was blockaded by the North in our Civil War, the South looked for an ally. Diplomats from the CSA approached England. By 1861, thanks to William Wilberforce, England opposed slavery. The American South embraced slavery so England could not assist the Southern states.
Let’s speculate for just a moment. Suppose Wilberforce had failed and the slave trade continued in England. Suppose that England had entered our Civil War. Suppose the addition of England tipped the scales and the South seceded and formed the CSA. If we had been two countries instead of one, imagine how difficult World War II might have been. It might have been impossible to defeat the Nazis in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific.
It is speculative, but we can see what might have been — had it not been for one man working tirelessly on his quest. One man affected the British Empire. One man impacted the American Civil War and possibly modern history.
What is your dream? What are you willing to make your life’s quest? How will you impact future generations?
Perry
