Westminster 07 A

Around 150 gathered at the Friends Meeting House in Euston Road today for the 2007 Westminster Conference. The opening paper was on The Clapham Sect and the abolition of slavery. Given by ET editor Roger Fay of Ripon it was a succinct and helpful survey of what has become more familiar territory in this anniversary year. Beginning with Wesley's letter to Wilberforce Mr Fay described the execrable nature of the slave trade and showed how difficult it was to stop because of the low religious state of the country, the Enlightenment view of ethnicity, the lack of direct involvement in the trade of most people leaving them quite ignorant of its nature and the powerful interests that supported it. He went on to describe the Parliamentary battle explaining something of the Clapham group or sect on the way. A call was made for us to see that victory was a result of team work not just of Wilberforce's role though we must not underestiamte his importance. The paper quite fairly brought out the work of the Quakers and of Thomas Clarkson and others and the importance of networking.
In conclusion we were told that the slave trade was ended by Christians or those imbued with the Christian ethos, by evangelicals in particular and ultimately by God himself in his providence.

Chaired by Phil Arthur, discussion followed. We nearly got side tracked on white slavery and were tempted either to call for more agitation or for revival but seemed to get a balanced view by the end.