Go on, in the name of God

The following powerful letters were addresseed to William Wilberforce in the midst of his struggle over a decision to throw his life into a long fight against slavery. Truly a radical decision. These letters signified the importance of mentoring, and more importantly of a God-assigned means to confirm His call in the lives of His servants. I wish we have more people doing these to today's young Christians.

The first letter, written in a faltering hand, is one of John Wesleys last messages since the following day, February 25 1791, Wesley sank into a coma and never recovered, dying on March 2. Wilberforce marked the letter "Wesley's last words"

The second letter was written by John Newton, a converted slave trader who later wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace. He was the person who influenced Wilberforce not to leave the parliament and become a full-time minister

February 24, 1791

Dear Sir,
Unless the divine power has raised you to be as Athanasius contra mundum [Athanasius against the world], I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? 0 be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it...

That he who has guided you from youth up may continue to strengthen you in this and all things is the prayer of, dear sir,

Your affectionate servant,
John Wesley

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July 21, 1796

My very dear Sir,

It is true that you live in the midst of difficulties and snares, and you need a double guard of watchfulness and prayer. But since you know both your need of help, and where to look for it, I may say to you as Darius to Daniel, "Thy God whom thou servest continually is able to preserve and deliver you.'

Daniel, likewise, was a public man, and in critical circumstances: but he trusted in the Lord, was faithful in his department, and therefore, though he had enemies they could not prevail against him.

Indeed the great point for our comfort in life is to have a well grounded persuasion that we are, where, all things considered, we ought to be. Then it is no great matter whether we are in public or in private life, in a city or a village, in a palace or a cottage....

I am your very affectionate, and much obliged,
John Newton

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The letters were reproduced in Os Guiness' Entrepreneurs of life: faith and the venture of purposeful living (2001, Colorado Springs: NavPress, p. 84)