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Mass to mark the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act

As part of the college's commemorations, the Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend & Rt Hon John Sentamu was preacher at a special service broadcast on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4’s Sunday Service on 25th February 2007. It was conducted by the Dean of St John’s, the Reverend Duncan Dormor.

The horrors of slavery

An extract from Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography ‘The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano' (or Gustavus Vassa the African.') from 1789 was read by Alaffia Maxwell of the London Adventist Chorale. It’s a graphic account of the squalid conditions in which captured Africans found themselves, as they awaited transportation to British colonies.

The parliamentary figurehead of the abolitionists, the MP for Hull, William Wilberforce (who attended St John's in Cambridge), made regular and passionate speeches to his fellow MPs, in his endeavour to enlist their support.

Listen to an extract of Olaudah Equiano's autobiography read... Ìý > Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer

He searched tirelessly for new ways to arouse public interest in the campaign - leading to many a sleepless night and eventual ill-health. Wilberforce’s great, great, great, great grandson, Richard, is a recent graduate of St John’s, and he read William’s observations.

Listen to the great, great, great, great grandson of William Wilberforce reading from his works Ìý > Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer

Then, a moving new anthem had its first performance as St John’s choir, alongside the London Adventist Chorale, sang ‘Let the Sound of Freedom’, specially commissioned from composer Ken Burton.

Listen to the new anthem specially commissioned for the commemoration service Ìý > Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer

Also sung was Amazing Grace, which is one of the most world’s popular hymns, but probably few people would know it was written by a former slave-trader turned priest and abolitionist.

John Newton found himself disgusted by the experience of carrying slaves in his ship and was later able to give abolition campaigners vital evidence of conditions on board.Ìý The words express his feelings of self-disgust and despair as he searched for salvation.

Listen to Amazing Grace Ìý > Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer

The service was broadcast to a packed congregation who had gathered together to mark the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act commemorated through song, through story and through prayer.