The Story of Hannah Moore

Last May I canoed and camped in the Boundary Water’s Canoe Area.  It was lovely.  No masks, no news, no death counts; just the water, sunshine, and of course mosquitoes.  The day I came home, Floyd was killed and days later Minneapolis began to burn.  I went from the peace of nature to the heaviness of the world in one day.  The contrast was huge.  From the pandemic to acts of injustice to destruction and riots, one thing has been clear: this world is broken and in desperate need of a Savior.  Over 200 years ago, Hannah More came to the same realization about her world.  In response, she turned her pen to illuminate evil and fight for good.    

Life

Hannah More was born in 1745 in the United Kingdom to a humble family.  In her first years of life, she demonstrated a brilliance for language and writing.  Fast forward 20 years, Hannah has risen from her small city to the center of high society in London.  All of this took place through her writings.  Her powerful poems were distributed widely, and her plays were performed in the most famous theaters.  She was influential and connected to many powerful individuals.  While this life was diverting and interesting, she began to see the immorality rampant among the elite.  There were lavish parties full of gambling and promiscuity.  Through the writings of John Newton, the Lord opened her eyes to the shallow life she was living.  She later said that these writings illuminated her sin, weakness, and the need for Christ’s sufficient work.  They also stressed the importance of a personal relationship with Christ.  This message contrasted the shallow, unintrusive religion she professed all her life.  In response, Hannah’s life changed drastically.  She moved from London with its corrupt culture and retired writing for theaters.  Instead, Hannah began to organize her life based on the rhythms of godliness she saw in the Bible. 

Legacy

Although she stopped writing plays, Hannah became even more well-known and influential after her religious transformation.  With her Christian community, which included William Wilberforce, Hannah joined the fight for the abolition of the slave trade.  Through her poetry, she opened the nation’s eyes to the humanity of slaves and the horrors of the trade.  While Wilberforce is credited with the abolition of the slave trade in the legal realm, he cites Moore’s poems as being central to the moral reform because they moved the heart of the kingdom.  Not only did Hannah see the oppression of slaves, she also saw the hard lives of the lower class in England.  Although they were often treated unfairly and lived in poverty, Hannah saw their biggest need was Christianity.  Her response was to open a school for poor children to teach them Christian catechism and literacy.  These Sunday schools multiplied throughout the land and led to reform among the lower class.  When writing to the high or low classes of her world, Hannah always emphasized religion and moral living.  She believed that this kind of reform was the most vital and long-lasting.  Throughout her life, her writings and work improved the religious understanding and morality for both classes. 

Lessons 

We may not impact the course of history quite like Hannah More. However, Hannah’s impact was produced by a process that we can each emulate.  When Hannah turned to Christ, her life and habits changed.  She read His Word hungrily and let her values be shaped by it.  Through this her eyes were increasingly opened to the hurting people around her.  In response, she spoke and wrote out of compassion to alleviate oppression and bring Christ’s hope to the hurting.  Hannah pursed Jesus, saw people, and spoke truth. As Christian women in 2020, we must also steep ourselves in the words and love of Jesus.  As we pursue Christ more, we will love his people and spread his truth. First John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”  Our workplaces, neighborhoods, friend groups, and families are filled with hurting people. Hannah’s example is challenging us to evaluate our response to this pain torn world.  Are we moved by compassion and ready to fight for truth in our areas of influence? That may look like helping the neighbor who lost her job or reaching out to a troubled co-worker.  Regardless, we each have a part to play in loving others and spreading Christ’s truth to this broken world.