Hannah More: An Inspiration for Today’s Journalist

By Christina Lewis

When Hannah More turned four, she recited her catechism at church and received a sixpence as a reward.

More’s thirst for knowledge propelled her to be a voice for the marginalized during the 18th and 19th centuries in British society. Christian journalists in today’s world should look to More as a paragon of using writing and storytelling to hold the powerful accountable.

More established Sunday schools in different villages to teach people about the Bible.

“Even religion must not be dry and uninviting. Do not fancy that a thing is good merely because it is dull,” More said in her book, “Strictures.”

More made Bible stories applicable by connecting to her audience. Journalists should likewise draw their readers into the story to make the most impact.

At one point, people accused More of undermining the Church of England and being too evangelical. This dilemma, now known as the Blagdon controversy, reduced More’s readership and demeaned her credibility.

“God can carry on his own work, though all such poor tools as I were broken,” More lamented.

Soon after the controversy, she walked to the next village to found another school.

Throughout her life, More suffered from various illnesses which are now linked to migraines and clinical depression. But she never allowed her poor health to get in the way of her mission of educating all classes.

Christian journalists will suffer many setbacks in today’s world. Each blow should push them to work even harder because God’s power reveals itself the most when they are weak.

With the support of her friends, John Newton and William Wilberforce, More created “Cheap Repository Tracts.” These tracts provided the poor in society with affordable and edifying literature.

“If people were destined to be free, they must be made fit to enjoy their freedom,” Wilberforce said in a speech before the House of Commons advocating for impoverished people’s education.

Although society hadn’t yet accepted the education of the poor, More allowed the numbers to speak for themselves. As a result of her work, church pews overflowed on Sunday mornings and orchard robberies declined.

A Christian journalist’s work done in the light of truth will reap a harvest that may be visible on this side of eternity.

More partnered with Wilberforce to combat the slave trade. She wrote a poem called “Slavery” to appeal to the upper classes.

“My little poem on Slavery is too short, and too much hurried; it of course will be very imperfect; for I did not begin it until a fortnight ago,” More said. “I would on no account bring out so slight and so hasty a thing on any less piercing occasion, but here time is every thing.”

Christian writers must trust that God will not let any good work go to waste. Just as More was not fully satisfied with her poem before its publishing, journalists must not let the desire for perfection hinder them from sharing their work with others.

Despite numerous setbacks, More pressed on to advocate for the meek. In her day, she sold ten times the amount of books as Jane Austen. Still, her name is unknown to most Americans. More’s life is proof that although her name is unknown, the name she lived for is glorified.

Even though More wasn’t allowed in Parliament, her work with Wilberforce led to the abolition of the slave trade during her lifetime.

People “must never proportion our exertions to our success, but to our duty,” More said.

More’s life is the exemplar of how Christian journalists should live theirs today.

[This essay by Christina Lewis won an honorable mention in the WJI Essay Competition hosted by WJI Network.]