Editing William Wilberforce (section)

===Evangelical Christianity===
A supporter of the evangelical wing of the Church of England, Wilberforce believed that the revitalisation of the church and individual Christian observance would lead to a harmonious, moral society.<ref name="Hind1987" /> He sought to elevate the status of religion in public and private life, making piety fashionable in both the upper- and middle-classes of society.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brown|2006|pp=385–386}}</ref> To this end, in April 1797, Wilberforce published ''A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians in the Higher and Middle Classes of This Country Contrasted With Real Christianity'', on which he had been working since 1793. This was an exposition of [[New Testament]] doctrine and teachings and a call for a revival of Christianity, as a response to the moral decline of the nation, illustrating his own testimony and the views which inspired him. The book was influential and a best-seller; 7,500&nbsp;copies were sold within six months, and it was translated into several languages.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=271–272, 276}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Pollock|1977|pp=146–153}}</ref>

Wilberforce fostered and supported missionary activity in Britain and abroad, and was involved with other members of the Clapham Sect in various evangelical and charitable organisations. He was a founding member of the [[Church Mission Society|Church Missionary Society]] (since renamed the Church Mission Society)<ref>{{Harvnb|Pollock|1977|p=176}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=220–221}}</ref> and an early vice-president of the [[Church's Ministry Among Jewish People|London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews]] (later the Church's Ministry Among Jewish People).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Curtis |first=Rodney |date=16 April 2019 |title=Evangelical Anglican missionaries and the London Jews Society: Palestine Place at Bethnal Green and related developments, 1813–1895 |journal=Jewish Historical Studies |language=en |volume=50 |issue=1 |doi=10.14324/111.444.jhs.2018v50.004 |issn=2397-1290|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Scult|first=Mel|date=1973|title=English Missions to the Jews: Conversion in the Age of Emancipation|journal=Jewish Social Studies|volume=35|issue=1|pages=3–17|jstor=4466746|issn=0021-6704}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Smith|first=Robert Michael|date=1981|title=The London Jews' Society and Patterns of Jewish Conversion in England, 1801–1859|journal=Jewish Social Studies|volume=43|issue=3/4|pages=275–290|jstor=4467142|issn=0021-6704}}</ref> Horrified by the lack of Christian evangelism in India, Wilberforce used the 1793 renewal of the [[British East India Company]]'s charter to propose the addition of clauses requiring the company to provide teachers and chaplains and to commit to the "religious improvement" of Indians. The plan was unsuccessful due to lobbying by the directors of the company, who feared that their commercial interests would be damaged.<ref>{{Harvnb|Tomkins|2007|pp=115–116}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=221, 408}}</ref> Wilberforce tried again in 1813 when the charter next came up for renewal. Using petitions, meetings, lobbying and letter writing, he successfully campaigned for changes to the charter.<ref name="Hind1987" /><ref name="Tomkins 2007 187–188">{{Harvnb|Tomkins|2007|pp=187–188}}</ref> Speaking in favour of the [[British East India Company#Charter Act 1813|Charter Act 1813]], he criticised the East India Company and their rule in India for its hypocrisy and racial prejudice, while also condemning aspects of [[Hinduism]] including the [[caste system]], [[infanticide]], [[polygamy]] and [[Sati (practise)|sati]].<ref name="Tomkins 2007 187–188"/><ref>{{cite book |last=Keay|first= John |title=India: A History |publisher=Grove Press |location=New York  |isbn=0-8021-3797-0 |year=2000|page=428}}</ref>