Do Gooding

Did you catch Ian Hislop's "Age of the Do-Gooders" on BBC recently? He looked at various reformers in the Victorian age and, rather than poke fun at them, as people are wont to do, he took them seriously and realised how society had benefited from their work and campaigning.

Among the people he looked at were Wilberforce, Barnardo, Lord Shaftesbury and Gladstone. They helped abolish slavery, stopped children being sent down mines and up chimneys to work, campaigned against drink and sexual immorality and much more besides.

It was interesting how many of them were "evangelical Christians", as Hislop pointed out. The Christians were mocked then and continue to be mocked in many quarters today, for their "do gooding". But it's a force that still has a great effect.

I saw recently the figure of £3m estimated as what it would cost governemnt to run all the work that Christian charities and churches do now for the community, much in a voluntary capacity. And in general it's work done well, as people are motivated by love and wanting to serve. In other words to be Christ like in their lives.

Well done Mr. Hislop for your programme and your look at the Victorian "do-gooding". I also enjoy you on Have I Got News for You, by the way!