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Mary, thank you for this beautiful story of John Newton.
Your elegance in description is truly touching.
I feel I have seen Grace tonight expressed in my life, thus the words of the hymn speak to me now more deeply at an older age, even after a long recollection of hearing this hymnal spoken and sung by my own father and mother from childbirth.
This, is Grace, and your story of hope, or sharing Newtons rebirth and renewal story, is Grace in the form of hope.
In a small cemetery of a parish church yard in Olney, England, stands with granite tombstone, with the following inscription: “John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and a libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned and appointed to preach the faith that he had long labored to destroy.” This fitting testimonial written by Newton himself prior to his death, describes aptly, the unusual and colorful life of this man, one of the great evangelical preachers of the 18th century.
John Newton‘s mother, a Godly woman, died when he was not quite seven years old. When his father remarried, and after several brief years of formal education away from home, John left school and joined his father’s ship at the age of 11, to begin life as a sea man. His early years were one of continuous round of rebellion and debauchery. After serving on several ships as well as working for a period of time on the islands and mainland of the west African coast, collecting slaves for sale to visiting traders, Newton eventually became a captain of his own slave ship. Needless to say, the capturing, selling, and transporting a black slaves to the plantations in the West Indies and America was a cruel and vicious way of life. On March 10, 1748, while returning to England from Africa, during a particularly stormy voyage, it would appear that all would be lost, Newton began reading Thomas a Kempis’s book The Imitation of Christ. Kempis was a Dutch monk, (1380-1471) who belonged to the order called The Brethren of the Common Life. This book is still printed today as a spiritual classic. The message of the book and the frightening experience at sea were used by the Lord to sow the seeds of Newton’s eventual conversion and personal acceptance of Christ as His Savior.
For the next several years, he continued as a slave ship captain, trying to justify his work by seeking to improve conditions as much as possible, even holding public worship services for his hardened crew of 30 every Sunday. Eventually, however, he felt convicted of the inhumane aspects of his work, and became a strong and effective crusader against slavery. Newton returned to England, established a home with the sweetheart of his youth Mary Catlett, whom he married on February 12, 1750, and became a clerk at the port of Liverpool for the next nine years. During this time he felt a call to preach the gospel and began to study diligently for the ministry. He was greatly influenced by the evangelist George Whitfield, as well as the Wesley‘s, but he decided to stay within the established Anglican church rather than to join forces with these dissenters. At the age of 39, John Newton was ordained by the Anglican church, and began his first pastorate at the little village of Olney, near Cambridge, England. His work for the next 15 years was the most fruitful and influential ministry (1764-1779).
Especially effective was the use of the story of his early life and conversion experience, which he told often. In addition to preaching for his own church, Newton would hold services regularly in any large building he could secure in the surrounding area. This was an unheard of practice for an Anglican clergyman of that day. Wherever he preached, large crowds, gathered to hear the “old converted sea captain. “
After concluding his ministry in Olney, Newton spent the remaining 28 years of his life is pastor of the influential St. Mary Woolnoth
Church at London. Among his converts, there was Claudius Bergman, who became a missionary to the East Indies, and Thomas Scott, the Bible commentator. By this time, he had also established a strong relationship with William Wilberforce and other political leaders, engaged in the crusade for the abolition of the slave trade. It is interesting to note that the year of Newton’s death, in 1807, was the same year that the British parliament finally abolished slavery throughout all of its dominion.
I thank God for taking me in under his wings
Because I as this song had been a wrench
And now I have see the light
God promise of heaven is the limits of my deeds
For as long as it take I await me time before him
In view of my Weir eyes and crushed spirit
Only to be saved again
Peace yall
Whatever the reason my heart grabbed onto this hymn, today, in a serious way. I searched for its lyrics, impressed to share with a bunch of students. Here I am. The Power that touched this man's heart, opened his blinded eyes. The power opened my eyes to my helpless wretchedness. He is still doing the same work... making men free to Love... to Live.
A song I've known my whole life now means infinitely more to me because I've now lived out these words. An unforgettable moment in time where I encountered God for the very first time. This free gift of grace given to a poor wretch like me. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it...
We are familiar with the hymn "Amazing Grace." Although this is a good hymn, it does not speak of the Triune God as our portion for our enjoyment. When this hymn was written, the experiential knowledge of God among the Lord's people had not come to this point. Even as recent as fifty years ago, Christians did not have the understanding of grace as the Triune God experienced and enjoyed by us. But standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, we have come to know that grace is far more than merely unmerited favor. Grace is the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—processed for our experience and enjoyment.