Amazing Grace

John Newton  1725-1807

John Newton was born in London in 1725.  His father was the commander of a merchant ship.  When John was eleven, he sailed with his father on six voyages until Newton Sr. retired.  John was forced into service on a British man-of-war, but soon deserted.  He was captured, beaten, and demoted in rank.  Finally, at his own request, he was placed on a slave ship which took him to West Africa.  There he became the slave of a slave trader and was brutally abused. He was rescued by a sea captain who had known his father and eventually became captain of his own slave ship.

On May 10, 1748, he was trying to steer his ship through a violent storm, and exclaimed, “Lord, have mercy on us!” when all seemed lost.  The ship made it through, and the knowledge that God had worked in and through him was not lost on John Newton.  He continued in the slave trade for a time, but always treated the slaves in his care humanely.  Finally, in 1755, he retired from the sea.  He had already begun to educate himself in Latin and other subjects, and continued on to Greek and Hebrew.  For five years, he was the surveyor of tides at Liverpool.  There, he met George Whitefield, leader of the Calvinistic Methodist Church, and John Wesley, founder of Methodism.  Eventually, Newton decided to join the ministry.  He was ordained by the Bishop of Lincoln and accept the post of pastor at Olney.  It was there that he wrote the hymn that would come to be known as Amazing Grace.  Through the years, other writers have added verses to the hymn; these six verses appeared in the original Olney Hymns in 1779.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine. 

Day 7 of Prayer for West Africa

For safety today for the team in flying to the next country.