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You will find that the meaning of Amazing Grace in terms of the song lyrics affects so many people. It’s the testimony of someone who was undone, out, at the end of their rope – even if much of it was because of his own action. However, through dangerous times of trial, temptations, and hardships – God delighted in surprising John Newton with something that he could never deserve – His awesome grace. Through his young days of recklessness, drinking, and failing to find peace, he continued to find trouble. John Newton’s story began in London where he was born in 1725. He was born to a Puritan mother who had a profound impact on John spiritually.
Newton became and remained a spiritual mentor to Wilberforce for the next two decades. Eventually, newton arrived back home in the latter part of the 1740s. He wrote to the Catlett family and pleaded to be able to take Mary as his wife although at that time he could offer her no real financial security. We will take a look at some of the high points of John Newton’s life that affected his writing of this great hymn. However, I don’t want us to overlook the broader point as we do.
Peter Hollens feat. Home Free - Amazing Grace Lyrics
Finally, the Slave Trace Act 1807 was adopted by the UK parliament. It did not abolish the practice of slavery, but it helped press other nations to consider abolishing their own slave-trading laws. Apparently, Newton encouraged Wilberforce to remain in the political realm and pursue justice in that manner.
He began to seek God to such an extent that eventually he believed that he was called to be a minister of the gospel. These actions may have signaled that Newton could be turning away from the evil of slavery. However, it would be 40 years before John Newton publicly challenged the sin of slave trafficking. Although, a far cry from repudiating the slave trade, he then encouraged those sailers with him to pray and required that his cargo of humans be treated humanely. Eventually, however, John Newton and Mary Cartlett were married in 1750. By that time Newton had definitely had a change of heart as a man.
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You will undoubtedly wonder why the last verse of the song is not there. Although it’s a great and well-known verse, “when we’ve been there ten thousand years..,” this verse was not written by John Newton and was added by another author in the 1900s. It is quite amazing that in Britain, “Amazing Grace” didn’t receive very much attention as opposed to other hymns that were written by Newton.
So, as his career in the evil slave trade began to ramp up, Newton was tempted by its financial profits more and more. It’s worth noting that there were merchants in those times who believed that slavery was justified and even permitted in the Bible as long as the slaves were treated well. He acknowledged many times when God could have taken his life, but by His grace allowed him to live.
Amazing Grace – Newton Continues at Sea
However, unbelievably he still hadn’t reached a conclusion that the slave trade was wrong – only that the slaves should not be harshly treated. However, later he found himself in another situation where the grace of God was there to protect him. He left the deck, however, a few moments lat the sailor who had taken his place was taken overboard by a violent wave. There are no justifications for being involved in the slave trade. However, there are some historical indications that Newton did not treat slaves in the harsh and brutal manner that some traders did. That might point to the fact that God was convicting John and drawing him to a place where he would eventually repent of his sins, come to God, and eventually fight the slave trade.
On another occasion, he was late to get onto a small boat carrying some companions to a ship. From the shore, he watched in horror as that boat overturned and all of the passengers drowned. He also had a narrow escape after getting lost in a swamp in the jungles of Africa. Newton had not only been spiritually lost in his life but had been physically lost as well. The details of the life of John Newton vary from book to book and blog post to blog post, but the primary issue is agreed upon.
His remorse for the sin of being involved in the slave trade led him to be an ardent abolitionist. In 1785 Newton met with the politician, William Wilberforce. Having experienced a spiritual conversion of his own, Wilberforce was considering becoming a clergyman.
Yet, today it stands as one of, if not the most famous of all hymns in the world. Since Newton was the curate in Olney ministerially he most likely would have been encouraged to write hymns as was the custom for many in the clergy. Newton had grown up hearing the hymns of the famous writer, Isaac Watts, and was also familiar with Charles Wesley. In fact, it was Charles Wesley’s brother, John who encouraged Newton to go into the clergy. There were times when he felt guilt or conviction about his actions. He fell into temptation time after time, but would rebound, and resolutely try to live as his mother had taught him.
It is said that after this happened he became deeply depressed and even desired to throw himself overboard at times. He also thought of taking the life of the captain of the ship who had so cruelly humiliated him. As time went on John’s father remarried and John was placed in a boarding school but seemed to stay in contact with the Catlett family especially because of their daughter.
John Newton was a rebellious, hard-nosed, obscene man who profited from the horrific slave trade but was transformed by God’s grace. He eventually became a dedicated minister of the gospel who was instrumental in getting the slave trade abolished. Newton lived as an arrogant sinner until 1747, when his ship was caught in a fierce storm and he finally surrendered to God.
In his mind, he had certainly been reduced to the definition of a “wretch” as was penned within the hymn. Eventually, his situation changed again as the captain of the ship swapped Newton for sailors who were on a ship that was en route to West Africa to buy slaves. John eventually was forced into being a midshipman on the HMS Harwich at the age of 19. He later rebelled at that, deserted, and was caught, placed in irons, and publically whipped on board the ship. According to the Dictionary of American Hymnology, “Amazing Grace” is John Newton’s spiritual autobiography in verse. There are a million to-do lists happening at once, family schedules to be worked out, travel plans to be solidified, and more.
The poem that became the world-famous, “Amazing Grace” hymn was most likely written in 1772 but not published until 1779. It was a part of a collection of hymns simply called The Oney Hymns. It had 348 hymns that had been written in a period of 10 years by Newton or Cowper. They can relate to the meaning of “Amazing Grace.” No, most people have not been slave traders. However, the fact is that there are many kinds of evil in this world.
After his conversion, he eventually left the sea and became an ordained Anglican minister at the age of 39. ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. We couldn’t end without inserting the lyrics of this great hymn.
