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John Newton

John Newton

John Newton was the son of a shipmaster in the Mediterranean service, with whom he sailed until 1742. In 1743 he was impressed into the English naval service, was made midshipman, deserted, was recaptured and reduced to the ranks, exchanged to a ship in the African station, became servant to a slave-trader, and was rescued in 1748, being converted on the way home in a storm at sea.

He was a strong support of the Evangelicals in the Church of England, and was a friend of the dissenting clergy as well as of the ministry of his own church.

He was the author of many hymns, including "Amazing Grace".

      John Henry Newton was an English Anglican clergyman and former slave-ship captain. He was the author of many hymns, including "Amazing Grace".

      Sailing back to England in 1748 aboard the merchant ship, he experienced a spiritual conversion in the Greyhound, which was hauling a load of beeswax and dyer's wood. The ship encountered a severe storm off the coast of Donegal and almost sank. Newton awoke in the middle of the night and finally called out to God as the ship filled with water. It was this experience which he later marked as the beginnings of his conversion to evangelical Christianity. As the ship sailed home, Newton began to read the Bible and other religious literature. By the time he reached Britain, he had accepted the doctrines of Evangelical Christianity.

      He became well-known as an evangelical lay minister, and applied for the Anglican priesthood in 1757, although it was more than seven years before he was eventually accepted and ordained into the Church of England.

      Newton joined English abolitionist William Wilberforce, leader of the Parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade, and lived to see the passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807.

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John Newton

At the Close of the Year

Let hearts and tongues unite, And loud thanksgivings raise: 'Tis duty, mingled with delight, To sing the Saviour's praise. To him we owe our breath, He took us from the womb, Which else had shut us up in death, And prov'd an early tomb. When on the breast we hung, Our help was in the Lord; 'Twas he ... Read More
John Newton

Bitter and Sweet

1 Kindle, Saviour, in my heart, A flame of love divine; Hear, for mine I trust thou art, And sure I would be thine; If my soul has felt thy grace, If to me thy name is known; Why should trifles fill the place Due to thyself alone? 2 'Tis a strange mysterious life I live from day to day; Light and da... Read More
John Newton

Bodily Ills and Spiritual Health

Aug. 19, 1779. My dear Friend, Among the rest of temporal mercies, I would be thankful for pen, ink, and paper, and the convenience of the post, by which means we can waft a thought to a friend when we cannot get at him. My will has been good to see you; but you must accept the will for the deed. Th... Read More
John Newton

But for the Grace of God-Preaching in Prison

September 16, 1775. When you receive this, I hope it will give you pleasure to think that, if the Lord be pleased to favour us with health, we shall all meet again in a few days. I have met with much kindness at London, and many comforts and mercies: however, I shall be glad to return home. There my... Read More
John Newton

Christian Fellowship--Amusements--Walking in Darkness

August 1772. My dear Miss, The Lord brought us home in peace. My visit to **** was agreeable, and I shall often think of it with pleasure; though the deadness and dryness of my own spirit, a good part of the time I was there, proved a considerable abatement. I am eager enough to converse with the Lo... Read More
John Newton

Christian Humility--Christ's School--Friends

1769. We are much obliged to you for your late visit; and I am glad to find that the Lord is pleased to give you some tokens of his presence when you are with us, because I hope it will encourage you to come again. I ought to be very thankful that our Christian friends in general are not wholly disa... Read More
John Newton

Christ's Absences--Spiritual Experience

May 4, 1773 Methinks it is high time to ask you how you do, to thank you for your last letter, and to let you know, that though necessity makes me slack in writing, yet I can and do often think of you. My silence has been sometimes owing to want of leisure; and sometimes when I could have found leis... Read More
John Newton

Comments on an Accident

September 4, 1777. My Dear Sir, ---Poor little boy! it is mercy indeed that he recovered from such a formidable hurt. The Lord wounded, and the Lord healed. I ascribe, with you, what the world calls accident, to Him, and believe, that without His permission, for wise and good ends, a child can no mo... Read More
John Newton

Contrary Principles in the Believer

My dear Madam, What can I say for myself, to let your obliging letter remain so long unanswered, when your kind solicitude for us induced you to write? I am ashamed of the delay, You would have heard from me immediately, had I been at home. But I have reason to be thankful that we were providentiall... Read More
John Newton

Conviction of Sin--Awakening

August 14, 1770. My Dear Sir, Your letter did me good when I received it, at least, gave me much pleasure; and I think it has given me a lift while I have been just now reading it. I know not that I ever had those awful views of sin which you speak of; and though, I believe, I should be better for t... Read More
John Newton

Death--Academic Honours--Written Sermons

May 18, 1776. Dear Sir, Though I wished to hear from you sooner, I put a candid interpretation upon your silence; [I] was some[what] apprehensive for your health, but felt no disposition to anger. Let our correspondence be free from fetters. Write when you please, and when you can: I will do the lik... Read More
John Newton

Dependence on Christ-God's Prescriptions

London, Aug. 19, 1775. You see I am mindful of my promise; and glad should I be to write something that the Lord may be pleased to make a word in season. I went yesterday into the pulpit very dry and heartless. I seemed to have fixed upon a text, but when I came to the pinch, it was so shut up that ... Read More
John Newton

Dependence upon God--The Sense of Sin--Doubts

Jan.- 1776 Dear Sir, I may learn (only I am a sad dunce) by small and common incidents, as well as by some more striking and important turns in life, that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. It is not for me to say, to-day or to-morrow, I will do this or that. I cannot write a letter ... Read More
John Newton

Difficulties of the Ministry--Intimacy with Christ

January 16, 1775. Dear Sir, The death of a near relative called me from home in December, and a fortnight's absence threw me so far behind-hand in my course, that I deferred acknowledging your letter much longer than I intended. I now thank you for it. I can sympathize with you in your troubles; yet... Read More
John Newton

Disappointment--What is Necessary--God's Patience

August 17, 1767. It is indeed natural to us to wish and to plan, and it is merciful in the Lord to disappoint our plans, and to cross our wishes. For we cannot be safe, much less happy, but in proportion as we are weaned from our own wills, and made simply desirous of being directed by His guidance.... Read More
John Newton

Divine Guidance

Dear Sir, It is well for those who are duly sensible of their own weakness and fallibility, and of the difficulties with which they are surrounded in life, that the Lord has promised to guide his people with his eye, and to cause them to hear a word behind them, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in ... Read More
John Newton

Doubts and Fears--The Source of Assurance

Though I have the pleasure of hearing of you, and sending a remembrance from time to time, I am willing, by this opportunity, to direct a few lines to you, as a more express testimony of my sincere regard. I think your experience is generally of the fearful doubting cast. Such souls, however, the Lo... Read More
John Newton

Doubts-- Christian Growth

June 20, 1776. Madam, It would be both unkind and ungrateful in me to avail myself of any plea of business, for delaying the acknowledgment I owe you for your acceptable favour from-- which, though dated the 6th instant, I did not receive till the 10th. Could I have known in time that you were at Mr... Read More
John Newton

Dying in the Lord

Nov. 27, 1778. My dear Friend, You are a better expositor of Scripture than of my speeches, if you really inferred from my last that I think you shall die soon. I cannot say positively you will not die soon, because life at all times is uncertain: however, according to the doctrine of probabilities,... Read More
John Newton

Ebenezer

The Lord, our salvation and light, The guide of our strength and our days, Has brought us together to-night, A new Ebenezer to raise: The year we have now passed through, His goodness with blessings has crown'd, Each morning his mercies were new; Then let our thanksgivings abound. Encompass'd with d... Read More

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