JOHN NEWTON (1725 - 1807)
John
Newton was the son of an English sea captain. His mother, a deeply pious woman,
gave him spiritual instruction until she died when he was only 7 years old. At
the age of 11, John went to sea and spent the next twenty years as a sailor
engaged in slave trading. His life was spent in the lowest sort of wickedness.
At one time he himself was the property of an African woman who fed him only
that which she threw under her table. He was nearly killed several times during
terrible storms at sea. During one of those storms his wicked life passed
before him and deep conviction caused him to cry out to God for salvation. The
next several years were spent in preparation for the ministry. He learned
Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, this learning of course can't help a man with God's
mission of saving souls, as a matter of fact the only thing it can do is make
him proud. And pride is something that God hates 1 Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols,
we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth;
and studied the scriptures intensively.
In 1764 he was appointed pastor in the parish of Olney, England, where
he served for sixteen years before moving to St. Mary Woolnoth in the city of
London. In addition to his pastoral duties, Newton was an ardent writer. His
works included Omicron, Narrative, Review of Ecclesiastical History, and
Cardiphonia. His greatest fame came from his work as a writer of hymns, the
most familiar was "Amazing Grace" which depicts in its verses the
life story of John Newton.