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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.
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.
The Meaning Of Amazing Grace: Newton’s Beginnings
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.
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.
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This eventually became another part of his spiritual journey. Later in his life, he recounted time after time where God had extended His grace to Him for some reason. Newton found himself employed by an English slave trader near the coast of West Africa. During that time Newton was taken very ill with malaria and the trader’s mistress mistreated and abused John, almost starving him.
During those times Newton was overtly rebelling against God. Even those slave traders for whom he worked looked upon him as being incredibly obscene with his language. I can’t imagine slave traders being surprised at the obscenities of another! He narrowly missed a terrible injury as he was thrown from a horse just barely missing some sharp stakes.
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She taught him to read and memorize scriptures and hymns and faithfully took him to church. John’s father, a merchant ship captain, was on voyages at sea that typically would last two or three years. Some people point to “Amazing Grace” as the most popular and beloved hymns of the last couple of centuries. It is performed millions and millions of times per year and has been officially recorded on over 11,000 albums, which is probably a low number. People of many races, creeds, and colors have sung the words to this song even if they didn’t understand the meaning of the song. There are some songs that are so popular, that they transcend the boundaries of genre and language.
TheGreyhoundhad been thrashing about in the north Atlantic storm for over a week. Its canvas sails were ripped, and the wood on one side of the ship had been torn away and splintered. The sailors had little hope of survival, but they mechanically worked the pumps, trying to keep the vessel afloat. On the eleventh day of the storm, sailor John Newton was too exhausted to pump, so he was tied to the helm and tried to hold the ship to its course. About 3 years after his marriage to Mary, Newton had a stroke and that kept him from returning to the sea.
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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.
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 would temporarily try to attend to the spiritual matters in his life as he had been taught as a child – only to fail again. Beginning when John was 11 years old, for the next 5 or 6 years, his father began taking him on sea voyages. These times were hard lessons where he learned the rigors of seamanship. However, in the times between the sea adventures, his stepmother apparently did little to discipline John and he found himself in much trouble as an adolescent.
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.
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