by Anne Kay…..
John Newton is an inspiration to me!
That he could overcome all the challenges and persecution during his life and come through with such a legacy of God’s Grace, that is still affecting us today.
Born 24th July 1725 in Wapping, UK, to a devout Nonconformist mother and merchant ship captain father. His mother taught him to read and she shared her active, living faith.
I found a post on Youtube recently called ‘Newton’s Grace’ it is based on the history of his life.
Even though his mother taught him hoping to give him a good start in life, he confesses himself, there was always a deep rage within him, partly due to his father’s absence and his sense of life’s challenges. As a young person he always seemed to be in trouble with the authorities.
Sadly his mother died from tuberculosis when he was nearly 7 which was a a terrible shock to the young boy. He was sent to boarding school after being expelled from previous schools. There he continued in his disruptive ways. By the time he was 11 he was accompanying his father on sea voyages.
While still in the Merchant Navy he had a very vivid dream. He was given a ring that if he kept it he would safe and things would go well. If he didn’t he would be on his own. There was a fellow seaman who taunted him about his faith in God and said his dream was untrue. ‘don’t believe all that stuff ‘be a real man’ so he threw the ring away.
During this time he had stayed with a dear friend of his late mother’s. she had a daughter called Mary Catlet and she became John’s ‘life-love’
‘His Polly’.
While at sea she became his reason for living. He had some shore leave and was on his way to visit Polly when he was accosted by Royal Navy thugs to serve on the HMS Harwich. The ship was patrolling the Channel during some skirmish with the French. He was 18.
He always worked hard and was eventually promoted to ‘able-bodied seaman’. Longing for a life with ‘Polly’ he attempted to desert. He was relieved of his post and sent aboard a passing slave vessel.
Attracted to the transatlantic trade as ‘an easy and creditable way of life’
(society’s acceptance)
he served on many slave ships. On one journey he was left on an island because of disobedience. Here the inner rage became a out of control fire within. He became a slave to Campbell, the owner of the island whose girlfriend was on of the islanders. She delighted in teasing and starving him. John knew that if she overpowered him he would go mad.
While he was in the house he found a book on geometry. He learned well and used to work out the equations in the sand where he often was. The sky became like a textbook as he lay at night studying the constellations. His yearning for Polly, his renewed energy and purpose. His seeing a circle of stars that looked like a ring made him realize life was worth living.
He also noticed some weak Lime tree seedling. One that looked like it needed caring for. So he tended it and it started to grow. This encouraged him to have a purpose. One day the boss and his girlfriend came by and asked what the signs were, John shared his learnings and the boss realized his brother could use John’s knowledge with his business.
John’s life took a new turn he was given a room, a bed, clean clothes and work to do . then he was sent to Seirra Leon to Campbells brother to work for him. John still often thought of Polly yet had given up hope of ever getting back to England. Now he was respected.
Then a miracle happened. Unbeknown to him his father had been searching for him wondering how he was. One day a man commissioned by his father came to tell him he was to be taken back to England. John said ‘God brought you here!’ the man replied, ‘who else could it be!’ Back to his Polly.
Home on the Greyhound AS A PASSENGER!
He filled his time aboard reading the Scriptures, the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. Searched ‘what is faith. Scriptures came to mind that he had learned as a child. He was so engrossed with his studying that he didn’t notice a storm had arisen. As they struggled in the storm John took the wheel and as he was battered about he shouted O God save us!
As he thanked God he also realized the cargo of Beeswax and Ivory had been a stabilizing cargo to help the boat.
His conversion on March 10 1748 helped him to see all his life to that point
Had God in it. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
He saw himself as the Prodigal son literally
He never saw his father again as he had sailed out to Canada as appointed Governor of Hudson Bay Company. They did write however he died there.
He went to Kent and married Polly on April 7th.
John did captain more slave ships however he attempted to treat them more kindly than some others. Eventually he was convinced slavery needed to be stamped out .
He became an avid ‘abolitionist’ joining with William Wilberforce and many others
God intervened again when he suffered a stroke and he was no longer able to command a boat. He became well enough to work as an Inspector of ships that came into port.
Now he was committed to make up for lost time and show the world that GRACE God’s AMAZING GRACE CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING EVERYTHING.
He learned Greek so he could truly and faithfully serve his Lord.
He decided he would try for the Ministry as his mother had hoped he would. He said,’ I tried the Methodists, they didn’t want me; the Presbyterians they didn’t want me’ however he did much preaching and eventually in 1817 he was appointed to
A parish church in Olney. He and Polly started a Bible school for wayward young folk. Of course he wrote verse, hymns, poems. He and William Cowper produced the Olney hymn book.
This is the epitaph he wrote for his gravestone:-
John Newton – once and infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preserved, restored, pardoned and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy. Composed by John Newton
PS to think in the 21st century people are protesting, criticizing, judging,
previous generations for our mistakes. Maybe just take a few minutes and determine to find out the WHOLE story! Selah
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot Change
Courage to change the things I can
and the Wisdom to know the difference!
Begone, unbelief; my Saviour is near
And for my relief will surely appear
By prayer let me wrestle, and He will perform;
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm John Newton