Author-John Newton
Scripture Reference-1 Chronicles 17:16,17

In a small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England,stands a granite tombstone with the following inscriptions:"John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy." This fitting testimonial, written by Newton himself prior to his death, describes aptly the unusual and colorful life of this man, one of the great evangelical preacher of the eighteenth century.

Newton's mother, who was a Godly woman died when he was not quite seven years old. John began his life as a seaman at the age of eleven when he left the school and joined his father instead. His early years were continued round of rebellion and debauchery. After islands and mainland of the West African coast collecting slaves for sale to visiting traders, Newton eventually became a captain of his own slave ship. Needless to say, the capturing, selling and transporting of black slaves to the plantations in the West Indies and America was a cruel and vicious way of life.

Beautiful Graphics