Story of Amazing Grace

~Welcome~

I would like to share my favorite hymn
and the story of why it was written.

GOD RESCUES A REBEL

In the summer of 1725, in the city of London, England, John Newton
was born. His mother, a devout member of the Dissenters, taught the
young boy to pray and filled his mind with the Scriptures. But it was
John's father, an often-absent sea captain, who captured the boy's
imagination. John dreamed of sailing ships and the wide, wild seas,
of adventures and mysterious destinations.

Just before John's seventh birthday his mother became ill and died,
leaving her son a virtual orphan. Taken in by distant relatives, the
little boy was mocked for his belief in God, discouraged from praying,
and ridiculed for his childish faith. Unhappy and lonely, John turned
again to his dreams of the sea and, at the age of eleven, ran off to
become an apprentice on his father's ship.

If it was a close father-son relationship John desired, he was sadly
disappointed, for like his foster family, his father also rejected him.
For years, the young fellow traveled the Mediterranean on sailing ships,
enjoying all the experiences and immoralities offered in each exotic port.
He was frequently fired for insubordination, but just as frequently hired
by another ship's master, eager for young seamen and not too particular
about their character.

After a short stint in the British Navy, John deserted and ran away to
Africa to seek his fortune and new adventures in the African slave trade.
Signing on with an unscrupulous slave dealer, he found his situation
had declined dramatically. In the slave trader's absences, John was left
in the "care" of the man's vindictive wife, who imprisoned him in her
quarters, beat him, and forced him to eat his food from the floor like
a dog. Believing death was preferable to this kind of treatment, John
escaped from his prison into the West African forests and eventually made
his way to the Atlantic Coast. After lighting signal fires, John was
finally spotted by a passing ship's captain, who sent a small boat to
shore to pick him up.

The captain had hoped the lone man had gold or ivory to offer and was
disappointed to receive, instead, a penniless runaway. Putting him to
work as a mate, the captain learned later, was an unwise decision. Becoming
bored during a particularly long watch, John broke into the ship's supply
of rum and generously shared it with the crew. Again demonstrating his
lack of discipline, John downed a goodly amount of the liquor, became
totally disoriented, and fell overboard. One of the ship's officers,
either out of pity or spite, saved John from drowning by spearing him in
the thigh with a harpoon and reeling him back aboard like a flailing fish!

Painfully wounded and severely disciplined, Newton was relegated below
decks where it was thought he could be no more trouble. It was a miserable
journey from Africa to England in the stifling, stinking hold, and John
had endless days and nights to ponder his empty life and unfulfilled dreams.
Somehow, a copy of Thomas A Kempis' book Imitation of Christ fell into his
hands. Reading the book awakened his conscience to the things of God,
and he began to recall some of the early lessons
learned at his mother's knee.

As the slave ship neared Scotland, severe winds and rains battered her
and she began to take on water. Desperate measures were taken to keep
her from sinking and for days every able-bodied man, slave or free,
bailed water from the foundering ship. Exhausted, frightened, and facing
certain death, John Newton had a life-transforming experience with God.
The assurance of God's love flooded his soul. Later he would describe it
as a miracle, an amazing manifestation of God's grace.

Although that voyage was not his last, John Newton's heart became drawn
in other directions. Two years after his miraculous conversion, he married
Mary Catlett, a devout Christian, and not long after that, John left the
sea for good and became a minister. While he loved to preach and tended
his little flock of believers with zealous care, his great joy was
writing hymns to be sung at his weekly prayer meetings. He composed over
280 hymns, but the one for which he is most remembered came from his
shipboard conversion and carries the message of his personal experience,
"Amazing Grace."

~Amazing Grace~

Amazing Grace! how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost
But now am found
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Thru' many danger, toils, and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace hath bro't me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun. Amen.

I recently learned that the last verse was not written by John Newton. The author of the last verse is unknown

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~Welcome~

I would like to share my favorite hymn and the story of why it was written.

GOD RESCUES A REBEL

~Amazing Grace~

I would like to share my favorite hymn
and the story of why it was written.