John Newton

John Newton was born in London July 24, 1725, and died on December 21 1807 His parent were John Newton Sr. and Elizabeth (née Scatliff . Although, he brought up in a religious home by his mother. She would often would sing to him and pray with him, and, taught him the Bible at an early age, and ingrain the love of music in him His mother died at the age 7 years old.
He abandoned his mother religious convictions, and lived a and ligneous way and was free thinker accept for Christians. He was considered an all around bad guy and took great delight using his foul mouth around Christian and took great delight in perverting them, demeaning and taunting them as well. According to Newton “I made it my study to tempt and seduce others.”
He joins the British Navy, and eventually he started working as slave trader selling black people as slaves to American and English plus he lusted young black girls, and took advantage them. However, there were several times he deserted his post and his resectabilities and was severally and disciplined. But, he still lived arrogant and insubordinate, and continues living an immoral life style.

He was appointed to the Greyhound, a Liverpool ship. In 1747, and on its homeward journey. Where the ship and the crew suddenly encountered a violent storm. The crew work endless to keep the ship afloat and they were exhausted. Where he remember his mother who follower of Christ, and he sought the Lord fasting and praying however, did not find God. Even thou the Lord guiding him through the storm eventually sparing his life.
In heart he believes in Christianity, nonetheless, he concluded that his sins were too great to be forgiven, and waited in fear for his doom. Then, he was reading Thomas a Kempis The Imitation of Christ.and his Bible He was struck by a line about the “uncertain continuance of life.” He also recalled the passage in Proverbs 1; 24, 26, “Because I have called and ye have refused, … I also will laugh at your calamity.” He began to pray to Jesus whom he mocked and often deny through out, and sought His forgiveness, and put his trust in Him accepted His Lord and savour on March 21, 1747.

Newton returned and married his childhood Mary Catlett, in St. Margaret’s Church, Rochester on February 01 1750. Prior to proposal her he was hard pressed to utter the necessary words.
Where he would fumbled over his words, Mary said no three times.

John wrote these words,” ‘My heart was so full it beat and trembled to that degree that I knew not how to get a word out. I sat stupid and speechless for some minutes.” She refused three times she stated these words. ‘I can’t marry you and you must not mention the subject again.” She finally married him
Where he lack in speech, however, he able to express elegantly in his letters, Later he wrote poems, letters and pamphlets “You will not be displeased with me for saying, that though you are dearer to me than the aggregate of all earthly comforts, I wish to limit my passion within those bounds which God has appointed. Our love to each other ought to lead us to love him supremely, who is the author and source of all the good we possess or hope for. It is to him we owe that happiness in a marriage state which so many seek in vain, some of whom set out with such hopes and prospects, that their disappointments can be deduced for no other cause, than having placed that high regard on a creature which is only due to the Creator. He therefore withholds his blessing (without which no union can subsist) and their expectations, of course, end in indifference.” Yet another letter to Mary, “ You will not be displeased with me for saying, that though you are dearer to me than the aggregate of all earthly comforts, I wish to limit my passion within those bounds which God has appointed. Our love to each other ought to lead us to love him supremely, who is the author and source of all the good we possess or hope for. It is to him we owe that happiness in a marriage state which so many seek in vain, some of whom set out with such hopes and prospects, that their disappointments can be deduced for no other cause, than having placed that high regard on a creature which is only due to the Creator. He therefore withholds his blessing (without which no union can subsist) and their expectations, of course, end in indifference. She died 1790 after forty years of marriage. Later on he wrote many poems, letters and pamphlets.
In 1755 he held many bible studies within home was influence by Wesley and Whitfield where he adopted a mild version of Calvinist. In 1764 he was appointed as a bishop at the perish at Olney in Buckinghamshire .
He also advice William Wilberforce to be get involve in the government and pursue a political career instead being minister. Where Wilberforce spoke against the African slave trade and attempted several times abolished the act by addressing in the political arena.
After 34 years Newton spoke about the slave trade business he and the horrific conditions of the slave ship, and became an ally William Wilberforce, campaigning to abolish the African slave for trade. “In 1797, he stated, “If the trade is at present carried on to the same extent and nearly in the same manner, while we are delaying from year to year to put a stop to our part in it, the blood of many thousands of our helpless, much injured fellow creatures is crying against us. The pitiable state of the survivors who are torn from their relatives, connections, and their native land must be taken into account.” Furthermore he penned these words, “a confession, which … comes too late … It will always be a subject of humiliating reflection to me, that I was once an active instrument in a business at which my heart now shudders.” He had copies sent to every MP, and the pamphlet he sold so well that it swiftly required reprinting. He keep a log his life on board a slave ship. Where he describes a graphically described the horrors of the Slave Trade and his role in it.
He wrote in log following, “…Buryed a girl slave (No 92). In the afternoon while we were off the deck, William Cooney seduced a woman slave down into the room and lay with her brutelike in view of the whole quarter deck, for which I put him in irons. l hope this has been the first affair of the kind on board and I am determined to keep them quiet if possible. If anything happens to the woman I shall impute it to him, for she was big with child. Her number is 83…”
“…ln the morning examined the men slaves and punished 6 of the principal, put 4 of them in collars.” … Buryed a man slave (No.84) of a flux, which he has been struggling with near 7 weeks …
28th JUNE. … Put the boys in irons and slightly in the thumbscrews to urge them to a full confession.

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/slavery/middle_passage/john_newton.aspx
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/JOHN-NEWTON-SLAVE-TRADER-Amazing-Grace
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/JOHN-NEWTON-SLAVE-TRADER-Amazing-Grace
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p275.html

Prior to his death in 1807, the slave trade was finally abolished, but this did not free those who were already slaves. It was not until 1,833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire.
He died 1807, on gravestone it is written, “Once an infidel and libertine A servant of slaves in Africa, Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Gospel which he had long labored to destroy.

Effect On Society

He and William Cowper compiled Olney Hymns book his rural parish which was made up of relatively poor and uneducated followers.
John Newton wrote Amazing Grace, and How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.
John Newton and William Wilberforce abolished The Slave Trade Act.

Quotes From John Newton

The Lord afflicts us at times; but it is always a thousand times less than we deserve, and much less than many of our fellow-creatures are suffering around us. Let us therefore pray for grace to be humble, thankful, and patient.

The Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, but the best of all professions.

Each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.