Amazing Grace
The movie “Amazing Grace” – based on the life of anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce – continues to do well. I am sure that it will be regarded as one of the best movies of the year.
I have been reading a biography of the man whose hymn is the musical basis of the movie and who is portrayed in the movie by veteran actor Albert Finney: John Newton. He had an eventful life – worthy of a movie in its own right.
Australian writer Peter Rahme has written the inspiring best-selling book “The Man and the Story Behind Amazing Grace”. We all know the hymn – this is the story of the man who wrote it.
John Newton was born on July 24, 1725 in east London into a seafaring family. He joined the Royal Navy aged 11 but he did not like the tough discipline. He later went to work in the slave trade but ended up as a slave himself.
In 1748 he was rescued and was returned to Britain. But while sailing home, the ship was caught in a fierce storm. While the ship limped home, he read the Bible and was determined to have a more Christian life in the future. All these experiences in that one tremendous year were later, in effect, caught up in the hymn “Amazing Grace”.
But he still had to earn a living and so he stayed longer in the slave trade, which was important for the British economy. But it was a tough business and he had health problems. He retired from it in 1754.
In 1755 he decided to seek employment on land and he eventually (in 1764) became an Anglican minister. His first parish was at Olney, Buckinghamshire. The book contains photographs of Newton’s church and residence. There is also a museum dedicated to Newton in the town. He and his wife stayed in the Olney parish for almost 16 years.
He gradually became well known as an evangelical preacher and he was invited to be a guest preacher across the country. In 1779, he became the minister at a fashionable Anglican church in London.
He also took part in the emerging campaign to abolish the slave trade. He was sickened by his own past involvement in the trade. He had a great influence on the rising politician William Wilberforce (a point made in the movie).
The book also explains how Newton had an influence on the Christian settlement of Australia. In 1786 he encouraged Rev Richard Johnson to be the chaplain on the First Fleet soon to go to the new colony. Johnson conducted the first Christian service on Australian soil at 10am on Sunday February 3, 1788.
2007 has been the 200th anniversary year of two major events: the first moves on the abolition of slavery and the death of John Newton. Newton just managed to live long enough to see the Wilberforce bill at last be accepted by Parliament. There have been many events around the world this year to mark this turning point.
Also by 1807 Newton was aged 82 – a great age for that era, especially when it is recalled just how dangerous had been his early life. Newton was in very poor health at the end, including (ironically, given the words of his most famous hymn) actually going blind.
“I am packed and sealed and ready for the post”, is how Newton described himself at the end. He had no fear of dying. He died on December 21, 1807.
This is a great little book. I encourage people to see the movie and also read the book.
Keith Suter, Consultant for Social Policy
Broadcast 17 August 2007 on Radio 2GB's "Brian Wilshire Programme" at 9pm.
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