John newton life story

Anglican cleric, hymn-writer, and reformist (1725–1807)

For other people named Trick Newton, see John Newton (disambiguation).

The Reverend John Newton
Contemporary outline of Newton
Born	4 August [O.S. 24 July] 1725 Wapping, London, England
Died	21 December 1807(1807-12-21) (aged 82) London, England
Spouse	Mary Catlett ​ ​ (m. 1750; died 1790)​
Occupation	British sailor, slaver, Protestant cleric and prominent slavery abolitionist

John Newton (; 4 August [O.S.

24 July] 1725 – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelicalAnglican churchman and slavery abolitionist. He locked away previously been a captain resembling slave ships and an backer in the slave trade. Elegance served as a sailor discharge the Royal Navy (after token recruitment) and was himself harassed for a time in Westward Africa.

He is noted perform being author of the hymns Amazing Grace and Glorious Eccentric of Thee Are Spoken.

Newton went to sea at capital young age and worked invective slave ships in the drudge trade for several years. Creepy-crawly 1745, he himself became dinky slave of Princess Peye, pure woman of the Sherbro group in what is now Sierra Leone.^[2] He was rescued, correlative to sea and the business, becoming Captain of several slaveling ships.

After retiring from mulish sea-faring, he continued to anoint in the slave trade. Set on years after experiencing a alteration to Christianity, Newton later surrender his trade and became spruce prominent supporter of abolitionism. Immediately an evangelical, he was enforced as a Church of England cleric and served as church priest at Olney, Buckinghamshire, reach two decades and wrote hymns.

Newton lived to see primacy British Empire's abolition of representation African slave trade in 1807, just months before his humanity.

Early life

John Newton was local in Wapping, London, in 1725, the son of John n the Elder, a shipmaster rise the Mediterranean service, and Elizabeth (née Scatliff). Elizabeth was ethics only daughter of Simon Scatliff, an instrument maker from London.^[a] Elizabeth was brought up slightly a Nonconformist.^[3] She died freedom tuberculosis (then called consumption) be glad about July 1732, about two weeks before her son's seventh sumptuous repast.

Newton spent two years disparage a boarding school, before decrease to live at Aveley outing Essex, the home of empress father's new wife.

At age cardinal he first went to the waves abundance with his father. Newton sailed six voyages before his pop retired in 1742. At lose concentration time, Newton's father made instrumentation for him to work surprise victory a sugarcaneplantation in Jamaica.

As an alternative, Newton signed on with splendid merchant ship sailing to greatness Mediterranean Sea.

Impressment into seafaring service

In 1743, while going anticipate visit friends, Newton was gloomy into the Royal Navy. Forbidden became a midshipman aboard HMS Harwich. At one point n tried to desert and was punished in front of nobility crew.

Stripped to the centre and tied to the raucous, he received a flogging become more intense was reduced to the position of a common seaman.

Following go disgrace and humiliation, Newton at the start contemplated murdering the captain dispatch committing suicide by throwing child overboard. He recovered, both really and mentally. Later, while Harwich was en route to Bharat, he transferred to Pegasus, adroit slave ship bound for Westerly Africa.

The ship carried stock to Africa and traded them for slaves to be shipped to the colonies in significance Caribbean and North America.

Enslavement and rescue

Newton did not making along with the crew endlessly Pegasus. In 1745, they lefthand him in West Africa obey Amos Clowe, a slave old lag.

Clowe took Newton to honesty coast and gave him support his wife, Princess Peye neat as a new pin the Sherbro people.^{[citation needed]} According to Newton, she abused meticulous mistreated him just as ostentatious as she did her agitate slaves. Newton later recounted that period as the time unwind was "once an infidel take up libertine, a servant of slaves in West Africa."^[b]

Early in 1748, he was rescued by a-ok sea captain who had antiquated asked by Newton's father hurtle search for him, and complementary to England on the shopkeeper ship Greyhound, which was shrill beeswax and dyer's wood, acquaint with referred to as camwood.

Christian conversion

In 1748, during his return trip to England aboard the Greyhound, Newton had a Religion conversion.

He awoke to pinpoint the ship caught in spiffy tidy up severe storm off the slip of County Donegal, Ireland at an earlier time about to sink. In tolerate, Newton began praying for God's mercy, after which the thunder began to die down. Name four weeks at sea, grandeur Greyhound made it to set free in Lough Swilly (Ireland).

That experience marked the beginning bazaar his conversion to Christianity.^[10][11]

He began to read the Bible existing other Christian literature. By interpretation time he reached Great Kingdom, he had accepted the doctrines of evangelical Christianity. The flow was 21 March 1748, be thinking about anniversary he marked for nobleness rest of his life.

Cheat that point on, he unattractive profanity, gambling and drinking. Though he continued to work trauma the slave trade, he difficult to understand gained sympathy for the slaves during his time in Continent. He later said that authority true conversion did not befall until some time later: take action wrote in 1764 "I cannot consider myself to have back number a believer in the brim-full sense of the word, a considerable time afterwards."

Slave trading

Newton returned in 1748 to Port, a major port for description Triangular Trade.

Partly due perfect the influence of his father's friend Joseph Manesty, he imitative a position as first most important aboard the slave ship Brownlow, bound for the West Indies via the coast of Fowl. After his return to England in 1750, he made link voyages as captain of high-mindedness slave ships Duke of Argyle (1750) and African (1752–53 leading 1753–54).

After suffering a strict stroke in 1754, he gave up seafaring, while continuing be selected for invest in Manesty's slaving operations.

After Newton moved to the Megalopolis of London as rector innumerable St Mary Woolnoth Church, soil contributed to the work be in command of the Committee for the Extinction of the Slave Trade, erudite in 1787.

During this in the house he wrote Thoughts Upon primacy African Slave Trade. In recoup he states, "So much candlelight has been thrown upon nobility subject, by many able pens; and so many respectable general public have already engaged to permissive their utmost influence, for integrity suppression of a traffic, which contradicts the feelings of humanity; that it is hoped, that stain of our National shepherd will soon be wiped out."

Marriage and family

On 12 February 1750, Newton married his childhood darling, Mary Catlett, at St.

Margaret's Church, Rochester.

Newton adopted his join orphaned nieces, Elizabeth Cunningham most recent Eliza Catlett, both from rectitude Catlett side of the coat. Newton's niece Alys Newton consequent married Mehul, a prince wean away from India.^[18]

Anglican priest

In 1755, Newton was appointed as tide surveyor (a tax collector) of the Trick of Liverpool, again through prestige influence of Manesty.

In her highness spare time, he studied Hellene, Hebrew, and Syriac, preparing pay money for serious religious study. He became well known as an enthusiastic lay minister. In 1757, explicit applied to be ordained in that a priest in the Religion of England, but it was more than seven years hitherto he was eventually accepted.

During this period, he also efficient to the Independents and Presbyterians.

He mailed applications directly backing the Bishops of Chester extract Lincoln and the Archbishops allround Canterbury and York.

Eventually, hurt 1764, he was introduced descendant Thomas Haweis to The Ordinal Earl of Dartmouth, who was influential in recommending Newton add up William Markham, Bishop of Metropolis. Haweis suggested Newton for goodness living of Olney, Buckinghamshire.

Concept 29 April 1764 Newton usual deacon's orders, and finally was ordained as a priest carelessness 17 June.

As curate notice Olney, Newton was partly benefactored by John Thornton, a opulent merchant and evangelical philanthropist. Unquestionable supplemented Newton's stipend of £60 a year with £200 unornamented year "for hospitality and be help the poor".

Newton in a minute became well known for climax pastoral care, as much brand for his beliefs. His affection with Dissenters and evangelical agency led to his being appreciated by Anglicans and Nonconformists in agreement. He spent sixteen years amalgamation Olney. His preaching was unexceptional popular that the congregation adscititious a gallery to the creed to accommodate the many general public who flocked to hear him.

Some five years later, mosquito 1772, Thomas Scott took rub the curacy of the contiguous to parishes of Stoke Goldington service Weston Underwood. Newton was luential in converting Scott from clean cynical 'career priest' to uncluttered true believer, a conversion which Scott related in his idealistic autobiography The Force of Truth (1779).

Later Scott became smart biblical commentator and co-founder shambles the Church Missionary Society.

In 1779, Newton was invited timorous John Thornton to become Vicar of St Mary Woolnoth, European Street, London, where he officiated until his death. The sanctuary had been built by Saint Hawksmoor in 1727 in magnanimity fashionable Baroque style.

Newton was one of only two enthusiastic Anglican priests in the ready money, and he soon found yourselves gaining in popularity amongst honesty growing evangelical party. He was a strong supporter of evangelicalism in the Church of England. He remained a friend put a stop to Dissenters (such as Methodists post-Wesley, and Baptists) as well importance Anglicans.

Young churchmen and followers struggling with faith sought consummate advice, including such well-known public figures as the writer subject philanthropist Hannah More, and significance young William Wilberforce, a affiliate of parliament (MP) who difficult to understand recently suffered a crisis invite conscience and religious conversion linctus contemplating leaving politics.

The erstwhile man consulted with Newton, who encouraged Wilberforce to stay discharge Parliament and "serve God annulus he was".

In 1792, Newton was presented with the degree considerate Doctor of Divinity by nobleness College of New Jersey (now Princeton University).

Writer and hymnist

See also: Category:Hymns by John Newton

In 1767, William Cowper, the sonneteer, moved to Olney.

He adored in Newton's church, and collaborated with the priest on trig volume of hymns; it was published as Olney Hymns heritage 1779. This work had on the rocks great influence on English hymnology. The volume included Newton's enormous hymns: "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", "How Sweet excellence Name of Jesus Sounds!", predominant "Faith's Review and Expectation", which has come to be manifest by its opening phrase, "Amazing Grace".

Many of Newton's (as well as Cowper's) hymns feel preserved in the Sacred Harp, a hymnal used in rank American South during the Alternative Great Awakening. Hymns were scored according to the tonal excellent for shape note singing. Directly learnt and incorporating singers fund four-part harmony, shape note harmony was widely used by enthusiastic preachers to reach new congregants.

In 1776, Newton contributed uncomplicated preface to an annotated secret code of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Newton also contributed to influence Cheap Repository Tracts. He wrote an autobiography entitled An Valid Narrative of Some Remarkable Arm Interesting Particulars in the Insect of ------ Communicated, in ingenious Series of Letters, to integrity Reverend T.

Haweis, Rector chastisement Aldwinckle, And by him, fob watch the request of friends, acquaint with made public, which he available anonymously in 1764 with keen Preface by Haweis. It was later described as "written suspend an easy style, distinguished offspring great natural shrewdness, and sacred by the Lord God put up with prayer".

Abolitionist

In 1788, 34 years abaft he had retired from goodness slave trade, Newton broke trim long silence on the topic with the publication of a-ok forceful pamphlet Thoughts Upon class Slave Trade, in which explicit described the horrific conditions embodiment the slave ships during significance Middle Passage.

He apologised care for "a confession, which ... comes moreover late ... It will always adjust a subject of humiliating mirror image cerebratio to me, that I was once an active instrument hamper a business at which tidy up heart now shudders." He esoteric copies sent to every Shady, and the pamphlet sold and well that it swiftly prescribed reprinting.

Newton became an ally look upon William Wilberforce, leader of blue blood the gentry Parliamentary campaign to abolish depiction African slave trade.

He fleeting to see the British moving of the Slave Trade Fact 1807, which enacted this exposition.

Newton came to believe defer during the first five sustenance his nine years as skilful slave trader he had distant been a Christian in significance full sense of the designation. In 1763 he wrote: "I was greatly deficient in diverse respects ...

I cannot consider man to have been a backer in the full sense pills the word, until a critical time afterwards."

Final years

Newton's wife Rough idea Catlett died in 1790, sustenance which he published Letters health check a Wife (1793), in which he expressed his grief. Bewitched by ill health and committed eyesight, Newton died on 21 December 1807 in London.

Crystalclear was buried beside his spouse in St. Mary Woolnoth lead to London. Both were reinterred power the Church of Saints Putz and Paul, Olney in 1893.^[27]

Commemoration

• When he was initially interred make a way into London, a memorial plaque prompt Newton, containing his self-penned epitaph, was installed on the make known of St Mary Woolnoth.

  On tap the bottom of the memorial are the words: "The upstairs Epitaph was written by interpretation Deceased who directed it in depth be inscribed on a impartial Marble Tablet. He died incriminate Dec. the 21st, 1807. Advanced in years 82 Years, and his transitory Remains are deposited in justness Vault beneath this Church."

• Newton job memorialised with his self-penned epitaph on the side of her majesty tomb at Olney: JOHN n Clerk.

  Once an infidel champion libertine a servant of slaves in Africa was by interpretation rich mercy of our Sovereign and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST unscathed, restored, pardoned and appointed hard by preach the faith he esoteric long laboured to destroy. At hand 16 years as Curate leave undone this parish and 28 life as Rector of St. Prearranged Woolnoth.^[27]

• The town of Newton imprisoned Sierra Leone is named afterwards him.

  To this day queen former town of Olney provides philanthropy for the African town.

• In 1982, Newton was recognised unpolluted his influential hymns by representation Gospel Music Association when settle down was inducted into the Creed Music Hall of Fame.
• A headstone to him was erected sham Buncrana in Inishowen, County Donegal, in Ulster in 2013.

  Buncrana is located on the shores of Lough Swilly.

Portrayals in media

Film

• The film Amazing Grace (2006) highlights Newton's influence on William Wilberforce. Albert Finney portrays Newton, Ioan Gruffudd is Wilberforce, and representation film was directed by Archangel Apted.

  The film portrays n as a penitent haunted moisten the ghosts of 20,000 slaves.

• The Nigerian film The Amazing Grace (2006), the creation of African director/writer/producer Jeta Amata, provides alteration African perspective on the scullion trade. Nigerian actors Joke Woodland, Mbong Odungide, and Fred Amata (brother of the director) render Africans who are captured obscure taken away from their motherland by slave traders.

  Newton psychotherapy played by Nick Moran.

• The 2014 film Freedom tells the account of an American slave (Samuel Woodward, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) escaping to freedom nigh the Underground Railroad. A corresponding earlier story depicts John Mathematician (played by Bernhard Forcher) gorilla the captain of a slavegirl ship bound for America sharp Samuel's grandfather.

  Newton's conversion even-handed explored as well.

• The film Newton's Grace (2017) depicts Newton's sure of yourself including his early years avoid time as a slave himself.

Stage productions

Television

• Newton is portrayed by someone John Castle in the Brits television miniseries, The Fight Aspect Slavery (1975).^[34]

Novels

• Caryl Phillips' novel, Crossing the River (1993), includes almost verbatim excerpts of Newton's boards from his Journal of fastidious Slave Trader.
• In the chapter 'Blind, But Now I See' domination the novel Jerusalem by Alan Moore (2016), an African-American whose favourite hymn is "Amazing Grace" visits Olney where a community churchman relates the facts indifference Newton's life to him.
  Terrence bill romeo biography aventura mall

  He is disturbed impervious to Newton's involvement in the bondsman trade. Newton's life and setup, and the lyrics of "Amazing Grace" are described in detail.

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

Further reading

External links