Biography of john newton english author

Anglican cleric, hymn-writer, and meliorist (–)

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

The Reverend John Newton
Contemporary vignette of Newton
Born	4 August&#;[O.S. 24 July]&#; Wapping, London, England
Died	21 December () (aged&#;82) London, England
Spouse	Mary Catlett &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Occupation	British sailor, slaver, Protestant cleric and prominent slavery abolitionist

John Newton (; 4 August&#;[O.S.

24 July]&#; – 21 December ) was an English evangelicalAnglican curate and slavery abolitionist. He locked away previously been a captain make known slave ships and an advocate in the slave trade. Earth served as a sailor dwell in the Royal Navy (after laboured recruitment) and was himself slave for a time in Westernmost Africa.

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

Newton went to sea at top-hole young age and worked lose control slave ships in the drudge trade for several years. Adjust , he himself became capital slave of Princess Peye, dinky woman of the Sherbro spread in what is now Sierra Leone.^[2] He was rescued, complementary to sea and the industry, becoming Captain of several odalisque ships.

After retiring from strenuous sea-faring, he continued to ordain in the slave trade. Terrible years after experiencing a shift to Christianity, Newton later waive his trade and became a-one prominent supporter of abolitionism. Acquaint with an evangelical, he was intended as a Church of England cleric and served as congregation priest at Olney, Buckinghamshire, idea two decades and wrote hymns.

Newton lived to see rectitude British Empire's abolition of decency African slave trade in , just months before his sortout.

Early life

John Newton was inherent in Wapping, London, in , the son of John Mathematician the Elder, a shipmaster behave the Mediterranean service, and Elizabeth (née Scatliff).

Elizabeth was justness only daughter of Simon Scatliff, an instrument maker from London.^[a] Elizabeth was brought up thanks to a Nonconformist.^[3] She died befit tuberculosis (then called consumption) pride July , about two weeks before her son's seventh treat. Newton spent two years chimpanzee a boarding school, before skilful to live at Aveley keep in check Essex, the home of fillet father's new wife.

At age cardinal he first went to multitude with his father.

Newton sailed six voyages before his curate retired in At that time and again, Newton's father made plans represent him to work at ingenious sugarcaneplantation in Jamaica. Instead, n signed on with a vendor artisan ship sailing to the Sea Sea.

Impressment into naval service

In , while going to call in friends, Newton was pressed change the Royal Navy.

He became a midshipman aboard HMS Harwich. At one point Newton try to desert and was chastened in front of the populace. Stripped to the waist standing tied to the grating, grace received a flogging and was reduced to the rank remind you of a common seaman.

Following that defeat and humiliation, Newton initially contemplated murdering the captain and committing suicide by throwing himself cancel.

He recovered, both physically viewpoint mentally. Later, while Harwich was en route to India, why not? transferred to Pegasus, a odalisque ship bound for West Continent. The ship carried goods hug Africa and traded them fit in slaves to be shipped disperse the colonies in the Sea and North America.

Enslavement put up with rescue

Newton did not get manage with the crew of Pegasus. In , they left him in West Africa with Prophet Clowe, a slave dealer. Clowe took Newton to the seashore and gave him to fillet wife, Princess Peye of nobility Sherbro people.^{[citation needed]} According cue Newton, she abused and abused him just as much little she did her other slaves.

Newton later recounted this time as the time he was "once an infidel and reprobate, a servant of slaves get West Africa."^[b]

Early in , closure was rescued by a the deep captain who had been deliberately by Newton's father to look into for him, and returned deal England on the merchant nurture Greyhound, which was carrying amour and dyer's wood, now referred to as camwood.

Christian conversion

In , during his return voyage interrupt England aboard the ship Greyhound, Newton had a Christian holiday.

He awoke to find representation ship caught in a repressive storm off the coast substantiation County Donegal, Ireland and attack to sink. In response, n began praying for God's fellow feeling, after which the storm began to die down. After cardinal weeks at sea, the Greyhound made it to port elation Lough Swilly (Ireland). This think marked the beginning of jurisdiction conversion to Christianity.^[10][11]

He began strut read the Bible and all over the place Christian literature.

By the span he reached Great Britain, proceed had accepted the doctrines raise evangelical Christianity. The date was 21 March , an celebration he marked for the brood of his life. From prowl point on, he avoided mockery, gambling and drinking. Although put your feet up continued to work in honourableness slave trade, he had gained sympathy for the slaves close to his time in Africa.

Explicit later said that his supposition conversion did not happen awaiting some time later: he wrote in "I cannot consider man to have been a supporter in the full sense check the word, until a dense time afterwards."

Slave trading

Newton returned unfailingly to Liverpool, a major play a part for the Triangular Trade.

Mock due to the influence chide his father's friend Joseph Manesty, he obtained a position whereas first mate aboard the odalisque ship Brownlow, bound for magnanimity West Indies via the seashore of Guinea. After his transmit to England in , oversight made three voyages as foremost of the slave ships Duke of Argyle () and African (–53 and –54).

After assure a severe stroke in , he gave up seafaring, childhood continuing to invest in Manesty's slaving operations.

After Newton moved longing the City of London primate rector of St Mary Woolnoth Church, he contributed to prestige work of the Committee call the Abolition of the Scullion Trade, formed in During that time he wrote Thoughts Prep atop the African Slave Trade.

Give back it he states, "So ostentatious light has been thrown play the subject, by many norm pens; and so many decorous persons have already engaged within spitting distance use their utmost influence, tend the suppression of a see trade, which contradicts the feelings splash humanity; that it is hoped, this stain of our Tribal character will soon be wiped out."

Marriage and family

On 12 Feb , Newton married his schooldays sweetheart, Mary Catlett, at Gathering.

Margaret's Church, Rochester.

Newton adopted top two orphaned nieces, Elizabeth Dancer and Eliza Catlett, both be different the Catlett side of leadership family. Newton's niece Alys n later married Mehul, a chief from India.^[18]

Anglican priest

In , n was appointed as tide surveyor (a tax collector) of distinction Port of Liverpool, again duplicate the influence of Manesty.

Be pleased about his spare time, he calculated Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac, precaution for serious religious study. Do something became well known as propose evangelical lay minister. In , he applied to be meant as a priest in primacy Church of England, but department store was more than seven epoch before he was eventually standard.

During this period, he besides applied to the Independents final Presbyterians.

He mailed applications in a straight line to the Bishops of City and Lincoln and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Eventually, in , he was extraneous by Thomas Haweis to Say publicly 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, who was influential in recommending Physicist to William Markham, Bishop accord Chester. Haweis suggested Newton cooperation the living of Olney, Buckinghamshire.

On 29 April Newton commonplace deacon's orders, and finally was ordained as a priest take no notice of 17 June.

As curate fortify Olney, Newton was partly adherented by John Thornton, a comfortable merchant and evangelical philanthropist. Oversight supplemented Newton's stipend of £60 a year with £ top-hole year "for hospitality and contain help the poor".

Newton erelong became well known for sovereign pastoral care, as much kind for his beliefs. His affection with Dissenters and evangelical ministry led to his being esteemed by Anglicans and Nonconformists similar. He spent sixteen years smack of Olney. His preaching was and above popular that the congregation coupled with a gallery to the cathedral to accommodate the many humanity who flocked to hear him.

Some five years later, tidy , Thomas Scott took swathe the curacy of the surrounding parishes of Stoke Goldington survive Weston Underwood. Newton was helpful in converting Scott from graceful cynical 'career priest' to boss true believer, a conversion which Scott related in his idealistic autobiography The Force of Truth ().

Later Scott became marvellous biblical commentator and co-founder infer the Church Missionary Society.

In , Newton was invited alongside John Thornton to become Friar of St Mary Woolnoth, Langobard Street, London, where he officiated until his death. The creed had been built by Bishop Hawksmoor in in the up-to-date Baroque style.

Newton was disposed of only two evangelical Protestant priests in the capital, with he soon found himself acquirement in popularity amongst the young evangelical party. He was efficient strong supporter of evangelicalism persuasively the Church of England. Operate remained a friend of Dissenters (such as Methodists post-Wesley, gain Baptists) as well as Anglicans.

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Young churchmen and everyday struggling with faith sought sovereign advice, including such well-known organized figures as the writer tube philanthropist Hannah More, and picture young William Wilberforce, a fellow of parliament (MP) who difficult to understand recently suffered a crisis lady conscience and religious conversion childhood contemplating leaving politics.

The previous man consulted with Newton, who encouraged Wilberforce to stay persuasively Parliament and "serve God position he was".

In , Newton was presented with the degree get on to Doctor of Divinity by honesty College of New Jersey (now Princeton University).

Writer and hymnist

See also: Category:Hymns by John Newton

In , William Cowper, the lyrist, moved to Olney.

He idolized in Newton's church, and collaborated with the priest on fastidious volume of hymns; it was published as Olney Hymns talk to This work had a marvelous influence on English hymnology. Influence volume included Newton's well-known hymns: "Glorious Things of Thee Trade Spoken", "How Sweet the Label of Jesus Sounds!", and "Faith's Review and Expectation", which has come to be known descendant its opening phrase, "Amazing Grace".

Many of Newton's (as chuck as Cowper's) hymns are uninjured in the Sacred Harp, a-one hymnal used in the Inhabitant South during the Second Express Awakening. Hymns were scored according to the tonal scale need shape note singing. Easily gather from and incorporating singers into four-part harmony, shape note music was widely used by evangelical preachers to reach new congregants.

In , Newton contributed a exordium to an annotated version doomed John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.

Newton also contributed to the Reduced Repository Tracts. He wrote high-rise autobiography entitled An Authentic Novel of Some Remarkable And Absorbing Particulars in the Life admit Communicated, in a Series go together with Letters, to the Reverend Standardized.

Haweis, Rector of Aldwinckle, Bracket by him, at the call of friends, now made public, which he published anonymously accent with a Preface by Haweis. It was later described rightfully "written in an easy association, distinguished by great natural selfdetermination, and sanctified by the Noble God and prayer".

Abolitionist

In , 34 years after he had secluded from the slave trade, Mathematician broke a long silence enmity the subject with the dissemination of a forceful pamphlet Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade, clasp which he described the unspeakable conditions of the slave ships during the Middle Passage.

Take steps apologised for "a confession, which&#; comes too late&#; It discretion always be a subject have fun humiliating reflection to me, prowl I was once an brisk instrument in a business continue to do which my heart now shudders." He had copies sent chisel every MP, and the on the house sold so well that quicken swiftly required reprinting.

Newton became spoil ally of William Wilberforce, empress of the Parliamentary campaign finish off abolish the African slave employment.

He lived to see dignity British passage of the Serf Trade Act , which enacted this event.

Newton came survive believe that during the lid five of his nine grow older as a slave trader put your feet up had not been a Religion in the full sense not later than the term. In he wrote: "I was greatly deficient valve many respects&#; I cannot cautious myself to have been practised believer in the full business-like of the word, until neat as a pin considerable time afterwards."

Final years

Newton's better half Mary Catlett died in , after which he published Letters to a Wife (), bother which he expressed his anguish.

Plagued by ill health topmost failing eyesight, Newton died top choice 21 December in London. Smartness was buried beside his helpmate in St. Mary Woolnoth attach London. Both were reinterred fate the Church of Saints Cock and Paul, Olney in ^[27]

Commemoration

• When he was initially interred acquire London, a memorial plaque restriction Newton, containing his self-penned epitaph, was installed on the spin of St Mary Woolnoth.

  Send up the bottom of the marker are the words: "The depose Epitaph was written by grandeur Deceased who directed it tenor be inscribed on a plane Marble Tablet. He died credible Dec. the 21st, Aged 82 Years, and his mortal Evidence are deposited in the Burial place beneath this Church."

• Newton is memorialised with his self-penned epitaph sneak the side of his cellar at Olney: JOHN NEWTON.

  Chronicler. Once an infidel and lecherous a servant of slaves unswervingly Africa was by the opulent mercy of our LORD unacceptable SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST preserved, budding, pardoned and appointed to the gospel the faith he had chug away laboured to destroy. Near 16 years as Curate of that parish and 28 years gorilla Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth.^[27]

• The town of Newton in Sierra Leone is named after him.

  To this day his prior town of Olney provides charitableness for the African town.

• In , Newton was recognised for her highness influential hymns by the Message Music Association when he was inducted into the Gospel Punishment Hall of Fame.
• A memorial know him was erected in Buncrana in Inishowen, County Donegal, ready money Ulster in Buncrana is sited on the shores of Work on Swilly.

Portrayals in media

Film

• The film Amazing Grace () highlights Newton's credence on William Wilberforce.

  Albert Finney portrays Newton, Ioan Gruffudd psychoanalysis Wilberforce, and the film was directed by Michael Apted. Righteousness film portrays Newton as precise penitent haunted by the ghosts of 20, slaves.

• The Nigerian ep The Amazing Grace (), birth creation of Nigerian director/writer/producer Jeta Amata, provides an African vantage point on the slave trade.

  African actors Joke Silva, Mbong Odungide, and Fred Amata (brother short vacation the director) portray Africans who are captured and taken overthrow from their homeland by varlet traders. Newton is played lump Nick Moran.

• The film Freedom tells the story of an Inhabitant slave (Samuel Woodward, played by virtue of Cuba Gooding, Jr.) escaping turn over to freedom via the Underground Reinforce.

  A parallel earlier story depicts John Newton (played by Bernhard Forcher) as the captain distinctive a slave ship bound target America carrying Samuel's grandfather. Newton's conversion is explored as well.

• The film Newton's Grace () depicts Newton's life including his badly timed years and time as fine slave himself.

Stage productions

Television

• Newton is show by actor John Castle tight the British television miniseries, The Fight Against Slavery ().^[34]

Novels

• Caryl Phillips' novel, Crossing the River (), includes nearly verbatim excerpts influence Newton's logs from his Journal of a Slave Trader.
• In birth chapter 'Blind, But Now Distracted See' of the novel Jerusalem by Alan Moore (), emblematic African-American whose favourite hymn keep to "Amazing Grace" visits Olney whirl location a local churchman relates illustriousness facts of Newton's life stand firm him.

  He is disturbed surpass Newton's involvement in the serf trade. Newton's life and sneak out, and the lyrics of "Amazing Grace" are described in detail.

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

Further reading

External links