Do you know the amazing story behind one of our most loved hymns?
Here in Crewe, we are lucky to have Wistaston Hall Retreat Centre run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It was at a Lenten Day retreat that I learnt the amazing story that lies behind one of the country’s most loved and sung hymn “Amazing Grace”
John Newton (1725-1807) a former slave trader a profound spiritual conversion after surviving a violent storm. The lyrics “that saved a wretch like me” reflects his belief that it was the undeserved mercy he received from God that changed his life.
He became an Anglican clergyman and was a great preacher in an evangelical style.
The Aunt of William Wilberforce brought William as a young boy to listen to him preach.
When William Wilberforce was a politician, he was inspired by John Newton and would have given up Politics for the Church but John Newton persuaded him to remain in Politics and together they were instrumental in Abolishing the Slave Trade.
Amazing Grace was written as a New Year Hymn. Later it reached America and a Plantation tune was put to it.
In his old age he is recorded as saying “I am a great sinner, but Christ is a Great Saviour.” His dying words were, “I am still in the land of the dying; I will be in the land of the living soon.”
The verse “When we’ve been there ten thousand…” likely originated from an African American Spiritual and was later added to Newton’s original 1770 hymn. It appeared in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in 1852.
For further information search YouTube “John Newton Amazing Grace the Story Behind the Song.
Margaret Hughes, Crewe Section, Shrewsbury Branch