Background on the Author
About John Newton (1725-1807)
"I was, once, an active instrument, in a business at which my heart now shudders."
- "Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade"
Newton began his seafaring lifestyle with the assistance of his father at the young age of 11. He was forced into the naval service in 1743, and ended up on a slave ship heading to West Africa after being demoted. When he reached Sierra Leone, he was made the servant of a harsh slave trader. He was rescued from this life in 1748 and on his way back to England, he prayed to be delivered during a violent storm. This was his first religious experience. Nevertheless, he began to work in the slave trade after his return to England. He even made multiple voyages as the master of multiple slave ships, and later insisted that he treated the slaves "with as much humanity, as a regard to my own safety would permit," but regrets ever being a part of the industry (Newton 4). In 1754, a serious illness made him give up another trip as master of a slave ship.
Newton's journey into priesthood began in 1757 and by June 1764, he became a priest at Olney in Buckinghamshire. He is most famous for creating the hymn "Amazing Grace" in collaboration with William Cowper. Newton eventually became so popular that the church was not large enough to fit everyone who came to hear his preaching. Newton used this popularity to aid in the abolition of slavery. His 1787 work, "Thoughts on the African Slave Trade" was incredibly influential in the movement to abolish slavery. When slavery was finally abolished in England in 1807, Newton was almost completely blind, but was said to be "rejoiced to hear the wonderful news" ("John Newton: The Former Slaver and Preacher").
