I was practically salivating as I cut, slashed and tore open the little cardboard package. The box contained a small black book I’d been anxious to finally hold in my hands and feast my eyes upon. The book is entitled Life Of John Newton, by Attic Books, a division of New Leaf Publishing Group, Inc., and originally published by American Sunday-School Union in 1831.
John Newton is probably best remembered as the man who penned the words of the unforgettable hymn, Amazing Grace.
Most Christians, however, have no real knowledge about the background of the man who wrote it. Only someone who endured such trials, hardships, and the consequences of poorly made decisions could truly pen such a remarkable song.
Newton’s life was indeed truly amazing.
The biography “is taken from Newton’s narrative of himself, and his memoirs by Mr. Cecil; and, so far from attempting any originality, the language of the narrative is adopted wherever it was practicable” (quoted from the original Publisher’s Note). All that to say that the words are as true to the original documents as possible. And I couldn’t be happier about that.
Born in London on July 24, 1725, Newton was placed into the hands of respectable though not wealthy parents. His father was a ship’s captain and his mother a true gem among women. Being her only child, she labored over his education, making him commit many valuable portions of Scripture, poems, hymns and catechisms to memory, all before he was but seven years old. Newton’s mother soon after passed from this world, however, leaving her husband out to sea and a young son with little direction in life.
Like the countless millions since Adam’s great Fall, Newton’s loss caused him to make many poor choices during his impressionable childhood, adolescence, and throughout much of his early adulthood. He joined ranks with the wrong crowds, became comrades with the ungodly, and spurned the numerous opportunities of career advancement dangled before him. Such is the usual course for most young children when parental guidance is either poorly managed or absent altogether.
But one thing is certain from reading the Life Of John Newton, and it is this. God will never totally abandon those whom He’s loved before the foundation of the world.
By reading the 144-page biography the reader will learn about all the trials Newton endured while being a slave, a slave-trader, a priest and a hymn writer. The first two-thirds of the book detail the early years of Newton’s life as He found himself enslaved on many sea-faring vessels, forced into indentured service, essentially becoming a slave to a black African woman, later being made Captain of a ship busy in the trade of human trafficking, being converted to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and finally serving as a minister in London.
Such was the wretch of a man who was John Newton.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. In fact, I will be having my ten year old son read it this coming week. With ‘C’ being average and ‘B’ being above average, I gladly assign an ‘A-‘ grade to Life Of John Newton.
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[stextbox id=”custom”]Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program, in order to read and review on my blog. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“[/stextbox]