The Song

This history of “Amazing Grace” is a story each one of us can tell.  It’s a personal story of the many times we’ve been given grace by others and the opportunity to share that same grace in return.  It’s originally the story of a man who says he was the least worthy to be given grace.  It eventually turned the author of this song, John Newton, from a former slave trader to an abolitionist.  His life and his song helped condemn and ultimately outlaw slavery from the British empire to the rest of the modern world.

Newton’s eventual transformation came late in life.  A life that started with several challenging circumstances, poor choices, and horrific experiences.  His mother had hoped he would become a clergyman, but sadly she died when he was only 6 years old.  He was neglected by his stepmother and then mistreated after being sent to boarding school.  At only 11 years old, Newton joined his father at sea as an apprentice, but gained a reputation as headstrong and disobedient.  He was thrown from a horse and nearly impaled by sharp stakes.  Another time, Newton arrived too late to board a ship that later overturned, killing all its passengers.  As he grew older he became more wise in his own eyes and grew callous toward God.  He ultimately denounced the faith his mother instilled in him.  His delinquent antics resulted in being pressed into the Royal Navy.  After deserting his post he was traded to a slave ship.  His poor reputation and insubordination resulted in being starved nearly to death as punishment.  He was imprisoned and chained just like the slaves they were trafficking.  He was then enslaved himself and forced to work on a plantation for the native people of Sierra Leone.  After his father found and rescued him, Newton became notorious for being one of the most profane men among the sailors.  In a culture known for obscene language, Newton created new words that exceeded even the sailors loose limits of verbal debauchery.  In March 1748, a violent storm hit and swept a man overboard where he had just been standing moments earlier.  Newton and another shipmate even tied themselves to the pump of the ship to avoid being washed overboard.  Out of desperation and the fear of losing their lives at sea, Newton shocked himself and his fellow sailors as he uttered this final plea to the God he had mocked and despised, “If this will not do, then Lord have mercy upon us!”

After barely surviving the long storm, his plea to God for grace in that desperate moment of terror haunted him.  He had been reading a version of the 15th-century book, “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas à Kempis.  The memory of his desperate prayer, “Lord have mercy upon us,” during that violent storm continued to shake him.  He felt convicted that he had just been ridiculing others for their faith and mocking God with disgusting words and disturbing actions.  He finally couldn’t help but recognize God’s grace and mercy that ultimately rescued him time after time.

Newton called the experience his “great deliverance.” He stepped ashore a new believer in Christ, but making a full lifestyle change proved to be a process.  With God continuing to knock on the door of Newton’s heart and soul, he eventually conceded and abandoned the slave trade and finally devoted his life to serving God as his mother had dreamed.  This turned into a life calling at 39 years of age, becoming a minister, and writing a multitude of Hymns (Gospel songs and poems).  “Amazing Grace” was penned in December 1772, to be shared publicly on New Year’s Day of 1773.  

“Amazing Grace” had several different tunes associated to the lyrics.  The most popular that we know today is set to the melody of “New Britain.” It crossed the Atlantic and became an instant favorite across North America.  It was sung in cotton fields, churches, prisons, concert halls, and crossed all cultural boundaries.  It was included in hymnals distributed to soldiers during the U.S. Civil War.   The Cherokee people sang it in their language along the “Trail-of Tears.”  The hymn was also translated into countless languages world wide and is considered the most widely sung song of the last century.  It was sung in many of the great revivals throughout the 1800’s and 1900’s.  Billy Graham shared the story and the song at his international crusades.  Records of the song then started appearing a century ago and The Library of Congress collected more than 3,000 commercially recorded performances of “Amazing Grace” in the music industry alone from 1922 to 2000.  Now in the digital age of recording and streaming, anyone with a cell phone can be an artist and reach a world-wide audience almost immediately. 

The most popular and well-known hymn in the world is often played on bagpipes, horns, strings, and full orchestras alike.  It’s moving melody and words are sung by soloists, choirs, bands and even full stadiums of concert goers.  The song, in every form, comforts us in times of tragedy and yet proclaims God’s ultimate triumph over evil and eternal power over death through Jesus Christ who conquered both in our place on the cross.  

Grace is the basis of the faith for Christ followers.  God’s grace is often defined as “undeserved favor.”  Grace can not be earned because it’s a blessing that’s freely given. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”