On March 21, 1748, former Royal Navy serviceman and ship worker John Newton prayed for the first time in many years, as his boat was tossed around by a violent, sudden storm off the coast of Ireland. After surviving the bad weather and making it to shore, though he had led a life thus far that abstained from religion, he committed himself to Christianity right then and there.
Each subsequent year, he’d spend the day of March 21 in deep spiritual reflection. He also spent some time studying theology and experienced a resounding moral renaissance.
From a young age, Newton exhibited a rebellious temperament. His quick wit and penchant for pushing the envelope meant that he often found himself in trouble. When he was required by the government to serve in the Royal Navy, he was occasionally ousted and sent to different ships by the captains for his insubordinate behavior.
Ultimately, he ended up on a ship working along the Atlantic slave trade route. Because of his unruly personality that rivaled even the notoriously haughty captain, he was left behind in Sierra Leone along with the slaves, forced to work on a plantation run by the native Sherbro people.
After several months, his father was finally able to track him down and free him. Newton would spend years working intermittently for ships along the slave trade route, but the moral implications involved weighed on his conscience. He eventually became an outspoken abolitionist and an ordained clergyman with the Church of England.
God’s Saving Grace
Newton believed that God’s mercy had served as the guiding force behind his life-changing experience in 1748 on the storm-battered vessel. While tending to Olney as a curate, he also took time to write poetry and songs. When he paired up with professional composer William Cowper, the dedicated minister would experience yet another spiritual awakening.
Both the beloved curate and the talented Cowper contributed original works in 1779 to a set of hymns dedicated to Newton’s parish called “Olney Hymns.” Within this historic edition, “Amazing Grace” made its official debut.
Originally used as a small part of a New Year’s Day sermon in 1773, the song’s initial rendition contained only lyrics. Historians believe the first versions of this powerful hymn were sung a cappella or chanted by the congregation. And Newton’s moving, honest lyrics were written with the intent of being autobiographical.
Singing the Word
While the hymn remained confined to the streets of Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1779, once it managed to make its way across the pond to America in the 1800s, it reached widespread acclaim.Its arrival in America coincided with one of the nation’s biggest religious movements, the Second Great Awakening, which gave rise to independent traveling revivals that attracted hundreds of followers and attendees. “Amazing Grace” soon became an integral part of these events, especially in the South.
In contemporary times, estimates show that the treasured tune is performed about 10 million times each year. The song remains such a core part of spiritual culture that music critic and historian Gilbert Chase remarked that it is “without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns.”
True to the song’s message and proving once again that its beauty transcends location, “Amazing Grace” has extended to wider circles which have included mainstream artists who also enjoy covering hymns. It has appeared on over 1,100 records by both Christian and secular musicians.
