![]() Although Newton later considered his prayer to mark the moment of his conversion he was to write, ‘I cannot consider myself to have been a believer, in the full sense of the word, until a considerable time afterwards.’ However, change had started and Newton began to pray and to read the Bible. Somehow the ship was able to make it back safely to the British Isles. As the vessel began to sink Newton began to pray, throwing himself on the mercy of God. Nevertheless, as he sailed back to Britain his ship was struck by a severe storm. When Newton was rescued in 1748 he showed no signs of repentance. Newton, having made many enemies, found himself left behind in Africa by his colleagues and was there imprisoned in chains and treated brutally for eighteen months. It’s a sad fact that slavery – a profitable and in Britain a largely invisible trade – then aroused little controversy. Managing to leave the Navy, Newton became involved in the slave trade, shipping slaves from Africa to North America. He deserted, was caught and given a public flogging. He had an ability to find trouble: rejecting good jobs, being fired after six sea voyages and, aged nineteen, press-ganged into the Royal Navy. He followed his father to sea at the age of eleven but rejected his mother’s faith, becoming a rebellious, reckless and immoral youngster. ![]() Newton was born in London in 1725 to a seagoing father and a devout mother. Few stories in Christian history are more dramatic than that of John Newton, whose life demonstrates the title of his most famous hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’ writes J.John.
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