John Henry Newton died on this day 202 years ago, at the age of 82. His father was a shipmaster, and John became a sailor at the age of 11. He was pressed into naval service at the age of 18, and then received a flogging of 96 lashes when he attempted to desert. He obtained a place on a slave ship bound for West Africa, but as a result of his behaviour he was left in Sierra Leone, where he became the servant of an African princess.
After being rescued from Africa, Newton was caught in a severe storm on his way home to England, and called out to God as he feared for his life. He subsequently began to read the Bible and became a Christian. He remained in the slave trade for several years, but subsequently became an ordained minister in the Church of England. In later years he became a strong supporter of William Wilberforce in his campaign to abolish slavery.
Newton became curate of Olney, and the poet William Cowper became one of his parishioners. Inspired by Cowper, Newton took up hymn writing, and together they published a collections of hymns under the title “Olney Hymns” in 1779. The collection included Newton’s well-known hymns Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds, and, perhaps the best-known hymn of all, Amazing Grace.