The Slave Ship Captain
John Newton was a slave ship captain. He transported human beings across the Atlantic in chains, treating them as cargo. He was brutal, profane, and godless.
The Storm
On March 10, 1748, a violent storm nearly sank his ship. Newton, certain he would die, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us!"
The ship survived. Newton began reading the Bible. But change was slow. He continued in the slave trade for six more years, even as his conscience awakened.
A Gradual Awakening
Finally, in 1754, Newton left the sea. He educated himself, became an Anglican priest, and began speaking against the slave trade that had once defined him.
His friendship with William Wilberforce helped inspire Britain's abolition movement. His testimony proved that no one was beyond redemption.
Amazing Grace
In 1779, Newton wrote a hymn about his own transformation:
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see."
The former slave trader became one of history's most beloved hymn writers - a monument to God's transforming power.
