Little Info for researchers. Morley Goodyear Gander , N.L. John Newton (July 24, 1725 - December 21, 1807) was an English clergyman and writer who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace after converting to Christianity and abandoning his participation in the slave trade. Newton was born in London, the son of a shipmaster in the Mediterranean service, with whom he sailed on a total of six voyages until 1742 when his father died. In 1743 he was pressed into naval service, became a midshipman aboard the HMS Harwich, deserted, was recaptured and reduced to the rank of a common seaman, exchanged to a ship in the African station, became servant to a slave trader, and was rescued in 1748 by a friend of his father's, being converted to Christianity on the way home in a storm at sea. The date was May 10, 1748, an anniversary he observed for the rest of his life. From that point on, he avoided profanity, gambling, and drinking. He continued at sea till 1754, meanwhile studying Latin and the Bible. It was after much soulsearching and Bible reading that Newton saw the horrors of slavery and the hypocrisy it made him feel as a Christian. He soon gave up his association with slave shipping. He was surveyor of tides at Liverpool, England from 1755 to 1760, where he heard George Whitefield and John Wesley, and later studied Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac. In 1763 he was brought to the notice of Lord Dartmouth by Thomas Haweis, through whose influence he was ordained deacon and priest in 1764, and given the curacy of Olney, Buckinghamshire. In 1767 the poet William Cowper settled there, and the result of their friendship was the Olney Hymns (London, 1779 and often), which greatly influenced English hymnology. Other well-known hymns by Newton include "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken", "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds!", "Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare" and "Approach, My Soul, the Mercy-seat" In 1779 Newton was invited by John Thornton to become Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Street, London, where he officiated until his death in 1807. He was a strong supporter of evangelicalism in the Church of England, and was a friend of the dissenting clergy as well as of the ministry of his own church. John Newton died in London and is buried in Olney. Olney also has a museum in his honor. [1] http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid271552717?bctid=1913313052 POWERFUL RENDITION OF 'AMAZING GRACE' PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN!!

Is this Newton related to thomas newton from the mines in Bell Island ----- Original Message ----- From: "Morley Goodyear" <goodyears@nf.sympatico.ca> To: <nf-trinitybay@rootsweb.com>; <nfld-lab@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 11:32 AM Subject: [NFLD-LAB] Fw: "Amazing Grace" > Little Info for researchers. > > Morley Goodyear > Gander , N.L. > > > > > John Newton (July 24, 1725 - December 21, 1807) was an English clergyman > and writer who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace after converting to > Christianity and abandoning his participation in the slave trade. > > Newton was born in London, the son of a shipmaster in the Mediterranean > service, with whom he sailed on a total of six voyages until 1742 when his > father died. In 1743 he was pressed into naval service, became a > midshipman aboard the HMS Harwich, deserted, was recaptured and reduced to > the rank of a common seaman, exchanged to a ship in the African station, > became servant to a slave trader, and was rescued in 1748 by a friend of > his father's, being converted to Christianity on the way home in a storm > at sea. The date was May 10, 1748, an anniversary he observed for the rest > of his life. From that point on, he avoided profanity, gambling, and > drinking. > > He continued at sea till 1754, meanwhile studying Latin and the Bible. It > was after much soulsearching and Bible reading that Newton saw the horrors > of slavery and the hypocrisy it made him feel as a Christian. He soon gave > up his association with slave shipping. He was surveyor of tides at > Liverpool, England from 1755 to 1760, where he heard George Whitefield and > John Wesley, and later studied Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac. > > In 1763 he was brought to the notice of Lord Dartmouth by Thomas Haweis, > through whose influence he was ordained deacon and priest in 1764, and > given the curacy of Olney, Buckinghamshire. In 1767 the poet William > Cowper settled there, and the result of their friendship was the Olney > Hymns (London, 1779 and often), which greatly influenced English > hymnology. Other well-known hymns by Newton include "Glorious Things of > Thee are Spoken", "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds!", "Come, My Soul, > Thy Suit Prepare" and "Approach, My Soul, the Mercy-seat" > > In 1779 Newton was invited by John Thornton to become Rector of St. Mary > Woolnoth, Lombard Street, London, where he officiated until his death in > 1807. He was a strong supporter of evangelicalism in the Church of > England, and was a friend of the dissenting clergy as well as of the > ministry of his own church. John Newton died in London and is buried in > Olney. Olney also has a museum in his honor. [1] > > > > > > > > http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid271552717?bctid=1913313052 > > > > > > > > > > > POWERFUL RENDITION OF 'AMAZING GRACE' PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN!! > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NFLD-LAB-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >