John Newton and the Lyrics to Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace" was not recorded until practice of lining out the song, a traditional John Newton and the 1922, reflecting the penchant of record method of delivery in both the African- and companies to record marches, standard Anglo-American religious traditions in Lyrics to Amazing Grace popular tunes, classical music, and comedic which the preacher spoke a line of the song songs and sketches in the years before and the congregation sang it back. World War I. By the 1920s, however, many "Amazing Grace" in the recording industry became convinced At the same time that commercial that traditional music could be profitably companies were recording "Amazing Grace" Amazing grace, how sweet the sound marketed to immigrant groups, African- with an eye toward profit, folklorists were That sav’d a wretch like me! American communities, and white rural documenting the song for scholarly I once was lost, but now am found, southerners. The commercially recorded purposes. From its inception in 1928 the Was blind, but now I see. versions of "Amazing Grace" fit neatly into Library of Congress' Archive of American what the companies at the time termed either Folk-Song sent collectors into the field first ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, their "race" catalogs, or their "hillbilly" and with wax cylinder recorders, then And grace my fears reliev’d; "old-time" catalogs. instantaneous disc recorders. Though How precious did that grace appear, somewhat limited in fidelity compared to the The hour I first believ’d! Several early recordings of "Amazing equipment used by the commercial Grace" feature African-American "singing companies, these recorders had the Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, preachers," the most popular of whom was advantage of being portable. As such, field I have already come; Reverend J. M. Gates. Gates viewed the recordings could capture a performance in ’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, song as "one of the good old familiar its intended physical and cultural context And grace will lead me home. hymns" that would help his listeners return and often were accompanied by interviews to the traditional religious values of the past. documented on the recording or through The Lord has promis’d good to me, Gates' first recording for Columbia proved field notes. Collectors such as the Lomax His word my hope secures; quite popular--dealers ordered 3,400 Family (John A., Alan, and Ruby T.), He will my shield and portion be, advanced copies and requested more than Herbert Halpert, Sydney Robertson, and As long as life endures. ten times that number for his second release. John Henry Faulk made recordings that demonstrate the wide diffusion of "Amazing Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; Owing largely to the popularity of Gates' Grace through many different communities. I shall possess, within the veil, recordings, dozens of other black preachers A life of joy and peace. The Evangelization Station made recordings of religious songs and Hudson, Florida, USA sermons. Other black preachers who The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, E-mail: [email protected] recorded "Amazing Grace" included J. C. The sun forbear to shine; www.evangelizationstation.com Burnett (with a more fiery delivery than But God, who call’d me here below,

Gates'), Reverend M. L. Thrasher, and Will be forever mine. Pamphlet 329 Reverend H. R. Tomlin. These performances usually were preceded by a short statement John Newton, Olney Hymns on the religious significance of the song. As (London: W. Oliver, 1779). well, the performances often included the John Newton, the author of the lyrics to port of Liverpool and began to explore The song has also become known as a Amazing Grace, was born in 1725 in Christianity more fully. As Newton favorite with supporters of freedom and Wapping, Britain. Despite the powerful attempted to experience all the various human rights, both Christian and non- message of "Amazing Grace," Newton's expressions of Christianity, it became clear Christian, in part because many assume it to religious beliefs initially lacked conviction; that he was being called to the ministry. be Newton's testimony about his slave his youth was marked by religious confusion Since Newton lacked a university degree, he trading past. and a lack of moral self-control and could not be ordained through normal discipline. channels. However, the landlord of the The hymn was quite popular on both sides in parish at Olney was so impressed with the the American Civil War. After a brief time in the Royal Navy, letters Newton had written about his Newton began his career in slave trading. conversion that he offered the church to Extra Verses The turning point in Newton's spiritual life Newton; he was ordained in June 1764. In her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet was a violent storm that occurred one night Beecher Stowe quoted three stanzas as while at sea. Moments after he left the deck, In Olney, the new curate met the poet seemingly from one hymn, two of them the crewman who had taken his place was William Cowper, also a newly-born corrupt versions of Amazing Grace stanzas, swept overboard. Although he manned the Christian. Their friendship led to a spiritual and one reading: vessel for the remainder of the tempest, he collaboration that completed the inspiration later commented that, throughout the tumult, for "Amazing Grace," the poem Newton When we’ve been there ten thousand years, he realized his helplessness and concluded most likely wrote in Kineton, Warwickshire Bright shining like the sun, that only the grace of God could save him. around Christmas 1772. The lyrics are based We've no less days to sing God’s praise Prodded by what he had read in Thomas à on his reflections on an Old Testament text Than when we first begun. Kempis' Imitation of Christ, Newton took he was preparing to preach on, adding his the first step toward accepting faith. perspective about his own conversion while Despite its relatively poor mesh with the rest on his slave ship, the Greyhound, in 1748. of the hymn (the change from "I" to "we," These incidents and his 1750 marriage to change of subject, no reference for "there"), Mary Catlett changed Newton significantly. Newton's lyrics have become a favorite for a form of this stanza became common as On his slave voyages, he encouraged the Christians, largely because the hymn vividly part of Amazing Grace in hymnals in the sailors under his charge to pray. He also and briefly sums up the doctrine of divine early twentieth century, due in large part to began to ensure that every member of his grace. The lyrics are based on 1 Chronicles the influential hymnodist and publisher crew treated their human cargo with 17:16-17, a prayer of King David in which Edwin Othello Excell. While the stanza is gentleness and concern. Nevertheless, it he marvels at God's choosing him and his often credited to John P. Rees (1828-1900), would be another 40 years until Newton house. Newton apparently wrote this for use it antedates his birth. It was in print by 1790, openly challenged the trafficking of slaves. in a sermon he preached on this passage on added to an old and widely-varied hymn New Year's Day 1773, and for which he left most usually beginning "Jerusalem, my Some three years after his marriage, Newton his sermon notes, which correspond to the happy home", and was still appearing as part suffered a stroke that prevented him from flow of the lyrics. (He entitled the piece of this hymn in books published around the returning to sea; in time, he interpreted this "Faith's review and expectation.") time of Stowe's book. as another step in his spiritual voyage. He assumed a post in the Customs Office in the