– 2 Min Read
In November of 1772, Sam Adams and a score of other Bostonians began to meet and discuss what to do about the latest oppression that England was imposing on the thirteen American colonies. The first Committee of Correspondence was established in order to inform the other towns in Massachusetts of the growing tyranny, and hopefully convince them to become activists in the resistance. They wanted to stand together and oppose the British Parliament in order to avoid what Virginian Patrick Henry would later describe as the “chains of slavery” being thrust upon the colonists by King George III. These Sons of Liberty were determined to inform the people throughout the colonies of what was happening. “Ignorance is slavery” became a slogan for the many.
Must Americans remain slaves to England?
About the same time, the Reverand John Newton was preparing a sermon to be preached on January 1, 1773, at his church in Olney, Buckinghamshire, about sixty miles north of London. Newton, himself a former slave ship captain who once delivered a load of slaves to Charleston, South Carolina, was a Church of England pastor and preacher. New Year’s Day was on a Friday and it was not unusual for ministers to preach on special days.
Newton was an Anglican priest who preached thousands of sermons in his lifetime, but he also wrote nearly 300 hymns. He chose for his text on the first day of the new year two verses from the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles 17:
And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.
– 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 (KJV)
Reverend Newton often included one of his hymns as part of the worship service. For this particular service, he composed a hymn which he titled “Faith’s Review and Expectation.” Years later the title was changed to “Amazing Grace.” The original tune is unknown.
Many of Newton’s sermon notes have been preserved and are easily found on a number of sites on the internet. In this particular sermon, he used the biblical story of the return of the arc of the covenant to recount King David’s humility for all that God had done for him. The phrases in these scriptures which state, “Who am I…and what is my house,” and “[you have] regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.” David was truly humbled by the blessings God had shown him and the honor He had given him.
Newton closed the sermon by encouraging the saints to be filled with gratitude, trust, and patience in the coming new year. In his notes, he urges unbelievers in attendance with the following words:
“We are spared thus far—
But some I fear are strangers to the promises.
You are entered upon a New Year. It may be our last.
You are at present barren trees in the vineyard.
O fear lest the sentence should go forth [to] cut it down.”
Will you remain slaves to sin?
Thank God for saving wretches like you and me.