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The John Newton Project

     

On occasion
of the King's happy recovery

more...
     

"I have begun to write
an exposition or explanation
of the words in
the Greek New Testament"

1 January 1761        A1 first notebook

view the 1st section of Newton's Greek Dictionary - pdf

  new: A2 second notebook - view A2 pdf here

 

 Fish hook

 The word is common and offers little to our observation,

 but the passage is wonderful, and demands our serious respect.
 
 
 
        

download invitation as pdf
Sunday evening 26 November 1775
Hymn No. 225
 

link to full manuscript hymn
     

Olney 1773
Friday the 1st January

"This is the Ninth New Year’s day I have seen in this place. I have reason to say, The Lord crowneth every year with his goodness.

"My exercise of grace is faint... But my eye and my heart is to Jesus. His I am, Him I desire to serve, to Him I this day would devote and surrender myself anew. O Lord, accept, support, protect, teach, comfort and bless me. Be thou my Arm, my Eye, my Joy and my Salvation.

"I preached this forenoon from 1 Chronicles 17:16,17...."  more...


2013
is the 240th anniversary
of
Amazing Grace

the brief video
(2 mins 18 secs)
on the right
shows how Newton came to write
this
much-loved hymn

   Michael Bochmann performing his own arrangement of Amazing Grace on violin
at the Old Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich

 

Amazing Grace worldwide

[send us more please!]
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Newton's original words for Amazing Grace


written for New Year's Day 1773

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.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace those fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

use Newton's version!

 

The largest recorded sound collection of a single musical work in the Library of Congress was compiled by Allan Chasanoff and Raymon Elozua.

It contains over 3,000 published recorded performances of John Newton's hymn Amaizng Grace by different individual musicians or musical ensembles,

 

for some early printed versions see Library of Congress website

 

 

 
 

from DayOne Publications		  View pages from

365 days with Newton

featuring John Newton's personal

Amazing Grace sermon notes

for 1 January 1773



1 January

2 January

3 January

4 January

 

   Newton's summer hols

or

'A Journey'
 

Lambeth Palace Library MS2942 f01

 
  

1791

 1st Journey

 

Tuesday 21 June

Left all well at home and set off with dear Betsy and Crabb at 7 in the morning; arrived at Miss Palmer’s at Meldreth before 2 in the afternoon in safety, without meeting the smallest alarm or inconvenience upon the road. How often, my Lord, have I had cause to praise thee, for journeying mercies.
     

In the evening spent a pleasant hour with several of her friends, at Mr Fitch’s. But had no opportunity for a retired walk.

Meldreth Parish Church, Cambridgeshire

  

 

Wednesday 22 June

Walking, reading in the Psalms and musing. Betsy poorly but better in the evening. Drank tea at Mrs Cooper’s. Mr Simeon and Musgrave came, walked home with us, and returned to Cambridge. Morning John 4. Evening 2 Corinthians 5:1-6. Wrote to Mrs Coffin.
 Linkinhorne Parish Church by kind permission Peggy Milburn  epitaph of the Rev James Coffin of Linkinhorne Newton's correspondent
 

 [‘Just setting out on a little journey’ Newton told his new correspondent Jean Coffin, wife of the Rev James Coffin of Linkinhorne in Cornwall.

Later he revealed that his ‘little journey’ had encompassed ‘a route of about 750 miles’!]
 

 



footpath from Meldreth to Melbourn

Thursday 23 June

Walking etc. Forenoon at Royston; brought home Miss Wells. Wrote to Lady Maxwell. Evening went to Mrs Cooper’s. Afterwards a retired walk. A pleasant conversation with Mr Campkin. Spoke from John 4 and 2 Corinthians 12:2-9.
 

 

Friday 24 June

Wrote to Mrs Gardiner. Went to Cambridge. Dined at Mr Musgrave and tea. Expounded Psalm 23. Supped and slept in King’s College. But felt myself solitary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

King's College, Cambridge
   

 
 

Saturday 25 June

Solicited a new lodging at Mr Musgrave’s. Breakfasted with Mr Ramsay. Dined at Mr Gardiner’s. Tea at Miss Jennings. Supped with Mr H Jowit [the Rev Henry Jowett]. Much walking today both in company and alone, was heartily wearied at night.
the Rev Henry Jowett was then a tutor at Magdallen College  
 

 

 

Sunday 26 June
Rose, refreshed by thy mercy my Lord. Had a tolerable day, and some liberty in preaching for Mr Simeon from Ecclesiastes 2:26, Hebrews 11:1. Dined with Mr Ind. Supped with Dr Jowit [Joseph Jowett, Regious Professor of Civil Law, Trinity Hall].

Charles Simeon endured great opposition from his churchwardens and pew-owners, who obstructed him by locking the church doors and pews.
  Jowett organised musical concerts in Trinity Hall  
   

 

Monday 27 June

A short morning walk. Breakfasted with Mr Randal. Visited Mrs Nuns and a young woman near death, both eminent proofs of the power of faith, and the truth of the promises. Dined with Mr Simeon and several friends, particularly Mr Venn. Supped with Mr Jowit. Walking at intervals. Still favoured with health, and sound sleep. Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Charles Simeon   &   John Venn    
   

 

 

Tuesday 28 June

A morning’s walk. After breakfast writing letters to Bedford &c; having been induced to alter my route. I know my Lord my way is not in myself. Do thou condescend to direct my steps. Returned safely to dinner at Meldreth. Miss Betts with us. An evening hour in the meadow.

  
     Meldreth meadows
     [to be continued]
   

 

"The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton" first held at Gloucester Cathedral 13 March 2010 7pm

with Adrian Partington conducting the Cathedral Choir & Corelli Orchestra in Handel's Messiah, Part 2

and Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith reading extracts from John Newton's sermons on the texts in Handel's

Messiah

For pages from Handel's original score for Messiah see "Handel's Messiah" at British Library online gallery

Five JNP Lenten Bible Studies based on Newton's and Handel's texts for Messiah Part 2

 

The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton

Programme order

used at Gloucester Cathedral 13 March 2010

  

 Listen to Newton's Messiah sermon extracts

read by Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith

from The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton at Gloucester Cathedral 13 March 2010
(relates to  Programme order opposite)

script 1           script 2           script 3           script 4           script 5

 

The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton
Adrian Partington, Musical Director Gloucester Cathedral 		  The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton
Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith, Hymn Writer

 

The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton
The Rev Dr Alec Motyer, former Principal Trinity College, Bristol 		 
 		 John Newton: Ministry on my mind
Frank Retief, Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa

1784 Commemoration of Handel

which prompted Newton to preach

50 sermons taken from

every text in Handel's Messiah

  

 

transcripts of

John  Newton's sermon notes on Messiah

coming soon: Newton's printed sermons on Messiah

Newton on the web


What happens when,

in the Lord’s providence,

his people long for others to hear the

gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Answer: see Anglican Church League


Reviews of Ministry on my mind

links...

 

Anglican Church League

Unashamed Workman

Andrew Fuller Centre

In Light of the Gospel

The Wanderer

WEA Theological News

  

Amazing Grace plaque

unveiled in the new Merseytravel Pier Head Terminal in Liverpool

virtually on the site where Newton "ferried across the Mersey"

as Surveyor of Tides 1755 - 1764
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unveiling of the Amazing Grace plaque at Liverpool's Pier Head 9 July 2009

Media Reports on the Amazing Grace plaque:
 
Bishop James Jones and Merseytravel Chairman Mark Dowd: Merseytravel
Bishop James Jones interview on YouTube
see also: BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day
 Watch:
Jonathan Aitken speaking on Ministry on my mind

(for high quality select full screen then bottom right menu)		    
Designer
Stephen Broadbent		 Merseytravel
Chief Executive
& Director General
Neil Scales OBE

Ministry on my mind


new publication by Newton

John Newton's
previously unpublished thoughts on entering the ministry
written in 1758 close to the new Liverpool Pier Head Terminal 		 

 

Sense of Sound singing Amazing Grace on YouTube
 

 

 

 

article on the unveiling of the Amazing Grace plaque: Liverpool Daily Post

article on the unveiling of the Amazing Grace plaque: BBC
                  

Watch the discussion:

JNP Chairman, John Langlois OBE, interviews trustee Tony Baker about Ministry on my mind

(under the watchful eye of William Pitt the younger)
  4 August 1758:
“If ever Thou permittest me to declare that faithful saying, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, surely the words, of whom I am chief, would be peculiarly expressive and convincing in my mouth. I could stand forth and propose myself instead of a thousand arguments in proof of the doctrine, and might well hope to be of singular use as a pattern of Thy longsuffering to all that should repent and believe.”

 

Jonathan

Aitken

  
 "...a remarkable document... Any candidate for an ordained ministry in the twenty-first century could well profit from studying the process John Newton put himself through two hundred and fifty years ago."       		 

4 August 1758

 JNP publications
NOW available online
through PayPal

Michael

Cassidy

    "John Newton's reflections on the nature and execution of Christian ministry remain as relevant today... The opportunity to sit at his feet once again is not one which should be missed."
  		 

SHOP OPEN  NOW !

"Ministry

on my mind"

by John Newton
published by the JNP

Alec

Motyer

  
"... a man of deep spirituality, wide scriptural knowledge, and an unusual depth of longing to serve God ponders the nature of a true calling... These thoughts should be required reading for all Christians... specially for those who are given the unspeakable privilege of 'full-time service'."


Bicentenary postcard:

"The Amazing Grace that snatched me from ruin"

James I

Packer

  
 "It is hard to believe that any Christians, wondering if God was calling them to ordained service, ever meditated on relevant Scriptures so perceptively, and recorded their discernments so luminously ...a very precious part of the legacy of this great man of God."     		  

Lambeth Palace Library
MS 2937

Amazing Grace

7 minute
PowerPoint
narrated by
James Jones
                          Bishop of Liverpool
                         

Amazing Grace

7 min PowerPoint
narration by

James Jones

Bishop of Liverpool

CD details

   

365 days with Newton

daily readings
previously unpublished sermons

by

John Newton

Newton's original words for Amazing Grace


written for New Year's Day 1773

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.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace those fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Amazing Grace sermon

 Transcript from
John Newton's sermon notebook

original sermon for the hymn

 


"1807-2007: John Newton and the Twenty-first Century"

by Tony Baker
 Latimer Trust

John Newton:

From Disgrace to Amazing Grace

by Jonathan Aitken

now on CD !

 

Beyond Amazing Grace

CD of lesser known

 

Newton hymns

 

to new tunes

 

 

byTodd Murray

CD details
 		  

Psalm 107

&

Newton's

conversion

  

John Pollock

 

Abolition!


on Newton & Wilberforce
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Bicentenary hymn

for Newton & abolition

by
Timothy Dudley-Smith
For details

on how to make donations

please see this page:


 		  
(Author: Marylynn Rouse)

Latest articles

Let me dwell on Golgotha
hymn (Author: Marylynn Rouse)

Lenten Bible on Messiah
Five studies based on Newton and Handel's Messiah texts from Part 2: The Passion (Author: )

No. 4
Messiah transcripts (Author: )

No. 3
Messiah No. 3 Haggai 2:6-7 (Author: )

Ebenezer
Newton's 25th wedding anniversary (Author: )

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