Hymns

I recently watched the movie "Amazing Grace" which is about the man who eventually brought about the abolition of slavery in England, William Wilberforce. It's an incredibly inspirational, well made film, and besides its historic telling of Wilberforce's pioneering efforts to end slavery, it also tells the story behind the writing of the hymn, "Amazing Grace." It's a song everyone knows, but I had never given much thought to its origin.

From www.amazinggracemovie.com/song:
"John Newton wrote the words to one of the most beloved hymns of all time between 1760 and 1770, while working as an evangelical pastor. Son of the commander of a merchant ship, Newton was captain of a slave ship for many years, until he underwent a dramatic religious conversion while steering his vessel through a storm.

Repenting and regretting the misery he had inflicted on the thousands of human cargo he had transported across the Middle Passage for many years, he devoted his life to the Church, and wrote the lyrics to many hymns which are still popular today.

In 1780 Newton left Olney to become rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, St. Mary Woolchurch, in London. There he drew large congregations and influenced many, among them William Wilberforce. Newton continued to preach until the last year of life, although he was blind by that time. He died in London December 21, 1807."

At my Sunday morning "club" yesterday, the speaker shared the story behind the hymn, "It is Well." It was written by a man named Horation Spafford in 1873. Spafford endured many trau­matic events in his life, the first being the death of his only son in 1871. He then was financially ruined by the great Chi­ca­go Fire (he had been a successful lawyer). In 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville Du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business. While cross­ing the At­lan­tic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with an­o­ther ship, and all four of Spaf­ford's daugh­ters died. His wife Anna sur­vived and sent him a now fa­mous tel­e­gram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spaf­ford traveled to meet his grieving wife in Wales, he was inspired to write the words to "It Is Well" as his ship passed near where his daugh­ters had died.

I've found both of these stories to be hugely inspirational as I sing and listen to these songs. After the hardships that both of these writers endured, they are still able to see Him, praise Him, and love Him above all else.

View the trailer for "Amazing Grace":