Posted on 07/21/2015 7:40:21 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
The haunting hymn “Amazing Grace” was penned by the anti-slavery advocate John Newton when he landed in Donegal, safe, having survived a shipwreck. His arrival on Irish shores marked the beginning of his conversion to Christianity and the start of a life of good work. He wrote the first verse in Buncrana, County Donegal.
“Amazing Grace” has been in the news recently when President Barack Obama led the congregation in the hymn at the funeral of Reverend Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church who was murdered along with eight parishioners during bible study at the Charleston, SC church.
“Amazing Grace” is also the title of the new show on Broadway, at the Nederlander Theater, inspired by the Newton's journey.
Although everyone knows this beautiful, uplifting hymn not many people know its origins.
In 2013 the Irish commemorated Newtown by building a viewing platform at Lough Swilly, near Castle Bridge, County Donegal. The tribute marks the spot where Newton began his conversion to Christianity.
“It was at a very crucial point in his life," Ruth Garvey-Williams, secretary of the Amazing Grace Initiative told NewsLetter.co.uk.
“Up until that point he was self-described as a wretch. He was involved in the slave trade.
“He was traveling to Liverpool from Africa and because of the trade winds they had a very circuitous route.
“He was caught in a violent storm and found himself crying out for mercy. He thought: ‘what mercy can there be for me, a wretch?’”
The ship managed to make it to safety, but Newton "stepped ashore in Ireland a changed man."
Even though he remained active in the slave trade for another six years, he later became a staunch opponent of the industry. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at irishcentral.com ...
It’s a beautiful place with a rugged and scenic coastline and countryside. I’d like to go back for another visit.
Amazing Grace remains as a beautiful reminder of God’s love extended to the unworthy and the unlovable. I love learning about the people who wrote these wonderful songs of our faith. Thank you.
Amazing indeed...
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Obama leading singing of Amazing Grace is obscene.
But - it’s written by a white guy....
I’ve only been as far north as Mayo. Visited Cong, birthplace of Ronald Reagan’s ancestors, among many other beautiful northwestern coastal sites.
Brad from Tennessee posted the thread. I just posted the map.
We just did Mayo, Galway, Sligo and Donegal. We did drive from and to Dublin to use the airport there.
The west coast is beautiful. I’d like to see more one day.
Ireland is much farther north than I realized before going there. We went in June and the daylight lasted a lot longer there than it does here in Maryland that time of year.
Thanks.
Yes, I was surprised how temperate it is, with palm trees all over Dublin. Guess that’s part of why the grass is so green.
The palm trees were a surprise.
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