Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton by Al Rogers.

Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton by Al Rogers.

This article is reprinted from the July-August 1996 issue of Away Here in Texas.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..." So begins one of the most beloved hymns of all times, a staple in the hymnals of many denominations, New Britain or "45 on the top" in Sacred Harp. The author of the words was John Newton, the self-proclaimed wretch who once was lost but then was found, saved by amazing grace.
Newton was born in London July 24, 1725, the son of a commander of a merchant ship which sailed the Mediterranean. When John was eleven, he went to sea with his father and made six voyages with him before the elder Newton retired. In 1744 John was impressed into service on a man-of-war, the H. M. S. Harwich. Finding conditions on board intolerable, he deserted but was soon recaptured and publicly flogged and demoted from midshipman to common seaman.
Finally at his own request he was exchanged into service on a slave ship, which took him to the coast of Sierra Leone. He then became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had known John's father. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade.

Church Apologises For Slave Trade Thursday, February 09, 2006
LONDON: The Church of England has voted to apologise to the descendents of victims of the slave trade. An amendment recognising the damage done to those enslaved was backed overwhelmingly by the General Synod.
Debating the motion, Rev Simon Bessant, from Pleckgate, Blackburn, described the Church’s involvement in the trade, saying: We were at the heart of it.
The amendment was supported by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Archbishop of York John Sentamu. Dr Williams said the apology was necessary
He said: The body of Christ is not just a body that exists at any one time, it exists across history and we therefore share the shame and the sinfulness of our predecessors and part of what we can do, with them and for them in the body of Christ, is prayer for acknowledgement of the failure that is part of us not just of some distant them

BRANDING IRONS
During an emotional meeting of the Church’s governing body in London, Rev Blessant explained the involvement of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in the slave trade. The organisation owned the Codrington Plantation in Barbados, where slaves had the word society branded on their backs with a red-hot iron, he said,
We were directly responsible for what happened, Rev Simon Bessant. He added that when the emancipation of slaves took place in 1833, compensation was paid not to the slaves but to their owners. In one case, he said the Bishop of Exeter and three colleagues were paid nearly 13,000 in compensation for 665 slaves.
He said: We were directly responsible for what happened. In the sense of inheriting our history, we can say we owned slaves, we branded slaves, that is why I believe we must actually recognise our history and offer an apology. The synod passed a motion acknowledging the dehumanizing and shameful consequences of slavery.
It comes ahead of commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which will be marked next year. The debate heard from descendants of the slave trade including the Rev Nezlin Sterling, of Ealing, west London, who represents black churches. She told the synod that commemorations of the 200th anniversary would revive painful issues and memories for descendants.
The apology comes after Dr Williams was criticised in November for saying that missionaries sinned by imposing hymns ancient and modern on places such as Africa.

I am not surprised. After hearing and reading about John Smith and his role in the Demerara rebellion of August 1823. I was convinced the missionaries were a hindrance to freedom. Their efforts pacified the slaves. Their teaching of leaving judgment up to God made Black people hesitant, to strike blows the effort to attain their freedom. I could not envision a white man being on the side of the Blackman living in the colonies. That simply does not hold water. The missionaries were just like the House Nigger enemies of the people of African origins.
I now wonder what will be revealed concerning British Guiana. The acts of the London Missionary Society, Methodist Missions, the Anglican, and Catholic churches, the entire Christian indoctrination which has poisoned the minds of black people against their own social sciences. Religious and/or belief systems which were put in place many thousands of years before Europeans happened upon our ancestral homeland with their bible in one hand and the gun in the other, is looked upon with disgust even though afro centric teachers are trying to combat ignorance I believe Malcolm X was absolutely correct when he pointed out the worst thing Europeans did to black people is he taught the black man to hate himself. Combating self-hatred is a most difficult proposition, but it must be successfully accomplished if black people and Africa is to rise again as the dominant force on earth.
Thus, soon there after, Africans begun to see ourselves as the Europeans were comfortable with ; slaves, subservient, negroes, nigger, coloured, Creole, Guyanese, west Indians, Caribbean people, any geographical identification, instead of what any mirror reveals a black man. The whip lash of terrorists brought with it, pain and suffering, death, and destruction, for the black man. The charismatic Water Rodney termed it the underdevelopment of Africa. Indeed peoples of African origins are not allowed to recover. The holocaust continues.
Who knows what acts against black people the founders of the ministry of the Church you attend committed. In fact, many Africans in western societies, still sing the songs of slave catcher; John Newton, including the ever popular Amazing Grace If you did not know now you know. Always endeavor to obtain a comprehensive measure of understanding of whatever you are getting into, before you get involved, you may not like it after you are into to it.

In fact, they seemed to be given prime locations in the villages. Look where they are located in Golden Grove village, on the East Coast of Demerara. I wondered who influenced my heroes, the forty-eight (48) shareholders of Golden Grove, including; my forefather; Bentick Sancho, Tuckness Sancho, Sam Sarrabo, Frank Seaforth, Blackwell Simon, James Simon, James Smith, Stewart Smith, Benjamin Solomon, John Sumner, Sambo Sumner, Duke Cato, Diamond Chester, Rowland Chester, Charles Christmas, Sampson Collins, Ben Conwright, Sophy David, Quammy David, Sam Dick, Frederick Hope, George Jack, Cheesewright Josiah, Quashey Luke, and Margaret McArthur, to give to the Methodist such an outstanding location. Could they not have foreseen such would very valuable for commercial real estate? The church should have been some where over the line. That would have encouraged development in that region of the village. The northern portion could have been industrialize. In fact, I read an article printed in the daily chronicle talk about an industrial area in Golden Grove. Well, I can not figure where they were talking about.
I would love to still be alive with my faculties intact so that I can run my mouth when it is revealed that John Smith and John Wray and those missionaries were enemies of the people. What will the Black people in Guyana do then? Will they rename the churches? Will they destroy the monuments they constructed in their honour? Lord have mercy upon my people and bring upon our enemies your full wrath especially upon those who have led your people astray - forgive them not. They have sinned against thee and your creation - peace. The struggle continues.

Eternal Blessings, Love, Peace, Power & Unity
M'lilwana Osanku - Sancho of Nabaclis.
Researching - Sancho, Campbell, Young (Younge), Solomon, Ross & Martin - Families of Guyana.
History of Golden Grove and Nabaclis Village District, East Sea Coast Demerara, Guyana.