The Weekly Herald

John Newton and His Bible.

The Rev. John Newton, the hymn-writer, who was minister of St. Mary Woolnoth in London, spent the former part of his life at sea. He was, as he tells us himself, a great sinner. 'From his youth up he had often had convictions, but never deeply felt his danger till on the homeward voyage he was brought into such a condition that his life hung in doubt before him. From the state in which the vessel was, every hour seemed as if it would be the last. The supposed nearness of eternity filled his mind with solemn dread. To die happily, he felt he had a need, a great need, he knew not of what. Filled with trouble, he remembered that his mother was a great reader of the Bible and that she often spoke with delight of what she found in it. He remembered also that she had given him a Bible when he went to sea, with entreaties that he would often read it. He thought he must still have the Bible somewhere, but he could hardly be certain. Down he went to his chest, at the very bottom of it found his mother's kind but long-neglected gift He opened it with eagerness, and the first words that caught his eyes were these: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?' It came home to his conscience that it was the Holy Spirit that he wanted. He resolved to cry earnestly for this gift. He did cry, and was heard, and answered