a tribute to a former slave trader

recently i secured a copy of amazing grace: an anthology of poems about slavery, 1660-1810. the poem (or hymn actually) from which the volume receives its name is, of course, included in the collection. so is the following poem written in honor of the eighteenth-century slave trader turned evangelical minister, hymn-writer, and anti-slavery advocate. newton's conversion and subsequent ministry greatly influenced a number of significant anti-slavery men and women, such as william wilberforce, hannah more, and william cowper, in both the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. newton's life, i think, illustrates the difficulty of appealing to the "man of his times" argument to excuse one's sinfulness. the story is simply more complex. for, in newton's case, god's amazing grace extended well beyond the blind wretch delivered from the sinfulness of the slave trade to other men and women of their times who similarly questioned the morality of the increasingly peculiar institution.

"Like Jonah, on the mighty deep,
He strove to fly from God;
But fled, alas! to sin, and weep
Beneath his chast'ning rod.
A wretch upon a wretched shore,
A slave by slaves confin'd,
A doubly galling yoke he bore,
Of body and of mind.

In deep distress, and bitter woe,
Corruption's rankling smart,
Mysterious Wisdom made him know
His own rebellious heart!
Unconscious of the future sphere
That he was form'd to fill,
With application most severe,
He sought for knowledge still!

Cut off from ev'ry human aid,
On Afric's burning sand
The depths of science he essay'd,
And mystic Euclid scann'd;
While o'er the liquid way he mov'd,
He studied many a tome;
With Tacitus and Livy rov'd,
To scenes of ancient Rome.

Almighty grace the rebel tam'd;
And deep contrition drew
The wand'ring prodigal, reclaimed,
And form'd his heart anew!
No more on grov'ling themes confin'd,
His ardent spirits soar'd,
With ready gifts and soul refin'd,
To glorify his Lord!

(amazing grace, 639-640)