Through Many Dangers The Story of John Newton

The story is one of grace and forgiveness and how, now matter what has happened in your life or what you have done, Jesus forgives.

My page references are from the Evangelical Press edition of 1975 (the 3rd impression - 1994). Since a sizable proportion of readers are likely to be aspiring preachers, it was great to read of his preaching style and preferences on page 94 and following. He "preferred extempore preaching [and] prepared his sermon, writing out his notes in a small hardback notebook, but entered his pulpit without it." (page 95). I have just finished reading (and have just reviewed) a biography of George Whitefield by John Pollock, which I enjoyed immensely. He met John Newton (detailed on page 69 of the volume at hand and page 191 of Whitefield's biography) and it has been great to taste something of the overlap between these men's lives. However, little is said in Pollock's biography of Whitefield's idiosyncrasies when it came to preaching and Bible study. Was he a margin scribbler? Did he keep many books? Did he use any Latin in his preaching? These are things which many readers would want to know about and thankfully Brian Edwards gives us some of this detail. Please note, however, that this is not that I found Pollock's biography lacking - it's just my own personal preferences coming to the fore. John Newton's journey/ies, both literal and spiritual, are heart warming and inspiring. How much more should we, in the information age, with easy access to good Churches, with Bibles and study aids in abundance and so many good pastors who are grounded in the traditions of the reformers and the puritans, contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. One of the great advantages of this biography over so many others of its type is that it includes an index! Unfortunately this is lacking in quite a few reformed paperback publications.