A sketch of the Christian’s temper

Letters by John Newton.

A sketch of the Christian’s temper.

Letters by John Newton.

John Newton as Anglican Priest:

After his transformation and abandonment of the slave trade, John Newton pursued a career as an Anglican priest. In 1755, he secured the position of tide surveyor at the Port of Liverpool, a tax collection role facilitated by his connection with Manesty. During his free time, Newton dedicated himself to the study of Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac, preparing for in-depth religious studies. His reputation as an evangelical lay minister grew, and in 1757, he sought ordination as a priest in the Church of England. However, it took more than seven years before his acceptance.

Throughout this period, Newton also applied to the Independents and Presbyterians, directly submitting applications to the Bishops of Chester and Lincoln, as well as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Finally, in 1764, Thomas Haweis introduced Newton to the influential 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, who recommended him to William Markham, the Bishop of Chester. Haweis suggested Newton as a candidate for the position in Olney, Buckinghamshire. On April 29, 1764, Newton received deacon’s orders, and on June 17, he was finally ordained as a priest.

As the curate of Olney, Newton received partial sponsorship from John Thornton, a wealthy merchant and evangelical philanthropist. Thornton supplemented Newton’s £60 annual stipend with an additional £200 per year for hospitality and charitable purposes. Newton became renowned not only for his beliefs but also for his dedicated pastoral care. His friendships with Dissenters and evangelical clergy earned him respect from both Anglicans and Nonconformists. He spent sixteen years in Olney, and his preaching attracted such a significant audience that a gallery had to be added to the church to accommodate the growing numbers.

Around five years later, in 1772, Thomas Scott assumed the curacy of the neighboring parishes of Stoke Goldington and Weston Underwood. Newton played a crucial role in Scott’s transformation from a skeptical “career priest” to a true believer, a story Scott recounted in his spiritual autobiography, “The Force of Truth” (1779). Scott went on to become a biblical commentator and a co-founder of the Church Missionary Society.

In 1779, Newton received an invitation from John Thornton to become the Rector of St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Street, in London, where he served until his death. The church, designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1727, showcased the fashionable Baroque style. Newton was one of the only two evangelical Anglican priests in the capital, and his popularity grew among the expanding evangelical movement. He staunchly supported evangelicalism within the Church of England and maintained friendships with Dissenters such as Methodists and Baptists, alongside Anglicans.

Young clergy and individuals struggling with their faith sought Newton’s counsel, including notable figures like writer and philanthropist Hannah More and a young William Wilberforce, a member of parliament (MP) who had experienced a crisis of conscience and religious conversion. Newton encouraged Wilberforce to remain in politics and “serve God where he was.” In 1792, the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) awarded Newton an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

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Letters in the book: