On December 21, 1725, a boy was born in London whose life would ultimately impact the world. I have been thinking of John Newton all day today, and the loving, pursuing God who rescued a drunken slave trader from the depths of sin and raised him up to become one of His choicest trophies of grace. His influence reached far beyond his hymn, Amazing Grace, as his life and preaching touched lives from the lowest to the highest of society including parliamentarian, William Wilberforce, who was used to change the laws regarding slavery and child labor.

Interestingly, there are parallels in John Newton’s life to the life of Manley Beasley whose biography I am now writing. At the early age of fourteen Manley took to the high seas and and by his 16th birthday had circumvented the globe twice. Alcohol, gambling, jail, and all that went with the life of a sailor were part of these years of running away from God. But he could not escape the eye of a sovereign God who eventually brought him to a halt in the Port of Mobile. He would never look back and the impact of his life is still felt by many, some of whom paid tribute to him at a “Friends of Manley” gathering at First Baptist, Euless, Texas two days ago, the 18th of December.