http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1785324681?bclid=1338935106&bctid=1913313052
Wilma, I will have to go check it out! I'll be back.
- - Marg, Lanc.Co., PA
Wilma, that was awesome. Just looked at the video. I think I might have seen them somewhere but can't quite remember where. I hope a lot of folks look at it. I love that hymn and sometimes it makes me tear all up.
There's a movie out about the man who wrote that if I remember correctly. I saw it a couple of years ago. A very sad saga.
Marg, I saw the movie too. I can not sing the last stanza of this song for tearing up and when the bagpipe started I did too!!!
Margba I just got back from the Nh and the girls have gone home now and was just going through the posts.
I have that movie. My GS got it for me and we haven't watched it yet. Just might do that this weekend if I can find a free night.
I saw the video before too with Diva singing. I think it was on PBS one night.
BTW it was a good visit for a change tonight. The only thing was that he was getting ready for bed, and didn't want to wait for his aide to help him so he was sitting in his wheelchair with no pants on, and I mean buck naked. My GD was with us (she is 18) but I quickly covered him up with a blanket. It gave Mimi a good laugh. She was teasing me after and told me that when I am REALLY old and running around the Nh with no clothes on she will cover me up too. Good to know I will have someone to look after me.
I have II Diva's CD and they bring me to tears when they sing Amazing Grace.
albertagran, I'm glad you had a good visit with your dad.
Pat ~ WC WI
Albertagran, I am glad that you had a nice visit w/ df, too. It's hard to go thru all that. Funny story about him being butt naked from waist down! lol! Surprised that Reimans doesn't bleep out the word butt! hahaha!
I googled and found the text for this hymn. I may post the history of John Newton a bit later. It was really cool googling some of these hymn sites w/ the history of a lot of them and they often will play music along w/ it! lol! A great way to brighten up your computer day! I think I'm going to make a practice of it. Maybe not every day but at least whenever I think about it. I just love the older hymns and their histories. Don't take too much stock in a lot of the newer hymn excepting for a few.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see. 2. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed. 3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; 'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. 4. The Lord has promised good to me, his word my hope secures; he will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures. 5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace. 6. When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.
The last verse is my favorite! And love it when singing it at church and everyone's directed to belt this verse out!!
Marg, the last is my favorite too but I still have trouble singing it after all these years. I get choked up and usually can not sing it. Just sit there trying to keep from really crying...
Wilma, thanks for the post. It is truly an amazing hymn and my favorite are the last 2 verses.
I too have all I can do to listen and sing the hymn and I love singing. I love being in the choir as well!
There are many grat hymns but this has to be the best!
Marg, is the guy who wrote it the one who lost his family at sea? Or am I thinking of another hymn?
Pat, I am not sure. I think it was John Newton who wrote the hymn. I will google that in a few and be back w/ the history. Want to look at a few more posts here first.
Wilma, Pat, and everyone, here is what I found on the web re this hymn and who wrote it. I did a c&p. I loved the story behind the man who wrote the hymn as much as the hymn!!! His pic didn't come up for some reason.
by Al Rogers
Newton was born in London July 24, 1725, the son of a commander of a merchant ship which sailed the Mediterranean. When John was eleven, he went to sea with his father and made six voyages with him before the elder Newton retired. In 1744 John was impressed into service on a man-of-war, the H. M. S. Harwich. Finding conditions on board intolerable, he deserted but was soon recaptured and publicly flogged and demoted from midshipman to common seaman.
Finally at his own request he was exchanged into service on a slave ship, which took him to the coast of Sierra Leone. He then became the servant of a slave trader and was brutally abused. Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had known John's father. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade.
Although he had had some early religious instruction from his mother, who had died when he was a child, he had long since given up any religious convictions. However, on a homeward voyage, while he was attempting to steer the ship through a violent storm, he experienced what he was to refer to later as his “great deliverance.” He recorded in his journal that when all seemed lost and the ship would surely sink, he exclaimed, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” Later in his cabin he reflected on what he had said and began to believe that God had addressed him through the storm and that grace had begun to work for him.
For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary of May 10, 1748 as the day of his conversion, a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. “Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace has bro’t me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” He continued in the slave trade for a time after his conversion; however, he saw to it that the slaves under his care were treated humanely.
In 1750 he married Mary Catlett, with whom he had been in love for many years. By 1755, after a serious illness, he had given up seafaring forever. During his days as a sailor he had begun to educate himself, teaching himself Latin, among other subjects. From 1755 to 1760 Newton was surveyor of tides at Liverpool, where he came to know George Whitefield, deacon in the Church of England, evangelistic preacher, and leader of the Calvinistic Methodist Church. Newton became Whitefield’s enthusiastic disciple. During this period Newton also met and came to admire John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Newton’s self-education continued, and he learned Greek and Hebrew.
He decided to become a minister and applied to the Archbishop of York for ordination. The Archbishop refused his request, but Newton persisted in his goal, and he was subsequently ordained by the Bishop of Lincoln and accepted the curacy of Olney, Buckinghamshire. Newton’s church became so crowded during services that it had to be enlarged. He preached not only in Olney but in other parts of the country. In 1767 the poet William Cowper settled at Olney, and he and Newton became friends.
Cowper helped Newton with his religious services and on his tours to other places. They held not only a regular weekly church service but also began a series of weekly prayer meetings, for which their goal was to write a new hymn for each one. They collaborated on several editions of Olney Hymns, which achieved lasting popularity. The first edition, published in 1779, contained 68 pieces by Cowper and 280 by Newton.
Among Newton’s contributions which are still loved and sung today are “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” and ”Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken,” as well as “Amazing Grace.” Composed probably between 1760 and 1770 in Olney, ”Amazing Grace” was possibly one of the hymns written for a weekly service. Through the years other writers have composed additional verses to the hymn which came to be known as “Amazing Grace” (it was not thus entitled in Olney Hymns), and possibly verses from other Newton hymns have been added. However, these are the six stanzas that appeared, with minor spelling variations, in both the first edition in 1779 and the 1808 edition, the one nearest the date of Newton’s death. It appeared under the heading Faith’s Review and Expectation, along with a reference to First Chronicles, chapter 17, verses 16 and 17 [see the below for this Scripture – Graham Pockett].
Marg, it was a different hymn, also one of my favorites "It Is Well With My Soul" written by Horatio Spafford after he lost his family. It is a great song for the grieving. I love it sung by Sandy Patti.
Pat, I also love "It is Well With My Soul"... My DIL has a beautiful voice, sings some in Church and she sings that a lot for me.... I have told my family for YEARS I want that song sung at my funeral......
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