Northwestern Bible School - Scroll Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

Page 12 text:

' But all And lip Ghei at Ts 3 OK th A through the mountains, thunder viv’n, from the rocky steep, ose a glad cry to the gate of heav’n, ! I have found my sheep!’ angels echoed around the throne, juice, for the Lord brings back His own!’

Page 11 text:

he Sunday morning congregation rises and begins to drone: Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, Chat saved a wretch like me.” Che good parishioners would not be quite so spiritless and detached if they knew the strange story, which forms a background for this hymn, John ‘Hewton, the author of Amazing Grace”, was bom in Condon in 1725. His faithful, Christian mother died when he was seven years old, and John went to sea with his father, at the age of eleven. tOicked sailors and infidel literature soon turned him into a lawless, carousing renegade, and his life resolved itself into a series of harrowing ad¬ ventures, which would put to shame the most fantastic fiction. Jie deserted the navy, but after being captured, he was flogged at the mast and degraded. Jiis wild, reckless escapades led him lower and lower, until he became the miserable bondman of an unscrupulous slave trader, and wallowed in indescribable sin. At last, in hts wretch¬ edness, he remembered hts mother’s teaching and began to read, Che Imitation of Christ”, a deeply spiritual book by Chomas A’ ' Kempis. After two miraculous escapes from death, he determined to turn from his sins and try to please God by living an upright, moral life. !He became the master of a slave ship and spent sir years in learn¬ ing the hitter lesson that, in God’s sight, All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. At the end of this period, another captain brought him to a saving knowledge of the Cord Jesus Christ. After his conversion, John Newton left the sea, and devoted him¬ self to preaching and hymn writing. Jle died at the age of eighty-two -the loved and honored rector of St. CDary IDoolroth. In the light of this brief record, consider the testimony which he left us in his beautiful hymn. Chro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ' Cis grace hath bro’t me safe thus far. And grace will lead me home.”

Page 13 text:

Edinburgh train moved along, bearing the renowned evangelists, ©wight £,. (Doody was reading a letter, while Ira ©. Sankey fruitlessly searched a Condon newspaper for news from home. In his disappointment, was about to discard the paper when his eyes fell upon a bit of poetry in one corner, and his mind was impressed by its words: Ghere were ninety and nine that safely lay In the shelter of the fold, Eut one was out on the hills away. Tar off from the gates of gold— Away on the mountains wild and bare, Away from the tender Shepherd ' s care. Jie called (Dr. CDoody’s attention to the poem, who in turn asked to have it read. Ghis (Dr. Sankey did with all the enthusiasm and elocutionary powers he could command, only to fnd, after he had finished, that CDr. (Doody was again absorbed in his letter and had not heard a word. Ghe singer was chagrined; but, nevertheless, he ftted the verses in his scrap-book for future reference. At the noon meeting on the second day in Edinburgh, (Dr. (Doody and ©r. Sonar had delivered eloquent and stirring addresses on the subject, Ghe Good Shepherd, when (Dr, (Doody turned to his as¬ sociate and asked him, Ttave you an appropriate solo for closing the service? (Dr. Sankey had nothing in mind except the Gwenty-third ©salm, which had already been sung several times in the meeting. An inner voice said, “Sing the hymn you found on the train. tOith a prayer in his heart that God would supply the necessary tune, (Dr. Sankey placed the little slip of paper before him on the organ, struck the key of A flat, and began to sing. ‘Dote by note the tune was given, and it has not been changed from that day to this. IDhen he finished, a great sigh rose up from the audience, and he knew their hearts had been touched. (Dr. (Doody, with tears in his eyes, leaned over the organ and asked, Sankey, where did you get that hymn? I never heard the tike of it in my life,” And thus a song was born—a song which brings hope to the stray¬ ing Christian, courage to the tried, and a new vision to us of the keeping power of Our Shepherd.