On Moses and John Newton

The brilliant site "Ship of Fools" (see sidebar) has both humourous and serious features. Today a brief one on the slave-trader John Newton, who converted, campaigned against the trade and lived to see it abolished thanks to the activities of Wilberforce. He also wrote the famous hymn, "Amazing Grace".


Nice story it is - just one teensy-bit of a problem. Read the feature.

http://ship-of-fools.com/Features/2007/john_newton.html

Newton converted during his time as a slave-trader. But he continued in the trade for six years, and only left on ground of ill-health. During the latter years he had been a "humane" slaver, who ensured very few died. Looked after them well, except that - well, they were still slaves.

This isn't to deny his role in the campaign - he wouldn't be the first to live with a dreadful system as part of the background of life. And he did eventually see the horror and turn against it.

I am reminded of the rabbinic story about Moses, based on the text "He saw their burdens" - that is, the slaves with their labour. Of course, the rabbis do not claim this happened exactly - it is a midrash, that is, it is a parable, on change in society.
The rabbis say that his first reaction was to help the person next to him.
His second reaction was to use his influence at court to lighten the tasks loaded onto the Hebrews.
The third and final reaction was - revolution, a complete overthrow and end to the slavery of his people.

So Newton had the same experience. First, he chose not to impose tortures on his slaves, then he developed a system so that his slaves survived the Middle Passage. Finally he realised that the whole system needed to be rejected utterly.

It's a timely reminder that the situations we grow up with can all too easily be seen as "inevitable" or "the way things are". And we must be ready, eventually, to change things completely if necessary.