Go, Bear the Saviour’s Name…

Posted on February 20, 2018 
Filed under History

“In advance of my upcoming trip to Australia and New Zealand, I’ve been studying all I can find on the early history of Christianity in those two nations. Australia was settled by the British first, of course, and served as a kind of staging point for missionaries to reach New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Australian Christianity begins with Richard Johnson, the chaplain of the very first fleet to reach her shores. He had been hand-selected for the task by William Wilberforce and his associates, and immediately got to work preaching the gospel and carrying out the duties of a pastor. He did so with the blessings and prayers of many in his home country, including John Newton, (author of “Amazing Grace”), who wrote this little poem in his honour. …”

– Tim Challies (who will be in Sydney shortly) quotes John Newton’s words to Richard Johnson.

Image: John Newton, courtesy of Marylynn Rouse at The John Newton Project.

Related: ‘Go, bear the Saviour’s name to lands unknown’.