AMAZING GRACE

This is the dream of John Newton, 18th century composer of "Amazing Grace." Newton had been a slave owner until a dream changed his life, and this is the dream:

In my dream I was on night watch on the deck of my ship in Venice harbor. An unknown person brought me a ring, making me promise to keep it at all costs. If I preserved the ring, I was told, happiness and success would be mine; if I lost it, terrible misfortune would follow.

I accepted the ring, certain I could carry out the terms of the agreement. But soon a second, unknown person appeared, blaming me for believing a ring could produce such effects and he urged me to throw it away. At first I was shocked at the proposal; but his insinuations prevailed. I plucked it off my finger and dropped it over the ship's side.

[Suddenly] a terrible fire burst from a range of mountains... I perceived, too late, my folly; and my temper with an air of insult informed me that all the mercy God had in reserve for me was comprised in that ring which I had willfully thrown away. I understood that I must now go with him to the burning mountains, and that all the flames I saw were kindled upon my account. I trembled, and was in a great agony.

In the midst of my hopelessness, a third man appeared, and hearing my confession, asked if I thought I would be wiser if I had the ring again. Before I could answer, this unexpected friend dove into the water and returned with the ring. The fires in the mountains were instantly extinguished. When I approached this benefactor for the ring, however, the man refused, saying that he would take it for safekeeping, making it available when needed.