Ebyafaayo n'okubuulira kwa John Newton

Kumbe buli muntu ayimbye olunyiriri lwe olw’ettutumu ennyo nga tamanyi bulamu bw’ani lwe lunnyonnyola. “Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me” si bigambo bya muyimbi anoonya ekigambo eky’amaanyi. Bye bigambo eby’amazima ebyereere. Omusajja eyabiwandiika yali atakkiriza, omuddusi, omuweereza w’abaddu ku lubalama lwa Afirika, era — kino kye kitundu oluyimba lwe lutatuleka kubuuka — omuduumizi w’emmeeri ez’abaddu, ng’atwala abantu nga basibiddwa mu njegere wansi w’ekyombo kye, ate ng’akuuma empisa z’eddiini waggulu. Yamanya bulungi kye yali ategeeza ng’ayogera ku mwonoonyi. Kyekiva olunyiriri luno terunakadde n’akatono.

Ebyawandiikibwa bya maama we, n’ennyanja

John Newton yazaalibwa mu London, mu kitundu ekiriraanye omugga ekya Wapping, nga 24 July 1725. Maama we, Elizabeth, yali Omudissenter omutya Katonda eyajjuza obwana bwe obw’edda n’Ebyawandiikibwa n’ennyimba, era yasuubira nti ajja kukula okuba omuweereza wa Katonda. Yafa olw’akafuba mu July 1732, ng’akyali wansi w’emyaka musanvu. Kuno kwe kufiirwa okwasooka mu kwo okwamukula, era ensigo gye yasimba yamala ebbanga ddene ng’ekwekeddwa nga tennamera.

Yagenda ku nnyanja ng’aweza emyaka nga kkumi n’emu, ng’aseeyeeya ne kitaawe, omuduumizi w’emmeeri y’obusuubuzi. Omulenzi eyakuzibwa ku nnyimba za maama we yafuuka, mu myaka egyaddirira, omuvubuka omukakanyavu era atatya Katonda. Awo nga mu 1743 yawambibwa n’ateekebwa mu magye ag’oku nnyanja aga Royal Navy ku HMS Harwich. Obuyinza bwa kitaawe bwamufuula midshipman; naye obutafaayo bwe ne bukisaanyaawo. Yagezaako okudduka, n’akwatibwa, n’akubibwa mu lujjudde, n’akendeezebwa okutuuka ku ddaala ery’omuseeyeeyi omutufu — obuswavu mu maaso g’emmeeri yonna.

Oluvannyuma yeeyisa okuyingira mu buweereza bw’omusuubuzi w’abaddu, era okugwa kwe ne kweyongera. Okuva nga mu 1745 yabeera ku lubalama lwa Sierra Leone, ku Bizinga bya Plantain, mu bwavu obungi ne mu kintu ekyali kumpi n’obuddu wansi w’omutunzi w’abaddu ne mukyala we Omufirika. Nga mulwadde, ng’ali kumpi n’okufa enjala, era ng’ayisibwa bubi, omusajja eyandiduumidde emmeeri ez’abaddu olunaku olumu yayisibwa okumala akaseera ng’ali nga muddu. Yajjukira obuswavu obwo mu bwangu.

Buli lwe yavanga ku kyombo, nasibibwanga ku waggulu w’emmeeri, nga mpeebwa akabakuli k’omuceere okuba emmere yange ey’olunaku.

— John Newton, An Authentic Narrative

Wano we wava olugero lwe ne lufuuka olw’omugaso so si olw’okwewuunya kwokka. Newton teyava waggulu ennyo n’agwa. Yali amaze dda okutuuka wansi ddala — ng’aduulibwa, ng’alumwa enjala, era ng’ekisembayo ky’ateesa yennyini omulabe wa Katonda — ekisa bwe kyatandika, mpolampola, okumutuukako.

Omuyaga ku Donegal

Enkyukakyuka yajjira ku nnyanja. Nga 10 March 1748 — okusinziira ku kalenda eya edda gye yagoberera obulamu bwe bwonna — Newton yali ku mmeeri y’obusuubuzi Greyhound, ng’akomawo nga asomoka Atlantic, omuyaga ogw’amaanyi bwe gwakuba ku lubalama lwa Donegal mu Ireland. Emmeeri yali kumpi okumenyeka. Omuseeyeeyi omu yatwalibwa amazzi n’abula. Amazzi gaayingira mangu okusinga abakozi bwe baali basobola okukola, ne Newton, nga yasibibwa ku ppampu okumala essaawa empanvu, yakola ekintu kye yamala emyaka ng’aduulira abasajja abalala olw’okukikola. Yakaabirira Katonda okumusaasira.

Greyhound teyasaana. Newton yawona, so teyalowooza nti okuwona kwe kwali mukisa buseere. Yakuuma olunaku olwo ng’olunaku lwe olw’amazaalibwa ag’omwoyo obulamu bwe bwonna, era yalwawandiika mu bigambo bye ye.

Olunaku 10 (kwe kugamba mu nkola eya kaakati 21) olwa March, lwe lunaku olw’okujjukirwa ennyo nange.

— John Newton, An Authentic Narrative

Kyandibadde kirungi okumaliriza okukyuka okwo awo, era okunnyonnyola kungi bwe kukola bwe kutyo. Naye Newton yennyini yali wa mazima okusingawo. Bulijjo yakakasa nti okukyuka kwe kwali kwa mpolampola, si kwa mbagirawo. Omuyaga gwamuzuukusa; okukakasibwa okw’amaanyi kwajja mpolampola, okumala emyaka, era ekintu ekimu ekitasanyusa kiyimirira wakati mu mulimu ogwo ogwa mpolampola ne kigaana okuggyibwawo.

Omuduumizi eyeeyongera okusaba

Okukaaba kwa Newton ng’asaba okusaasirwa mu 1748 tekwakomya busuubuzi bwe obw’abaddu. Kino kye kifo eky’omu makkati ekizibu mu bulamu bwe, era okukigonza kwe kufiirwa amakulu ga buli ekyo kye yava oluvannyuma okufuuka. Oluvannyuma lw’omuyaga yeeyongera mu busuubuzi — ng’omuyambi, oluvannyuma n’aba omuduumizi w’emmeeri ez’abaddu. Yaduumira Duke of Argyle mu 1750 ne African okuva mu 1752 okutuuka mu 1754. Ku ntambula ezo yakuumanga empisa z’eddiini ez’obwesimbu ku mmeeri, ng’akwatirira okusinza waggulu ate ng’ebyamaguzi bye yasasulibwanga okutwala biri wansi nga bisibiddwa mu njegere. Mu kiseera ekyo yali musajja asaba era omutunzi w’abantu mu kiseera kye kimu, era yasigala bw’atyo okumala emyaka.

Yava ku nnyanja nga mu 1754, oluvannyuma lw’obulwadde bwa nkukunala obwakomya obusobozi bwe obw’obuduumizi obwenkanidde awo, ne mu kiseera ekyo teyalekera awo busuubuzi mangu — okumala akaseera yali akyalina ssente ze yali atadde mu bwo. Okuzuukuka kw’omwoyo gwe ogw’omunda ku busuubuzi bw’abaddu bwennyini, nga bwe kwali okukyuka kwe, kwajja mpolampola era oluvannyuma ennyo.

Omusomi ow’amazima kimugwanira okutuula ne kino awatali kukinnyonnyolako kukiggyawo. Kiri kityo lwakuba Newton teyafuulibwa mulungi mbagirawo, obujulizi bwe eri ekisa kyekiva buzitowa bwe butyo. Si kirabo kya bulokozi obulongoofu. Ye bujulizi nti Katonda akolera ku muntu ow’amazima mu biseera eby’amazima, era nti ekitangaala kiyinza okukya mu mutima ng’ekibi ekinene kikyafuula emikono eddugavu. Bwe yamalirira okutegeera kye yali akoze, teyeewozaako nti teyagenderera kukola bubi. Yeeyita nga bwe yali abadde.

Olney, Cowper, ne Amazing Grace

Ekisa kyamufuula omuweereza wa Katonda, wadde nga oluggi lwaggulwa mpolampola. Newton yafuuka omupima w’amayengo ku mwalo gwa Liverpool mu 1755, era mu ssaawa ze ez’okuwummulamu yeeyigiriza Oluyonaani, Olwebbulaniya, n’okuyiga eby’obwakatonda. Yanoonya okwawulibwa naye mu kusooka n’agaanibwa. Ku nkomerero, nga 29 April 1764, yayawulibwa okuba dikoni mu Kkanisa ya England, ne kasisi mu June eyo, n’atumibwa okuba omusumba omuyambi mu kabuga ka Olney mu Buckinghamshire, gye yaweereza okumala emyaka nga kkumi n’omukaaga.

E Olney yakola omu ku mikwano emikulu egy’omu byawandiikibwa by’Olungereza, ne poeti William Cowper. Cowper yali abonaabona n’ennaku ey’amaanyi eyaddiŋŋananga n’ebiseera eby’okuggwaamu essuubi okutuuka n’okwagala okwetta, ne Newton n’afuuka omusumba we owa kumpi era mukwano gwe, ng’amuleeta mu kuwandiika ennyimba mu ngeri emu ng’eddagala eri omutima ogwali gweruma gwokka. Bombi baawukananga mu bunono.

Nzikiriza … tetwamala ssaawa musanvu nga tetuli wamu.

— John Newton, ku bwakwano bwe ne William Cowper

Okuva mu bwegatta obwo ne wava Olney Hymns ez’omu 1779, Newton mwe yawaayo ennyimba nga 280 ne Cowper nga 68 — nga mu zo mwe muli eya Cowper “God moves in a mysterious way.” Oluyimba lwa Newton olusinga okunywerera lwali lwasooka okuyimbibwa emyaka mitono emabega. Yaluwandiika ku mukolo gw’olunaku olw’Omwaka Omuggya nga 1 January 1773, okwagatta ku kubuulira ku kusaba kwa Kabaka Dawudi okw’okwewuunya mu 1 Chronicles. Yaluyita “Faith’s Review and Expectation.” Ensi yajja okulumanya olw’ebigambo byalwo ebibiri ebisooka.

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.

— John Newton, “Amazing Grace,” 1779

Ng’ayogera ku busuubuzi bwe yali akoze

Mu 1780 Newton yafuuka omusumba omukulu owa St Mary Woolnoth mu City of London, gye yabuuliriza okutuuka kumpi n’enkomerero y’obulamu bwe. Omwaka ogwakulembera yali afulumizza Cardiphonia; or, The Utterance of the Heart — ekitabo ekyatuutumuka eky’ebbaluwa ze ez’omwoyo ekyatwala eddoboozi lye ery’ekisa era eryekenneenya wala okusinga ekyoto kyonna ekimu.

Kyali okuva mu buweereza buno obw’oluvannyuma mwe yakolera omulimu ensi gw’emwewola okusingira ddala, ok’ojjako oluyimba. Mu 1788 yafulumya Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade, okwatula okw’olukale n’okuloopa ng’omujulizi eyalaba ku busuubuzi bwe yali aduumidde. Nga kuva eri omuduumizi w’emmeeri ez’abaddu eyabadde, kwatwala obuzito omuyiiya yenna eyalwanyisa obuddu bwe yali tasobola kwenkanankana; yali alabye n’amaaso ge kye yali kaakati aloopera, so teyeerekereza mu kubunnyonnyola. Omwaka gwe gumu ogwo yawa obujulizi mu maaso g’akakiiko ka Privy Council akaali kakebera obusuubuzi obwo.

Era yayamba okutereeza kaweefube ono ng’ayita mu basajja be yabuulirira. William Wilberforce omuvubuka, eyali akyakyuse, bwe yalowooza okuva mu by’obufuzi n’agenda mu buweereza mu 1785, yali Newton eyamukubiriza okusigala mu bulamu obw’olukale. Okubuulirira okwo kwayamba Wilberforce okusigala mu House of Commons, gye yali ajja okukulembera olutalo oluwanvu olw’omu palamenti okulwanyisa obusuubuzi. Omukadde yakulembera omuvubuka, era yawangaala okumala okulaba ekibala. Etteeka erya Slave Trade Act eryaggyawo obusuubuzi bw’abaddu obwa Bungereza lyayita mu 1807, emyezi mitono gyokka nga Newton tannafa.

Ebintu bibiri bye yajjukira

Mukyala wa Newton, Mary Catlett Newton, yafa mu 1790, era Newton yamuwangaako emyaka kkumi na musanvu. Yafiira mu London nga 21 December 1807, ng’aweza emyaka kinaana mu bbiri. Yali alagidde nti tewaba jjinja lya kijjukizo limulambika okuggyako ebigambo bye yeewandiikira, era gasigala nga bwe bunnyonnyozi obw’amazima ennyo obw’obulamu bwe — okwatula n’okwebaza mu mukka gumu.

John Newton, Omuwandiisi, eyali edda atakkiriza era omwenkanya, omuweereza w’abaddu mu Afirika, yali, olw’okusaasira okungi okwa Mukama waffe era Omulokozi Yesu Kristo, akuumibwa, azzibwa obuggya, asonyiyibwa, era alondebwa okubuulira okukkiriza kwe yamala ebbanga ddene ng’afuba okuzikiriza.

— Ekijjukizo John Newton kye yeewandiikira, St Mary Woolnoth

Ebigambo bibiri byeenyweza mu kujjukirwa kwe okuva mu myaka gye egyasembayo, era obwesimbu businga twogereko kubyo. Newton ajjukirwa ng’agamba nti, “Siri kye nsaanidde okuba, naye olw’ekisa kya Katonda ndi kye ndi” — olunyiriri olutuukirira buli kye yayigiriza, wadde nga lututuukako nga luyita mu bikuŋŋaanya eby’oluvannyuma so si mu kintu kyonna kye tumanyi nti yafulumya. N’abo abaali bamulabirira okumpi n’enkomerero baawa ekigambo ekyangu n’okusingawo, kye yayogera ng’okujjukira kwe kuggwaamu: nti yali mwonoonyi mukulu, ne Kristo Omulokozi omukulu. Ka kibe nti enjogera yayo ntuufu oba nedda, tewali bunnyonnyozi bwa musajja oyo obusinga okuba obw’amazima.

Kino kye kisembayo ekileetera oluyimba lwe okusigala nga lugumu ate ennyimba ennene okusinga bwe zaggwaamu amaanyi. Newton teyaganya muntu yenna, na ye yennyini, kwerabira kye yali abadde. Teyalaga kukyuka kutukuvu oba lugendo lwa lutabaazi. Yateeka “a wretch like me” mu kamwa ka buli muyimbi, era yakitegeeza okusooka ku musajja eyali asibye abalala mu njegere wansi w’ekyombo kye eky’okusaba. Ekisa kye yayimbako kyali kya kitalo kubanga yali apimye, mu bujjuvu, engeri gye kyatuuka okumusanga.