Analysis of The Death Of Stephen

John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)



As some tall rock amidst the waves,
The fury of the tempest braves;
While the fierce billows toiling high,
Break at its foot and murm'ring die:

Thus they, who in the Lord confide,
Though foes assault on every side;
Cannot he moved or overthrown,
For Jesus makes their cause his own.

So faithful Stephen, undismayed,
The malice of the Jews surveyed;
The holy joy which filled his breast
A lustre on his face impressed.

Behold! he said, the world of light
Is opened to my strengthened sight;
My glorious Lord appears in view,
That Jesus, whom ye lately slew.

With such a friend and witness near,
No form of death could make him fear;
Calm, amidst show'rs of stones, he kneels,
And only for his murd'rers feels.

May we, by faith, perceive thee thus,
Dear Saviour, ever near to us!
This fight our peace, through life, shall keep,
And death be feared no more than sleep.


Scheme AABB CCDD CXEE FFGG HHAX IIJJ
Poetic Form Quatrain 
Metre 11110101 01010101 10110101 1111011 11100101 110111001 1011101 11011111 110101 01010101 01011111 01011101 01110111 11011101 110010101 11011101 11010101 11111111 10111111 0101111 11110111 1110111 111011111 01111111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 855
Words 158
Sentences 8
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 24
Letters per line (avg) 28
Words per line (avg) 7
Letters per stanza (avg) 112
Words per stanza (avg) 26
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

48 sec read
115

John Newton

Rev Dr John A Newton CBE is a prominent Methodist minister, author, historian and former President of the Methodist Conference. more…

All John Newton poems | John Newton Books

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