In 1788, he renounces his former profession as a slave trader, publishing a pamphlet entitled “Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade”, which describes the disturbing details of the slave trade and conditions of ships. It was published anonymously in 1779 under the title Olney Hymns. During his entire priesthood, he wrote 280 hymns, including the now famous Amazing Grace in 1772. For the next ten years, he invested money into the slave trade business for profit and in 1764, was ordained an Anglican priest. Sadly, Newton continued to sell slaves after his conversion However, a stroke in 1754 caused him to retire. During his tumult, Newton prayed to God for help and an unusual event unfolded: the hole in the ship’s hull miraculously filled with cargo! This allowed Newton to safely escape the storm and drift to safety, marking the first step in his eventual conversion to Christianity and a slow journey towards perfection. On one particular voyage home, he was caught in a terrible storm off the coast of Ireland, nearly sinking his ship.

John Newton was born in London in 1725 to a Puritan mother and sea captain father, he was an irresponsible drinker, serving aboard the slave skip, Pegasus. To understand the thrust of this song, let us delve into a short history lesson. One of the most widely known hymns for the last two centuries, John Newton’s Amazing Grace appeared in over 11,000 separate album releases, with an estimated 10 million performances annually.

Amazing grace lyrics