The man and the story behind 'Amazing Grace'

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) that sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.
‘T was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears reliev'd;
how precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believ'd!
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;
‘T is grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis'd good to me, his word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the vail, a life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below, will be for ever mine.
 
In 1835, Faith’s Review and Expectation found its soul mate in “New Britain” and was born again as Amazing Grace. The seed was conceived and a song was delivered after the spiritual message from England's central east met and married a simple melody from America's deep south.

In 1900, American composer and successful publisher, Edwin Othello Excell (1851-1921) added the finishing touches with his musical arrangement. He also removed the final verse from the original poem and replaced it with the following stanza from Jerusalem, My happy Home:

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun;
We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.

At the age of 57, Newton - an accomplished author, found himself standing at a ministry crossroad and staring at a major dilemma. The Newtons were forced to make a decision to leave the "Olney community" that they had come to love and serve for nearly 16 years. The veteran childless couple moved their home from the small village of Olney to the big city of London. On December 19, 1779 John preached his first sermon as Rector of the St Mary Woolnoth Church.

God blessed Newton's ministry and enlarged his coast from England's banking district to Australia's Botany Bay. As leader of "the Eclectic Society" (a practical group of evangelical clergy and Christian laymen), John approached Reverend Richard Johnson on September 23, 1786 to consider the chaplaincy on the first fleet to the land Down-Under. Reverend Johnson accepted, and the rest is Australian history.

The earlier work of Newton's excellent writings, Authentic Narrative - a personal testimony - continued to challenge more hearts for God and change many lives for good. So did also his newly published and necessarily controversial Thoughts on the African Slave Trade. The latter equipped and empowered his beloved disciple, William Wilberforce MP, who after 20 years of faithful campaigning to abolish slavery, finally succeeded in 1807 in passing an act of parliament in all British colonies.

Newton died on December 21, 1807.

The life of John Newton, wretched sinner that he was, clearly demonstrates that no matter how deep in sin you have gone so far, God’s grace is still so far greater. God’s Amazing Grace is all sufficient regardless of whosoever you are in this world and whatsoever you’ve done with your life.