John Newton was an Anglican clergyman and former slave ship master. It took him a long time to speak out against the Slave Trade but he had an influence on many young evangelical Christians, particularly William Wilberforce. At just 11 years old, Newton went to sea with his father. The bottom of page 53 of Olney Hymns shows the first stanza of the hymn beginning "Amazing Grace!" "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779, with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton 1725 to 1807. Amazing Grace is a well known Christian hymn by Englishman John Newton and first appeared in print in Newton's Olney Hymns 1779. John Newton, the author of the lyrics to Amazing Grace, was born in 1725 in Wapping, London, United Kingdom.
