These words are life reflections of John Newton, a slave trader who nearly died in a shipwreck, and who eventually became a minister. He penned the famous words of "Amazing Grace" for a sermon for his 1773 New Year's service at the Church of St. Peter, in the small British town of Olney. Much later, in 1835, the American Baptist song leader, William Walker, paired the lyrics with the traditional tune, "New Britain," creating the version familiar to audiences today.
