Compiled from John Newton's own notes and memoirs, this reproduction was meticulously recreated from an 1831 original text, detailing Newton's conversion from slave trader to fierce abolitionist. Though his mother believed her son would be a minister one day, Newton chose a life of disobedience and immorality. As he fled the face of God, he became hardened in heart and reduced to a beggar. This angry man eventually rose to the rank of slave ship captain, one of the harshest livelihoods in history. On a storm tossed sea, a near death experience drove him back to his boyhood faith. In less than 20 years, he became a respected man of trade and ultimately a priest who penned the words of the unforgettable hymn, �Amazing Grace,� pouring out his heart�s cry to create a song that still resonates today. In his story of redemption, we find hope for those we love and for ourselves.