I forgot to mention, that Newton's use of the word "wretch" was not at all poetic but reflected Newton's memory of his past. He was haunted by the shame of having been a slave ship captain, making cruel merchandise of human lives. His repentance of this life was not just emotional however but extended to practical and political action. John Newton, alongside Partlimentarian William Wilburforce, was one of the primary individuals responsible for the abolition of slavery in the British Isles, some 30 years before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Some of this history is recorded in the fairly recent movie, Amazing Grace:

http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/castcrew_wilberforce.php

In this movie, Newton is shown as an elderly man and he makes the statement, "I have forgotten many things but there are two things I remember: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior".

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-Joe Offer-