Remember the Madagascar…
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas 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;
’Tis grace has 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 veil,
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 forever mine.
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In some churches I have sung in, the line ’saved a wretch like me’ has been changed to ’saved and set me free.’ I presume John Newton used the phrase with wretch. I am wondering if you dears know anything more about how that change, to cut the word wretch, got in there? Is that just some Protestants not wanting to feel too lowly, not wanting to focus on the negative?
On an unrelated note, I am so glad that this Amazing Grace campaign (www.notforsalecampaign.org) is helping us get back to understanding the original motivation for this song that we sing so often - and that we’re tying it back in to do some real, activist good against modern slavery. This is exciting!
It really is exciting. I wonder how many people have sung that song and never realized the story behind it? I also wonder how many people do not realize that slavery is still a huge issue…
I don’t really know how the words got changed, but it would be interesting to know..