John Newton Quotes in Amazing Grace (2006)

John Newton: Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

John Newton: God sometimes does His work with gentle drizzle, not storms. Drip. Drip. Drip.

John Newton: I wish I could remember all their names. My 20,000 ghosts, they all had names, beautiful African names. We'd call them with just grunts, noises. We were apes, they were human.

[tears up]

John Newton: Though I have lost my memory, two things I know. I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior.

John Newton: [reciting his song] "I once was blind but now I see". Didn't I write that?

William Wilberforce: Yes, you did.

John Newton: Now at last it's true.

William Wilberforce: I thought time might have changed you.

John Newton: It has. I'm older.

William Wilberforce: I had heard your sight was fading.

John Newton: Well, now it's faded altogether. I never do things by halves. God decided I'd seen enough.

John Newton: Besides, people like you too much to let you live a life of solitude.

William Wilberforce: Haven't you chosen solitude?

John Newton: You of all people should know I can never be alone.

John Newton: I can't help you. But do it, Wilber. Do it. Take them on. Blow their dirty, filthy ships out of the water. The planters, sugar barons, Alderman "Sugar Cane", the Lord Mayor of London. Liverpool, Boston, Bristol, New York. All their streets running with blood, dysentery, puke! You won't come away from those streets clean, Wilber. You'll get filthy with it, you'll dream it, see it in broad daylight. But do it. For God's sake.

William Wilberforce: You're dressing very simply these days.

John Newton: I'm a simple man.

John Newton: [through tears] I'm weeping. I couldn't weep till I wrote this.