Some Blemishes in Christian Character

From: The Letters of John Newton My grandmother gave me this book when I lived with her one summer. I believe I have re-read it more times than any other book. (available from Banner of Truth)

AUSTERUS: "...is invariably true to his principles...can neither be bribed nor intimidated from the path of duty...there is a harshness in his manner...he is more admired than beloved...he is thought proud, dogmatic and self-important...he has unhappily contracted a cynical air....though he prizes the precepts and promises, there is one he seems to have overlooked, BE COURTEOUS."

HUMANUS: "...is generous and benevolent...upright and friendly spirit. Should you, without witness or writing, intrust him with untold gold, you would run no risk of loss, but if you intrust him with a secret, you thereby put it in possession of the public...he bridleth not his tongue."

PRUDENS: "He bestows not his alms to be seen of men...but Prudens is a great economist...the meanness to which he will submit, either to save or gain a penny are a great discredit to his profession...he is exceedingly hard, strict and suspicious in making his bargains...he appears under the hateful character of a miser."

VOLATILIS: "...is always in a hurry, always too late...this has been so long his practice, that nobody expects him till they see him. This want of punctuality runs through his whole deportment and puts everything out of course in which he is concerned."

CESSATOR: "...he greatly neglects the duties of his station. Had he been sent into the world only to read, pray, hear sermons and join religous conversation, he might pass for an eminent Christian...his views of his Christian calling are very narrow and defective. He does not consider that waiting upon God in the public and private ordinances is designed, not to excuse us from the discharge of the duties of civil life, but to instruct, strengthen and qualify us for their performance. His affairs are in disorder...he is an idle and unfaithful member of society."

CURIOSUS: His conversation is often satisfactory and edifying; he would be a much more agreeable companion, were it not for an impertinent desire of knowing everybody's business...this puts him upon asking a multiplicity of needless and improper questions...if he would attend to the cold and evasive answers he receives, or even to the looks with which they are accompanied, he might learn that this prying disposition is very unpleasing."

QUERULUS: "He wastes much of his precious time in declaiming against the management of public affairs...our national concerns are no more affected by the remonstrances of Querulus, than the heavenly bodies are by the disputes of astronomers. He forgets that THE LORD REIGNS...he may do his country much better by pleading for it in prayer than by finding fault with things which he has no power to alter. It embitters his spirit, and prevents him from feeling the value of those blessings, civil and religous, which he actually possesses: and could he prevail on many to act in the same spirit, the governing powers might be irritated to take every opportunity of abridging that religous liberty with which we are favoured..."