We've been talking this week about a letter written by John Newton, the great English hymn writer, about 200 years ago.

It's a letter about people whose problem is, really, that they sing about amazing grace, but they haven't

themselves become amazingly gracious. Newton has some clever Latin names for these people.

Yesterday we talked about Mr. Austerius, the austere Christian, who always seems to be right,

but in a kind of loveless way.

Another person that Newton mentions is almost at the opposite end of the spectrum,

and he gives him a Latin name too. He's called Mr. Humanus. He's a people person.

He's the kind of person as is Mrs. Humannus, who is just all over new visitors to the church welcoming them.

So what is it about Mr. Humanus?

He's gregarious, he's friendly.

But here's the problem.

There's a kind of seem of inconsistency in his Christian life.

John Newton captures it like this.

He says, if you trusted Mr. Humanus with your gold, there would be no risk at all.

It would be perfectly safe.

With money, he's a model of integrity.

But, writes Newton, entrust him with a secret, and you put your secret into the public domain.

He just can't keep it to himself.

Some time ago I was having dinner with some Christian friends, and at one point they were interested

in something that had happened in my life when I was a teenager.

And I said to them, I'll tell you what it is as long as you promise never to tell anyone.

Promise me? You know, none of them promised. They were all mature Christians.

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