We've been thinking this week about a letter written by John Newton, whose hymns you probably

know.

In that letter, he's describing a series of people who in many ways seem to be exemplary Christians,

but they all have one

character blemish, like a mark on a white shirt or a scratch in a new car.

We've already met Mr. Austerius, the austere Christian, Mr. Humanus, the Gregorius Christian,

and John Newton also wants us to meet Mr. Quirulous, and perhaps Mrs. Quirulous too.

So what's Mr. Quirulis' problem?

Here it is, Newton says.

He wastes much of his precious time in declaiming against the management of public affairs.

Or to put it in contemporary terms, he's always expressing opinions about what government or authorities or educational systems or the church. He's always expressing opinions

about what they are doing wrong, and he always seems to know what they should be doing right.

And Newton has the courage to say, Mr. Quirulis is just wasting his time and our time too.

And the reason for it he gives is this.

Mr. Quirulis has no expert knowledge, nor any personally researched information on which

he bases his judgment.

He simply parrots things he picks up from talk shows

on television or on the radio, and the particular kind of literature he reads. And Newton says

he is just wasting his time. I imagine if Mr. querulous heard Newton say that, it would be something of a body blow to him.

And it's not because John Newton was uninterested in the affairs of life.

He's the man who actually discouraged William Wilberforce from leaving Parliament and perhaps

going into the ministry and told him to stay in politics, because Newton really cared about

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