He may be stern; he may be exacting; he may be ambitious yet; but his is the sternness of the warrior Greatheart, who guards his pilgrim convoy from the onslaught of Apollyon. His is the exaction of the apostle, who speaks but for Christ, when he says--"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." His is the ambition of the high master-spirit, which aims to fill a place in the first rank of those who are redeemed from the earth--who stand without fault before the throne of God, who share the last mighty victories of the Lamb, who are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Podrá ser duro, podrá ser intransigente, podrá incluso ser ambicioso, pero su dureza es la del esforzado guerrero que defiende la caravana contra el enemigo; su intransigencia, la del apóstol que, en nombre de Cristo, dice: «Quien quiera ser mi discípulo, reniegue de sí mismo, tome su cruz y sígame»; y, en fin, su ambición es la del espíritu superior que reclama un puesto de primera línea entre los que, desinteresándose de las cosas terrenas, se presentan inmaculados ante el trono de Dios, participan en la final victoria del Divino Cordero y son, conjuntamente, llamados elegidos y fieles creyentes.