A fiery, ardent, untamable soul was Harden's, bold and
uncompromising. He never scrupled to tell anybody what he thought,
and would send an arrow sharp and swift through any iniquity, no
matter where it might couch. He absolutely ruled Cowfold, hated by
many, beloved by many, feared by all--a genuine soldier of the Cross.
Mr. Broad very much preferred the indirect mode of doing good, and if
he thought a brother had done wrong, contented himself with praying
in private for him. He was, however, not a hypocrite, that is to
say, not an ordinary novel or stage hypocrite. There is no such
thing as a human being simply hypocritical or simply sincere. We are
all hypocrites, more or less, in every word and every action, and,
what is more, in every thought. It is a question simply of degree.
Furthermore, there are degrees of natural capacity for sincerity, and
Mr. Broad was probably as sincere as his build of soul and body
allowed him to be. Certainly no doubt as to the truth of what he
preached ever crossed his mind. He could not doubt, for there was no
doubt in the air; and yet he could not believe as Harden believed,
for neither was Harden's belief now in the air.
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