One fire was on his spirit, one resolve - To send the keen axe to the root of wrong, Clearing a free way to the feet of God, The eyes of conscience testing every stroke.

The lines portray a reformer driven by a single consuming moral purpose: to strike at the “root of wrong” rather than merely trimming its outward symptoms. The “keen axe” suggests decisive, even painful action, while the aim—“Clearing a free way to the feet of God”—frames social justice as a spiritual imperative, not just a political program. The final image, “The eyes of conscience testing every stroke,” emphasizes ethical self-scrutiny: righteous zeal must be disciplined by conscience so that each act of reform remains morally accountable. Overall, the passage fuses prophetic religion with activism, presenting moral clarity and inner integrity as the measure of effective change.