HERE'S THE ANSWER

Mrs. Knight and Hell AREADER requeets comment on a letter written to " The Observer " of May 11 by Mrs. Margaret Knight, of Aberdeen. it is too long to quote in full, but it can be reduced to the following points: 1. Mrs. Knight objects to the contention of another "Observer" correspondent (Mr. Adam Rifflesun) that the references to " hellfire" in the Gospels are symbolic. not literal.
2. She objects in particular to the contention that the hell-fire in the parable of Dives and Lazarus is symbolic.
3. She refers to this parable as **repulsive" and " revolting
4. She states that hell-the was taken literally " by the greater part of the Church for 2.000 years ". 5. She considers that " the beliefs thus engendered have caused untold misery, and have been the indirect cause of some of the most appalling cruelties in history ". 6. She,states that " if Jesus was God, could He not have been expected to realise to what disastrous misunderstandings his 'symbolic' statements would lead ?"
THE points can be answered briefly as follows:
I and 2. Mrs. Knight is correct (despite her general antiChristianity) in holding the literal sense of hell fire; thus Mr. Hadeston is incorrect.
3. Christ gave the parable of Dives and Lazarus in a form His hearers could readily understandto emphasize the obligation of accepting divinely-authorized teachers, whose teaching is allsufficient, without a special individual revelation. Certain details (e.g., "finger " and " tongue") are evidently figurative. since only the soul of Dives was in hell.
The situation was repulsive and revolting to the damned, certainly; but the parable itself cannot pro. perlv be called so; it simply teaches in a vivid form accommodated to the hearers' minds the doctrine of everlasting punishment. which is certainly true. 4. The Church has not defined explicitly as to hell fire: but only as to everlasting punishment (as at the 4th Lateran Council and the Council of Trent). But her general teaching is that there is a real environment in hell which is best described by the term " fire "-because this is the term Christ. actually and repeatedly used.
5. Mrs. Knight seems to refer to (a) undue fear of hell' by good people; but if the Catholic teach• ing is properly understood, there is no need for such undue fear by the good or the repentant; but merely the wholesome fear of the fact of everlasting punishment for the wicked; and (b) to the penalty for heretical denial; with the consebuent burning at the stake-the penalty in vogue in mediaeval times.
The only particularly Catholic element was that heresy Was regarded as a capital offence; the general criminal law was commonly harsh up to some 150 years ago, in non-Catholic States-England included. While we deplore such methods we should realise the universal attitude of the time.
6. Christ certainly realised the entire future-He is God as Well as man. But the doctrine of hell (as every other Christian doctrine) has no essential relation to modes of criminal law administration; this being decided by the attitude (whether wise or imprudent. charitable or uncharitable) and temperamental tenor of the age.