SIR,—Mr. Mayne's conclusion is probably correct; but his arguments arc
devious. No one who has read the Book of Revelation could agree that the New Testament speaks only of re• demotion and forgiveness. There is a paradox where condemnation and forgiveness go hand in hand and the Biblical writers are well aware that it cannot be resolved in purely temporal terms. As for capital punishment placing a man 'past redemption.' what does Mr. Mayne make of Matthew x, 28? The fact is that the New Testament cannot be used to pro' vide a blueprint for twentieth-century society: it Is not that kind of book.
No doubt Christians and humanists can agree that society would do well to put a higher value than it now does on a man's temporal span. Where Chris' titans differ is in believing that the source of and, impetus for this revaluation are not to be found within society itself.—Yours faithfully,
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