Page:MyPrayerBookHappinessInGoodness.djvu/69

 are they  few  that  are  saved?"  Jesus  simply  replied: "Strive  to  enter  by  the  narrow  gate."

"It is  a  question,"  says  Father  Walsh,  S.J.,  in  his admirable and  consoling  study,  "The  Comparative Number  of  the  Saved  and  Lost,"  "about  which  there  is no  authoritative  decision  of  the  Church,  nor  unanimous opinion  of  her  Fathers  or  theologians.

"Many, notably  Suarez,  hold  —  as  Father  Faber does  —  that  the  great  majority  of  adult  Catholics  will be  saved.  Some,  amongst  whom  we  are  glad  to  count the  illustrious  Dominican,  Father  Lacordaire,  hold  or incline  to  the  opinion  that  the  majority  of  mankind,  including heathens  and  heretics,  will  be  saved.

"Pere Monsabre,  O.P.,  Father  Castelein,  S.J.,  and Rev.  Joseph  Rickaby,  S.J.,  advocate  this  mildest opinion.  Father  Rickaby  says  in  his  Conference, 'The  Extension  of  Salvation':  'As  to  what  proportion of  men  die  in  sanctifying  grace,  and  what  proportion in  mortal  sin,  nothing  is  revealed,  nothing  is  of faith,  and  nothing  is  really  known  to  theologians.  If ever  you  find  a  theologian  confidently  consigning  the mass  of  human  souls  to  eternal  flames,  be  sure  he  is venturing  beyond  the  bounds  of  Christian  faith  and  of theological  science.  You  are  quite  free  to  disbelieve his  word.    I  do  not  believe  it  myself.

"'The rigor  of  the  older  theologians  culminated  in Jansenism.  To  the  Jansenist  the  elect  were  the  few grapes  left  upon  the  vine  after  a  careful  vintage  (Is. xxiv.  13).  Since  the  extirpation  of  Jansenism,  the pendulum  of  theological  speculation  has  swung  the  other way,  and  theologians  generally  hope  more  of  the  mercy of  God,  or,  at  least,  speak  with  less  assurance  of  the range  of  His  rigorous  justice.'

"The reasons,"  continues  Father  Walsh,  "which