I don't think that Reverend Hale really believes Elizabeth to be a witch. I think that he feels that the Proctor household is "soft" on religion. Yet, I think that he feels that this softness could be misread by those in the position of power. It is for this reason that he is insistent that the Proctors recognize the changing tide of social perception and political power in Salem. He does not perceive Elizabeth to be practicing witchchraft. Yet, he also understands that the lack of religion in the Proctor home can be misread by many. It is in this light that Hale leaves with a type of proto- warning that they must find a way to be more demonstrative about their religious faith. I think that it is a statement on the condition of life in Salem that Hale would have to ensure that the Proctors are "church folk"...
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in order to rule out the possibility of Elizabeth being a witch. The larger implication of this is that issues of guilt and innocence in Salem are being decided by public perception and shades of insinuation as opposed to issues related to actual evidence and a sense of institutional control. In many ways, Hale becomes a part of this.
Does Rev. Hale believe Elizabeth Proctor practices witchcraft in The Crucible?
In act 2, Reverend Hale visits the Proctor home on his own accord to do some investigating regarding the background of various citizens. Reverend Hale seems suspicious of John Proctor after he fails to correctly recite the Ten Commandments. However, Reverend Hale is astonished when Ezekiel Cheever and deputies of the court arrive at the Proctor home to arrest Elizabeth, who is accused of attempting to murder Abigail Williams. John Proctor valiantly defends his wife's innocence, but Reverend Hale does not prevent the deputies from arresting her. John Proctor proceeds to rebuke and criticize Hale for not intervening, and Reverend Hale is noticeably uncertain and guilty. He then attempts to assure John that Elizabeth will be acquitted by saying:
What I have heard in her favor, I will not fear to testify in court. God help me, I cannot judge her guilty or innocent—I know not. (Miller 79)
In act 3, it becomes evident that Abigail is lying and both John and Elizabeth Proctor are not guilty of witchcraft or colluding with the devil. Reverend Hale ends up supporting Elizabeth and does not believe that she ever participated in witchcraft. Overall, Reverend Hale does not believe that Elizabeth engaged in witchcraft and attempts to defend her innocence toward the end of act three. Tragically, Hale's support is a little too late and the court has already made their decision.