In that remarkable sermon which Jesus delivered from the hill above Gennesaret, and which we all tenderly and reverently refer to as the Sermon on the Mount, our Master laid down for us in language terse and strong, the rules by which we could distinguish right from wrong, the real from the unreal, the good from seeming evil, and thus be equipped to detect error and armed to overcome it.

The numerous lessons taught by him at that time become plain under the illumination of the spiritual understanding shed upon them through a study of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker G. Eddy, and as their real meaning is apprehended, we find ourselves prepared for the work of demonstrating their truthfulness in the way and manner in which the Master intended that they should be proven, that is, by works rather than by words.

In the light of recent occurrences, one of the statements made by him on that memorable occasion has stood out more clearly to me than ever before. He said: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."

Out text-book, Science and Health, elucidates these words of the Master, making it evident that he wanted those to whom he spoke, and all who came after them, to understand that it is impossible for good to come out of evil or for evil to produce good, that good has no more communion with evil than the Christ hath with Belial. The words of our Master, then, give a negative reply to the oft-asked question: "Can evil be derived from Good?" and makes manifest the truthfulness of the answer to this question contained in our text-book, where it is summed up by Mrs. Eddy in the one positive word: "Impossible."

It seems to be the present tendency to attribute to God any momentous happening, concerning which an intelligent explanation cannot be given. In many cases this undoubtedly proceeds from an honest belief, from a mind trained and educated to impute to God anything that cannot be explained on a material basis.

From this condition of mind arises the broadcast statements that such and such a thing was God's will or God's way working. For lack of a better answer this statement is accepted by mortal mind as correct, and so, while saying that "God is Good," and praying "Thy will be done," mortals are in fact holding the belief that God is responsible for, or at least permits, sin, sickness, and death.

This view of whatever may be attracting the world's thought at the time, spreads the hurtful and untruthful belief until it is in every mouth and we hear it iterated and reiterated by our neighbors and friends. Thus is laid at God's door something that every Christian Scientist knows to be the offspring of error,—nothingness.

It is at such times that the Christian Scientist needs to be alive, to be watchful, to be on guard all the time to mentally, and audibly if necessary, deny the error of belief that would ascribe evil to our God. Unless this is done there is danger of the erroneous thought touching us and perhaps shutting our eyes to the facts before we realize it, thus using us to perpetuate the belief that God knows evil, or that good is in evil.

Are the words of Jesus true: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit"?

If they are true, and every Christian Scientist knows that they are, it follows that evil cannot proceed from good, that good is not and cannot be a channel for evil. God is Good, and evil is the opposite of Good, therefore the opposite of God. God has no opposite, therefore evil is reduced to nothing. Evil tries to boast itself above good; it has done this ever since "the morning stars sang together," but it is to-day what it was then and what it ever will be—nothing.

Let us, then, realize at all times, that "a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit," that the same fountain cannot bring forth sweet waters and bitter, that men cannot gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, that good and evil cannot mingle. All evil doing is of its father, the devil, the one evil, and when it is imputed to God, or said to be God's will, it is simply an attempt to make black appear white, to make us believe that evil can spring forth from God—Good. God's will is good and good only. As Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings," p. 206: "Good is my God, and my God is Good." It is ignorance of the divine Principle that imputes evil to God.

Error is error at all times. It is ever seeking whom it may devour. Its object is to discredit good and destroy it if it could. It aims to pull down every good cause, and thus aiming, pours its greatest fire where the leaders of a good movement stand. Let us pray for all leaders of good, and realize all the time the impotence of evil, and that it never comes from God—Good.