Editorial March 11, 1916 Issue

"The tree of life"

Annie M. Knott

In the closing chapter of Revelation we have a wonderful picture of the things mortal eye hath not seen, and which cannot enter into the heart of mortal man; yet they are spiritual realities, the things known of God and prepared for all His children. We are here told of the river of the water of life, and of that tree whose leaves, John tells us, are "for the healing of the nations."

This tree of life is first mentioned in the second chapter of Genesis, and it is specifically distinguished from "the tree of knowledge of good and evil." We are also told of a river which rose in Eden, but which was divided into four separate streams as it flowed out into the world. The first departure, Pison, seems to indicate symbolically the quest for gold, which on the mortal side is but a base counterfeit of the divine idea, the possession of which "maketh rich" and "addeth no sorrow with it." Spiritually understood this stream stands for "the love of the good and beautiful" (Science and Health, p. 593). The other branches, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates, are also worthy of more than passing notice, especially Euphrates, which is wonderfully explained by Mrs. Eddy on page 585 of our text-book, where she presents a picture of human belief at its best with "metaphysics taking the place of physics," as in a dissolving view; and as the finite sense gives place to the spiritual idea, we have "divine Science encompassing the universe and man."

It is, however, with the tree of life that we are here most concerned, for according to the allegory in Genesis man was permanently barred from it because of his disobedience, although he was still permitted to partake of the fruit of that other tree which had been the occasion of his downfall. This belief has prevailed among mortals all through the centuries, for men have denied that any could have access to the tree of life, though it has been held that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil must be looked to for the healing of all fleshly ills. A knowledge of evil has, moreover, been given pre-eminence in all medical systems, and the "leaves" of this tree are typified by poisonous drugs, which may, according to medical opinion, destroy life while they are relieving pain, and which may also corrupt the moral nature, as in the case of stimulants and opiates. Worst of all, God is held responsible for all of this, although His decision reads, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

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