The divine Mind and matter are unknown to each other. The following opposites Mind and matter, intelligence and nonintelligence, the real and unreal, good and evil, never mingle or touch. They neither coexist nor cooperate in cause or effect.

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health (p. 269): "From first to last the supposed coexistence of Mind and matter and the mingling of good and evil have resulted from the philosophy of the serpent. Jesus' demonstrations sift the chaff from the wheat, and unfold the unity and the reality of good, the unreality, the nothingness, of evil."

Jesus' ministry verified the actuality of the spiritual record of creation as set forth in the first chapter of Genesis and in the first five verses of the second chapter. This record states that God created the universe and man in His own image and likeness and gave man dominion over all the earth. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). Evil is not mentioned in this record.

Christian Scientists accept this spiritual record as the true account of creation and strive to follow in the footsteps of their Way-shower, Christ Jesus. To the extent that they succeed in this, the highest and most rewarding of all human endeavors, they too can heal the sick and the sinning, as was promised by the Master in these words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also" (John 14: 12). Evil disappears when Truth appears.

Christian Scientists understand that the one and only creator is God, infinite good. Man expresses by reflection the nature and character of the creator. All volition is in the divine Mind, the divine Principle, Love, which is the source of all true law and being. Jesus accepted and made perfect use of the dominion that God bestowed on man, and he said (John 5:17), "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."

The master Christian stated his mission succinctly, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Matt. 5:17). By overcoming everything that opposed the well-being of mankind, including death and the grave, Jesus fulfilled the perfect and omnipotent law of God, good. This law is divine Science, the Science of Christianity referred to by Jesus as the Comforter. When scientifically applied, this law demonstrates the allness and perfectness of God, good, and the perfection and eternality of His creation.

Evil, matter, error, and mortal mind are identical. Jesus put the spotlight on mortal mind and classified it for all time. He specifically called it a liar and the father of lies. Mortal mind cannot perceive anything external to its own lies, or dreams. Dreams vanish into their native nothingness when the light of Truth is turned on them.

When one awakens from a night dream and recognizes it as a dream, that ends it, for the unreal can never touch the real. Matter, the liar's lie, cannot hinder or assist the law of divine Principle, Love.

Matter is the subjective state of mortal mind, the false dream sense, which claims that matter possesses life, substance, and intelligence in itself. As students of Christian Science, we need to be clear concerning this pantheistic lie—to see the supposititious nature of mortal mind in order to prove its unreality. Mortal mind claims that man originated in dust, and it undertakes to convince us that it can hold us in matter and that we are subject to matter's whims and control.

On page 151 of Science and Health we find these illuminating words of Mrs. Eddy: "All that really exists is the divine Mind and its idea, and in this Mind the entire being is found harmonious and eternal." And she continues with this infallible rule: "The straight and narrow way is to see and acknowledge this fact, yield to this power, and follow the leadings of truth."

Christian Scientists pray and work for an ever-increasing understanding of the true nature and character of their all-loving heavenly Parent. They endeavor to be guided and directed by His infinite intelligence. As they progressively exchange the unreal for the real, the lie for Truth, they grow Spiritward and more efficiently and effectively sift the chaff from the wheat.

When a verdict of a severe heart condition was handed down by a medical clinic during a routine check to qualify for a pension fund, I sought refuge in "the straight and narrow way."' I claimed and defended my God-given dominion over the liar's lie. I knew that matter had not made and could not make any condition for me or for any of Mind's ideas. I realized that man, God's witness, possesses by reflection all of the qualities and attributes of his Father-Mother Love and cannot be touched by evil.

Thus the doors were shut against the arguments and claims of mortal mind that man exists in and on account of matter. I sensed the love of Love; felt Love's presence. I was healed, and this was more than ten years ago.

The Scientist knows that it is his moral duty to uphold his highest sense of Principle. He feels a sense of responsibility to prove God's allness and the consequent nothingness of evil. The Scientist feels this because of his deep and heartfelt gratitude to his all-loving Father-Mother for all good and from a pure sense of love for his fellow beings.

As one approaches his opportunities to do good, to prove God's omnipotence and love, from this unselfish and high standard rather than from the standpoint of gaining ease in his present state of living, it becomes evident to him that good and evil never touch. Spiritual regeneration and healing follow. He proves in his own experience "the unity and the reality of good, the unreality, the nothingness, of evil."

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.—James 4:11.