On page 234 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says: "In love for man, we gain a true sense of Love as God; and in no other way can we reach this spiritual sense, and rise—and still rise—to things most essential and divine. What hinders man's progress is his vain conceit, the Phariseeism of the times, also his effort to steal from others and avoid hard work; errors which can never find a place in Science." Love, therefore, is the one great need of the hour. The Master brought to humanity a higher sense of love than had ever before been apprehended, although there had appeared in the human consciousness throughout all ages some measure of Love's reflection. Many Old Testament narratives bear witness to this fact; as, for instance, the stories of Joseph's love for his brethren and Moses' love for the children of Israel.
This unfoldment of the nature and attributes of divine Love must ever go on and on, in greater and greater degree, in human thinking; for it is in accordance with spiritual law. Thus it is that a greater understanding of Love is evidenced to-day than there was yesterday, and larger efforts are being made toward making the Golden Rule practical in human affairs. This light of spiritual understanding, emanating from the divine Principle, Love, not only reveals to mankind the paths of truth and righteousness, but also protects their footsteps from the snares and pitfalls of error. In the early days of human history, error, because of its grossness and its seemingly more open warfare, was easily recognizable as evil. To-day, when it comes in the name of good, it finds in this way a more subtle form of attack; hence, the need for this greater spiritual understanding with its attendant alertness to error's various disguises. The beliefs of evil are neither a source of fear nor a temptation to the thought reflecting God.
In olden times, the Danites made no pretense of bettering human affairs, nor of endeavoring to deceive each other or their neighbors in the rule of dishonest political, social, or trade relationship. For did not they openly rob Micah of his idols, and then devastate and burn the quiet and orderly city of Laish? It is significant that at this time "there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes;" also that "there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing." In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," on page 583, Mrs. Eddy defines Dan (Jacob's son) as, "Animal magnetism; so-called mortal mind controlling mortal mind; error, working out the designs of error; one belief preying upon another."
