The understanding of the eternal laws of Truth shortens the seeming duration of error. In "Miscellaneous Writings," Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, gives assurance of the ultimate destruction of error and of the hastening of its end, where she says (p. 213), "Suffering or Science, or both, in the proportion that their instructions are assimilated, will point the way, shorten the process, and consummate the joys of acquiescence in the methods of divine Love."
The ancient prophets warned the children of Israel of calamities and devastation which would result from their evil and idolatrous ways, unless they repented and turned to God. Centuries later, Christ Jesus uttered similar warnings and gave assurances of God's love. On one occasion, when he had withdrawn to the Mount of Olives with his disciples, he warned them against the specious doctrines that would be disseminated after his departure by false prophets, in the attempt to win men away from his gospel. He pointed out that they would "hear of wars" and of great destruction, but held out the assurance that "for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."
Possibly at no time in the world's history has there been such deliberate effort as is seen today to lead men away from rectitude and righteousness. Predatory influences seek to prey upon human frailty through latent fears, animosities, prejudices, hatred, greed, pride, past mistakes, grudges, ambition, and a sense of inferiority to mislead men to act subversively, cruelly, treacherously, dishonestly. They would terrorize men into relinquishing their native upright, loyal, kindly nature. Both the Old and the New Testament exhort men to seek God, which means necessarily seeking their own true nature in the likeness of the divine. The exhortation of Paul in his letter to the Philippians cannot be too often cited: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." We cannot too often measure our thoughts and acts according to this standard.
