eve every
candid reader doing this, and having a logical mind, will fully and
heartily concur in the condemnation of usury.

I hope these arguments will be fairly treated and justly weighed even
by those whose interests seem in conflict. I have simply sought the
truth, believing that "the truth shall make you free." It cannot be
that this or any truth is in real conflict with the highest welfare of
any man.

If any sincere friends of this truth are grieved that the argument is
so crudely and roughly stated, I can only say in excuse, that, so far
as I know or can learn from the great librarians I have consulted,
this is the first attempt ever made to fully present the anti-usury
argument, and I sincerely hope that others, profiting by my effort,
may be able to make it more effective.

THE AUTHOR.

CHAPTER I.

DEFINITION.

In the evolution of the English language, since the making of our King
James version of the Bible, many new words have been introduced, and
many old ones have changed their meanings.

In the nearly three hundred years the Saxon word "let," to hinder, has
become obsolete. It was in common use and well understood when the
version was made, but is now misleading. Thus we have in Isaiah 43:13:
"I will work and who will let (hinder) it?" Paul declared that he
purposed to go to Rome, "but was let (hindered) hitherto." Rom. 1:13.
Again we have in II Thess. 2:7: "Only he who now letteth (hindereth)
will let (hinder), until he be taken out of the way."

"Wot," to know, has become obsolete. Gen. 21:26: "I wot (know) not who
hath done this thing." Ex. 32:1: "As for this Moses, we wot (know) not
what hath become of him." Acts 3:17: "I wot (know) that through
ignorance ye did it."

"Prevent," from its derivation and use, meant, "to go before;" now it
means to hinder. Ps. 59:10: "The God of my mercies shall prevent (go
before) me." Ps. 92:2: "Let us prevent (go before) his face with
thanksgiving." I Thess. 4:15: "We who are alive shall not prevent (go
before) them who are asleep."

Charity, which now means liberality to the poor, and a disposition to
judge others kindly and favorably, was at that time a synonym of love,
and used interchangeably with love in the translations of the Greek.
This is especially noted in the panegyric of love, in the thirteenth
chapter of First Corinthians, and faithfully corrected in the Revised
Version, though so