Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1846-01-10
ceptioh, us,uy, aftef The manner Of scripa

ceptiohl usuy, aftefthe manner Of scrip
ture; and th0ae whobclieyei it not right to
receive more than what is allowed BY law
denominate the RECEPTION the same as the
first. And inasmdch as some may base
their belief upon the scriptures, and as
others alledge the prejudice existing at this
time against usurers to have grown out Of
the commands Of God given TO the Jews,
it may not be improper TO turn our attens
ton thither, for few minutes, and see in
what light those commands present the sub
ject, deciding from them, if we can, wheth-
er they have any and what weight in form
ing otir judgments Upon the matter in these
modern times. $50
i The first place in which we find the
subject Of usury spoken Of in the Bible is
in Exodus, 24th chapter, and 25th verse.
Literally it reads thus: "If thou lend mon-
ey to my people poor by thee, thou shalt
not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt
thou lay upon him usury!" This precept
or command is classed among the moral
laws given BY God to the Jews. It ap-
pears to be addressed to the Jews as lend
ers, for the benefit Of borrowers, pro-
vided they as borrowers were poor. This
, is remarkable fact to be observed. Pro-
viding the borrower was poor, the iniunc-
tion was not to be to him as an usurer.--
The commandment does not define the de-
) gree OF poverty, nor in any way point out
I the distressed circumstances in which the
borrower must have been, in order to be
entitled to the exemption of interest. Thei,
{ duty not to exact interest appears to be
f based upon the same principle as that up.
: on which we base ours to give to the poor
: in distress. As it would be wrong for us
being able, not TO relieve the needy, so i
was wrong for the rich Of the Jews to ex.
h act interest for money lent to the poor
i This interest God appeared to look upon
as the donation the rich man was morally
: : bound to give to the poor Of the Jewisl
people. 1t is not intimated here, that tn,
l lender might not exact interest from th'
e rich for the use Of his money. Neither
: are we called upon to give to him who il
;. well able to relieve himself. And had no
v God recognized the distinctionHe would no
y have selected the poor, but He would hav,
) said, "lf thou lend money to my people b!
: thee thou shalt not" sc. So far, there
\ > fore, as this precept is concerned, if j
fe teaches anything, it does teach that inte
rest might be taken among the Jews, a
:, least in some cases. At least, followin.
i = the principle upon which our laws are con
d strued, to have taken interest Of a rich Jey
q, for money lent him, would not have been
crime, because the offence would not hav
. come within the words Of the Statute
Now In as much as the taking of ihteres
: either of the rich or of the poor would nc
have been considered in violation of God
moral law, if it had not been forbidden,
6 follows. clearly, that if the taking of inte
rect from the rich was not forbidden, to d
n so, was not in violation of his moral law
er and consequently no crime.
It The next place in which the subject
&c =
Leviticus, 18th chapter, 35th, 36th, an
37th verses. The reading literally is q
/ follows: "If thy brother be waxen poo,
and fallen in decay with thee, then tho
!. shalt relieve him; stranger, or sojourn
!, er; that he may live with thee. Take tho
- no usury of him, or increase: But fear tn
\ God; that thy brother may live with thee
- Thou shalt not give him thy money upo
A. usury, nor lend him thy victuals for in
:. crease" Here it will be seen again, ths
os the poor is specially pointed out, but tn
" degree Of poverty is not specified, heiths
= is it in the other case. "If thy brother b
of, waxen poor and fallen into decay, &c., al
es the words to be noticed. Surely, such
case would be fit one for the rich Jew,
1 money lender, 10 bestow blessings upor
III As in the ether case, the interest which h
- would have received, if the money ha
!, been lent to rich man, was pointed 0,
4. as the donation proper to be bestowed uE
Ne on him who had s,a.ken into decay. An
h. as in the other case, the rich Jew migl
i'd have been lent to, upon usury, under the il
e. junction last cited with impunity. If S,
IN to do so would have been no moral turp
" tude, and consequently it would have bee
in right and justifable.
enI To be Continued.)
= Keep it Before the People