The Washington times., 1894-09-10
LEGISLATION OF The BIBLE
Equity, Individual Liberty and SoIi-
darity Were It's Foundation.
ALL IN THE CITIZENS INTEREST
Spirit Of Democracy Incarnated in the Proph-
ets-No Caste Was Known in the Jewish
state-The Law Protected the Poor and
the Hslpless-soeiaI Equality Reigned.

At the Peoples Church, No. 42s G street
northwest Rev. Alexander Kent preached
to about 800 persons. The music was very
good. 1t consisted of congregational singing
and solos sung by Mr.. w. j. Snow and Mr..
Harry Brandon. The cornst was the feature
of the accompaniment. The sermon was
largely based upon Rev. Maurice Fluegels re-
cent book, ''Spirit of Biblical legislation"
1.-The book seems to be-" said DIR. Kent,
exceedingly valuable in its bearing on the
social question. Not that it gives advanced
thinkers on this subject any great light, but
that the great body of Christian people who
look to the Bible so largely, in theory at
least, for guidance in this matter may see
how utterly at variance with the spirit OF Bib
lical legislation are the purposes and methods
of our modern industrial life
The author sees in the Ten Command
ments the Magma Charta and organic law Of
the Biblical commonwealth. Out of this de-
veloped all subsequent Jewish legislation
Four cardinal Joints, says the author, appear
to underlie that entire code: One, individual
liberty; two, social equality three, equal dis
tribution of the national wealth. and four,
community OF interest. or solidarity.
''Under Individual Liberty the author
afflrms that in ancient and even in modern
times the state Except the Hebrew has con-
sisted of dominant and subjugated races, in
which the rank and file have been destitute
of freedom. Only the prince. the senator
the noble. and the high ecclesiastic was free
AL others belong 20 the state and have been
subject to its will. But Biblical legislation
made every Hebrew free even the poor, the
h.. nj
permanently. He could be sold for theft or
other wrong TO serve master for a term. but
this could not exceed six years, and even If,
marrying during his term of service, he vol
unfairly remained a servant in order to be
with his family the year of jubilee set all free
PROTECTOR, not MASTER.
'The State was the protector, not the master
Personal freedom dawRed upon the history
with the advent of Moses Evidence Of this
is recorded in Exodus xxi. But with even
greater care does the Iawgiver screen the
Hebrew woman. She could not be enslayed
for one single moment. From her father or
her brother she had to pass TO none else but
her husband. Womankind have always been
aware OF the high plane upon which the Bible
places them. Josephus narrates that 500
years ago the best women OF the proudest
capitals felt much inclined TO Judaism on this
account
This was the chance of Christianity The
Gentiles would not swallow Judaic cere-
monies and the Jews would not drop these
and welcome them 10 Jewish God, 10 morals.
family justice, and purity. But what they did
not care TO do Paul did, and so Christianity
gathered the harvest which Judaism had ma
| tured. Under Christianity woman came 10
her throne in the household. mans equal
companion through that Book, and in her
turn helped the Book to the conquest Of the
world. Rome feeling her sword falling,
enlisted both Book and woman: slowly man
kind enlisted Bible, woman, and Rome, and
gained by that its own emancipation; for
right engenders right and freedom, freedom.
Wrong has no future.
Citizenship in the Hebrew commonwealth
was never intended 10 compromise personal
liberty. All legislation was in the citizen
interest. He owed allegiance 10 none but
God and the humblesI was on plane with
the highest.
MOSAIC LAW KNEW 40 CASTE
"The spirit of democracy found its COM
pletest incarnation i'll that class of popular
leaders and patriots known as prophets. The
prophetic role is quite unique in the history
OF mankind. The key to it is first the demo-
cratic spirit and next the exalted purity and
disinterestedness which characterized these
noble souls, so far superior to the tribunes Of
| Rome Men from the ranks Of the people
sprang forth with the thunder of Jehovah
| upon their lips. boldly tearing the masks
from kings, mobiles, and priests in the name
| of God, honesty, and truth, whose Gghtnings
! burn in their bOsoms.
Every other people had its classes and
castles, from king, noble, and priest to sol
] dier, peasant, and slave. Each must follow
! in his fathers steps, no crossing from one
caste or calling to another, no intermarriaga
| even. The Mosaic law made no provision for
caste. Any man could follow any calling he
| chose. and there was one law for all; a condi-
tion OF social equality.
s'To the charge that Judaism is harsh as
| compared with Christ's teachings, be answers
| that it was a practical system adapted 10 its
! dav and actually observed while ChEist's ideal
| of self-sacriice ana common brotherhood
has not even established itself in actual prac-
| tice over any people 10 this day. And il
Moses asks AN eye for an eye he lie yet milder
in his punishment of offenses against prop
erty. The thief surprised in the house in the
day may not be killed as under modern law.
But the idea which pervades Christ's doc
tr1ne was not new to the Jewish mind; it often
appears in the Talmud: it is the only practice
that was unknown TO the Jewish common
wealth as il IS 10 Us.
JEWISH LAW PROTECTED THE HELPLESS.
"a solid test of statute book is found in
what it legislates concerning the poor, the
orphan, the widow, and the stranger. No
other ancient and scarcely any modern legis-
lation compares with the Mosaic on this
point. The author cites case where the
Jewish law was quoted with telling effect in
the British Parliament. A band Of merchant
princes sent a number of well-insured ships
| to sea TO be lost. The sailors lives were not
| insured The vessels were wrecked, the
| sailors drowned. The merchants got big
! prices for their goods The widows and
| orphans were destitute. Their advocate
| quoted Exodus xxii:20-'Ye shall not affiict
| any widow or fatherless child. III thou affiiet
| them in any wise and they cry at all unto me
| l will surely hear their cry, and my wrath
| shall wax hot and 1 will kill you with the
sword, and your wives shall be widows and
YOUR children tatherless' The stranger, too.
| was to have the same law with the native ana
| was to be treated and loved as a brother
''There was no profit for loan. The good
| things of earth belonged to all Thou shalt
take no interest of thy brother on money
eatables, or anythig else For purely
! economic reasons all speculation between
homefolks was forbidden, and all loans, in
deed, were simply acts of neighborly assist
/ ance.
Men swear by the Bible They are idola-
trou5 of it, but they do not practice its moral
| teachings. The march of history seems ex-
ceedingly slow. But let us not despair. Let
US rather hopefully labor and toll for human
advance. Mankind moves onward and is
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