CALVIN ELLIOTT
Reading edition
PUBLISHED BY
THE ANTI-USURY LEAGUE
MILLERSBURG, OHIO
COPYRIGHTED 1902 BY CALVIN ELLIOTT.
CONTENTS.
Page
Chapter I—Definition 7
Chapter II—The Law by Moses 11
Chapter III—Usury and "The Stranger" 18
Chapter IV—David and Solomon 26
Chapter V—Denunciation of Jeremiah and Ezekiel 30
Chapter VI—Financial Reform by Nehemiah 36
Chapter VII—Teachings of the Master 42
Chapter VIII—Parables of the Talents and the Pounds 52
Chapter IX—Practice of the disciples 58
Chapter X—Church history 69
Chapter XI—Calvin's letter on usury 73
Chapter XII—Permanency of the prohibition 79
Chapter XIII—Our changed conditions 81
Chapter XIV—The American Revision 87
Chapter XV—Duty learned from two sources 93
Chapter XVI—Rights of man over things 97
Chapter XVII—Equal rights of men 102
Chapter XVIII—A false basal principle 108
Chapter XIX—The true ethical principle 115
Chapter XX—Wealth is barren 121
Chapter XXI—Wealth decays 132
Chapter XXII—The debt habit 138
Chapter XXIII—The borrower is servant to the lender 144
Chapter XXIV—Usury enslaves the borrower 146
Chapter XXV—Usury oppresses the poor 154
Chapter XXVI—Usury oppresses the poor—continued 160
Chapter XXVII—Usury oppresses the poor—continued 168
Chapter XXVIII—Usury oppresses the poor—concluded 174
Chapter XXIX—Usury centralizes wealth 180
Chapter XXX—Mammon dominates the nations 189
Chapter XXXI—Effect on character 206
Chapter XXXII—Ax at the root of the tree 219
Chapter XXXIII—Per contra; Christian Apologists 233
Chapter XXXIV—Per contra; Land Rentals 243
Chapter XXXV—Per contra; Political Economists 253
Chapter XXXVI—Usury in History 258
Chapter XXXVII—Francis Bacon 266
Chapter XXXVIII—Why this truth was neglected 272
Chapter XXXIX—Crushed truth will rise again 281
Index 293
TO MY READERS.
I beg the sincere and thoughtful consideration of this book by all its readers. Please follow the argument in the order in which it is presented. This is the way it developed in my own mind and led me, step by step, irresistibly to its conclusions. Do not read the closing chapters first, but begin with the "Definition." I believe 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.