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LETTERS ON “THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHEEPFOLDS”

1. LETTERS TO F. D. MAURICE

[WHEN this pamphlet appeared, a copy of it was sent by Dr. F. J. Furnivall to the Rev. F. D. Maurice. Maurice at that time knew Ruskin only by his books. He wrote to Dr. Furnivall (March 25, 1851) saying that he found himself in agreement with Ruskin on some points, but in sharp disagreement on others. Dividing his criticism of the pamphlet under heads, he agreed with Ruskin (1) that the sense of the word Church is to be obtained from the Bible, and that its use there is uniform; (2) that the clergy are not separate from the laity as “the Church”; (3) that the Church and State are united, and that civil governors have dominion over the clergy. But he disagreed on the following points: (1) alleging that Ruskin had missed the Scriptural Sense of “Church” (ecclesia) as “a body called out”; (2) had not perceived what this calling out means. (3) In a third clause, Maurice noted the successive “calls” from Abraham to Christ; (4) “that of this method Mr. Ruskin, professing to follow Scripture exactly, has taken no notice, but has tried to deduce a meaning from isolated texts, so sanctioning a vulgar practice”; (5) that Ruskin’s nomenclature (Visible and Invisible Church) was unscriptural. Maurice protested that we were wilfully and shamefully perverting God’s purpose “when we speak of an invisible Church, meaning a set of men taken out of the condition of law and humanity, and made possessors of a peculiar privilege appertaining to themselves! Against this accursed doctrine-which I believe is undermining all faith, holiness, love, among us, and is making us all in our different sections and departments a set of exclusive contemptuous Pharisees-may God give me grace to bear witness in life and in death! I am sure the Bible is refuting it in every line. I am sure that it is teaching us that men are brought out of narrowness, selfishness, into that which is free, large, universal. I am sure it is saying that those who yield to God’s Spirit, and believe in Him, only come to believe that which is as true of every publican and harlot as it is of themselves.” (6) Maurice next, referring to § 24 of the pamphlet, called Ruskin’s account of Christ’s dealing with publicans and sinners “most frightful and detestable misrepresentation. ... I say he ought to sit in sackcloth and ashes for uttering such a sentence.” (7) He complains that Ruskin makes havoc of the Epistles, “decreeing that St. Paul shall mean only true believers, though he speaks in

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