--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1845 to 1846. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 6 number: 13 published: 1845-07-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Reception of a New Church Messenger by the Vice-Chancellor and Others, at Oxford,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 13 (July 15, 1845): 966–967." printed_title: RECEPTION OF A NEW CHURCH MESSENGER BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND OTHERS, AT OXFORD, source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-07-15_6_13 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n13.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-07-15_6_13 start_page: 966 end_page: 967 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1845 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-07-15_6_13 publication_year: 1845 --- # Reception of a New Church Messenger by the Vice-Chancellor and Others, at Oxford In consequence of the present divided State of the Church of England, and particularly of the University of Oxford, upon essential points of doctrine, especially the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, a reader of the writings of Swedenborg though it his duty, as a Clergyman, to go to the University in order simply to announce the dissolution of the Old Church and the establishment of the New, as declared in the writings of our author. He had resolved not to go in the character of a theological disputant, or of a critic upon the writings of ancient or modern divines, but solely in the character of a Messenger, to convey the glad tidings of salvation as announced by the New Jerusalem Church; trusting that in case any argument should arise upon the subject, the writings of Swedenborg would enable him to give suitable replies. The result of his mission is, that he has been enabled to announce the doctrines of the New Church to several of the leading men at Oxford whose names are familiar with the public. In every interview the arguments against the New Church resolved themselves into two; first, that the Catholic Church is the interpreter of Scriptures; and secondly, that the creed of this church is the key to the interpretation thereof. To the first objection it was replied-If the Church is the interpreter of Scripture, then in the case of the prophetical books which form a large portion of the Bible, where and what are the interpretations authorized by the Church? To this question, no answer could be obtained in any one of the interviews; probably for the reason, that the Church no where possesses authorized interpretations of prophecy, as she possesses authorized interpretations of doctrine; that the interpretation of prophecy, therefore, is an open question; open to any and every individual who, in his character of interpreter, is not bound to refer to the authority of the Church, and who, consequently, is at liberty to adopt the interpretations of Swedenborg, if he thinks proper. The second objection was, that the creed of the Church is the Key to the interpretation of Scripture, and that the door to the divine mysteries must be opened only with this Key. To this it was replied, Be it so; you give me a Key to open the door; but have you ever opened the door with it? Do you not acknowledge that a great portion of prophecy is a sealed book? What do you know of the Apocalypse? Have your creed ever opened it? if so, where are your authorized interpretations? To these arguments there was no attempt to reply, although a reply was solicited again and again. In almost all these cases, however, it was satisfactory to hear it admitted, that the subject required investigation, and that the respective parties were not qualified to enter into it in consequence of their ignorance of Swedenborg's writings, and that the question must not be allowed to rest where it did. The clergyman who went upon the present mission next resolved, by the blessing of Divine Providence, to lay the whole subject before the Vice Chancellor, who received him with the utmost courtesy. A statement was then made of the doctrines and principles of the New Church, and an outline given of Swedenborg's interpretations of the Apocalypse. It was candidly, but most respectfully, declared to the Vice Chancellor, that the Old Church, both Protestant and Catholic, was said to have come to an end-that their continuation was only a question of time and expedience-that a New Church was now being raised up by the Lord, and that the present divisions in the Church of England and the University were only a visible fulfilment [fulfillment] of the predictions contained in the Apocalypse, as interpreted by Emanuel Swedenborg. "Mr. Vice Chancellor," said the clergyman, "I call upon you, I call upon the University, most respectfully, but most solemnly, to institute an investigation into these writings, that it they are false, their falsehood may be demonstrated, and if they are true, the Church of England and the University may know their position. "I understand you," said the Vice-Chancellor, "you require that we should institute an investigation into the truth or falsehood of these writings?" "Precisely so," was the reply. "Then I prom you," said the Vice-Chancellor, "that this investigation shall be immediately commenced, and I myself will begin reading them this evening." "I feel obliged," said the clergyman, "and may I now express a hope, that writings which have found their way through this country, through several parts of the Continent, and the United States of America, may at last find their way into the Libraries of this University?" Here terminated the interview which took place on Tuesday morning, February 4th; the Vice-Chancellor having listened to the statements throughout with the deepest attention, and manifested the most courteous and Christian deportment. He willingly accepted one copy of Swedenborg's "Brief Exposition of the Doctrine of the New Church," &c., and one copy of the "Illustrations of the End of the Church," &c. Whatever may be the result of this visit to Oxford, one thing is certain, that if the Church of England be rent asunder by her present unhappy divisions, or be doomed in future to continued internal warfare, she will at least, in this her day of visitation, have received a friendly and affectionate notice from the New Church of "the things which belong to her peace." A. C. THE PENTICOST [PENTECOST].-"The Jewish observances," says the New York Herald, of June 13, "were renewed in the various Synagogues yesterday morning, at nine o'clock and ended at one, P. M. There were rather more attendants than on the day before, but in every other respect the observances were similar, consisting merely of reading the word, and saying a form of prayer set apart for the occasion. It is not, perhaps, generally known that the modern Jews have no ceremonials further than meeting together, praying, reading the word, which is accompanied with frequent bowing, in a more sprightly than reverential manner. But this ancient people have not discarded their venerable forms-although some difference of opinion in matters of discipline prevails among the two or three sects; the necessity of relinquishing sacrifice, first fruits, the altar, &c., is imposed upon them by the loss of their lands, the possession of which is requisite to the existence and operation of all the old rites and ceremonies, "as the Lord commanded Moses" We would like to have it instilled into the minds of the Jews, that after 2,400 years from the time the daily sacrifice was taken away, the sanctuary will be 'cleansed,' and they or those having the Priesthood and authority can offer an acceptable offering before the Lord. TIMES AND SEASONS, CITY OF NAUVOO, JULY 15, 1845. Change-The New York Messenger says;-"The office of the "Millennial Star" in Liverpool, Eng., has been removed from 36 Chapel Street, to Stanley's Buildings, Bath Street.-We give this notice for the information of those directing letters."