19000419 Dedication of Organ Newspaper Cutting 19th April 1900 p420

SEAGOE PARISH CHURCH—
DEDICATION OF ORGAN. 1900
On the 19^th inst. A special service was held
in Seagoe Parish Church

(of which the Dean of
Dromore is the respected rector), when the organ;
erected in memory of the Baroness von Stieglitz
was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Down and
Connor and Dromore.There was a very large con-
gregation, the ministers present the
Archdeacon of Dromore, Canon Kernan, Canon
Barker, Canon Lett,. Canon Grierson, Canon
Blacker, Dr. Quirk (curate), R.
Johhston, E. W. Hobson, F. W. Austin, T. W.
Clarendon, T. B. Harpur E. A. Myles, E. Demp
sey, George P. Mitchell, E. D. Atkinson,
J. J. Major, A, R, Ryder P. A
Kelly, W. J. Macauley, George Daunt, J. J Peacock, E. Storey
, and C. P.Dudley-James A description
of the organ has already appeared in
these columns, and it will suffice to say here that
it has fully come up to expectations. Its tone is,.
rich, pure and powerful, and as played yesterday
by Mr. Charles M. Wilson, Mus. Bac., organist
of Newtownards Parish Church, the fine qualities
of the instrument were well brought out. On the
"Lauten" brass plate on the front there is the fol-
lowing inscription : —"Erected by the parishioners
of Seagoe and many friends, to the glory of God.
and in grateful memorial of many and generous
benefactions done to this Church and parish by
Hester Anna Baroness von Stieglitz, of Carrick-
blacker, who died 23rd January, 1899. 19th day
of April, 1900. "
While the Lord Bishop and the clergy in sur-
plices were walking up the nave a harmony was sung
by the choir. The service was read by Rev. Dr.
Quirk (curate), and Rev. Canon Barker, and the
lessons respectively by Rev. E. W. Hobson and
Rev. Canon Blacker. After the apostles' creed the
Bishop said:-“ We dedicate this organ to the
glory of God, and the benefit of His Church, in me-
mory of Hester Anna Baroness von Stieglitz ; in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. Amen. "
The sermon. was preached by the Lord Bishop,
who selected' as his text Revelations xix., 5 and 6
-—"And a voice came out of the throne, saying,
praise our God all ye his servants, and
ye that fear Him, both small and great.
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multi-
atude, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, say-
ing, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth." At the outset he pointed out that, the
Book of Revelation was full of mystery. Most de-
vout and expert interpreters of prophecy had on
one occasion or another to acknowledge that they

could not fathom the depth of Its meaning. God
did not force forward the course of history. He
overruled it, and brought it onward to the end
which He had appointed, but men moved accord-
ing to the freedom of their own will, at least up
to a certain extent. Though a book containing much
which they could not now understand, Revelation;
was evidently designed for their instruction. It,
was like a dark sky spangled over with bright,
shining stars, leading the mariner to a safe shore.
The book set forth the trials and sufferings of the
Church, the wickedness of men as directed against
her, and the malignity of the wicked one ; and it
was given to preserve the Church in her faith and
steadfast course.
It also showed the glorious issue

in which all those, things would end. In the

midst of the sorrows of this world what was it
that comforted the Christian most of all? Exclud-
ing from his mind the anguish of heart that might

rise in the soul at the thought of deep sin, the
greatest sorrow, perhaps, was that which sprang
from bereavement- when a loved one was taken
away, no more to be seen here. And what ' was
the greatest and most powerful comfort, they could
receive? It was not altogether the thought of the
perfect happiness of those dear Ones who. were at
rest With Christ, and who, having passed into the
paradise of God, were free for ever from all sorrow

and temptation, but, the fact that " we shall meet
them again." They were not gone for ever. We
would not meet them in this earth, but there
would be a glad reunion, having the special quality
that it was a reunion in perfection, and one never
to be broken. God had given to them that blessed
hope which the dark heathen possessed not and
those nations of the world who rejected the reve-
lation of Christ. It was Christ's death and resur-
rection that gave them the sure and certain hope
of the resurrection to everlasting life-that hope
which belonged to the Church, and brought such
unspeakable comfort to their souls especially in
times of sorrow. They were met that day with
the thought present in their minds of one, who had
been taken away from them—one whose form was
very familiar in that place, one who filled up the
minds and affections of those in that neighbour-
hood by the excellence of her character and the
beneficence of her deeds. That Church itself must
ever commemorate her generosity and goodness.
Owing to her, so much in the rebuilding of it,"
what in former days was a commonplace structure,
had become one of the most beautiful churches
in the whole diocese, or, indeed, in the whole of
Ireland. That chancel was built by her, and that
beautiful east window erected at her expense. She
gave largely and ungrudgingly. She was truly a,
cheerful giver, and not only to the Church did she
give, with all the happy consequences that
from ;the beautification of God's holy house, but
to those around about her in need and suffering.
They thought of her that day as they
thought of her a few months ago,

when her mortal remains lay in the midst of
them, but they were comforted by the hope that
they would meet her again with a body freed from
all weakness or liability to pain or suffering and a
mind perfect in its powers and regenerated and
renewed by the love of its Creator. It was a happy
thought when the inhabitants of that district felt
they should in some way express their gratitude to
her by a lasting memorial that it should be in the
house of God, which she so dearly loved, and for
which she had done so much, and there seemed to
be but one gift still wanting in the church, and
that was an organ to lead the singing. He was
sure the idea entertained was a true one, that if the
late baroness could have spoken out her wish it
would have been that that completing gift should be
bestowed upon the church. The organ was said to
be the king of instruments. It combined in itself
in a marvellous manner the various effects of a
variety of instruments ; it was capable of infinite
variation and change, and its effect in public wor-
ship was partly that it directed, and assisted the
choir, It permeated through the whole church, and
gave confidence and support to those who joined in
the singing; but besides that, its own music had
something mysterious and solemn about it which
touched the heart, kindled the emotions, and moved
the inward feelings. In conclusion, the Lord
Bishop mentioned that the collection was in aid of
the organ fund.
The offertory having been taken up, the service
was closed by the Lord Bishop pronouncing the
benediction.

Subsequently a short organ recital was given by

Mr. Wilson, most of the congregation waiting.