February 1938

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

FEBRUARY, 1938

CLERGY :

J. W. APPELBE, M.A., B.D., Carrickblacker Ave.

REV. W. F. HAYES, B.A., L.Th., The Bungalow,

Lower Seagoe.

CHURCHWARDENS

Rector's—JOHN H. TWINEM.

People's—ROBERT McCLEMENTS.

CLERGY WILL ESTEEM IT A FAVOUR IF

IN CASES OF SICKNESS THEY ARE INFORMED

IMMEDIATELY.

CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY.

February 1st—Service in Bocombra at 8 p.m.

2nd—Mid-week Service in Edenderry at 8 p.m.

3rd—Levaghery Sunday School Prize-giving.

6th—5th Sunday after Epiphany.

8th—Mothers' Union Meeting.

9th—Mid-week Service in Edenderry at 8 p.m.

10th—Prize-giving for Edenderry Morning and

Afternoon Sunday Schools.

13th—Septuagesima.

Service in Drumgor at 3 p.m.

16th—Mid-week Service in Edenderry at 8 p.m.

17th—Drumgor Sunday School.

20th—Sexagesima.

23rd—Mid-week Service, Edenderry, at 8 p.m.

24th—Bocombra Sunday School prize-giving.

27th—Quinquagesima.

Service in Hacknahay at 3.30 p.m.

SEAGOE RECTORY.

On January 4th, 1938, Seagoe Rectory and lands

were sold by public auction for £l,105. Seagoe Rectory had a long history; according to the late Chancellor Archer, the Vicars and Rectors of Seagoe resided

on or near the present site for about 800 years.

There is, in the present Rector's possession, a notebook composed by Archdeacon Saurin, in his own handwriting, dated 9th September, 1868. In this interesting composition there is a note referring to the ' Glebe Houses" which reads :—" The first notice on

record of a Glebe House is found in a fragment preserved by a man named Richd. McCaghly, and was found amongst old papers, of his father's, who

tho' a Roman Catholic was Parochial Schoolmaster

and Vestry Clerk, during which time he professed

Protestantism, he died a Roman Catholic, and brought

up his children as such.

[Dean Dawson here has written in an explanatory

note, which reads This fragment is a Terrier of

Glebe lands, House, etc., and is in the handwriting of

Rev. Arthur Forde, Vicar of Seagoe, 1730-1748. It is

dated, i.e., this fragment, 1742]. In this fragment

referred to above we read: "A Glebe House, part of

which is built with lime and stone, part with brick

and a part with clay and straw wrought into a kind of

mortar called ' mud.' That part which is built with

stone and brick is in good repair, the other part is

mostly in a ruinous way, both timber and walls being

almost .rotten and decayed, some part of said house

is covered with shingles, but the greater part is

thatched with straw, an out-house of lime and stone,

covered with shingles, which was the ancient Glebe

House, but is now of little use, being a long time much

out of repair. A cow-house of brick and lime, three

stables and a barn, the walls thereof are of mud, and

all thatched. A kitchen garden containing about two

acres of ground, well enclosed and planted.

" This House is supposed to have been built about

1660 (i.e. the ancient Glebe House mentioned in the

above extract) upon a site near the graveyard. The

walls of the present Glebe House were built about

1760 (?) by the Rev. Arthur Forde, by whom the

site was changed to its present position (?) [Dean

Dawson has inserted a question mark at the end of

the preceding sentence and adds this note

Rev. Arthur Forde was Vicar of Seagoe 1730-1748; if

the present Glebe House was built by him it must.

have been at an earlier date. Probably the house

built by Mr. Forde is that described in the extract

given above."]

The house has been thoroughly overhauled by the

present Incumbent (i.e., by Archdeacon Saurin) under

memorial and a certificate signed by the Lord Bishop

for £l,160. The cost was borne by the Incumbent, it is

at present (A.D. 1868) an excellent House and in perfect repair."

The capital sum paid off on the Rectory some years.

ago by the parish did not mean that the parish had

bought it out for themselves; it meant that they paid

down a capital sum to wipe out a yearly charge for

repairs or renovations, and very likely this charge

was for the repairs carried out by Archdeacon

Saurin, which were never cleared off but remained

on the parish as an annual charge.

The above historical note is interesting and enlightening. It shows that the parishioners of Seagoe

were not responsible for either the building or its

reconditioning, but the march of time has brought

many changes. Two years after Archdeacon Saurin

wrote the above-mentioned note the Church of Ireland was dis-established and disendowed, i.e., the

Church lost all state grants, and the Church people

had to shoulder the burden of financing their Church

—a burden which both laity and clergy alike shouldered with courage, foresight and success. At

disestablishment in 1870 all Church property was vested

in the Representative Church Body—the newly-formed corporation to hold and manage all Church

property and finance, and so since 1870 Seagoe

Rectory has been the Property of the Rep. Church

Body.

The Select Vestry of Seagoe ever since 1870 have

been simply the Trustees. The income of the Rectors

of Seagoe before 1870 was £927 12s 2d per annum.

The dilapidated state of the Rectory and gardens in

1937 surely was an eloquent reminder, that things

could not go on as they had done during the last sixty

seven years. At the beginning of last year the task

of tackling the problem was forced upon the Select

Vestry, when at the Vacancy Commission held by the

Diocesan Glebes' Committee it was recommended that

steps should be taken to acquire or build a modern

Rectory as the old one was unsuitable owing to the

size and state of repair. Naturally this recommendation came as a surprise and the Select Vestry explored the present site. It was no pleasure to the members

of the Vestry to take the step they did, but realising

their responsibility as Trustees and their duty to the

parish and future incumbents they saw that the only

practical solution was to sell it if an economic price

was secured. This they have done in accordance

with the wishes of the owners, i.e., the Rep. Church

Body, on the recommendation of the Diocesan Architect and Glebes Committee and all the right thinking parishioners of Seagoe are confident that this was the

only solution, while at the same time every parishioner

naturally regrets that modern conditions and altered

circumstances necessitated the change, but after all

to be guided solely by it. Nothing in this world is

permanent, even our own bodies cease to be useful

to us and we abandon them. To expect a Rectory to

last for ever in a transitory and changing world would

be madness. Seagoe Rectory served its purpose for

centuries, but the time has come, when it could no

longer be used as such, and so it passes into the hands

of an old Seagoe man whom we are glad to welcome

back again amongst us, and we wish Mr. Best and his

family prosperity and happiness in their new home,

NEW RECTORY FUND.

We acknowledge below, with thanks, amounts

already received. Will all those who have promised

yearly or half-yearly subscriptions kindly send them

to the Hon. Treasurer, Mr. Murray Gibson, solicitor,

Church Place, as soon as possible.

AMOUNT RECEIVED TO DATE.

Adams, Mrs. J. £ 1 0 0

Binks, D. £ 0 5 0

Bradshaw, Mrs. £ 3 0 0

Campbell, Mrs. £ 0 5 0

Daunt, Rev. G. H. £ 1 0 0

Duke, Mrs. G. £ 1 0 0

England, John £ 5 0 0

Gracey, Miss E. £ 1 0 0

Montgomery, T. £ 0 2 6

Montgomery, Miss S. £ 5 0 0

Mitchell, J. £ 0 2 6

Mayes, J. H. £ 1 0 0

Marks, Mrs., Levaghery £ 0 10 0

M'Kerr, S. M. and family £ 0 10 0

M'Loughlin, Joseph £ 0 2 6

M'Kane, Mrs. Margaret £ 0 2 6

M'Murray, Robert, Levaghery £ 0 2 6

Neill, Miss E. and Robert £ 1 0 0

Preston, E. £ 1 0 0

Preston, Mrs. E. and P. £ 1 0 0

Porter, Mrs. M., Seagoe £ 5 0 0

Richardson, Mrs. £ 0 2 0

Sinnamon, H. £ 1 0 0

Stephens, J., Levaghery £ 1 0 0

Stephens, Miss D. £ 0 10 0

Sale of Cakes at Rectory £ 1 0 0

Gardens

Twinem, J. H.

(Mrs. Campbell & Mrs. Allen) £0 8 0

Walker, S. £ 5 0 0

Quinn,James S. Levaghery Gardens£0 2 6

-------------------

£37 5 0

DRUMGOR SUNDAY SCHOOL.

SOCIAL AND GAMES EVENING.

A very enjoyable social evening was spent by the

teachers, senior pupils and friends of above School

on Wednesday, 5th February. There was a very

large party present and one wondered how games

were going to be possible in such a crowded throng.

The first item was tea, gracefully served by the

teachers and senior girls, who were indeed responsible

for the entire catering. Ample justice was done

to the good things provided, after which the Superintendent

took the chair, and in a brief speech explained the object for which the social was held.

Having purchased a new organ for the use of the

school and its Services. it was hoped that the proceeds of the social might help to defray the cost. The Rector. being present, stated his pleasure at meeting

such a large family party; he congratulated the

Superintendent and teachers on their venture of

be successful; he wished them all a very enjoyable

evening. A short but very enjoyable programme was

then submitted, to which the following contributed:

—Songs, Messrs. W. D. Morrow, Wesley McCoy, and

Norman Lyttle; recitations, Master Sam Crabb. Last,

but not least, Mr. Joe Hynes was heard to advantage

in several humorous items, and he was also a tower

of strength to the Superintendent in the conduct of

the games. A notable feature of the evening was the

decoration of the School. Seldom has it been 'seen

to better advantage, and it was greatly admired by

all the visitors.

In the games which occupied the

major part of the evening the fun waxed fast and

furious, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

The proceedings finally terminated with the

singing of the National Anthem. The new organ Till

be dedicated (D.v.) on Sunday, 13th February, at 3

p.m. A further announcement will be made in the

Parish Church - ( W. H. )

DRUMGOR SUNDAY SCHOOL. PARISH OF

SEAGOE.

Statement of Income and Expenditure, Jan. to December, 1937.

To Balance, Jan. 1936 £1 14 8 ½

Church Services £2 4 3

Special Services £7 5 10

S. School Collections £7 2 7 ½

Collection for Missions £0 16 0

Subscriptions to wreath £1 2 1

Sales at Social £0 1 6

1 Book of Notes £0 1 0

Cash Received (Excursion) £0 12 8

---------------------

Total £21 0 8

To Balance on hands, Jan. 1938 £3 14 5

By S. School Prizes £4 12 9

S. School Excursion £4 4 9

Printing Expenses £1 18 6

Postage Expenses £0 14 0

S. School Social £0 19 6

Coal and Light £0 10 9

Missions £0 16 0

School Rent £2 10 0

Caretaker £1 0 0

Balance on hands £3 14 5

--------------------

Total £21 0 8

Amount subscribed by Sunday School to

S. A. Missionary Society £1 15 0

BAPTISMS.

" Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid

them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God."

Jan. 2nd—Albert Nicholas, son of James Henry and

Emma England, Ballyhannon.

MARRIAGES.

" Those whom God hath joined together let no man

put asunder."

Jan. 27th—A1exander Quinn, Ballynaghy, and Adeline

Mayes, Carrickblacker.

BURIALS.

" Blessed are the dead which died in the Lord from

henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest

from their labours."

Jan. 15th—Mary Anne Abraham, Lower Seagoe. aged

90 years, in Milltown.

Jan. 25th—Wi11iam Brown, Kernan, aged 76 years

Jan. 28th—Sarah Anne Gillespie, 12, Florence Court

Portadown, aged 54 years.

THE MOTHERS' UNION.

A general meeting of Seagoe Branch of the above

gas held on Tuesday, 11th January. in Seagoe P.E.

school. The Rev. W. F. Hayes presided in the unavoidable

absence of the Rector through illness. The

outgoing officers and committee were re-elected, with

the addition of Mrs. Appelbe to the committee.

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, February

8th, at 7.30 p.m., when an address will be given

by Mrs. McClure, of Tartaraghan.

INFORMATION WANTED.

Will the subscriber to W.F.O. for 1937, who returned

envelopes numbered 595 kindly put his or her name

on a piece of paper and drop it into the box in the

church porch or communicate directly with Mr. Moses

Gilpin, Secretary, immediately, as he cannot trace the

name of subscriber who used envelopes with the above

number. The name is needed immediately so that it

may appear in the Parish Financial Report, which

will be printed early next month.

ENTERTAINMENT IN EDENDERRY.

On Thursday, January 6th. there was a dramatic

entertainment in Edenderry Parochial Hall, at 8 p.m.,

when a play written and produced by Miss D.

Ashdown was performed, entitled " Gray Matter."

It was a great success, the acting was good,

and the clever plot kept up the interest of

the large audience to the finish. At the end

the Rector conveyed an informal vote of thanks to

Miss Ashdown, the stage manager. Mr. Mitchell, and

the artistes and orchestra for a splendid performance.

The proceeds will be divided between the British and

Foreign Bible Society and Parochial equipment

(probably a lantern for parochial purposes )

We print below a statement of the financial result:—

Gross Receipts £11 1 0

Expenses :—

Printing of tickets; Sundries—Hire of

piano £1 15 6

Hire of Hall £0 15 6

Printing of play £2 0 0

-------------------

Nett Receipts £6 10 0

DISTRICT SERVICES.

Bocombra—Tuesday. February 1st, at 8 p.m.

Drumgor—Sunday, February 13th, at 3 p.m. Preacher, The Ven. A. G. Hannon, M.A., Archdeacon

of Dromore. The recently acquired musical instrument will be dedicated at this service.

Hacknahay—Sunday, February 27th, at 3.30 p.m.

Edenderry—Each Wednesday at 8 p.m.

OBITUARY.

This month we regret to record the passing from

among us of three old parishioners. Mrs. Abraham

belonged to the Parish of Milltown. but latterly she

resided with her daughter, Mrs. Ballantyne; William

Brown had passed the allotted span; Mrs. Gillespie

had been in failing health for some time. To all the

bereaved we offer our sincere sympathy. and pray

that. our Heavenly Father may comfort and strengthen

them in their sorrow.

Reprinted from the Cathedral of St. Anne Parish

Magazine. January, 1938.

THE HUGUENOT ANCESTRY OF THE REV.

JAMES SAURIN, VICAR OF BELFAST, 1747-1772.

By Professor Savorys M.A.

The Rev. James Saurin was of distinguished

Huguenot ancestry on both sides, as his father, Louis

Saurin, was descended from an ancient noble family

of Languedoc, while his mother, Mademoiselle

Henriette Cornel de la Bretonniere, was the daughter

of a nobleman of Normandy, who belonged to one

of the leading Protestant families of that Province.

The Saurins had taken a distinguished part on the

Protestant side in the Wars of Religion in the 16th

and 17th centuries. We find that one of them, Jean

Saurin, took part in the taking of the town of St.

George in 1622, and was killed in the attack on the

Bridge of Verune shortly after, while his brother was

sent by the Duke of Rohan, the leader of the Huguenots,

as his envoy to England in 1625, and returned to

France in 1628 bearing letters from King Charles i.

in which he exhorted the Duke of Rohan not to accept

any terms, and promised him the help of a third fleet

stronger even than the two first which he had already

sent to his aid. The son of the first of these brothers

was also called Jean. He became a distinguished

barrister at Nimes where he acquired a great reputation

and for three or four years was secretary to the

Academy in that town. He married a Protestant lady

named Hippolyte Tournier and had three sons. The

first, Jacques. who was born at Nimes on the 6th

January, 1677, was the great Protestant minister and

famous preacher, of whom we shall speak later. The

second was a captain in the English Army, and the

third, Louis Saurin, was the father of the Vicar of

Belfast. The latter's grandfather, Jean Saurin, to

whom we have already referred, escaped to Geneva

with his three sons after the Revocation of the Edict

of Nantes. He spent his time in Geneva in working

with La Bastide at a new metrical version of the

Psalms, and we learn from the Registers of the Council

of Geneva, under the date 1695, that " This work

was terminated by Monsieur Saurin, Barrister of

Nimes, who is endowed with great wisdom, honesty

and learning, possesses the French language in great

perfection, and is well-versed in poetry."

Louis Saurin, the father of the Vicar of Belfast,

was ordained as minister at Basle on the 17th May,

1705, as we learn from the archives of the French

church there. He then received a call to England and

became minister of the famous French church of the

Savoy. He was also one of the first Governors of the

French Hospital. In the spring of 1727 he was re-

commended to Dr. Boulter, Archbishop of Armagh, by

the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of

London, and the Irish Primate wrote to the Arch-

bishop of Canterbury

On Monday last Monsieur Saurin came to me

with your Grace's letter. I recommended him to

the Bishop of Kildare who installed him on Thurs-

day in the Chantership of Christ Church, and is

ready to do him what service lies in his power. I

am glad to hear so good a character of this gentle-

man from your Grace, and hope he may be of

service in this church. I shall very readily show

him all the favour I can."

We find his name mentioned very frequently in the

Registers of the French churches in Dublin as having

taken part in several Baptismal ceremonies. At the

date of his death in 1749 he was Dean of St. Patrick's,

Ardagh.

He left four daughters and a son, James, who became

Vicar of Belfast in June: 1747, and subsequently

Prebendary of Connor. The latter married in 1754

Johnston, of -New Forge, County Antrim. He was

Vicar of Belfast till his death in 177'2. He had four

sons, all of whom were educated at the celebrated

French School of the Rev. Saumarez du Bourdieu,

minister for many years of the French church at Lisburn.

Vicar of Belfast, where he was baptized on the 18th

December, 1759. He entered Trinity College, Dublin,

at the early age of 14, on 8th July, 1774, became a

scholar in 1777 and took his B.A. degree in 1779. He

was ordained Deacon of Downpatrick in 1781. and

after being Curate of St. Doulough's. Dublin, became

Vicar of Rosenallis, Diocese of Kildare, in 1801, Rector

of Donaghmore, in the Diocese of Ossory, in 1807,

Dean of Cork in 1812, Archdeacon of Dublin in 1813,

Dean of Derry in 1818. He became Bishop of Dromore

in 1819, being consecrated at Armagh by the Primate

on the 19th December of that year. He was an

ardent Protestant, went on a deputation to King

George I V. against Roman Catholic emancipation,

and voted in the House of Lords against that measure

in 1829. He occupied the See of Dromore for 22 gears,

and died at Kingstown, County Dublin, on the 9th

April. 1842. He was the last Bishop of the separate

Diocese of Dromore, because at his death it was united

with Down and Connor under the provisions of the

Church Temporalities Act.

Of his two sons, James, the elder, became Fellow

Commoner of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1815, and took

his degree of B.A. in 1820. He became Vicar of

Aghaderg in 1822, and after holding various other livings,

including Seagoe, became Archdeacon of Dromore

in 1832. He died at Warrenpoint on the 11th

May, 1879. The second son of the Bishop, Mark

Antony, resided at Orielton, Pembrokeshire, and became

High Sheriff of that County in 1867.

Let us now go back to the second son of the Vicar

of Belfast, William, who was born in 1758, and was

also educated at the school of the Rev. Saumarez du

Bordieu at Lisburn. He entered Trinity College, Dublin,

in 1775, and was called to the Irish Bar in 1780.

He made a great reputation for himself as agent for

Mr. Ward . in the famous County Down Election of

1790. He was offered by the Government in 1798 the

post of Solicitor-General for Ireland, but refused to

accept this office as he was opposed to the union of

the British and Irish Parliaments. After the union,

however, the British Government was anxious to secure

his services, and in 1807 he accepted the position

of Attorney-General for Ireland, which post he held

for fourteen years. He acquired a great reputation as

an orator in the House of Commons, but he refused

both promotion to the Bench and a Peerage, and lived

to be Father of the Irish Bar. In " Public Characters"

for the year 1799-1800 it is stated that:—

" Mr. Saurin is low in stature; his countenance

is characteristic of French origin; it bespeaks

strongly a cool and sound judgment, a sagacious

understanding and a good heart. He is said to make

considerably more in his profession than any other

man at the Irish Bar. There appears, however, no

obvious or shining excellence in his manner of discharging

his forensic duties. His great merit as a

bar orator consists in the ingenuity of his statements,

his colouring, his selection of facts, and his

judicious arrangement of matter. He possesses

great legal knowledge, the result of laborious and

early reading; and he is characterised by a degree

of attention to business to which even a young and

poor man is seldom found to submit."

He died in 1839, revered and loved by all.

The Right Hon. William Saurin married on January

21st, 1786, Lady Mary O'Bryen, sister of William and

James, Second and Third Marquises of Thomond. His

eldest son, Admiral Edward Saurin, married on July

15th, 1828, Lady Mary Ryder, daughter of the First

Earl of Harrowby. His third son, Louis, maintained

the clerical tradition of the family became a Fellow

Commoner of Trinity College, Dublin, in July, 1809,

at the age of 17, took his B.A. degree in 1813, and became

Rector of Moira in 1821. He died suddenly at

his father's house in Stephen's Green, Dublin, on the

12th July, 1829.

We must now return to the most distinguished

member of the family. the Rev. Jacques Saurin, uncle

of the Vicar of Belfast. He was born at Nimes on the

6th January, 1677, and escaped with his father to

Geneva at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of

Nantes. Scarcely had he attained the age of 16 when

he was enrolled as a Cadet in the Regiment of the

Marquis of Ruvigny, who became Earl of Galway and

founder of the Huguenot Colony at Portarlington,

Queen's County. He took part in the campaign in

Piedmont where he fought with the Regiment on behalf

of the Duke of Savoy and against the King of

France, being anxious to avenge the terrible massacres

of Protestants carried out by the Dragoons of Louis

XIV. of which we have the most appalling

tions given us by eye-witnesses. I have before me as I

write the manuscript of one of these, who relates the

outrageous atrocities committed by these Dragoons

innocent and unocending Protestants at Montauban.

After the Duke of Savoy had deserted the Protestant

cause and made a treaty with France, young Saurin

returned to Geneva to continue the studies which had

been interrupted by the campaign. He completed his

course of Theology in 1699 and was ordained in 1700.

He accepted a call to the French Protestant church in

Threadneedle Street, London. in 1701, and married two

years later another Huguenot refugee named Catherine

Boitout. His health, however, had suffered from

the rigorous campaign in Piedmont, and as he could

not endure the damp of the London climate he was

recommended by his doctors to accept a call to the

Hague where, for twenty-five years, he was minister

to one of the French churches. He had already acquired

a great reputation as a preacher in London. and

Abbadie, the French Protestant Divine, who was no

mean judge, stated in all sincerity that it was hard to

say whether it was a man or an angel who was

speaking. His reputation at the Hague was extraordinary.

His church was so crowded that there was

not found standing room, and people stood outside at

the doors and even climbed the windows in the hope

of hearing the great preacher. The extempore prayer

which he made before the sermon deeply moved his

congregation, and another prayer at the close completed

the impression that was produced. Even today

when we read his sermons we cannot help being

deeply affected by their evident sincerity, their profound

spirituality and marvellous knowledge of the

Holy Scriptures. During his lifetime he published at

the Hague five volumes of his sermons, and their

success was so great that scarcely had an edition

appeared before it had to be reprinted. After his death

his son Philip published four more volumes of the sermons

of which several editions are known. That of

the Hague, published in 1749, is considered to be the

best, but we also have the editions published in

Lausanne in 1761 and in Paris in 1835. Even Roman

Catholic priests such as the Abbe Pichon and the Abbe

Gauchet published extracts from his sermons, the

former in 1768 and the latter in the following year.

An English translation of his principal sermons in Six

volumes appeared at Cambridge in 1796, copies Of

which are still to be found in many a country Rectory,

He is universally recognised as having been by far

the greatest of all the French Protestant preachers

and his eloquence has often been compared with that

of Bossuet. His epitaph at the Hague will form

fitting conclusion to this article:—

Saurin n'est plus! par lui l'eloquence chretienne

Brisait, attendrissait, desarmait tous les coeurs

11 prechait comme Paul, il mourut comme Etienne

Sans fiel, en pardonnant a ses persecuteurs.

D. L. SAVORY.