June 1906

Seagoe Parish Magazine

JUNE, 1906.

CLERGY :

RECTOR —REV. JAMES E. ARCHER, B.D., The Rectory, Seagoe.

CURATE —REV. JOHN TAYLOR, B.A., Seagoe Villa.

N.B.—The Clergy will feel greatly obliged if the

Parishioners will notify to them any cases

of illness at the earliest possible moment.

Churchwardens :

MR. ATKINSON COSTELLO, Carne.

MR. T. E. M'GUINNESS, Hacknahay.

Select Vestry :

ALBIN, MR. JAMES

ATKINSON, MR. W. R.

COSTELLO, MR. ATKINSON

GRACEY, MR. ROBERT

LAVERY MR. J

MONRO, MR. JOSEPH

MONTGOMERY, MR. J.

MONTGOMERY, MR. T. J.

MURRAY MR. J.

McDOWELL, MR. WM. J.

ROCK, MR. DAVID

STEPHENSON, MR. JOSEPH

ATKINSON, MR. W. R. , Secretary and Treasurer.

Parochial Mission

ARRANGEMENTS have been made

with the Rev. William Bryan-Brown, M.A., of the Church

Parochial Mission Society, to conduct

a Ten-days Mission in the Parish

Church. The Mission will begin on

Saturday, September 22nd, and will conclude on

Monday, October 1st. The Missioner (Rev. W.

Bryan-Brown) has had a long experience in conducting

missions, and his work has been very fruitful in

spiritual results. We cannot hope that our forthcoming

Mission in Seagoe will be successful, unless

with heart and soul we prepare for it. Two things

will make it a great success and draw many souls to

Christ, Prayer and Work. We earnestly ask all our

people to help the Mission in these two ways. Notice

will shortly be given of the preparatory work which

will be undertaken throughout the Parish in anticipation

of the Mission. We expect that those who

were influenced under the recent Church Army

mission will form a most valuable and willing Band

of Helpers for the coming Mission.

OFFERTORIES FOR MAY.

Morning Evening

£ s d £ s d

May 6^th 3^rd Sunday after Easter 0 17 5 0 13 6

0 6 5

13^th 4^th Sunday after Easter 1 3 6 0 12 8

20^th 5^th Sunday after Easter 0 3 1

0 16 6 0 14 3

24^th Ascension Day 0 3 0 0 3 0

27^th Sunday after Ascension Day 1 2 10 0 7 9

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

£4 12 9 £2 11 2

Baptisms

" As many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ."

May 5th— Anne, daughter of James and Eliza Weir, Edenderry.

Thomas Joseph, son of Charles and Eliza McLaughlin, Killycomain.

Thomas, son of Charles and Margaret Killow, Edenderry.

Florence, daughter of James and Susanna Allen, Edenderry.

Emily, daughter of Thomas and Letitita McNulty, Drumgor.

20th William John, son of James and Elizabeth Connolly, Carne.

Thomas Norman, son of James and Elizabeth Porter, Portadown.

Marriages.

Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder."

May 16th—Alfred Gilpin, Legacurry, to Sarah Charity Maginnis, Ballydonaghy.

Burials.

" I know that my Redeemer liveth."

May 2^{nd ——} Anna Sophia Wilson, Drumnagoon.

6th —Jane Webb, Lylo, aged 78.

12th —James M'Cormick, Lylo, aged 13.

22nd —Robert Major, Seagoe, aged 29.

23rd —Sarah Moore, Edenderry, aged 70.

Important.

The Select Vestry have formed a small sub-committee

for the purpose of organising a GRAND

BAZAAR AND SALE OF WORK, next November,

with the object of raising funds to cover the

cost of introducing gas into the Church. Further

particulars in our next issue.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

***

MOST PEOPLE HAVE HOBBIES.

Ours are to make the BEST BREAD and CONFECTIONERY

in the Kingdom; and to Sell the BEST TEAS the World

can produce

At *2/8, *2/4, *2/- 1/10, 1/8 These marked thus * are our leading lines.

DAVISON BROS., 3 & 4 High Street, PORTADOWN.

***

C.L.B. news.

DRUMGOR.

On April 18th the Annual Concert, in connection

with the Drumgor Detachment, took place in the

Hall. Rev. J. Taylor took the chair, and introduced

a varied and interesting Programme, consisting of

Songs, Duets, and Recitations from Messrs. Binks,

The Performers Brown, Currie, and Wilson.

acquitted themselves admirably, and the audience

showed their appreciation of the various items

by their hearty applause. We wish to say that

the entertainment was got up entirely by the Lads

themselves, and its success reflects the greatest credit

on their endeavours to promote the interests of their

Detachment. The proceeds were for Brigade funds.

EDENDERRY.

A very successful concert was held in the Parochial

Hall on Wednesday, May 23rd. In the unavoidable

absence of the Rector, the chair was taken by Rev.

J. Taylor. The various items were rendered in

excellent style, and were all warmly applauded.

Owing to the length of the programme there were no

encores. Amongst those who contributed were Miss

Armstrong, Mrs. Stevenson, Miss Walker, Sergeant

Major Robinson, Messrs. Binks, Gracey, Brown,

Currie, Livingston, Topping, and Allen.

The mandoline solos by Mr. Pillow were much appreciated.

An interesting item was the presentation,

amidst great applause, by Miss Armstrong, of the

medals won by the Seagoe Harriers for seven miles

cross country race. The first, second and third were

won by Messrs. Steenson, Bleakley, and Neill

respectively. The piece de resistance was undoubtedly

a dialogue entitled The Bashful Lover," by Staff-

Sergeants Montgomery and Currie. The attendance

was very large, the hall being filled in every part.

We were glad to welcome Sergeant-Major Robinson

and Staff-Sergeant Doak, who were present in

uniform as representatives of St. Mark's Company.

Those of the C.L.B. officers and lads who attended

in their uniforms looked extremely smart and carried

out their part as stewards perfectly. Their conduct

reflected the greatest honour on the company.

Mr. A Gilpin's Presentation.

An interesting event in connection with Mr

Gilpin's wedding was the Presentation to him of a

handsome Clock, from the Teachers and Scholars of

Drumgor Sunday Schools, also a pretty Toilet Case

from the Drumgor C.L.B. The Lads having assembled

at the Hall marched to Mr Gilpin's residence.

They were accompanied by Mrs. McMullan

and Mr. W. Bickett, as representing the School.

Rev. J. Taylor spoke in the very highest terms of Mr.

Gilpin's great usefulness, both as Superintendent of

the Sunday Schools and as Lieutenant in the C.L.B.

It has been largely through his instrumentality that

both these organisations have been brought to a very

high state of perfection. Mr. Bickett having supported

these remarks,the Presentations were made by

Mrs. McMullan on behalf of the School, and by Mr.

Taylor on behalf of the C.L.B. After some recitations

by Mr. Wilson a delightful evening was brought to a

close by three ringing cheers for Mr. Gilpin. All

present were hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs.

Gilpin.

Notes on Old Seagoe.

The Townland of Carne derives its name from the

word cairn," which means a heap of stones. In

old time, no doubt, there was some prominent landmark

in the district which took the form of heap of

stones.

Bluestone is called after a large bluish stone, once

a well-known feature in that district. About 100

years ago the stone was buried at the Cross-roads

near Bluestone National School.

Bocombra Hill is only 202 feet above the level of

the sea, and the fall in level of the River Bann from

the point where it enters the Parish at Knock to

where it leaves it at Ballinacor is at the most three

inches.

Drumgor means the Hill of the Goat, and the

Townland of Knock is so-called from Knock, the

Irish word for a Hill or Mound.

The Bell of Seagoe Church Tower is made of steel

and is the largest steel Bell in Ireland.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

S. Andrew's House,

Shiba,

Tokyo,

15th Feb., 1906.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MISSIONARY

PRAYER UNION IN SEAGOE PARISH.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

I was sent a copy of your Advent Intercessory

leaflet, and was much cheered by this sign

of your vigour and life as a band of Missionaries.

And I particularly want to thank you for the special

prayers you offered up during that season for me and

my work.

Since last I wrote to you, the Dean, who was so

true a friend to us all (how true to me I can hardly

express), has been called to his Rest. The news of

his death, which only reached me at the New Year,

affected me most deeply. I knew, of course, that it

was most improbable I should ever see him again in

this world, but I had hoped that he might have been

spared to Miss Wade and his daughters for some

time longer. But his removal has only forged

another link in that chain of departed loved ones

that binds us to the Eternal Shore.

The Japanese have a very strong belief that the

spirits of the dead take a definite interest in whatever

they were interested in when living. For

instance, when a great soldier dies, his spirit is

believed to look after the interests of the Army ; or

if a Naval officer dies it is believed that his interest

in the Navy continues to exist, and makes itself felt

—and so on.

I am sure this belief had a great deal to say to

the extraordinary courage with which the Japanese

fought in the recent war; because they firmly

believed that there was a great spirit army fighting

by their side, composed of the spirits of all those

who had been killed in battle.

I think there is an element of truth in this belief

of theirs.

Of course, in the case of the Japanese it leads to

Shintoism," which is the name given to the worship

of the departed spirits ; and it is very sad to see

them giving the worship, due only to God, to the

spirits of men and women. But I think we

Christians may cherish the hope that our dead are

not uninterested in the scone of their earth-life.

The subjects for which we pray now, we will

surely continue to pray for (and much more

effectively) when we are in Paradise with Christ.

And I am convinced that the Dean's work for Seagoe

is not now over—because I cannot but think that he

is still praying for the parish and the people, for

whom he felt so deep an affection, and for whom he

worked and prayed whilst in this world.

Now I must try to tell you something of things

Japanese.

I hardly know what to select from the

many interesting things there are to be seen here.

Perhaps you would like to know how the Japanese

dress, though most of you have probably seen many

pictures of them. Of course amongst men European

dress is very common, although still the majority of

them wear the native garb. This consists of garments

called kimonos," a kind of gown with wide

sleeves, which overlaps in front, and is kept in its

place by a narrow sash. On state occasions a kind

of very wide trousers, like a divided skirt, is worn,

and this is generally made of silk, Corresponding

to our tail-coat," or frock-coat,"

is the haori,"

which is something like the gown worn by our

University Graduates. The haroi" is worn over

the kimono," and is adorned with the wearer"s

crest on the back and on the sleeves. Within the

last few years the custom of wearing hats has come

into vogue ; formerly, I believe, bareheadedness was

the order of the day.

The foot-gear is very strange to Western eyes.

They don't wear socks or stockings, but instead a

sort of cloth sock, called tabi," which has a

separate compartment for the big toe.

Indoors nothing but the tabi"

is worn; out-of-doors,

wooden clogs, called geta," are used. The foot

simply rests upon the " geta," which it grips by

means of a leather thong passing between the " toe-

division" in the tabi," and over the top of the

foot.

In wet weather the Japanese wear very high

" geta," which resemble " abbreviated stilts," lifting

the foot well above the mud—so that on muddy days

the people here seem quite tall !

There is not a very marked difference between the

costume for men and that for women.

The kimono" for both sexes is much the same,

except that the women wear differently shaped

sleeves, and a very gorgeous " sash" (" Obi") which

to the untrained masculine eye looks something like

a cushion, fastened on the small of the back. Here

as at home the gentler sex loves gay colours, and the

Japanese girl is a most picturesque person in her

gaily coloured " kimonos."

Japanese women don't wear hats or bonnets.

They are most wonderfully clever in the art of

dressing the hair, in which they wear the most

lovely combs and hairpins of tortoiose-shell, coral,

and other costly material.

The children are dressed just the same as their

elders, so that they look like miniature men and

women. In colour the tinniest tots are the most

brilliantly dressed, and as they grow older the

colours" gradually are softened down.

The Japanese are excessively polite. When

acquaintances meet in the streets, the opening remarks

are profusely punctuated with elaborate bows,

and the bowing is repeated when parting. According

to Japanese etiquette, it is good manners not only

to remove your hat while greeting a friend, but also

your muffer, should you happen to be wearing one.

I was somewhat amused when I came first to

notice schoolboys taking off their hats to each other,

and solemnly bowing as they part from one another

on their way home from school.

It is so different from the rough and ready and

unceremonious manners of our Irish schoolboys.

So accustomed are the Japanese to this kind of

bowing themselves into a conversation (so to speak)

that I am told that when the telephones were

first introduced here it was no uncommon thing to

see a person bowing gravely towards the instrument

as he opened his conversation with someone at the

other end of the wire.

Now, it is time to tell you what I am doing. Not

that there is much to tell, but what there is you

doubtless would like to know. Most of my time is,

of course, given to the study of the language.

I have a Japanese teacher who comes to me for three

hours every morning, and with his help I try to

penetrate the mysteries of preliminary Japanese

Readers. He also guides my wavering hand through

the intricacies of Japanese pot-hooks and hangers."

By-the-way, writing here is done, not with a pen,

but with a brush, which, I can tell you from sad

experience, does not at all facilitate matters.

My life at Seagoe and in Belfast was too busy to

make it easy for me to settle down readily to a life

of study, and I shall sorely need the grace of per-

severance. It is a great consolation, however, that

I am not compelled to be absolutely dumb till God

gives me a new tongue," Great numbers of the

Japanese Students understand English passably

well, and every week I give an address on

Christianity (some aspect of it rather) to a gathering

chiefly composed of Students and Schoolmasters.

Please pray that this little effort may be blessed

by God. I also have some opportunities for conversation

with non-Christian Students in my rooms,

and such opportunities will probably increase.

I am afraid this letter is growing to an inordinate

length, but I cannot end without again assuring you

what a source of strength and encouragement it is

to me to know that I have the prayerful sympathy

of my friends at home.

I wish I could say something to stimulate you as

a Missionary Prayer Union. Try to realise more

and more deeply that prayer is a true co-operation

with God, and I think we may say that intercessory

prayer is necessary to the accomplishment of God's

Will. You remember how in a certain village our

Blessed Lord could do no mighty work because of

unbelief." And perhaps He can do no mighty work

here in Japan because of the practical unbelief of so

many professing Christians at home, shown by the

lack or poverty of intercessory prayer.

What a dignity, then, it lends to your prayers if

you can think that by them you are helping to set

the Will of God free to carry out His Divine

Purposes !

May I in conclusion suggest a couple of subjects

for your prayers?

(1) That God may move the hearts of many to

offer themselves for work in Japan.

(2) That some who are at present thinking of

offering may be enabled to see their way clearly to do so.

(3) That God will raise up a devout Native

Ministry to serve in this land.

Please, also, continue to pray for me, and

especially that God will keep alive in my heart the

spirit of Missionary enthusiasm.

I remain,

My dear Friends,

Yours most sincerely,

WM. T. GREY.

Items.

We are glad to record a large increase in the

number of children attending the Day Schools this

month.

The Choir and Select Vestry were entertained at

the Rectory last month and spent pleasant evenings.

The Select Vestry were photographed by Mr. Moffett,

of Bridge Street.

Mr. W. Bickett has been appointed Superintendent

of Drumgor Sunday School in succession to Mr.

Alfred Gilpin.

The many. friends of Miss Charlotte Allen will be

glad to hear that she is getting on well in New York.

We congratulate Miss Amy Walker, of Seagoe, on

having obtained a Certificate in Singing from the

Royal Academy of Music, a very valuable distinction.

A most successful meeting of the Missionary Prayer

Union was held in the Parochial Hall on Friday, 18th

inst. Slides illustrating Mission Work in South

India were shown.

Miss Armstrong's Missionary Class gave a repetition

of their Service of Song in Carne School on Thursday,

17th inst. It was most interesting and successful.

* * * Owing to pressure on our space, we are

compelled to hold over several important items.

For

UP-TO-DATE

JOB PRINTING

Call at the

Portadown News Office.

NEW PREMISES”

NEW MACHINERY!

NEW TYPE!