June 1910

Seagoe Parish magazine.

JUNE, 1910.

Confirmation.

THE day of the Confirmation draws near.

On Sunday evening, June 26th, at 7

o'clock, the Service will take place. The

number of Candidates will, we believe,

exceed 100, and they are attending the preparation

classes with great regularity, and are very attentive

to those who are instructing them. There are over

50 young people in the Edenderry Class, and the

other Classes are also well attended. The Candidates

will assemble in Seagoe School on the evening

of the Confirmation at 6-15 sharp. Every Candidate

must have a Prayer Book and Hymnal, and will

receive at the School a card of admission to the

Confirmation. The front pews in the Church will

be reserved for those who are to be confirmed. We

hope the Parents and Sponsors will without exception

be present when their children and god-children are

being confirmed. The prayers of the people are

especially asked on behalf of those who are about to

be confirmed. Special celebrations of Holy Communion

will be held on Sunday, July 3rd, at 8 a.m.,

and after Morning Prayer for those who have been

confirmed. At these celebrations we to see

present also the parents and sponsors of the Candidates

and all our regular Communicants. A special

invitation is also given to those who were confirmed

at the last Confirmation on Saturday, July 6th, 1907.

We print here a Prayer before Confirmation issued

by the late Dean Dawson, also two verses of a Hymn

familiar, we doubt not, to many who were prepared

by him for Confirmation.

PRAYER BEFORE CONFIRMATION.

FOR DAILY USE.

Almighty God and heavenly Father, give Thee

humble thanks for that Thou hast received me in my

Baptism into the congregation of Christ's flock ; and

that Thou hast disposed my heart to renew the

solemn promise and vow that was then made in my

name. Grant me by Thy Holy Spirit to have a right

judgement in all these things. Assist me by Thy

Divine grace that I may be able, at Confirmation in

sincerity and truth, openly before the Church, to

ratify and confirm the promises made for me. Give

me a hearty desire evermore to endeavour myself

faithfully to observe such things as I shall by my

own confession then assent unto. Vouchsafe, O

Lord, I beseech Thee, now and ever, to direct,

sanctify, and govern both my heart and body in the

ways of Thy laws and in the works of Thy commandments,

that through Thy mighty aid I may be

able to withstand the temptations of the world, the

flesh, and the devil, and with a pure heart and mind

to follow Thee, the only God, through Jesus Christ,

our Lord. Amen.

" Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, Thou

art the guide of my youth ! "—JER. iii. 4.

Oh speak these few short words, I do,"

With heart resolv'd, with purpose true,

As unto God in heaven :

God hears your voice, confirming now

That same baptismal pledge and vow

Which in your name was given.

Come as God's children !—come and claim

From God in Jesu's holy name

A Father's love and care,

The Bishop's hand is on you laid,

The Church's words of power are said

In faith and praise and prayer,

The Death of the King,

In no part of the British Empire was the late

King's death more sincerely mourned than in loyal

Ulster, and especially in Portadown and Seagoe where

attachment to the Sovereign and the Empire runs in

the very blood of the people. The tragic suddenness

of the event made it still more impressive. Although

rumours had been current of occasional illness yet

everyone regarded the King as the embodiment of

strength and activity. Death came to him in the

midst of life and the example of his devotion to duty

up to his last moment of consciousness should

stimulate his people to give themselves more earnestly to

their work as citizens, not merely of an earthly

kingdom, but of the kingdom of the King of kings.

The sympathy of the empire, and of all the civilized

states of the world, has been offered to the bereaved

Queen Alexandra, to King George, Queen Mary, and

all the Royal Family. The solid work of Peace

accomplished by King Edward V 11. in the course of

his short reign is likely to be productive of lasting

good in the days to come. It is significant that at

his Funeral mention was made for the first time of

great confederation of European States with the

object of attaining a Universal Peace. Christian

people should pray more earnestly than ever that

Peace may rule in the Councils of the nations. We

thank God for the noble work of Peace accomplished

by King Edward.

The New King.

King George the Fifth has ascended the Throne.

We believe that in the providence of God he will

accomplish great things for the Empire and the

world. He has travelled much and studied much,

but perhaps the thing that appeals most to the nation

is the purity and happiness of his home life. King

George and Queen Mary shine in their domestic

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE

virtues, and are happiest when enjoying with

young family the delights of an English home.

feel sure that all will join heartily in wishing

King George the Fifth and Queen Mary a long and happy

reign. God save the King.

Easter Penny Cards.

We insert here the list of Hacknahay collectors

omitted last month :—Miss Wilson, Judith M'Neill,

Alfred M'Murray, 1/- each; Marjory Calvert and

David J. M'Murray, 7d each ; Mary A. Cooke and

David M'NeilI, 6d each. If there are any children

who have not yet returned their card with the

amount collected they should do so at once.

Offertories for May

We give Thee but Thine own."

Morning. Evening

May 1st.—5th S. aft. Easter £1 2 6 0 12 4

Ascension Day 0 6 5

8th.—S. aft. Ascen. Day 1 0 1 0 11 11

15^th WhitSunday 2 19 4 ½ 0 11 1

22^nd Trinity Sunday 1 9 6 ½ 0 11 8

29^th 1^st Sunday after Trinity 1 0 9 0 10 10

Weekdays 0 13 7

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

Total £7 18 8 £3 1 0

Baptisms.

Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father

which is in Heaven."

May 7th— Dinah Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas George and Mary Ellis Robinson.

Gertrude, daughter of Samuel James and Mary Loney.

Ralph, son of Ralph and Anne Wilson.

Rupert Armar, son of John and Isabel Lindsay.

Mary Edna, daughter of George and Esther Fletcher.

Elizabeth, daughter of James and Mary Hall.

Jessie, daughter of William and Jane Gates.

Marriages,

Love is of God. "

May 6th—Henry Magill, Druminakelly, to Edith Miller, Kinnego.

21st—Joseph Mahaffy, Portadown, to Sarah Brennan, Edenderry.

„ 23rd—David William Graham, Kernan, to Margaret Holmes, Killycomaine.

Burials.

In sure and certain hope."

May 4th—Margaret Jane Roney, Edenderry, aged 60.

5th—Charlotte Forde, Edenderry, aged 56.

Nature Notes.

May and June are the best months in the year for

learning about the beautiful world of nature. Nothing

can be prettier or more attractive than the wild

flowers growing in the fields and along the country

roads. Here are the names of some of the flowers

now to be seen in blossom along the Seagoe roads—

The tall star shaped white flower is the Stitchwort ;

the small bright blue flower with white centre is

Germander Speedwell ; the pink blossom like a small

Its seed is like geranium is called the Cranesbill.

the head of a bird with a long bill. The bright

yellow flower something like Laburnum is Birdsfoot

Trefoil. Every boy (and many girls too) know all

about birds' nests. In Seagoe School even the infants

have been searching for nests. We hope they will

never be so unkind as to rob the eggs or injure the

young birds. This year there seem to be more Larks

singing in our fields than usual. And the Cuckoo

can be heard everywhere. The Corncrake likes to

utter his harsh note wherever there is a good echo.

He thinks then that another Corncrake is answering

him.

The Swallows have now made themselves quite at

home in their northern clime. A Swallow takes only

ten or twelve hours to fly from Africa to Ireland.

There are no less than fifty-five species of birds who

migrate to Ireland during the summer months and

leave before the winter.

A great many of our people have been watching

for the Comet but they have not seen it. : Even our

leading astronomers seem to have been misled as to

its possible brightness. It is really a very insignificant

luminary in Northern latitudes. The reason why it

is so much talked about is that it was the first comet

whose return at a certain date was predicted, Halley,

the astronomer, in the year 1682 predicted that the

comet would be seen again in 1758, and it did appear

up to time on Christmas Day, 1758.

It returned in 1835, and now has come again in 1910.

It will not return again until 1985.

Seagoe School Successes.

Seagoe Day School has won some notable successes

at the recent Show. In the Exhibition of Needlework,

Miss M. Irwin, monitress, carried off First Prize

in open competition for the best made Garment, and

Third Prize for the best specimen of Sewing.

In the Competition for Sewing, open to all

Children under 15 attending Schools in Co. Armagh,

Maggie Magee obtained First Prize, and Mabel Reid

secured Third Prize.

In the same Competition Hannah Dickson and

Sarah Irwin also exhibited some fine work.

All the work exhibited by the Seagoe children

was done in the Sewing Class at Seagoe Day School.

The School and its Teachers (especially Miss Bailey)

are to be congratulated on these successes.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

The Excursion,

On Thursday, June 16th, the Sunday School

Excursion takes place to Warrenpoint. This year we

will have a record turn out for St. Mark's Sunday

Schools are joining with us. We wonder will there

be anyone left in Portadown that day, certainly half

the population will have gone to the shore. We are

glad that our friends across the Bann are coming with

us. The comradeship and good feeling which has

ever existed between the two parishes will be further

strengthened by the reunion on the shores of

Carlingford Lough. Seagoe and St. Mark's can join hands

around the big stone at Cloughmore. The following

arrangements have been made for the Excursion

Sunday, June 5th, Children bring Ticket Money.

Sunday, June 12th, Children get Voucher Tickets.

Thursday, June 16th, All meet at Seagoe Church

at 8 a.m.

8-30—Procession starts.

9-30—Train leaves.

10-30—Train reaches Warrenpoint.

11-30—First refreshment.

12-30 to 5—Racing, Paddling, Boating,

Swimming, Skating, Tramming, Climbing.

5 sharp.—Second refreshment.

7-30—Train leaves Warrenpoint.

Memorial Service.

On Friday, May 27th, the day of the King's

Funeral a Memorial Service was held in Seagoe

Church at 3-30. The Church was draped for the

occasion. There was a large congregation who joined

reverently in the solemn Form of Service which had

been issued by the Bishop. The Hymns sung were

'O Nearer my God to Thee," " O God our help in ages

past," and "Peace, perfect Peace." At the actual

hour of the Funeral, 12-30 to the clock, the bell was

tolled with a muffed peal. On each day since the

death of the King, the bell had also been tolled.

Items.

The Annual Report will be published shortly.

The average attendance at Hacknahay School for

the month of May was 54•2.

Jones' field at Warrenpoint has been taken for the

Seagoe Excursion.

Bring your roller skates to Warrenpoint. A new

skating rink hag just been opened there.

A copy of the Memorial Service used on the

occasion of the Funeral of King Edward is inserted

in this month's Magazine as a memento.

The Choir took part in the Choral Festival at

Banbridge on Saturday, May 14th. The members drove

over in brakes. The weather was summerlike.

Carne Sunday School has also through the exertions

of Mr David Murray, obtained a new Harmonium

which is a great help in the singing.

Efforts are being made to start a Beekeepers'

Association in Portadown so as to encourage this

most interesting and profitable industry.

Seagoe and Hacknahay Day Schools were examined

in Religious Knowledge on Tuesday, May 24th, by the

Rev. J. H. Mervyn, Diocesan Inspector. The results

were very satisfactory and many received Certificates.

A new Harmonium has been purchased for the

services on Sunday evening in Carbet Hall. The

congregation last Sunday evening numbered 60

people.

Miss Bailey, who teaches the Cookery Class in

Seagoe Day School, has been awarded First Prize in

Advanced Cookery in the Technical Institute Classes.

We congratulate Miss Bailey on this new distinction

which she has gained.

The Misses Dawson are at present in Dublin with

their brother, Dr. Dawson. They are preparing to go

out shortly as Missionaries to South America. Their

many friends in Seagoe will wish them God speed in

their future work.

Now that the bathing season is coming on, we

would warn youthful swimmers against the dangers

of bathing in quarries. The sad fatality at Bocombra,

though not a case of drowning, shows the great need

of care as to when and where to bathe.

Much sympathy has been expressed with Mr. and

Mrs. Gerald Atkinson on the death of Mrs Atkinson's

sister, Mrs Martin in the Seychelles Islands. The

body was brought home and the interment took place

amid many tokens of mourning in Drumcree

Churchyard, on Wednesday, May 25th.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

In the case of apparent death from drowning the

first thing is to get the water out of the lungs by

turning the person on their face, and then to turn

them on their back and move the arms up and down

so as to force air in and out of the lungs. Many a

life has been saved in this way.

At the Show on Thursday last Seagoe exhibitors

distinguished themselves. Miss S. Montgomery

obtained First Prize for Embroidery. In the

Technical Institute exhibit which was most creditable,

Thomas Ruddell's work was excellent. The Mechanical

Drawings and accompanying Models were very

perfect and displayed exceptional ability. The best

advertisement for the Technical School is the work

turned out by its pupils, and we congratulate Thos.

Ruddell on his good work.

Hacknahay School has received marked attention

recently from the National Board of Education. It

has several times received most favourable comments

from Mr. H. Worsley, His Majesty's Inspector of

Schools. It has also been inspected by the Head

Inspector of Schools, and on Thursday last it was

visited by Dr. Starkie, the Resident Commissioner of

Education, Mr. W. J. Dilworth, the Secretary of the

National Board, and Mr. Bonaparte Wyse, a Chief

Inspector. It bids fair in a short time to be the

largest and most efficient School in the District.

Old Seagoe Notes.

Fifty Years a Yeoman.—In the record of

Burials for Seagoe Parish we read under date April

30th, 1846, " James Patton, Lisniskey, Burial Service

performed by Ven. Archdeacon Saurin. He carried

arms as a Yeoman since 1796, having been one of the

first 100 men raised in Ireland."

Sunday School Masters, 1832.—In the report

of the Seagoe Vestry held on April 24th, 1832 (Easter

Tuesday) in the Statement of Accounts presented, the

following item occurs. Sunday School Masters

£22 0s 0d. Apparently at that time it was the custom

to pay the Sunday School Teachers.

In the same report there is an item of £10 for Coffins. But we

must remember in those old days the Select Vestry

fulfilled the duties of modern Boards of Guardians.

A Curious Duty.—By an Act of Parliament

passed in the reign of William IV., Vestries had to

appoint overseers of Public Houses and in the Seagoe

Records for Tuesday, November 29th, 1886, we read

that the following 20 overseers were appointed

Revd. Jas. Saurin, Revd. Simon Foot (Curate), Revdr

M. west, Revd. Wm. Dowling, P.M.; Revd. —

Morgan, P.P.; Revd. — Burns, R.C.C,; Lt. col.

Blacker, Mr. Thos. Joyce, Drumlin, Mr. Joseph

Malcomson, Lisnamintry, Mr. T. H. Carleton, Bridge

End, Mr. John McKeown, Red Cow, Mr. Joseph

Gibson, Tamifiglasson, Mr. Joseph Gaskin, Kilvergan,

Mr. James McDonald, Aughacommon, Mr. John

Malcomson, Ballinamoney, Mr. Thos. Cuppage, Silverwood,

Mr. Wilson Irwin, Carne, Mr. Wm. Burns,

Kinnego, Mr. Saml. Ruddell, Turmaglee, Mr. Jas.

Calvert, Drumnacanvey.

Churchwardens of Seagoe.—We continue the

publication of the long list of Churchwardens of the

Parish

1706—Wi11iam Fryer.

John Maston.

1707—Thomas Trotter, of Sego.

John Patterson, of Kinnego.

1708—Richard Smurphfatt.

John Geary.

1709—James Bomer, of Ballihanon.

Patrick Chambers, of Edendery.

1710—Thomas Rodgers, of Drumgask.

Alexander Bell, of Breagh.

Old Seagoe Belfry.—ln the Vestry Records

dated October 16th, 1706, occurs the following entry—

It was agreed upon by the Minister, Churchwardens,

and Parishioners, that whereas George Hetherington

was formerly employed in building Belfry, which

has been found insufficient for the hanging and

the ringing of the Bell, and it is supposed that the

narrowness Of the Belfry was the occasion of the

cracking of the Bell, which has put the Parish to

great charge for casting the Bell a second time and

deprived them of the use of the Bell for several

months. The said George Hetherington being

sensible of the great injury and damage which the

Parish has sustained by the insufficiency of his work

is desirous to make amends by doing the work

sufficiently, and do engage that the Belfry shall be

both high enough and wide enough so that the new

Bell shall not touch either the side or roof of the

Belfry in ringing of it, and refers himself entirely to

the Minister and Churchwardens and Parishioners

for what consideration they shall think fit to give him

for his work. But the Parish is to pay for the

materials.

Signed, JOHN CAMPBELL, Clerk.

(Here follow the names of the Select Vestry).