June 1925

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

JUNE, 1925

CLERGY:

Rev. Canon Archer, B.D., The Rectory, Seagoe,

Portadown.

Rev. William T. Wilson, M.A., 20 Edward Street,

Portadown.

Rev. Robert W. Johnston, L.Th., 35 Church Street,

Portadown.

Easter Vestry Appointments.

CHURCHWARDENS:

Mr. Robert Price (Rector's).

Mr. Thomas Martin (People’s)

Select Vestry:

Miss Atkinson, Messrs. M. Gilpin, John Montgomery,

J. G. Gracey, James Twinem, Hugh Stoops, J. E. Lavery,

Isaac Dickson, W. H. England, Miss N. Montgomery,

Messrs. T. E. Maginnis, and R. M’Clements.

HON SEC:

Mr. Moses Gilpin.

HON. TREAS:

Mr. Hugh Stoops.

SIDESMEN:

Messrs. J. Twinem, J. G. Gracey, R. M'Clements,

R. Hoy, J. Sands, I. Dickson, J. Carson, J. Ford, D.W.

Murray, S. Rennix, J. Reid, and W. H. England.

The Confirmation.

The Lord Bishop if the Diocese will (D.V.) hold

a Confirmation in the Parish Church on Tuesday,

June 30th, at 8 p.m.

Confirmation Classes.

The Classes for the Confirmation Candidates are

now being held. The Class for Girls meets in

Seagoe School on Mondays at 8, and the Class for

Boys in the same place on Fridays at 8. Large

numbers of young people are attending the classes

and are showing much interest in them. The

following subjects have been already dealt with in

the classes—The Scripture Basis of Confirmation—

The Baptismal Covenant—The Articles of our

Belief—our Duty to God Our Duty towards our

Neighbour—prayer and the Lord's Prayer—The Two

Sacraments—The Office of Holy Communion. Only

four more classes will be held before the Confirmation.

A regular and punctual attendance at the classes is required.

A Word to Sponsors.

We hope that the Godparents of the young people

about to be Confirmed will be present with their

God children at the Confirmation. Having watched

over and prayed for the child for whom they stood

Sponsor they will at the Confirmation to see and hear

their God-child take upon himself or herself the

vows and promises made in their name at the

Font. A nice present to give to a young person

Newly Confirmed is a Bible.

Prayer for Confirmation Candidates.

To he Used Daily by Parishioners.

O GOD, our Heavenly Father, bless all those who

are being prepared for Confirmation (especially

those in this Parish.) Help them to attend duly to

the instructions of their Teachers. Fit and prepare

their hearts to receive the Holy Ghost, with His

seven-fold gifts, in the Laying on of Hands of the

Bishop. And grant that they may remain Thy

faithful servants to the end, through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

Confirmation Prayer.

To be Used by Candidates Daily.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who didst make me Thine own

child in Holy Baptism, I humbly beseech Thee to

prepare me for the solemn day of Confirmation.

Make me to feel the need of Thy Grace. Teach me

all I ought to know. Help me to love Thee more.

And when the hand of the Bishop is laid on me

grant me the Holy Spirit, with all His seven-fold

gifts. through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Special Services.

On Sunday, July 5th, the Sunday after the

Confirmation, there will be Celebrations of Holy

Communion in the Parish Church both at 8 a.m. and

after Morning Prayer.

The Board of Education.

Sermons on behalf of the Diocesan Board of

Education will (D.V.) be preached in the Parish Church

on Sunday, June 7th, at Morning and Evening

Prayer. Envelopes were distributed through the

pews last Sunday (May 31st) on which an appeal

was printed for the work of the Board. We ask

our people to please place in the Envelope a sum in

some degree worthy of the great work of Religious

Education carried out by the Board in our Day and

Sunday Schools. “The Fear of the Lord is the

beginning of wisdom." St. Paul said to Timothy

“From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures

which are able to make thee wise unto salvation."

The Choral Festival.

The Annual Festival of the Choral Union will be

held (D.V.) on Saturday, June 6^th, in Gilford Parish

Church at 4 p.m. The Rev. John Bentley, Rector

of Jonesboro', a distinguished musician and formerly

a member of Armagh Cathedral Choir, will act

as Conductor. The preacher will be the Rev. J. E.

Olden M.A., Rector of Ballysillan, Belfast. Seagoe

Choir is taking part in the Festival. Those amongst

us who are interested in Church Music should

attend the Service.

Sunday School Excursion.

We are now just three weeks from that great

event—the Seagoe Sunday School Excursion. Great

preparations are being made for it, and everyone is

looking forward to it. The actual date of the Excursion

is Thursday, June 25th. The Sunday Schools will

assemble at the Parish Church for a short Service at 8.

The trains will leave Portadown at 9.30 and 9.50, and

in the evening will leave Warrenpoint at 8 and 8.20.

A splendid field has been secured for the excursionists.

Refreshments will be distributed at 11.30 and 5. In case

of rain (but we always expect "Seagoe weather") the

Parochial Hall and Orange Hall have been kindly reserved

for our use.

The price of Tickets will be as follows; -

Children under 8 9d

Children under 14 1s 3d

Children over 14 1s 9d

Teachers and Bible Classes ... 2s

The above prices include two Refreshments.

Outsiders Tickets (no Refreshments). ... 2s 6d.

Outsiders can obtain the two Refreshments by

purchasing a Refreshment Ticket at 1s.

Tickets (2s 6d) for Outsiders are now on sale from

the Superintendents of Sunday Schools and at the

local Shops. Secure your Ticket at once.

Letter from Rev. W. R. Crichton.

The Rector has received the following interesting

letter from our old friend, the Rev. W. R. Crichton.

His many friends will be glad to read it: —

Fort St. George,

Madras, 13th May, 1925.

I do not think that I wrote to you since I came

to my new sphere. The Garrison Chaplain went

sick last December, and eventually was sent home

on sick leave in March. As the post must be filled

by a Chaplain on the Ecclesiastical Establishment,

I was moved down here, and a C.M.S. man put in

to fill my place at the Cathedral till we get a new

recruit: Government tried to get one for us, but

without success.

You would luxuriate in the antiquities of this

place. My Church is the oldest British building in

India, and is known as the Westminster Abbey of

the East. The foundation stone was laid on 25th

March, 1673, and the edifice was consecrated on 28th

October, 1680. I have all the records from that date,

except for three years during which the French

held Madras. Our Alms Dish was presented by

Elihu Yale, afterwards founder of Yale University,

when he was Governor of Madras. It is dated 1687.

We have a lot of other silver, too, of immense value.

One plate would probably fetch about £700 per oz.

in London. I have the entry of Clive's marriage

in my books, and Wellesley's signature. He and

Warren Hastings were worshippers in the old place.

The only drawback to our antiquity and magnificence

is that a lot of visitors invade the Fort, and waste a

lot of my time. Of course, some of them are

interesting folk, and one does not grudge the

necessary hour and a half which they take from

the day's work. I had Dr. and Mrs. Grenfell, of

Labrador fame, round recently. They were well

worth a little trouble.

My work here is rather more varied than usual.

In the Fort itself I have the Lancashire Fusiliers, the

Army School, and the British Station Hospital. My

extra-mural work is the Civil Hospital, the Penitentiary,

the Ordnance Lines, some civilians, and I am supposed

to be a sort of Port Chaplain. On the whole there is

not much time to eat the bread of idleness. I have also

recently been appointed Hon. Clerical Sec. of the

Madras Diocesan Council, which involves the

secretarial work of four or five sub-committees.

Our Diocesan Council corresponds to your Diocesan

Synod, and our Diocesan Standing Committee takes

the place of your Diocesan Council. The work is most

interesting, as we are immersed in Disestablishment

problems, but I find it difficult to get the old Church

of Ireland terminology out of my head. Fortunately,

our Bishop knows the Irish Constitution and can

understand me.

I am afraid there is not much news in all the

above, but I flatter myself that you still have an

interest in the career of him who was practically

your first curate. I think you once called me "the

raw material." At present I am more or less roasting.

Our hot weather has begun in earnest, and most of us

have discarded all the unnecessary garments.

All the lucky people have migrated to the Hills,

and left us Empire Builders to grill on the Plains.

Quite recently I discovered that I shall have a

year's furlough due to me on 1st March, 1926, and,

as I always do the obvious thing, I applied for eight

month's leave. My scheme is to land at Naples or

Genoa, and proceed to my family in Switzerland.

After a couple of months there we would migrate

to London and thence to Ireland. If this comes off

I may want a Locum Tenancy for a couple of

months.

How is your "wireless" getting on? Madras is

keen now, and I have been asked to broadcast their

first sermon. The idea is a bit alarming. However

I shall not see the effect on the congregation.

With kind regards to everyone in Seagoe,

Yours ever,

W. R. CRICHTON.

Death of Rev. R. S. Morrison, B.D.

Seagoe people will much regret the death of the

Rev. R. S. Morrison, Rector of Ballymore

(Tandragee). Mr. Morrison appeared to be in his

usual health until two days before his death, and

even on the Sunday afternoon a few hours before

he passed away he was quite bright and cheerful.

Mr. Morrison had often been with us in Seagoe, and

everyone liked him for his brightness and goodness.

The Funeral on Tuesday, May 26th, was very largely

attended. The Rector of Seagoe and the Rev. R. W.

Johnston were present. The interment took place at

Ballymoney in the Co. Antrim, the family burying

place.

Rev. W. T. Wilson.

We announce with much regret that the Rev. W.

T. Wilson, who has been Curate in Seagoe for the

past two years, will soon be leaving the Parish.

Mr. Wilson has been appointed to the Curacy of

Birr in the Diocese of Killaloe by the Rev. W. Daly,

Rector of Birr. Before coming to Seagoe, Mr. Wilson

was for some years Curate of Maryborough in the

Diocese of Ossory. His tenure of the Curacy of

Seagoe will terminate on July 31st. Mr. Wilson

has discharged his duties in Seagoe Parish very

faithfully, and has made many friends among the

parishioners. We will miss him very much. He

has recently been laid by with a severe cold, but

is now better and is recuperating for a couple of

weeks at his home in the County Wicklow.

The Rev. J. N. Mackenzie.

The Rev. J. N. Mackenzie, the Edenderry boy who

is now Rector of St. Stephen's Church, Nebraska,

U.S.A., and whose interesting letters have on

several occasions been published in this magazine,

hopes to pay a visit to Seagoe in August. He is

crossing over in July to attend a course of Lectures

in Oxford, and will then come and see his old

friends here and in Waringstown and Rostrevor.

The Blacker Bequest.

In our Annual Report each year under the heading

“Poor Fund" may be seen the words "Blacker

Bequest" £1 15s 0d. It is paid to the Hon. Treasurer

by Mr. W. H. Atkinson about February in each year.

Mr. Atkinson has very kindly sent us an account of

the Bequest. It is paid out of the Loftie Estate for

which Mr. Atkinson acts as Agent. The following

note occurs in the Topographical Dictionary of

Ireland published in 1837 under the heading of

Ballymore (Tandragee) Parish – “The interest of

a Bequest of £100 by some member of the Montague

family is divided in equal shares among the poor of

the Parishes of Ballymore and Seagoe." The Bequest

must therefore be considerably over 100 years in existence.

Nine Years Ago.

[Extracts from the War Diary of the late Herbert

Murray, P.P.C.L.I.]

1916—Feb. 25th. - Stand to 5.30. Very cold. Fatigue

filling and carrying sandbags. Lively shelling on

both sides. Two shells fell where we were working

while away for dinner. Stand to 5.30. Commenced

to snow.

Saturday, Feb. 26th. — Stand to 5.30. Fatigue

making a traverse. Night warned for Listening

Post. My first experience of sitting out in "No

Man's Land." Three reliefs during night. One

hour on and two off. Very cold, and snow in

morning.

Sunday, Feb. 27^th. — Wrote letter in morning.

Slept in afternoon. Warned for Listening Post

again to-night. Left front line trenches and took

shelter in support trenches during a sharp

bombardment, trench mortars, etc. No casualties.

Feb. 28th. — Prepared to go to billets for few days

rest. Relieved by 42nd.

Feb. 29th. — Got up about 8.30. Clean up. Hostile

aircraft flying over our huts. Attacked by our

machines and driven off. Parade and inspection

of rifles at 10.50. Night fatigue ploughing through

mud up to our knees. Carrying stakes up to front

line trenches. Got back about 10 o'clock.

March 1^st. — Got up about 8 a.m. At 9.15 to Locre.

Afternoon did nothing. Told to sleep with boots

and putties on, and have everything ready for any

emergency, as liable to be called out at moment's

notice.

March 2nd. — Woke up at 4.30 a.m. by terrific

bombardment of our big guns. Huts shook like leaves

with concussion. Morning about an hour's physical

drill. Afternoon continuation of bombardment

on a smaller scale. Warned to be ready to be

called out at any moment. Night fatigue, went to

Regent Street along Suicide Road, but nothing to

do when we got there, so returned to billets about

10 o'clock.

March 3rd. — Got up about 8 o'clock. Woke up

two or three times during night by big guns. Fell

in in full marching order, and marched to Chateau

at Kemmel. Called out on fatigue, went to front

line through communication trench, plunging

through mud up to knees. Nothing to do so got

back about 9.30. Some shells fell in Kemmel

shelters, where we left, and wounded some of 42nd

and 49th. Weather very wet and cold.

March 4th. — Got up about 8 o'clock. Snowing.

Nothing to do in morning. Afternoon fell in at 4.45

and marched to Trenches. Dug-out and trenches

very wet. Sentry duty all night. Two hours on

and one off.

Sunday, March 5th. — Stand to 4.45. Very cold.

Got an hour's sleep or so. Sharp Artillery bombardment

by Germans on our trenches. Blew down two or three

dug-outs, but without any casualties. Stand to 5.45.

Warned for Listening Post duty at 7 o'clock. Two

hours on, four off. Very cold and snowing most of

night. Fired my first shot at German working party

on top of parapet.

March 8^th. — Stand to 4.45. Daytime slept a few

hours. Evening relieved by 27th Batt. after a very

cold spell in the trenches. Marched to billets at

Locre, arrived at 11 o'clock and slept in a barn.

March 9^th. — Got up about 8.30. Cleaned rifles for

rifle inspection. Afternoon saw military funeral in

Churchyard. Very impressive. Brass Band played

“Dead March," and "Last Post," followed by

“Abide With Me," beautifully rendered by band.

Weather cold and dry.

Parish Register for May

Marriage

Cordon and Major—June 3rd—Thomas James Gordon,

of Edenderry, to Anne Eliza Major, of Lower Seagoe.

Burials.

Webb—May 12th—May Elizabeth Webb, of Portadown,

aged 2 days.

Ruddell—June 2nd—Frederick William Ruddell, of

Belfast, aged 3 months.

New Honour for Mr. David Rock.

We congratulate Mr. David Rock on the honour

which the King has conferred upon him. In the

list of Birthday Honours Mr. Rock's name appears

as having received the distinction of M.B.E. (Member

of the Order of the British Empire). This is a notable

distinction, and Mr. Rock's many friends in the Parish

of Seagoe and elsewhere will congratulate him on

this additional honour conferred on him.

Flower Service in Drumgor.

On Sunday, June 14th, a Flower Service will

(D.V.) be held in Drumgor Church Hall at 3.30 p.m.

Those who attend are asked to bring Flowers with

them, which will be sent to the Infirmary at Lurgan

to brighten up the wards.

ITEM.

The Rector and the Rev. R. W. Johnston were

present at the Consecration Service in Belfast

Cathedral on Tuesday, June 2nd.

SERVICES.

THE PARISH CHURCH.

HOLY COMMUNION—1st Sunday after Morning

Prayer; 3rd Sunday at 8 a.m., and on the Chief

Festivals.

HOLY BAPTISM—1st Saturday of Month at 3 p.m.,

and during any Service in the Parish Church

if notice be given; Two Sponsors at least are

required, and they must be Confirmed members

of the Church. Churchings are held at each

Baptism. Mothers are expected to bring a thank

offering. (See Book of Common Prayer.)

MORNING PRAYER—Sundays and Chief Festivals

11.30 a.m.

EVENING PRAYER. —Sundays 7 p.m., Wednesdays

8 p.m.

EDENDERRY PAROCHIAL HALL.

EVENING PRAYER—Sundays at 7 p.m., Thursdays

at 8 p.m.

DISTRICT SERVICES.

Hacknahay—Last Sunday of Month at 3.30 p.m.

Drumgor-—Second Sunday of Month at 4 p.m.

CLASSES, &c.

ADULT CLASSES - Sundays at 10 a.m.

For Men—Edenderry and Seagoe. For Women—

Seagoe School.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS—10 a.m. Edenderry Parochial

Hall and Seagoe School. 3 p.m. Seagoe, Edenderry

Parochial Hall, Levaghery, Hacknahay, Carne, Drumgor.

Girls' Friendly Society meets at Breagh (Miss

Calvert's) on alternate Tuesdays at 7.

Seagoe Scouts in Seagoe School and in Edenderry

Parochial Hall, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at

7.30.

Seagoe Girl Guides meet in Seagoe School on

Saturday at 3.

Mothers' Union, Edenderry 1st. Tuesday, at 4 p.m.

DAY SCHOOL—Seagoe, 9.30 a.m. Principal—Mr. S. Rennix.

MARRIAGES must be performed between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Licenses are issued by Rev Canon Hannon, Rectory, Lurgan. Due notice (48 hours) must be given to the Rector of intended weddings. FEES— By License—Labourers 5/-, Tradesmen 10/-, Merchants and Farmers 15/-, Professional £1. By Banns 5/-,

FUNERALS will be attended by the Clergy if proper notice be given. SICK CASES should be notified to the Clergy without delay. FEES FOR CERTIFICATES BAPTISM , 3/7; Children (Factory), 1/- and 2/- (non-residents); MARRIAGE, 3/7. An extra search fee is chargeable in certain cases.