May 1906

Seagoe Parish Magazine

MAY, 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.

Easter Vestry

The annual meeting of the General

Vestry of the Parish of Seagoe, was

held in Seagoe School on Easter

Tuesday, April 17th, at 7-30 p.m.

The chair was taken by the Rector,

and after the reading and signing of the minutes it was

proposed that the meeting be adjourned as a mark of

sympathy with our esteemed Hon. Secretary, Mr. W.

R. Atkinson, on the occasion of the death of his

eldest daughter, Miss Charlotte Atkinson This was

passed with many expressions of sincere sympathy,

and the meeting then adjourned until Monday, April

23rd.

On Monday, April 23rd, the adjourned meeting

of the General Vestry was held. There was a large

attendance, including the Chairman (Rev. J. E.

Archer), and the Rev. J. Taylor. After prayer and

the reading of the minutes, the Rector gave a short

address on the work of the Parish during the past

year and the prospects for the coming year. He referred

in sympathetic terms to the great loss the

Parish had sustained in the resignation and death of

its late Rector, the Very Rev. the Dean of Dromore.

The great and good work done by the Dean in

restoring the Parish Church, and his unwearied

diligence in Parochial duties, had established a lasting

memorial. which time could not efface ; but the erection

of a special memorial, recording the Dean's work

and worth, was an object which he hoped would be

taken in hand in the near future. In many departments

of parish life progress was recorded. The

congregations had considerably increased, and the

offertories, though not yet quite what they might be,

had been liberal. Special attention had been devoted

to the Sunday Schools, and he was glad to say that

both in attendance and efficiency there had been

a marked improvement. The importance of the

children being taught the habit of attendance at

Public Worship was also being kept in view.

A Church Army Mission had been held during

Lent throughout the whole Parish, and with gratifying

spiritual results. The Mission was now being

conducted by the Clergy and Church Army Evangelists

each evening in the open air in the district of Edenderry.

The Chairman thanked very heartily the

out-going Churchwardens and Select Vestry for the

great help they had given him in the work of the

Parish, and he also acknowledged with much gratitude

the splendid services rendered by the Rev. J.

Taylor, Curate of the Parish, in all branches of Church

work. They hoped to have a Church Mission in the

Parish in the autumn, and he asked their heartfelt

prayers for its success.

Mr. W. R. Atkinson then in a few words expressed

his gratitude to the members of the Vestry

for their kind resolution of sympathy with him and

his family in their bereavement. In referring to the

Finances of the Parish he said they were in a healthy

condition, and there was a balance of £23. He proposed

that £10 should be devoted to the debt on the

Stable Fund, and hoped that an effort would be made

that night to clear off the rest of the debt. We are

glad to record that the debt on the Fund was practically

cleared off before the meeting concluded.

The following elections were then made :—

Parochial Nominators—Major Stewart Blacker,

Mr. W. R. Atkinson, and Mr. George Calvert.

Churchwardens —Rector's, Mr. Atkinson Costello;

People's, Mr. T. E. M'Guinness.

Diocesan Synodsmen—Mr. W. R. Atkinson, Mr.

G. Calvert, Mr. T. Martin, Mr. J. H. Stevenson.

Select Vestry—Messrs. W. R. Atkinson, Andrew

Costello, J. Murray, J. Monroe, T. J. Montgomery,

J. Lavery, J. H. Stevenson, R. Gracey, J. Montgomery,

J. Albin, W. J. M'Dowe11, D. Rock.

The following members of the retiring Vestry

agreed not to seek re-election so as to make room for

some new members—Messrs. G. Calvert, Wilson

Irwin, and T. Martin.

***

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.

***

Sidesmen—Messrs. J. Murray, J. Montgomery,

D. Rock, and D. Warnock.

Much regret was expressed at the retirement of

the Rev. Canon Blacker from the position of Parochial

Nominator which he held for so long a time, but we

are glad to record that his son, Major Blacker, who

is.about to reside in Carrickblacker, was unanimously

appointed in his place.

The meeting closed with the Benediction pronounced by the Chairman.

OFFERTORIES FOR APRIL.

Morning Evening

£ s d £ s d

Apr. 1^st - 5^th Sunday in Lent 1 3 8 0 13 8

8^th Sunday before Easter 1 2 8 0 14 7

Holy week 0 8 2

13^th - Good Friday 0 5 0 0 2 7

15^th - Easter Day 0 6 10

4 4 5

0 9 6

Childrens Service 0 17 0

1 8 0

22^nd -1^st Sunday after Easter 0 18 6 0 10 0

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

£8 10 7 £4 13 0

Thanks.

We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the

following subscriptions towards our Sunday School

Funds—-Rev. Canon Blacker, £l ; Miss Macoun, 10s.

Sermon to men.

There will be a Parade of the C.L.B. at the Parish

Church, on Sunday evening, April 29th. A sermon

will be preached by Rev. J. Taylor. All the men of

the Parish are earnestly requested to attend the

service.

Baptisms.

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

put on Christ."

April 7th— Mary Ellen, daughter ot Thomas and Mary Ruddell, Lisniskey

Norman, son of George and Esther Fletcher, Carrickblacker Road

Sarah Elizabeth Lennon, daughter of David and Letitia Rock, Hanover St, Portadown

Valentine, son of Valentine and Amelia Carvill, Killycomain

Henry, son of George and Mary Steenson, Meadow Lane

Anna, daughter of Charles and Anna Fryar, Seagoe

Ambrose, son of Alex. and Jane Eliza Hewitt, Tamnificarbet

Amelia, daughter of Thomas Henry and Caroline Webb, Lylo

John, son of John and Sarah Jane Weir, Killycomain

12th—Wm. John, son of Wm. and Mary Shanks, Kernan

16th—James, son of James and Margaret Flannigan, William Street, Portadown

Marriages.

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

April 16th—Samuel Alexander Grimason to Martha Jane Bailie, Edenderry

William Thompson, Obin Street, Portadown, to Hannah Jane Shanks, Seagoe

„ 18th—WilIiam Edward Webb, Edenderry, to Annie Conn, Dungannon Street, Portadown

Burials.

" I know that my Redeemer liveth."

April 3rd —Ellen Couser, Lurgan, aged 55.

2nd—Sarah Gracey, Drumgor, aged 90

4th —Richard Robinson, Seagoe, aged 65

4th —Eliza Gracey, Joseph Street, aged 29

15th—Wm, John Shanks, Kernan, 3 months

18th —Charlotte E. B. Atkinson, Edenvilla.

23rd —William George Lavery, Tarson, aged 52

24^th—James Atkinson, Seagoe, aged 93.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Death has been busy in our midst during the past

month, both among old and young, and many homes

have been darkened by sorrow. Mrs. Gracey, of

Drumgor, passed away in the fullness of years. We shall

miss her much for her brightness and the pleasant

recollections she could give of long past days. God

has taken her to himself at a ripe old age, but she

will be much and sadly missed. Miss Atkinson, of

Eden Villa, has been called to her rest after a long

period of suffering. On the evening of Easter Day,

that Day which so. much brightens the Shadow of

Death, she found release from the burden of pain.

So gentle, patient and peaceful a sufferer we have

seldom seen, and we offer to her bereaved parents

and relatives our deepest sympathy. Just as we go

to press the sad news comes to us of the death of Mr.

James Atkinson, of Seagoe, at the great age of 92

years. For almost 50 years he was a members of the

Vestry of Seagoe, and also filled with diligence and

success the difficult post of Hon. Sec. and Treasurer

under the late Archdeacon Saurin,and then under the

ate Dean Dawson. Mr. Atkinson was ever ready to

give of his best to the service of the Church. After

this long period of faithful and willing service, God

has now summoned him to his eternal reward.

During an illness accompanied by much pain and

weakness he was sustained by the Faith which had

marked his whole life. We extend to his wife and

family our very sincere sympathy, and we thank God

for a life so full of Christian service and marked by

so many evidences of heartfelt devotion to his Lord

and Master. " Well done, good and faithful servant,

enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

To the Parents of the Parish.

DEAR FRIENDS,

It has been in our minds for some time

to write you a letter through the Parish Magazine on

a subject which has been engaging a great deal of our

attention since we came to the Parish. The subject

is the Morning Sunday School. The idea seems to

have been in the past, that if the children attended

the Afternoon Sunday School their obligation

was at an end. This idea is an altogether wrong one.

The morning School ought to be the principal one,

and the children ought to be taught by you that they

must give the first fruits of the Sunday to God. That

is, by going to School in the morning and to Church

afterwards. When the afternoon School is substituted

they never enter the House of God at all, and there

can be no doubt that the appalling number of non-church-goers

in this Parish is due to the fact that as

children they have not been trained in the habit of

church-going.

When speaking to parents on this subject we

are invariably met with two excuses. In the country

we are often told that it is too far to Seagoe. Now

we do not consider that there is any part of the Parish

too far away for any children above the infant class

to come to Sunday School if they start in time. These

parents seem to forget that if the children are allowed

to stay at home in the morning they run about a great

deal more than would take them to Seagoe. Another

excuse is that they are too tired on Sunday morning

to get up and dress the children. But our religion is

nothing if it does not cost us some self-denial. Remember

what our Saviour said, who was never weary

in well-doing—" He that will not deny himself, and

take up his cross and follow Me, cannot be My

disciple."

To be entrusted with children by

Almighty God is the most solemn responsibility that

could rest on human shoulders. You have been

given into your care beings with immortal souls to be

brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Think of what a terrible thing it would be if those

children rose up at the last day to condemn you as

having neglected to bring them up in the way they

should go, which they will certainly do if you fail in

your duty towards them. You solemnly promised at

their Baptism that you would have them instructed

in the Church Catechism and that they should hear

sermons. Are you carrying out your promise ?

Let us plead with you as your Spiritual Pastors

not to allow your children to be absent from Sunday

School, morning and afternoon, and see that they go

to Church afterwards. If you fail in this, your

children may grow up to be a curse to you and not

blessing.

In conclusion, let us say that you must attend the

House of God regularly yourselves, so as to teach

your little ones by your example.

Believe us,

Your Faithful Pastors,

J. E. ARCHER,

J. TAYLOR.

P.S.—Would those parents who get this Magazine

kindly pass it on to others, so that all may see

this letter.

Our Easter Services.

The Church was very bright and pretty at Easter

time. Willing hands had most tastefully decorated

it with Easter flowers, and with the large congregations,

hearty music and anthem and fine weather, we

could join in the gladness of Easter joy. In the

afternoon we had a very largely attended Children's

Service, the spacious nave was crowded with children

from all parts of the Parish. Nice hymns were sung

and Captain Gaskell sang very sweetly as a solo,

Shall we gather at the river" the children joining

heartily in the refrain. The prayers were said by

the Rev. John Taylor, and the Rector gave a short

address on "Stones rolled away."

We thank Miss Armstrong, Mrs. Ruck, and Miss

Irwin very heartily for their kindness in decorating

the Church and for their gifts of flowers.

SEAGOE PARISH MAGAZINE.

Church Mission.

Since the publication of the last number of the

Magazine, the Church Army has been continuing its

good work in various parts of the Parish. Seagoe,

Hacknahay, and Edenderry have been favoured. The

attendance at the various meetings was good, and

Captain Gaskell's addresses were very earnest. His

soul-stirring words ought to find an echo in many

a heart hitherto untouched by the Saviour's love.

A new departure was made in Hacknahay and

Edenderry in having some of the meetings in the

open air. Various streets of the latter district have

been visited, and the residents showed their appreciation

by the numbers which attended and listened

with devoted attention. We earnestly pray that the

lessons which they heard may be the means of bringing

many to the side of Christ and, forsaking the

fleeting enjoyments of a passing world, may cause

them to become loyal to Jesus Christ and to His

Church.

Last month an interesting meeting was held in

the Waiting Room at the Railway Station. Thirty

of the men employed in various branches of railway

work attended. Several hymns were very heartily

sung, and a short practical address on the question,

“What shall I do?" was given by Captain Gaskell.

The Rector presided and expressed his pleasure at

seeing so many of the men at the meeting. It is

hoped from time to time to hold similar gatherings.

Service of Song.

A very successful Service of Song, entitled—" The

Lion-hearted Bishop," was given by the members of

Miss Armstrong's Missionary Class, in the Parochial

Hall, on Thursday evening, April 19th. The Hall

was crowded with a most interested audience, and all

were delighted with the singing of the beautiful music

which accompanied the Service. The good time and

tune and excellent voice of the singers reflect great

credit on Miss Armstrong, who had spared no pains

to make the Service a great success. The readings

were given by the Rev. J. Taylor, and the slides were

shown by the Rector. The proceeds were devoted

towards the expenses of the Hall.

Notes on Old Seagoe.

N.B.—Through pressure on our space we have to

hold over our notes until next month.

Excursion to Newcastle.

Secure your Tickets at once for the Newcastle

Excursion. They are now on sale at the leading

shops in Portadown, price 2/- each.

Mr. Joseph Monroe, our valued superintendent in

Levaghery School, has been ill recently, but is now,

we are glad to say, much stronger.

Items.

We heartily congratulate Mr. Robert Montgomery

on being awarded First Prize in Ireland for the best

arranged shop window. The competition was

organised by the Grocers' Association.

A combined Parade of the three local companies

of the C.L.B„ Seagoe, St. Mark's, and Drumcree,

took place in Drumcree Parish Church on Sunday

evening, April 22nd. Over 100 lads took place in

the magnificent turn-ont.

We congratulate Miss Armstrong's Women's

Bible Class on having provided four new teachers for

Edenderry Sunday School.

The solos in our Easter Anthems were excellently

rendered by Mr. David Murray and Master Nicholas

England.

Mr. Robert Sweeney, of Hotikita, Woodstock,

Westland, New Zealand, is on a visit to the Parish

after an absence of thirty years. Mr. Sweeney has

engaged extensively in gold mining. He has also,

we are glad to say, engaged actively in Church work,

having been Select Vestryman and Churchwarden in

his Parish Church in that Colony.

We are sorry to hear that Miss Wade has not been

very well lately, but hope she may soon be restored

to health.

For

UP-TO-DATE

JOB PRINTING

Call at the

Portadown News Office.

NEW PREMISES!

NEW MACHINERY!

NEW TYPE!