May 1920

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

MAY, 1920.

THE EASTER VESTRY.

CHURCHWARDENS,

Rector's … Mr. Thomas England.

People’s … Mr. Thomas Martin.

SELECT VESTRY,

(In Alphabetical order.)

Wolsey R. Atkinson

Stewart W. Blacker, D.S.O., Lt.-Col.

John G. Gracey

John E. Lavery

Thomas E. Maginnis

Joseph Monroe

John Montgomery

David W. Murray

Robert Price

James Sands

Joseph H. Stevenson

James Twinem

HON. SECRETARY.

Joseph H. Stevenson.

HON. TREASURER.

James Sands

SIDESMEN.

James Twinem, J. G. Gracey, D. W. Murray,

J. H, Twinem, Gilbert Price, R. McClements,

W. J. Cox, W. J. Caddell, T. E. Maginnis, John

Montgomery.

The Easter General Vestry was held in Seagoe

School, on Thursday, April 8th, at 8 p.m. The

Rector presided. The above appointments to the

Various Church Offices were made.

The following Resolution was proposed by Lieut.-

Col. Blacker, seconded by Mr John Montgomery, and

passed in silence, all standing: -

“That we, the Members of the General Vestry

of the Parish of Seagoe, desire to express our

abhorrence of the dastardly crime by which Mr.

Alan Bell, R M. was ruthlessly murdered, and our

hope that the assassins may speedily be brought

to justice. We deplore the loss of one who, during

his recent residence in the Parish, won the love and

esteem of all the Parishioners by his Christian

sympathy, his warmth of heart and his kindly

generosity. We also desire to convey to Mrs. Bell

and Miss Nicholl our most sincere sympathy with

them in the terrible loss they have sustained .”

The Rev. H. G. de L. Singleton, M.A., Curate, was

unavoidably absent from the General Vestry owing to

a severe cold.

Easter in Seagoe.

The Easter Services this year were unusually

bright and hearty. The Church was well filled, and

the musical portion of the service was rendered in

a very helpful way by a large choir. The solo in the

anthem was sung by Mr. David W. Murray. The

Rev. W. T. Grey preached both at Morning and

Evening Prayer on " Sorrow turned into Joy." A

large number of Parishioners communicated both

at the early and later Celebrations.

The Church was very prettily decorated, principally

with Daffodils and the bright and fragrant Mahonia,

which grows so well in Seagoe. The offerings were on

behalf of the Parochial Sunday Schools. Mr Grey

returned to Cork on Friday, 9th inst. He greatly enjoyed

his visit to Seagoe, and had an opportunity of meeting

many of his old friends.

Seagoe War Memorial

At a meeting of the Select Vestry held immediately

after the General Vestry on April 8th, Lieut.-Col.

Blacker submitted the plans for the Memorial Pillar

and Gates to be erected as a Memorial to those from

the Parish who fell in the Great War. The names

of the 52 who made the great sacrifice will be engraved

on the Pillars. The design is very handsome, and

will form a notable Memorial to our heroes. The

plans were unanimously passed by the Vestry, and

the work of erecting the Memorial will be proceeded

with without delay.

The Late Mr. Alan Bell.

Very many resolutions of regret and sympathy

continue to be passed by public bodies deploring the

assassination of Mr Bell. He was beloved by everyone.

Evidence of his kindness pours in from all

quarters. His generous sympathy for the soldiers,

especially the wounded, during the war, could not

have been surpassed. The men of Edenderry used

to bring their pension papers to him for signature,

He always brought them into his study and lit

cigarettes for them and chatted to them as if he was

a brother.

The Rector has received letter from Mrs. Bell

acknowledging the sympathy expressed in Seagoe for

her in her trouble. She writes: “I know how you

all feel for me in my terrible loss and affliction. The

wonderful sympathy that I have received, and the

beautiful letters and tributes to his memory, have

helped to console me, and the many prayers offered

up for me have most certainly sustained me, I know

how all my dear kind friends in Portadown are thinking

of me and sorrowing for me. I can never forget

everybody's kindness."

Mrs. Bell has gone to England for a time to be

with her sister, Miss Nicholl, who has been very ill,

but is now, we are glad to say, somewhat better.

(page 2)

Death of the Primate.

The death of Archbishop Crozier, at a comparatively

early age, removes a notable figure from our Church

life. We knew him well in Seagoe, and his visits to

the Parish were much appreciated by the people.

His splendid eloquence, his merry jokes and his deep

Christian sympathy made him an ideal Bishop. His

first visit to Seagoe as Bishop of this Diocese was to

attend a social meeting of the Parishioners in Seagoe

School, and many will recall his friendly manner

and the sociable way in which he mingled with the

people. He also, at a later date, assisted the present

Archbishop of Dublin in dedicating the Chancel

Memorial to his old friend, the late Canon Blacker.

Reference was made to his death on the Wednesday

following by the Rev. H. G. de L. Singleton, and on

the Sunday evening by the Rector, The Dead March

was played, and the Union Jack on the Church

Tower flew at half-mast.

The Diocesan Synod of Armagh will meet on May

26th to elect a Bishop of Armagh, who will fill that

See temporarily until a new Primate is elected by the

Bench of Bishops. During the vacancy the Ven.

Archdeacon Hobson bas been appointed Commissionary

in charge of the Diocese.

A Memorial Volume.

The Rector would wish to publish an In Memoriam

Volume containing the portraits of all those connected

with Seagoe Church who fell in the War. To

do this it would be necessary for him to obtain a

photograph (preferably in uniform) of the fallen

soldiers. The relatives of most of the soldiers possess

such photographs. Before a photograph can be

printed, a half-tone block of it has to be made, and

the charge for each block is 13/- including postage.

It is thought that many would like to possess this

permanent record of our heroes and if relatives would

send the photograph with the sum of 13/- to the

Rector, he will have the volume issued without delay,

A free copy of the Book will be given to each one

who sends the Photograph and cost of the Block. A

page of the book will be given to each photograph,

and under the photograph will be printed particulars

regarding the Soldier. Great care will be taken of

the photographs, and they will be returned uninjured

to the owner after a brief interval. In sending the

photographs of the soldier, please write the Name and

Regiment of the Soldier, and also the name and

address of the person who sends it.

Congratulations.

We offer our hearty congratulations to Mr. and

Mrs. Neil (Miss Caroline Montgomery), and to Mr.

and Mrs. Walker (Miss Smartt) on their marriage,

Mrs. Neil is the daughter of our respected Parishioner

and ex-Churchwarden, Mr John Montgomery, of

Levaghery. Mrs. Walker has been at all times a

most useful helper in the Parish and a member of

the Choir.

Our New Churchwardens.

Mr. Thomas England, the newly appointed

Rector's Churchwarden, has been associated with

Seagoe from his earliest years. He has

done very useful work as Superintendent of Seagoe

Morning Sunday School. He is also a valued

member of the Choir and is collector of Sustentation Fund.

He is a son of Mr Nicholas England of Ballymacrandle,

one of our most regular worshippers in Seagoe Parish Church.

Two of Mr Thomas England's sisters

are Teachers in Seagoe and Hacknahay Sunday Schools.

Mr. Thomas Martin, who has been elected to

the office of People's Churchwarden, has held office

for many years on the Select Vestry, and has also

filled the post of Churchwarden. He has been a

useful helper in all branches of Parochial work.

Concert in Edenderry

On Thursday, April 22nd, the Concert organized

by Mr T. H. Wilson took place. The Hall was

crowded, and an excellent programme was provided.

The performers were Messrs. Sydney P. Smith,

A.R.C.O., W.Watt, V. Hawthore, H. Reynolds (comic),

D. W. Murray, J Mitchell, Miss K. Thompson, Miss

Marian Johnston, Mrs Sydney Smith, Miss

Norah Montgomery. All the items were first rate, and

encores were frequently demanded. A large number of

Tickets had been sold and the proceeds will amount

to a considerable sum. The object of the Concert

was to provide a sum sufficient to provide a set of

new Church Hymnals and Psalters for the Choir, and

any balance remaining over is intended to help towards

purchasing a piano for use in Seagoe School.

Mr. Sydney Smith, Organist of Shankill Parish

Church, acted as accompanist, and, with his usual

kindness gave every possible help in the arrangements

for the Concert. At the close of the Programme the

Rector, who presided, proposed a very sincere vote of

thanks to all who had so kindly helped, and it was

passed amidst hearty applause. Mr. T. H. Wilson,

Organist of Seagoe, is specially to be congratulated

on the energy he displayed in organising the concert,

which proved so successful in every way.

Thanks.

The thanks of the Parishioners are due to the

following who collected for the Penny-a-Week Fund

and as a result of whose efforts the new and most

comfortable seats have been provided, at a cost of

over £50, for the Parochial Hall.

Miss E Cox, Miss S, Dawson, Miss Halliday, Miss M.

Hawthorn, Mrs. Johnston, Miss Johnston. Mrs.

Magee, Miss S. Martin, Miss K. Moore, Mrs. Smith,

Mrs. Stevenson, Miss Woolsey and Miss Atkinson, of

Eden Villa, who organised and carried out all the

details of the Fund. We thank also most heartily all

those who subscribed so generously.

The new Seats were in use at the recent Concert

and added greatly to the comfort of the Hall.

(page 3)

PARISH REGISTER for APRIL.

Baptisms.

Ross - April 3rd, 1920, Emily Elizabeth, daughter

of William Moore and Sarah Ross, of Upper Seagoe.

Sponsors - Emma Richardson, Sarah Ross.

Finney - April 3rd, 1920, James, son of James and

Ellen Finney, of Portadown.

Sponsors - Elizabeth Dawson, Ellen Finney.

Pearson - John, son of Joseph Henry and Mary

Anne Pearson, of Edenderry.

Sponsors—Margaretta Atkinson. Joseph Henry

Pearson.

Marriages.

Neil and Montgomery - April 6th. 1920, Charles

Neil Glasgow to Caroline, daughter of John

Montgomery of Levaghery, Churchwarden

of Seagoe, 1919 - 20.

Walker and Smartt - ApriI 28th, 1920, John

George Walker, of Kernan, to Martha Smartt, of Kernan.

Burials.

Lindsay - April 19th, John Lindsay, of Portadown

late of Upper Seagoe. Aged 60.

Nature Notes.

Two of our summer migrants have arrived, the

swallow and the corncrake, but as yet no one seems

to have heard the cuckoo.

The first to see a swallow was Mr John

Flannigan, of Bridge Street, and his observation was

made on a very early date, April 8^th. Mr. David

Murray saw a swallow on April 12th, which is also

an early record.

The corncrake first made itself heard this year

at Seagoe on April 17th.

Many interesting things have been written about

Mars. Some people have been trying to send messages

to Mars. The planet can be seen any night now about

10 p.m., shining brightly in the southern heavens,

the bright star high up in the south-western sky is

Jupiter, and Saturn and Neptune are not far from

him.

Every year some special weed flourishes more

vigorously than others. This year the dandelion

seems unusually prominent.

Among birds, thrushes seem to be very numerous

this year and have nested very early.

ITEMS.

The ivy on the Churchyard walls has been cut,

making the Church grounds look much neater.

* *

The epidemic of Measles still affects our school

attendance.

* *

A school garden has been formed in connection

with Seagoe School.

* *

“Summer Time” is much appreciated by those

engaged in Public Works.

* *

Sergeant Jackson, of Edenderry R.I.C., and Constable

White have returned safely from troubled Tipperary.

* *

Much sympathy has been felt for Mr. and Mrs.

Moses Gilpin, of Drumngoon, at the death of their

infant sons (twins) a few days after birth.

* *

Canon Hemphill who has been appointed Rector of

Drumbeg, near Lisburn, is one of the most

distinguished of the Clergy of the Church of Ireland.

is a ripe scholar and indefatigable worker.

* *

The Parish Social which was to have been held in

May has been postponed to the Autumn. The Select

Vestry and the Committee of Ladies felt that owing

to the long evenings it would be difficult to make it

a success at this time of the year.

* *

Within the last few weeks several Parishioners

have left the Parish for the United States and

Canada. We hear of others who are about to leave.

The Rector will be glad to give a Letter of

Commendation to anyone emigrating to the United

States or the Colonies. We hope that our Emigrants

on reaching their new homes will at once get in

touch with the Rector of the Parish to which they

go. The Protestant Episcopal Church has Churches

and Parishes all over the States, and we ask our

Church emigrants to call on the Clergy who live near

them on their arrival, and to get into touch with the

Church life of the Parish. They will receive a hearty

welcome.

Seagoe Puzzles.

A youthful Parishioner sends us the following

interesting Puzzles. The answers will be published

in our next issue. See if you can find the answers.

FAMOUS PEOPLE.

DALSENGOT ELYSOW

GIDIRABLA DIEHEKEZLEM

QUSATIH MACNABERIH

PORTADOWN.

How many Words of more than one letter can

you obtain out of PORTADOWN.

DOUBLE ACROSTIC.

In this old Residence we see, a family well known

to thee.

1. An Order one is proud to wear.

2. Where British horsemen killed with spear.

3. What gardeners oft are wont to tear.

4. An Adjective to maidens dear.

5. A Scottish word to others queer.

6. Something to hold a fluid clear.

7. A man who uses many a snare.

(page 4)

S.A.M.S.

We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the

following sums for the South American Missionary Society ­-­

BOXES.

M. Atkinson … £0 1s 0½d

Aaron Smith … £0 3s 4d

Martha Smartt … £0 3s 2d

Sarah Montgomery … £0 7s 5½d

Mrs. Lewie … £0 7s 1½d

Mrs. Forsyth … £0 3s 11d

Mrs. M'Dougall … £0 4s 0d

T. H. Hall … £0 3s 5½d

________

£1 13s 6d

CARD.

Isobel Atkinson … £5 15s 0d

________

£7 8s 6d

OLD SEAGOE NOTES.

Inscription on Bishop Saurin's Tablet, in

Dromore Cathedral, 1842.

[Bishop Saurin was a frequent visitor to Seagoe from

1826 to 1842, his son, Archdeacon Saurin, being Rector of the Parish]

To the Memory of the Right Rev. James Saurin, D.D.,

Lord Bishop of Dromore who, during twenty-two

years, in the exercise of a mild and paternal authority

presided over the Diocese, fulfilling the relations of

life with purity, affection, constancy. An affable

and hospitable Prelate of unaffected Christian

benevolence, whose intercourse with his Clergy and

neighbours continually exhibited amenity of disposition

and blandness of deportment. The Clergy

and a few Laymen of his Diocese have erected this

Tablet, a record of his worth and their esteem. He

died on the 9th of April 1842, in the 83rd year of

his age, and the 23rd of his Consecration.

PETER 1, 24-25.

The fine stone Pulpit in Dromore Cathedral was

erected to the Memory of the Bishop in 1872. The

inscription on it records that it was placed there by

his children who reverenced him.

* *

Seagoe Easter Vestry, 1862 - We copy the

following from the Portadown News of Saturday,

April 26th, 1862:-

On Monday last, being Easter Monday, the usual Vestry

meeting was held in Seagoe Parish Church.

The Vestry Room was crowded by a large attendance of

the principal parishioners, a portion of whom had to be

accommodated in the Church itself.

The Venerable Arch Deacon Saurin, Rector, in the chair.

Stewart Blacker, Esq., of Carrickblacker, and

Thomas Armstrong, Esq., of Eden Hall, were proposed;

seconded and unanimously elected Church

wardens for the ensuing year.

Mr. Blacker in returning thanks for himself and

Mr Armstrong, after some prefatory remarks, called

the attention of the meeting to the state of the graveyard

of this highly respectable parish, open to every

sort of encroachment and desecration. Cattle

occasionally breaking over the wretched fences, or

rather, as he might call them, a series of gaps, and

browsing over the graves of our humbler brethren,

and what was worse, the ground itself sacred to

many memories and associations of ancient worship

turned too often into a harbouring place for disreputable characters.

It was not creditable to them that such a state of things

should any longer exist.

He would state therefore what he was prepared to

do. He was ready to give the sum of £100 towards

the building of a proper fence wall round their

ancient burial ground, provided the other proprietor

and Parishioners raised £200 additional. He would

suggest in conclusion that their worthy Rector, Archdeacon

Saurin, be appointed Chairman, his valued

coadjutor in office, Mr. Armstrong, of Eden Hall,

Treasurer, himself, Hon. Secretary, and all three,

Joint Trustees. He did not know what those

gentlemen would do in assisting to make him (Mr.

Blacker) pay up the amount he had named as soon

as possible, but this he would say, they would find

no one who would work harder or desire to do so

more urgently than himself, or in any other matter

tending to the good of the Parish. (Applause.)

Archdeacon Saurin said the proposition and offer

of Mr Blacker had taken him somewhat by surprise.

He wished he could say that, he was also ready to lay

down £100 for so good a purpose; but he assured

the meeting that whatever aid and assistance he

could give such a cause - which was in fact that of

civilization, improvement and progress in the Parish

- would not be wanting. As to the trespassing by

cattle on the Graveyard, by a recent enactment the

owners were punishable at law. The Rev. T. D.

Elliott, Mr Henry, of Lylow, and Wolsey Atkinson,

Esq., of Eden Hall, supported the motion, and it was

declared carried unanimously. Great and well

deserved praise was accorded by the meeting to Archdeacon

and Mrs. Saurin for the energy, care and

attention they had given to the getting up of so

handsome and highly efficient a Schoolhouse and

for having seen the money collected so economically

and so well laid out.

Mr. Blacker objected to the large sum amounting

to £10 charged for putting up the new bell.

Archdeacon Saurin explained that it was a more troublesome

and expensive affair than at first calculated upon.