October 1912

Seagoe Parish Magazine.

OCTOBER, 1912.

ULSTER Day, SEPTEMBER 28th, 1912.

SIGNING THE COVENANT AT SEAGOE CHURCH.

THE above Photograph will be an interesting remembrance of Ulster Day in Seagoe. The

Signing of the Covenant was preceded by a Solemn Service in the Parish Church, at 3 o'clock, and

then the men and women present filed out from the doors of the Church and signed the Forms.

569 signed at the Church doors, and many other signatures have been since, added throughout the

Parish. The first to sign in Seagoe was Major Stewart Blacker, then the Rector (Rev. J. E. Archer), and after him in order Mr. Wolsey Atkinson, Rev. G. Bloomer (Curate), and Messrs. T. J. Atkinson and W. Bickett, Churchwardens. In the Photograph many of the men are seen holding in their hands the Parchment Certificate, with which each person who signed was presented.

Harvest Thanksgiving Services.

Seagoe Parish will hold its annual Thanksgiving

Services for the Blessings of Harvest in the Parish

Church, on Thursday evening, October 17th, at 8

o'clock, and on Sunday, October 20th, at 11-30 a.m.,

3-30 p.m. (children's service), and 7 p.m. The

offerings at the service on Thursday will be in aid of

Foreign Missions, and on Sunday, on behalf of our

Parochial Funds. The following clergy have kindly

consented to preach at the services: — On Thursday,

the Rev. R. H. S. Cooper, M.A., until recently rector

of Whitehouse, and now rector of Christ Church,

Lisburn. Mr. Cooper is an enthusiastic supporter of

Foreign Missions, and, we hope, will stir up Seagoe

Parish to a still greater interest in this grand work of

extending Christ's Kingdom. On Sunday at morning

Prayer the Rev. J. M'Endoo, M A., Rector of

Ballymore (Tandragee) will preach, and on Sunday

evening, the Rev. T. G, G. Collins, BJ)., rector of

St. James's Church, Belfast. The afternoon service

will be held specially for the children attending

Seagoe and Edenderry Afternoon Sunday Schools,

and the offerings at that service will be devoted to

the South American Missionary Society, in which

the Misses Dawson are active workers abroad.

We will be glad to receive material for the decoration

of the Church on the Wednesday morning and

Thursday morning before the Service, between 10

and 12.

Hacknahay Harvest Service.

The Annual Thanksgiving Services will be held in

Hacknahay School on Sunday, October 13th, at 9-30

p.m., and on Monday, October 14th, at 7-30 p.m.

The offerings will be devoted to the Hacknahay Day

School Fund. The preacher on Sunday will be the

Rev. R. S. Morrison, B.D., and on Monday the Rev.

J. W. Johnson, B.A.

Items.

A great C. M. S. Demonstration will be held in

the Ulster Hall, on November 4th, at 8 o'clock.

***

Edenderry made a splendid display with cannon,

rifles, ambulance and nurses, on Wednesday, 25th

September, the day of the great meeting in Portadown.

The English papers all referred to this part

of the procession.

***

Mr. Samuel, M'Kegney, who has frequently conducted

District Services in Seagoe Parish, on Sunday

evenings during the past four years left Belfast last

week for London, Ontario, Canada, to undertake work

in the Diocese of Huron. Our good wishes go with

him in his new sphere of labour.

***

The Annual Examination of Hacknahay Day

School will be held this month, by the Diocesan

Inspector, Rev. Canon Clarke, M.A.

***

Miss M. Irwin, lately Monitress in Seagoe School,

has been admitted to the Church of Ireland Training

College, Kildare Place, Dublin.

***

Mrs. Heney (formerly Miss Mary Walker), of

Philadelphia, has kindly sent £2 to the Sale of Work

funds, through her sister, Miss Emma Walker, of

Seagoe. We are much obliged for this kind

contribution.

***

Dr. Orr, LL.D., of Belfast, conducted the. service

in Drumgor, on Sunday, September 29th, and was

assisted by Mr. Good, Auditor of Belfast Theological

Society.

***

Many of the children attending Edenderry Morning

Sunday School may be seen coming to school on

Sunday mornings without hats. The love of fresh

air seems to be growing in the younger generation.

***

A sturdy young sycamore tree has planted itself on

the ledge half-way up Seagoe Church tower, and is

growing vigorously.

***

Mr. Jack Shanks, the Head Porter at Portadown

Station, did a smart thing on the platform, on

Monday, September 16th. As the 2.47 p.m. train

for Belfast was leaving the station, a lady finding she

was in the wrong train, opened the carriage door and

was about to jump out when Mr. Shanks sprang

along the platform and was just in time to push her

back into the carriage, otherwise it is possible she

might have fallen under the train and been killed.

The train was then stopped and the lady alighted

in safety.

***

Three Seagoe boys are at present being educated

free of charge at the Hewetson School, Clane, County

Kildare.

***

Constable Bunting, R.I.C., who was very popular

in Edenderry, has recently been transferred to Brown

Square Barracks, Belfast.

***

A very interesting series of articles on Old

Portadown is appearing in the Portadown Express.

***

The Subject of the Harvest Anthem this year in

Seagoe Church, is Exodous xxiii. 15. "Thou shalt

keep the Feast of Harvest.

***

The Annual Report is now in print, and will be

issued to the Parishioners this month.

Week-night Bible Classes.

The Men's Bible Class in Tamnificarbet will meet

for the Winter Session on Tuesday, October 8th, at

8 o'clock. Announcements regarding the Drumgor

Lane Class will be made next week.

Singing Class.

The Singing Class will meet in Seagoe School, on

Monday, Oct. 21st, at 8 o'clock. Terms for Quarter

• Men, 1/6; Women and Girls, 1/-; payable in

advance.

Instructor—Mr. H. H. Hallowes. A punctual

attendance is requested of all who intend to join

the class.

The Recent Census.

The returns of the recent Government Census have

just been published. The results for Seagoe Parish

are most interesting, and reveal the progress of the

Church in this district. In the combined parishes

of Seagoe and Knocknamuckley there is an actual

increase of 555 in the members of the Church of

Ireland during the past ten years. Only one other

parish in the North of Ireland shows a larger increase.

The total Church of Ireland population for the two parishes

is as follows: —1901—3721; 1911— 4276.

The Church Flags,

Account of Collection furnished by Mr. T. Atkinson, LL.B.

To Mr. G. Calvert's Collection, £0 17 0

,, W. Bickett's ,, 0 10 8

,, T. Atkinson's ,, 0 17 9

Subscription from Seagoe L.O.L. 0 5 0

£2 10 5

EXPENDITURE.

By Ropes, £0 2 6

,, Flags, 0 19 1

,, Balance in hand 0 8 6

£2 10 5

Offertories for September.

Sunday Mornings, £6 10 3

,, Evenings, 2 13 7

Wednesdays, 0 5 0

£9 8 10

From the Collection on Sunday, Sept. 8 ^th, £3/3/0

was deducted for the Diocesan Fund for Poor Parishes.

Baptisms.

“I will write upon him my new name."

Baptized on Sept. 7th, 1912.

William John Graham, son of Robert and Sarah Jane

McCann.

Margaret, daughter of Thomas and Mary Jane Major.

Alexander, son of Alexander and Rachel Quinn.

Mary Adelaide, daughter of Henry and Caroline

Lavery.

Sarah Isabel, daughter of James and Sarah Simpson.

Privately Baptized, September 26th, 1912.

Mabel, daughter of David and Jane Webb.

Marriage.

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich.'

Aug. 28th—Ephraim Best, of 130 Park Road, Portadown,

to Anna Maria Roney, of Railway Street, Edenderry, Portadown.

Burials.

“Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty."

Sept. 6^th —James Clements Albin, Edenderry, aged 71 years.

Sept. 8^th —Thomas Magill, of Belfast, aged 51 years.

Sept. 12^th —Anne Gregson, Balteagh, aged 77 years.

Sept, 13^th —Mary Anne M'Crory, of Killycomain, aged 61 years.

Sept. 20^th —Mary Robinson, of Edenderry, aged 34 years.

Sept. 25^th —Bella Vaughan, of Edenderry, aged 17 years.

Sept. 27^th —Margaret Moore, of Belfast, aged 57 years.

Sept. 27^th Mabel Webb, Lylo, aged 7 days.

Death of Mr. Albin.

We record with sincere regret the death of Mr. J. C. Albin,

who for many years had been a most active Church-worker

in Seagoe Parish. He had filled almost every position of

trust in connection with the Church, and had also given

valuable help in holding services in outlying districts,

and conducting a Men's Bible Class in Edenderry for

many years. He has gone to his eternal reward, and his

works do follow him. His bright example of faithful

Service will be an inspiration to many. "The memory

of the just is blessed."

Hymns for October

“Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Spiritual Songs”

Morning.

6th 13^th 20th 27th

273 491 429 560

399 388 Anthem 514

591 553 550 439

467 460 428 335

422

Evening.

200 279 455 243

277 445 Anthem 219

192 276 630 215

284 557 430 379

285 280 233 508

On Thursday, Oct. 17th, the following Hymns will

be sung—39, Anthem, 619, 106, 233.

“It will never pass Portadown."

This famous sentence which has been printed in

innumerable papers and quoted in every great speech

within the last few months was first uttered by a

Seagoe man. Last January the Rector was conversing

with an old man in the Parish on the subject

of Home Rule, when the Parishioner remarked,

"Well, yer Reverence, it may pass the House o'

Commons, but I doubt it'll never pass Portadown."

The saying seemed to sum up the situation so neatly,

and with such humour that the Rector repeated it to

some others, among them Major Blacker, and in

turn it passed on to our Member, Mr. Moore. The

latter in an open-air address outside the Club in

Belfast a few nights later gave it a wider publicity,

and from that day to this it has been heard of everywhere.

During the past week the English newspapers have

attributed it to Col. Saunderson, and to a speaker at the

Convention of 1892, but the source of it is in Seagoe Parish,

and the Rector regrets that he cannot recollect the individual

who, in a casual roadside conversation, first uttered the famous words.

Letter from Rev. W. T. Groy.

The Rev. W. T. Grey, writing from St. Andrew's

House, Shibo, Tokyo, Japan, under date August 15th,

1912, says—You know of course that the Emperor of

Japan died on July 31st, so we are now in the midst

of national mourning. It is quite wonderful the way

the Japanese were affected by his illness and death.

At this time of the year owing to the intense heat

everyone who can do so goes away to the sea or to

the hills, but when it became known that the emperor

was seriously ill, numbers who had already gone

away returned to Tokyo, and others gave up their

contemplated holiday in order to show sympathy,

feeling that enjoyment at such a time was out of

place. That week I had arranged to spend a few

days at a popular seaside resort near Tokyo, with a

Japanese friend, but he wrote to me to say that he

felt bound in loyalty to remain in Tokyo, now that

the Emperor's life was in danger. In front of the

Imperial Palace there is a great open space, and the

week before his death this space was daily thronged

by huge crowds who came there to pray for the

Emperor. Numbers of them were to be seen kneeling

or prostrated on the ground, the majority stood with

bowed heads toward the Palace and prayed for his

recovery. Here and there a picture of the Emperor

was fastened to a tree, and many came and stood for

a minute or two before the picture in prayer. How

far the prayers thus being offered up were intelligent,

and whether or no those who offered them had any

clear idea about the Being to whom they were

praying, is hard to say: but for all that, the scene

was extraordinarily impressive to those who witnessed it.

According to the daily papers, several people went

out of their minds when the news of the Emperor's

death was published, and there appear to have been

a good many cases of persons, who, declaring their

wish to follow him into the spirit world, committed

suicide. Every house is flying the National Flag

draped, and everyone is wearing some token of

mourning either a band of crape on the arm or a

black badge pinned to the kimono. The funeral is

not to take place till September 13th. I suppose this

long interval is necessary, not only for the purpose

of giving time for the various preparations, but also

that the European courts may have time to choose

and send suitable representatives.

Our Bishops are drawing up a special form of

service to be used in all our churches on the day of

the funeral.

Nature Notes.

Mr. Thomas Caddell, of Killycomaine, last month

found an enormous mushroom, which was 9 inches

in diameter and weighed 1 lb.

*

The swallows remained longer than usual with us

this year, some being seen as late as September 24th.

*

Squirrels have recently been seen in the Parish in

considerable numbers.

*

Hedgehogs were plentiful this year along the

railway line. *

Robins seem more tame than usual this Autumn.

*

The silver poplar in Seagoe School ground was

very pretty this year, the underside of the leaf

seemed whiter than usual.

Girls Friendly Society.

The opening meeting of the G.F.S. will be held

(D. V.) in Edenderry Parochial Hall, on Tuesday,

November 5th, at 8 o'clock.

The Sale of Work.

This month we have only space to give the completed

totals from the recent Sale of Work. They are as follows: -

Receipts, £141 6 10

Expenses, 4 12 1

Net Balance, £136 14 9

Old Seagoe Notes.

Anecdote of Archdeacon Saurin. — There are,

many quaint and amusing stories of Archdeacon

Saurin floating about through the parish. The

following is well authenticated — The Rev. Capel

Wolseley who was Curate of Seagoe in the middle of

last century, was a great favourite with the Archdeacon.

When he got married, the Archdeacon determined to

give him a surprise, and so on the night when the happy

pair were returning to Seagoe from their honeymoon,

the Archdeacon dressed himself up in the coachman's livery,

mounted the box of the carriage and drove down to the

station to meet them. When they emerged from the station,

the Archdeacon hiding his identity as much as possible

graciously saluted the new arrivals, and whipping up

the horse drove smartly to Mr. Wolseley's residence,

where the latter for the first time realised that the

coachman on the box was none other than the

Venerable Archdeacon Saurin.

The Bard by the Bann. — This is the title of an

interesting little book of local verse, published by

Mr. John Smith, of Gilford, in the year 1864. It

contains among other pieces “An hour on Castle

Hill, 1853”, “Harvest Home, 1856” "—"On Moyallon

House, 1863,” “Gilford on a Pay-Day, 1854."

Here is a verse from the piece on “Castle Hill,"

describing the Express Train and the Telegraph, then

wonderful novelties —

Then see the train—the express train,

Like some mad thing infernal,

Like fury drive through bog and glen,

With smoke and fire internal:

And something yet you cannot see—

Your faith is now at stake, sir,

A spirit flies with lightning speed,

Which men have made to speak, sir.

A copy of the book has been kindly lent to us by

Mr. John Waugh, of Portadown.