CONLIG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Co. Down

The members of the congregation of Conlig Presbyterian Church have paid homage to those gallant sons of their church, who, in the dark days of the war, nobly responded to the call of King and country, and at the noon service on Sunday a beautiful memorial tablet was unveiled to the memory of ten of their members who made the supreme sacrifice and of twenty others who served and survived in the Great War.

Despite most inclement weather there was a crowded congregation, and the proceedings were characterised with a dignity befitting the occasion and an impressiveness which made the service one that will long be remembered by those who had the privilege to be present. Rev. J. M. Patterson, B.A., the recently installed minister of the congregation, conducted the major portion of the service. The ex-service men of the neighbourhood, wearing their war medals were present, while a company of the Boy Scouts, under the command of Scoutmaster H. Ferguson, Killaughey, also attended in uniform. The church choir, with Miss Quinton at the organ, led the praise, which consist of psalms and hymns very appropriate to the occasion, and in addition, they gave a most sympathetic rendering of Steiner’s beautiful anthem “What all these?” Before the close Rev. Mr. Patterson convey the thanks of the congregation to the Rev. Dr. Simms, Rev. Mr. Wilson, Mr. Ferguson, and the Boy Scouts; to the officer commanding the 1^st Battalion Highland Light Infantry for allowing buglers to be present, and to all who had given assistance at the service.

The Dedication Ceremony.

When Major-General Right Rev. Dr. J. M. Simms, C.B., C.M.G., M.P., proceeded to the tablet for the unveiling and dedication, those in the church reverently stood and remained standing during the complete ceremony. Having removed the covering, Rev. Dr. Simms said- “To the glory of God and in proud and loving memory of your own dear, brave dead I unveil your memorial and pray God that the memory of their self-sacrifice may be ever kept green and may be a continual help to those who worship in this church to face life’s duties and dangers in the same heroic spirit, and when called upon, to offer a similar self-denying service.  ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ ‘I will ransom them from death.’ The Lord blessed thee and keep thee, the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and gave thee peace.’”

Buglers from the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry, who had previously sounded the “Last Post,” then created a note of triumph with the strains of the “Reveille,” and the simple yet touching ceremony ended.

The tablet, which is a splendid example of the sculptor’s art, is erected on the north wall of the church, near the pulpit, and it bears the following inscription: –

“To the glory of God and in thankful remembrance of services rendered by the men of this congregation who answered the call of King and Empire in the Great War, 1914-1918.

These gave their lives-Edward Aiken; George Burns; Alex Carlisle; David Gamble; John Montgomery; Thomas Montgomery; Alex McClements; William A. Sloan; Robert Stone; Hugh Welsh.

The following also served and were spared to return-

James T. Ballard; James Carlisle; Fred Conway; Joseph Dickson; Reuben Dickson; Alex. Gamble; William Gibson; John Gore; Bertie Gore; W. S. Kennedy; William Ladley; James Lightbody; John M’Gimpsey; Hugh Montgomery; Joseph Montgomery; William Montgomery; James Nelson; William Stone; James Brown; Samuel Hamilton.