In an Ordnance Survey MS. In the Royal Irish Academy (1894) referring to the parish of Donaghmore, it is stated: ‘A Seceding Meeting House, called the Rock Meeting House, is situated in the extreme North of the parish in the townland of Ballymacrattymore.’ Hence it will be seen that the Fourtowns Presbyterian Church of Congregation was formerly connected with the Secession Body. Unfortunately the Secession Synodical Minutes from 1778 till 1814 inclusive are lost, and nothing can be ascertained during that period with any certainty in regard to this body, except in cases where the Minutes of Presbytery have been preserved.

The Fourtowns Congregation was founded in 1810, in connection with the Secession Presbytery of Down, the Minutes of which are missing for the period to which we have referred.

The Synod of Ulster and that of Secession Body united in 1840.

The congregation was at first in charge of Licentiate, name David Norwood, who subsequently went to America, where he was ordained in 1826, as pastor of Mahoning, Mount Jackson, and Slippery Rock.

The first ordained minister of the church was Thomas Heron. An old Session book of the Secession congregation at Rathfriland records that an Elder was appointed to attend an ordination at the Fourtowns on September 21, 1813, which was most probably that of Thomas Heron, for on June 17, 1814, it is recorded that he received the Royal Bounty grant, which amounted to 40 pounds (Irish money) or 86 pounds 18s. 6d. (British), being the sum to which a minister of a ‘Third Class’ congregation in respect of the Bounty was entitled. He died October 25, 1816, having been killed by a fall from his horse.

Alexander Bryson, M.A., was ordained minister of the congregation, December 23, 1817. He chose as the text of his first sermon after ordination the words: ‘Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?’(Acts x.29.)

During the pastorate in 1832, there were in connection with the congregation 546 souls, while in 1833, the congregation became a ‘second-class congregation,’ which enabled its minister to receive a Bounty of 50 pounds (Irish) or 46 pounds 3s. 1d. (British). It was during his ministry, in 1840, that the church became connected with ‘General Assembly,’ which was formed by the Union of the Synod of Ulster with the Secession Synod.

In 1847 there were 110 families connected with the congregation. The stipend paid Mr. Bryson for that year was 25 pounds 10s. He was a fine classical scholar, and in addition to his ministerial duties prepared young men for the University. He was minister of the congregation almost forty years. He died April 24, 1855, and was buried in the graveyard adjoining the church.

Alexander Bryson was succeeded by his son, the Rev. John Bryson, L.L.D. Dr. Bryson was licensed to preach the Gospel on June 18, 1843, by the Banbridge Presbytery, being then in his 21^st year. Shortly afterwards he became a Licentiate assistant to the Rev. Dr. Hetherington, the parish minister of St. Andrews, N.B., where he remained about two years. During his residence in St. Andrews he was offered two ‘calls’ =one from an important parish church (Church of Scotland), and the other from a Free Church in the immediate neighbourhood. It seems he was disposed to accept the former appointment, but his father, whom he consulted, advised that he was too young and inexperienced to undertake the pastoral charge of such a large and influential congregation. In 1846 he received a ‘call’ to Trinity Presbyterian Church, Wolverhampton. He was ordained by the Presbytery of London in 1846 as minister of the congregation, and remained as such for about nine years.

He became minister of the Fourtowns in June 1855, when he was installed by the Banbridge Presbytery, among those present on the occasion being his good friend, Dr. Cooke, who frequently invited him to preach in May Street, Belfast, where a few members of the congregation, still surviving, remember his eloquence. The text of his first sermon after induction was that which his father chose on a similar occasion.

He remained pastor of the Fourtowns congregation till his retirement from the active duties of the ministry in 1898. He died September 22, 1902, and was buried in the Fourtowns churchyard.

The writer had the pleasure of a long and intimate acquaintance with Dr. Bryson, for whom he entertained the highest feelings of respect and esteem.

Dr. Bryson was the author of several important works, viz ‘The Presbytery, the Prelate, and the People’; ‘The Three Marys’; and ‘The Pulpit Orator’-a work which was favourably noticed by the Bishop of Derry (Dr. Alexander) at the time, and by the late Professor Smith, M.P. Dr. Bryson received the coveted degree of Doctor of Laws, by examination, from the ancient University of St. Andrews, Scotaland.

He married Mary Smith, only daughter of Joseph Harwick, of Oaken Manor, Wolverhampton, by whom he had issue, of whom the following survive: Harwick, Eveline, Alexandra, Gertrude Harwick, and Edith (married John Vincent Chambers).

Of Dr. Bryson’s brothers were the surgeon (already mentioned) and George, whose sons John and James are members of the well-known firm of Spence, Bryson and Company (Portadown and Belfast), and Thomas of Corcullentra, near Portadown.

The Brysons are an old family of Scottish descent which settled in County Antrim at an early date. They are of a good stock, and are still represented in the parish by Robert and James Bryson of the Fourtowns.

At a special meeting of the Banbridge Presbytery, held in the Fourtowns Presbyterian Church on January 24, 1899, William Henry Sloane, B.A. (a Licentiate of the Belfast Presbytery), was ordained as assistant and successor to Dr. Bryson.

The Rev. W.H. Sloane married Rosina, daughter of the Rev. James Scott, B.A., Presbyterian minister, Banside, Banbridge and resigned the charge of the congregation May 11, 1907, going to Harrville, Balleymena.

During the next three years the church had no stated pastor, the neighbouring ministers and others officiating at the services. At this period the congregation and the Banbridge Presbytery seemed to disagree over the vesting of the Manse property, with the result that the former prayed the General Assembly (Belfast), 1909, to be transferred to the Presbytery of Newry. The Assembly resolved ‘That the memorial be received, its prayer granted, and that the congregation of Fourtowns be, and it is hereby, transferred from the Presbytery of Banbridge to the Presbytery of Newry.’

An earnest endeavour was made at this time to unite the congregation with a neighbouring one, but without success. The Committee on the Union of Congregations (which is vested with Assembly powers) thus reported (1910); ‘We regret that our prolonged negotiations to unite Fourtowns with some neighbouring church were of no avail. The congregation having made arrangements regarding the tenure of their church property which deemed to be satisfactory by the Committee, leave was given to the Newry Presbytery to proceed to the settlement of a minister.’

Accordingly, in April 1910, William Pearse Young, B.A., was chosen by the congregation, and ordained as the minister of the Fourtowns on the 31^st of the following May. The Rev. W.P. Young a son of the Rev. W.J. Young of Milford, county Donegal, was educated at the Campbell, Queen’s, and Assembly’s Colleges, Belfast. He had a distinguished University career, and held a scholarship each year of his Divinity Course. He was licensed in 1908 by the Letterkenny Presbytery, and served as assistant to the Rev. W.J. Macaulay, D.D., Portadown, the Rev. D.Hadden, Annalong, and to the Rev. D.K. Mitchell (Crumlin Road), Belfast. He filled thses positions with marked abiality and acceptance, and was made the recipient of presentations at the close of each engagement. He married Marion, eldest daughter of Alexander Cromie, of Millvale, Rathfriland, by whom he has issue.

The following were Ruling Elders in the Fourtowns Congregation: Samuel Thompson, Carrick; William Campbell, Edenderry; David McKnight, Killysavan; Ringham Bingham, Lisnabrague; and James Shanks, Lisnabrague.

The present Elders:-George Bingham, Lisnabrague; Robert W. Shannon, Rose Cottage; and Falkiner B. Small, Island House.

George Bingham is son of the late Ringham Bingham, who was a Ruling Elder in the Fourtowns for fifty years, while his mother was a sister of the late Rev. Thomas Cromie of Bessbrook, a distinguished member of the Newry Presbytery.

Robert W. Shannon is the author of the able articles on agriculture which appear weekly in the Newry Telegraph and Belfast Witness. He is a son of the late James Shannon of Tullymore House, by his wife nee Barber.

Falkiner B. Small is the son of the late Robert Small of Island Cottage, by his wife Annabella, daughter of the late Thomas Lelie of Frankfort.

The present church edifice is a small, fairly handsome structure, without spire or tower, and with a seating capacity accomodating about 250 persons. It is shortly to be renovated at considerable cost.

There was no manse in connection with the Fourtowns Congregation till 1901. On March 15 of that year the manse (known as The Rock Manse) was purchased, with eighteen acres (Irish) of land, for the sum of 600 pounds. Subsequently the congregation spent 25o pounds in adding to and renovating the house, which is a handsome and commodious dwelling