"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust."
Psalm 18 v 2
Sammy Allen
Sammy is an avid vintage ploughman. This means that he uses vintage tractors and equipment. Sammy was brought up on a mixed farm (i.e. a farm that had
cows, pigs, chickens and a few crops) a few miles outside the town of Monaghan in County Monaghan in Southern Ireland. He is the second of three boys and his parents were both Christians. From an early age, he was taught the importance of
the Lord’s Day. He is a member of the Creevagh congregation of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland where the maintenance of the Lord’s Day as of rest and worship was taught.
In the Northern Ireland Vintage Championships in 2004, Sammy was placed 4th and in 2005 he was placed 3rd. In both years he won the Visitor’s Cup (the trophy for someone who lives outside Northern Ireland). The All Ireland qualifications do not require a person to plough on a Sunday. County Monaghan hold their ploughing match qualifiers on aSunday, but Sammy ploughs on a Saturday. Although he does not
get his final marks until all competitors have ploughed (and the majority of them have no hesitation about ploughing on a Sunday), it is quite unusual that one’s religious beliefs are taken into account.
In fact, the Rules of the National Ploughing Contest state, ‘Religious beliefs be adhered to and if Sunday Ploughing is not acceptable to all denominations, it should not be held. If this rule is violated, no competitors will be accepted from that county at the National Championships.’ This allows Sammy to participate in an event which, in Southern Ireland, is held mainly on a Sunday, but his religious beliefs are taken into account and he is allowed to plough on the previous day.
Sammy has made many friends at competition ploughing and has been able to witness
about his faith in Christ and what that means in everyday living. Other competitors have told him that they admire him for not ploughing on a Sunday.
When you consider that he is the only Protestant in the vintage section (and perhaps all sections) in the Republic of Ireland, and yet takes his stand for what is right with regards to observing the Sabbath Day, he is to be highly commended. He is truly
letting his light shine before men that they may see his good works and glorify his Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).