Lecture on Rev Peter McKenzie

on Tuesday evening, the Reverent John Pickup (formerly of Conisborough), now of St Peter’s Mission Leeds, delivered his popular and interesting lecture on “A diamond in the rough: the life and sayings of the late Rev Peter McKenzie,” in the Wesleyan Chapel.

The opening ceremonies were performed by Mr George Appleyard, and the chair taken by Mr Walter Maxfield, or in a brief speech, reminded his hearers of Mr Pickup’s previous work amongst them, and of the many old friends who had since taken to their rest.

Mr Pickup at the outset may references or mission work in St Peter’s, Leeds, and the many encouraging results he and his friends were achieving the lower part of the city whose inhabitants are chiefly composed of Jews and Roman Catholic, and possesses scarcely one skilled artisan.

Peter_Mackenzie

Photo from Wikipedia

Passing on to direct subject of his lecture, Mr Pickup said that Peter McKenzie was a Scotchman by birth, been born at Glenshiel on November 11, 1824, of poor but respectable parents, tracing his remarkable career step by step up to the time he was accepted by the Wesleyan Conference, and sent to College.

Many were the amusing anecdotes told by Mr Pickup of this eminent divine, but the climax was reached when he dealt with which he says of the mistress Peter, the lecturer described as a born comedian, and a wit of no mean order.

The lecture, which lasted exactly an hour, was delivered in excellent style, and was a credit to the lecturer as well as to his subject. A collection was taken at the close, and the proceeds divided between Miss Pickup’s mission and the local School.