A NOTABLE PARISH CHURCH.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2294, 12 January 1900, Page 6

A NOTABLE PARISH CHURCH.

No Pariah Church in England has, says the " Sunday Reader," daring this century, gained a greater reputation than has that of St. Peter's, Leeds. Yet this is not owing to the architectural beauty of the edifice, though that is by no uieans small, but owing to the famous and wonderfully able men who have presided over its destinies as Vicars of Leeds, and to the great reputation of its parish work and its choir. Leeds Parish Church is a noble building with a splendid square tower, rather heavy and massive in appearance, standing in the centre. The chief entrance to the church is beneath this tower. There are the usual side aisles and massive pillars inside the edifice, with a wide nave, and roomy choirstalls

A strong and wide oak gallery does much to darken the church, and spoil the effect of the stained glass windows and fine carving It would certainly be no small gain to the structure from the architectural point cf view, to say nothing of acoustics, if this gallery could be removed, though the fine oak carving on it must be admired as it is. But the whole interior of the fabric is darkened beyond measure by its prescuce, and Leeds itself is so naturally dark and dull and the parish church, in the lowest part A the town, is so black outside, that nothing should be done to make it darker nsaido than it need be.

The pulpit is in a rather unusual and awk ward situation, directly facing the entrance under the tower, and in front of the organ. The organ itself is a very fine instrument, and has had some noted masters in its day. When one thinks of such names asDr.Samuel Wesley, Dr. William Spark, and Dr. William Oreser, besides Mr. R. 8. Burton, and the present organist, Mr. Alfred Benton, one is going over the most famous names of modern organists. The choir is one of the glories of Leedsnay, of Yorkshire. Murray's guide book to that county used to tell visitors to Leeds not to miss an opportunity of hearing the singing at Leeds Parish Church, and the same advice may be repeated here. Many »f the must noted choristers of our ia»ft sprung from its ranks, aad the great. ;j!ace held by the Leeds Festival Ckoirs in the musical world is reflected by the plac«. this chi>ir holds am.ngst English chairs. S.» account of Leeds Parish Church itself could possibly be satisfactory which passed over its vicars, who, to use the witticissa of a recent cleric, "never die, but are simply translated." N? vicar of Leeds has died as such 3irn;e the Queen's accession. So strong and ablt» has each incumbent in succession proved to be, through the wis9 choice of Grown and trustees, that each in turn has beon made a bishop or dean, sometimes within two years of his appointment at Leeds. The names of Dr. Hook, Dr. Atlay, Dr. 1. It, Dr. Woodford, Dr. Jayne, and J>r Talbot ill recall some of our best known prelates if recent years, all in their time vicars .if Leeds.