Charles Denney Jr.

Charles Denney Jr. is the lyricist of “O Thou Kind and Gracious Father,” which was included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He was born on August 11, 1849, in London, England. He was a typesetter at The Deseret News for 27 years. He served three missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—to England (1883–1885), Germany (1904–1906), and Bingham Canyon (1916–1917). He was superintendent of the Union Sunday School for 14 years.

He married Sarah Ann Gold. In 1886, he was jailed with numerous other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for unlawful cohabitation under the Edmunds-Tucker Act. After six months he was released and then separated from his second wife, Lucy. He was the father of twelve children.

He died on September 11, 1937, in Murray, Utah.