Bryant S. Hinckley

Bryant Stringham Hinckley (July 9, 1867–June 5, 1961) was a stake president and mission president as well as president of LDS Business College and later manager of the Church-owned Deseret Gym.

Brother Hinckley was the father of Gordon B. Hinckley. Brother Bryant S. Hinckley's brother, Alonzo A. Hinckley was also an Apostle. Their father was Ira N. Hinckley.

Brother Hinckley was the principal of the Latter-day Saint high school in Salt Lake City. During the first decade of the 20th century, he was the head of LDS Business College. Hinckley had previously been the head of the Commercial Department at Brigham Young Academy. Today there is a scholarship at Ensign College named after Hinckley.

Church service

Born in Coalville, Utah, Brother Hinckley was president of the Liberty Stake in Salt Lake City in the 1920s, which was then the largest stake in the church with about 20,000 members.

He also served on the general board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. While on this board he moved for the adoption of the Boy Scout program by the church. He had also been on one of the committees that led to the establishment of the Improvement Era. Other members of this committee included B. H. Roberts and Reed Smoot.

In the 1930s Hinckley was president of the Northern States Mission, which was based in Chicago. While serving in this position he tried to convince the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ to rebuild the Nauvoo Temple. Also while in this position, he represented the Church at the dedication of the monument to the Mormon handcart pioneers in Iowa City erected in 1936. Also in this capacity, he was involved in organizing the celebration of the centennial of Nauvoo in 1939.

Speaking

Brother Hinckley was also a popular speaker. He attended Brigham Young Academy, where he studied under Karl G. Maeser. He won a contest to be the speaker at his commencement, and would be noted the rest of his life as a great orator. Among other speeches to church congregations, he gave at least two talks at general conferences.

Brother Hinckley also participated in giving talks in the Church's "Church of the Air" program on KSL radio in the 1930s.

Later life and recognitions

From 1940 to 1941 Brother Hinckley served as the President of the BYU Alumni Association. While in this office, he was responsible for the formation of the emeritus club, of which he later served as the leader.

For a time there was a "Bryant S. Hinckley Award" given to recognize people for the service they had performed in Boy Scouts.

Family

Brother Hinckley married four times, his first three wives having each died before he. In 1893, Hinckley married Christina Johnson (1870–1908). After Christina's death, he married Ada Bitner (Gordon B. Hinckley's mother) (1880–1930) in 1909. After Ada's death, he married May Green (1881–1943) in 1932. After May's death, he married Lois Anderson (1889–1983) in 1944.

All of Brother Hinckley's children were born to his first two wives, Christina Johnson and Ada Bitner.

Publications

Biographies:

• Biography of church apostle Melvin J. Ballard. * Bryant Stringham and his People, Salt Lake City, UT,Stevents and Wallis, 1949..
• Heber J. Grant: Highlights in the Life of a Great Leader published by Deseret Book in 1951.
• Daniel Hammer Wells and the Events of his Time.

Inspirational materials:

• The Faith of Our Pioneer Fathers Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1959.
• Not by Bread Alone a compilation of inspirational stories aimed at helping teachers.
• That Ye Might Have Joy a collection of articles compiled by his children, used as a companion to Not by Bread Alone. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, inc., 1958.

Hinckley also wrote several articles for the LDS Church publication, the Improvement Era.

See also

• Richard G. Hinckley : grandson
• Virginia H. Pearce : granddaughter

External links

• BYU Magazine profile, fall 2006
• Speech given by Bryant S. Hinckley at the Salt Lake Tabernacle while he was serving as President of the Northern States Mission.
• BYU speeches, audio versions