Sir Edward Denny, 4th Baronet (2 October 1796 – 13 June 1889) was an Anglo-Irish baronet and composer of

hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

Life

He was the eldest son of Sir Edward Denny, 3rd Baronet and Elizabeth Day, daughter of the Hon. Robert Day, judge of the

Court of King's Bench (Ireland) The Court of King's Bench (of Queen's Bench when the sovereign was female, and formerly of Chief Place or Chief Pleas) was one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror of the Court of King's Bench in England. The King's Be ...

and his first wife Mary (Polly) Potts. In 1827, Denny became

High Sheriff of Kerry The High Sheriff of Kerry was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kerry, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kerry County Sheriff. The sheri ...

. In 1831, he succeeded his father as baronet and inherited a substantial portion of Tralee. Denny remained unmarried throughout his life. His family motto was "Act Mea Messis Erit" — "in age my harvest shall be". The following obituary appeared in the 19 June 1889 ''

Leeds Mercury The ''Leeds Mercury'' was a newspaper published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was published from 1718 to 1755 and again from 1767. Initially it consisted of 12 pages and cost three halfpennies. In 1794 it had a circulation of about 3,00 ...

'' edited by Thomas Blackburn Baines: Denny lived in later years at Bolton Gardens, Kensington and at another time at Islington, being then connected with the Brethren's Priory Meeting Room. He was associated with numerous principal men of the Plymouth Brethren movement including William Kelly, J.G. Bellett,

John Nelson Darby John Nelson Darby (18 November 1800 – 29 April 1882) was an Anglo-Irish Bible teacher, one of the influential figures among the original Plymouth Brethren and the founder of the Exclusive Brethren. He is considered to be the father of moder ...

George Wigram George Vicesimus Wigram (28 March 1805 – 1 February 1879) was an English biblical scholar and theologian. Early life He was the 20th child (hence his middle name) of Sir Robert Wigram, 1st Baronet, a famous and wealthy merchant, and the 14th c ...

. He also participated in the conferences held at Powerscourt House. Denny studied the subject of biblical prophecy and assisted by John Jewell Penstone (1817–1902) prepared valuable charts to illustrate dispensational teaching. The best-known publication was "A Prophetical Stream of Time".

Hymn writer

Denny published his own hymns, in 1839 "A Selection of Hymns" and in 1848, "Hymns and Poems", with new editions in 1870 and 1889. Some of his hymns appeared in "Hymns for the Poor of the Flock" (1840) hymn book. He did not like other editors amending his compositions to suit their tastes or doctrinal foibles. In the preface to "Hymns and Poems" Sir Edward Denny wrote, "I have been much grieved, I confess, to observe how the practice of needlessly altering some even of our well-known favourite hymns has lately prevailed ... should any of these poems or hymns be deemed worthy of a place in any further collections, may they be left as they are without alteration or abridgement".

Death

Denny died aged 93. He was buried at the Paddington Cemetery by the side of George Wigram who had died ten years before. His sister Dianna Denny survived her brother by six months, attaining the age of 85, and was buried with him. On their headstone was engraved the following inscription, "In joyful assurance of rising to an endless day". Today a modern replacement headstone does not have this inscription. The title passed to Edward's nephew Robert, son of the Reverend Robert Denny.

Arms

References

Sources

* ''Chief Men among the Brethren'', Hy Pickering. * Chapter Two Archive, London * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Denny, Edward 1796 births 1889 deaths 19th-century evangelicals Baronets in the Baronetage of Ireland Christian hymnwriters Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for County Kerry constituencies (1801–1922) Writers from County Kerry British Plymouth Brethren UK MPs 1818–1820 High Sheriffs of Kerry Irish Plymouth Brethren 19th-century Anglo-Irish people Musicians from County Kerry Politicians from County Kerry