A Bap­tist min­is­ter’s son, Bon­ner at­tend­ed the Plais­tow School, and Raw­don Bap­tist Coll­ege in Leeds. He was or­dained in 1884, and pas­tored at in Sale, Che­shire (1884-95), and the Port­land Cha­pel, South­amp­ton (1895-1900). He went on to be­come in­volved in the Bri­tish Sun­day School move­ment, start­ing as sec­re­tary in 1900, then serv­ing as pres­i­dent of the Na­tion­al Sun­day School Un­ion (1922-23), and of the Bap­tist Un­ion (1931-32). His works in­clude:

• The Chris­tian En­dea­vour Hym­nal (music­al ed­it­or) (Chris­tian En­dea­vour Un­ion of Great Bri­tain and Ire­land: 1896)
• The Jun­ior Hym­nal, with Jo­seph Mor­gan, 1907
• A Hand­book to the Bap­tist Church Hym­nal, Re­vised (edit­ed with W. T. Whit­ley), 1935
• Some Bap­tist Hym­nists, 1937

• Julian, p. 1614

1. Father, Hear Thy Child­ren’s Voic­es
2. Gently a Voice Is Plead­ing
3. God of Lit­tle Child­ren
4. In Hope, and Love, and Stead­fast Faith
5. Now When from One Ano­ther Part­ing
6. We Join Our Hearts and Voic­es

1. Adsum
2. Baby Mo­ses
3. Bonner
4. Come and See
5. Mine Eyes Have Seen the Dawn­ing
6. Muswell Hill
7. Sommerleid