Introduction

Biography

Henry was the son of phi­lan­thro­pist Gard­ner Col­by and Ma­ry Low Ro­berts, and hus­band of Ma­ry Liz­zie Cham­ber­lin.

He was edu­cat­ed at Brown Uni­ver­si­ty, Pro­vi­dence, Rhode Is­land (AB 1862, AM 1865, hon­or­ary DD 1882); and New­ton Theo­lo­gic­al In­sti­tu­tion, New­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts, 1867.

He served as pre­si­dent of the Am­eri­can Bap­tist Mis­sion­ary Un­ion (1865–68); held a pas­tor­ate at Day­ton, Ohio (1868–1903); was pre­si­dent of the Board of Trust­ees, De­ni­son Uni­ver­si­ty; and served as pre­si­dent of the Ohio Bap­tist Con­ven­tion (1883–86).

His hymn Wait­ing on the Eve of La­bor was sung at the gra­du­ation of his class at New­ton Theo­lo­gic­al In­sti­tu­tion, June 26, 1867.

Works

• Restricted Com­mun­ion
• A Trib­ute to the Me­mo­ry of Gard­ner Col­by, 1879
• A Trib­ute to the Me­mo­ry of Eb­en­ezer Thresh­er, 1886
• A sketch of Ca­leb Park­er
• Under Cæ­sar’s Sha­dow (New York: Neale Pub­lish­ing, 1916