author
Edwin F. Parry
1860–1935
A Utah printer, writer, and hymn composer, he wrote warmly about missionary life and Latter-day Saint belief while also helping shape the musical life of his church. His work blends practical faith, storytelling, and a lifelong love of words and music.
1 Audiobook
Sketches of Missionary Life
by Edwin F. Parry
About the author
Born in Salt Lake City in 1860, Edwin F. Parry worked as a typesetter, printer, and writer, and he was also deeply involved in music. He played the organ and piano, wrote song lyrics, and composed hymns, building a career that joined publishing, church service, and creative work.
Parry is remembered for religious books including Sketches of Missionary Life, Joseph Smith's Teachings, and The Way of Eternal Life. His writing drew heavily on his experience in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his hymn texts and music continued that same plainspoken, devotional style.
He died in 1935, leaving behind a body of work that reflects everyday Mormon life in Utah as well as the spiritual concerns of his era. For listeners interested in early Latter-day Saint history, his books offer both firsthand feeling and a clear sense of the religious world he lived in.