Julian's account of D. Denham:
David Denham, born 1791, was the son of Thomas Denham, a Baptist minister in the East of London. He began to preach when very young, and in 1810 became pastor of the Baptist Church at Horsell Common. In 1816 he removed to Plymouth, in 1826 to Margate, and in 1834 to the Baptist Church in Unicorn Yard, Tooley Street, Southwark. Ill health compelled him to resign his charge in London, and he sojourned for a time at Cheltenham and Oxford. He died in 1848 at Yeovil, in Somerset, and was buried in Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, London. In 1837 he published a collection of hymns as: "The Saints' Melody. A New Selection of upwards of One Thousand Hymns, Founded Upon the Doctrines of Distinguishing Grace, and Adapted to every Part of the Christian Experience and Devotion in the Ordinances of Christ, etc." 1837. This edition contained 1026 hymns. This number was subsequently increased to 1145 hymns. This selection is still in common use in more than 100 congregations in Great Britain and the colonies. Denham's hymns, all of which are signed "D. Denham" are numerous. There is also one, apparently by his wife, 'Mrs. M.A. Denham'. Outside of his own selection his hymns are rarely found.
The best known is "'Mid scenes of confusion and creature-complaints". (Heaven Anticipated). This hymn is no. 383 in 'Spiritual Songs'.
Denham's hymn is included in the editions of the Little Flock hymnbooks, 1856, 1881, 1928 and 1978. It was not included in the 1903 edition. (Mr. T.H. Reynolds).