Parmelee, David Le^w^is, a somewhat noted Congregational minister, was born in Litchfield, Conn., Nov. II, 1795; received his preparatory training at the school of his native town, and then entered upon mer- cantile employment. He was all this time a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but the frequent appeals from Dr. Lyman Beecher, which he heard, for a devoted and active Christian life, influenced Parmelee finally to change his Church relations, and he became while at Goshen, whither he had removed, a member of the Congregational Church. Having amassed a toler- able competency, and feeling called of God to preach, he forsook the counting -desk, and entered upon the study of theology under the direction of his pastor. Dr. Harvey. When Parmelee finally offered himself before the Middlesex (Conn.) Association, he was by that body approved and licensed to preach. After laboring for a season in several parishes as a temporary supply, he was, at the age of thirty-five, ordained and installed as pastor of the Congregational Church and society in Bris- tol, Conn. Although entering on the public ministry thus, compared with many, late in life, it was evident that God had ordered his previous course of training, even in things secular as well as religious, that he might the better know how to " take care of the Church of God." His ministry of ten years in Bristol was emi- nently useful and successful. The congregation was largely increased. Special revivals were enjoyed, and
the Church greatly strengthened and prospered. At the end often years' constant labor, "instant in season, out of season," he felt the need of temporary rest. He was not, however, allowed to remain long unemployed. Tlie Church and society in Litchfield, South Farms (now Morris), soon sought his labors, and he was shortly after installed as their pastor. The Church had been feeble and divided, but his labors were blessed, promoting their union and strength ; and his ministry of twenty years as their sole pastor was one of great spiritual benefit to them and to their children. "As a watchman on the walls of Zion, he was ever vigilant against the incursions of error. As a shepherd, intrusted by the great Head of the Church with the care of the Hock, like his name- sake of old, ' So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.'" In consequence of waning bodily health and strength, Parmelee gave up the responsible charge of his Church, and removed to Litchfield in 1861 ; and there he died, .June 29. 1865. " His end was peace; he rests from his labors, and his works do follow him." He was deeply interested in all benevolent and religious enterprises ; and, after having made ample provision for the earthly comfort of his wife, he gave by his will val- uable legacies to several of them. See Congreg. Quar. April, 1866, p. 211 sq. (J. H.W.)
Par'menas {Uapinvac. probably a contraction for ~cippiv'ici]c, constant), the sixth named of the seven first deacons (q. v.) of the Church formed at Jerusalem (Acts vi, 5). A.D. 29. Nothing more is known of him ; but the Itoman martyrologies allege that he suffered martyrdom at Philippi under Trajan (Baron. Ann. ii, 55). Hippolytus asserts that he was at one time bishop of Soli. In the Calendar of the Byzantine Church he and Prochorus are commemorated on July 28th,
Parmenianists. See Parmenianus.
Parmenianus, a Donatist prelate, flourished in the second half of the 4th century. Upon the decease of Donatus the Great in A.D. 360 Parmenianus was chosen his successor as anti-bishop of Carthage. He was, how- ever, soon driven from this episcopal seat, and only rein- stated under Julian the Apostate. He was at the head of the Donatist party until the close of the 4th century. Two of his writings are lost, but they are noteworthy, as one of them was replied to by Ojjtatus of Milevi in his De Schismate Donatistarum adv. Purmen., and the other occasioned a reply from St. Augustine [Contra Kpistolani Parmeniani, lib. iii). The strict adherents of Parmeni- anus are called Parmenianists. See Donatists.
Parmenides {Uapi.itviSi]c), a noted Greek philos- opher of ancient times, who belonged to the school known as the Elcatic philosophers, was a native of Elea, in Italy. He was descended from a noble familv, and is said to have been induced to study philosophy by Aminias (Diog. Lacrt. ix, 21). He is also stated to have received instruction from Diochwtes the Pytha- gorean. Later writers inform us that he heard Xen- ophanes, the founder of the Eleatic school; but Aris- totle {Met. i, 5) speaks of it with some doubt. We read that Parmenides gave a code of laws to his native city, which was so highly esteemed that at first the cit- izens took an oath every year to observe it (Diog. Laert. ix, 23; Plutarch, Adv. Colot. 32; Strabo, vi, 252, ed. Casaub.). The time when Parmenides lived has been much disputed. According to Plato {Parmenid. p. 127), Parmenides, at the age of sixty-five, accompanied by Zeno, at the age of forty, visited Athens during the great Panathenffia, and stopped at the house of Pythodorus. As this visit to Athens probably occurred about B.C. 454 (Clinton, Fast. Hell. p. 304), Parmenides would have been born about B.C. 519. But to this date two objections are urged: first, that Diogenes Laertius (ix, 23) says that Parmenides flourished in the 69th Olympiad, that is, about B.C. 503; and consequently, if he was born B.C. 519, he would only have been about sixteen in the 69th Olympiad ; and, secondly, that Socrates is stated by