3. A Levite, mentioned* in Ezra viii, 33 as the father of the Eleazar who aided Meremoth to weigh the ves- sels of the sanctuary. B.C. ante 458. The meaning, however, may be that Eleazar was of the family of the great Phinehas.
Phinney, Clf.ment. an American Free-will Baptist preacher, noted especially as an evangelist, was born in Gorham, Me., Aug. 1(5, 1780. He possessed a good phys- ical constitution, a large share of good-nature and cheer- fulness, as well as strong common-sense. His love of music was remarkable. When a youth his talent of song made him a favorite with both old and young. In 1800 he was converted, and after his talents had been consecrated to God his gift of song became instrumen- tal in awakening in the human heart responses to the calls of the divine Word. He sang with the Spirit and with power, which at times produced wonderful effect. He received ordination in 1816, and feeling called of God to labor as an evangelist, declined the work of the pastorate. He seemed to be. specially qualified by nat- ure and grace for the work of winning souls to Christ, and God gave him many as seals of his ministry — thou- sands were awakened by his earnest and affectionate ministrations. Though his advantages for an education were limited, yet college professors and other learned men were frequently found among his delighted audi- tors. He was a devoted friend of the slave, and, with the leaders of his denomination, early espoused the anti- slavery cause. His amiability, integrity, wisdom, and purity of character won for him universal confidence and esteem. He died at Portland, Me., where he had rerformed the most of his public labors, full of years and abounding in faith.
Fhipps, Joseph, a noted member of the Society of Friend-*, flourished in the second half i f last century.
PHISON
140
PHOBUS
He is distinguished as the writer of eight important theological treatises (Lond. 1767 96 I, of which we men- tion here. Brief Remarks on tht Common Arguments now used in Support of divers Ecclesiastical Impositions m this Nation I 1769, 8vo): Tht Original and Present Slati ■•/Mini briefly considered, wherein is shown the Natun of his Fall, and tht Necessity, Means, and Man- ner of his Restoration; to which are added som Re- marks on tin Arguments oj Samuel Newton, of Norwich i 177::. 8vo): -I Reply to a latt Publication of S. Nt to- iled An Appendix, etc. j in Answer to which it ($ plainly shown that the Quakers are not Calvinists, that pel comprehends mon than Words, and that tin
Spirit of Truth is to l» expericurnl ami si nsihlij J\ It in
tin Minds urn/ t'liit.n-iaires of Men (1771. 8vo): — An Address to the Youth of Norwich (1776, 12mo): Dis- sertations on tin- Naturi and Effect of Christian Bap- tism, Christian Communion, and Religious Waiting upon God; to which are added a few Reflections on tin Ob- servanct of Public Fasts and Festivals (1781, 8vo).
Phi'son (»t'irri.))' i. a Graecized form (Ecclus. xxiv, 25) of the name of the river Pison (q. v.).
Phlegethon, a river in the infernal regions, ac- cording to the system of aneient heathenism. It was one of the four rivers which the dead must cross before finding admission to the realms ol Orcus, See Gard- ner. / aiths of tht World, ii, 655.
Phle'gon ('I>\fvojr. burning'), one of the Christians of Koine to whom Paul sent his salutations (Rom. xvi, 14). A.l>. 55. The legend (amid Dorotheus) makes him to have been one of the seventy disciples, and bishop of Marathon. So likewise Pseudo-Hippolytus (D< /..V.V \postolis). He is said to have suffered mar- tyrdom on April 8 (Martyrologium Romanum, apud Es- tium i. on which day lie is commemorated in the calen- dar ol the Byzantine Church.
Phlegon (<I>,\f'>(ur). surnamed Tbaixianus, from Tralles. a city of Lydia, where he was horn, flourished in the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Nothing is known Of the events Of his life, and the date ol his death is un- certain: however, as one of his chronological works, which is no longer extant, carried the history down to 01. 229.2=A.D. Ill (Suidas), he probably lived to the middle ol the 2d century A.D. Phlegon's name is fa- miliar among the moderns because, though a heathen, he bore witness to the accomplishment of Christian prophecies (Origen, Contra Cels, lib. ii. § 1 1. p. 69, ed. .spencer. Cantab. U'.77; but see Lardner's Credibility, pt. ii. Heathen Testimonies, ch. xiii, who conclude:; that "upon the whole this citation is of no great moment"). There is also n, Phlegon's writings a passage which may lie reckoned still more material, as n is supposed to i' I. He lo the miraculous darkness which prevailed at the time of Christ's crucifixion. In St, Jerome's Latin version of the Chronich of Eusebius (p. 155, ed. Pont.. Burdig. 1604), tie1 passage occurs as follows: '-And so writes Phlegon, an excellent compiler ol the < llympiads, in his thirteenth hook, saying. • [n the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad there was a greal and extraordinary eclipse of the sun. distinguished
anion- all thai had happe 1 lief,, re. Ai the sixth hour
the daj was turned into dark night, so that the stars in the heavens were seen, and there was an earthquake in Bithynia which overthrew many houses in the city of Nice' (comp. Origen, Contra Cels. lib. ii. ;; 33, p. 80; vj 69, p. '.'i'.- and other authorities quoted by Lardner). Tin- 1 assage was the origin of a controversy in England in the early part of the last a ntury between .Mr. YVhis- ton, l>r. Sykes, Mr. Chapman, and others, a long and complete account of which may he found in the English translation "f Bayle's Dictionnaire Uistorique, s. \ .. ami m Chauffepie"s "Supplement" to it. lie immediate caii-e of the controversy u:h the omission of the pas- sage in the eighth edition ol Dr. S. Clarke's Boylt Lect- ures, published soon after his death in 1732, although it