Phillips, Philip

PHILLIPS, PHILIP: Methodist Episcopal Gospel singer; b. in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Aug. 13, 1834; d. in Delaware, Ohio, June 25, 1895. Brought up on a farm, he developed a talent for song; received some training in the country singing-school and later studied under Lowell Mason. He conducted his first singing-class at Alleghany, N. Y., in 1853, and after that similar schools in adjacent towns and cities. In 1860 he changed from the Baptist to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He brought out Early Blossoms (1860). The next year he opened a music-store in Cincinnati, and published Musical Leaves (Cincinnati, 1862). During the Civil War he aided the Christian Commission by raising funds with his Home Songs and services of song throughout the country. He visited England and prepared The American Sacred Songster (London, 1868) for the British Sunday-school Union; of which 1,100,000 copies were sold. Later he made a tour of the world holding praise services in the Sandwich Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Palestine, Egypt, India, and the cities of Europe. Other published collections are Spring Blossoms (Cincinnati, 1865); Singing Pilgrim (New York, 1866); Day School Singer (Cincinnati, 1869); Gospel Singer (Boston, 1874); Song Sermons (New York, 1877). He wrote also Song Pilgrimage around and throughout the World, with an introduction by J. H. Vincent and a biographical sketch by A. Clark (Chicago, 1880).