James Liddell Phillips, son of James and Mary Ann (Grimsditch,) Phillips, was born 17 January, 1840, at Balasore, India. He came to America in his thirteenth year and was prepared for college at Whitestown Seminary, N. Y. He took high rank throughout his college course, receiving an election to the Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity at its completion. He studied theology at New Hampton, N. H., and also pursued medical courses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he received the degree of M.D. in 1864. In December of the same year he sailed for India, and for eleven years was actively engaged in missionary work there, being located for most of the time at Midnapore. From 1875 to 1878 he was engaged in work among the American churches of his (the Free Baptist) denomination, and served for two years as corresponding secretary of their foreign missionary society. On his return to India he founded the Bible School at Midnapore, and was its principal for several years. Owing to the failure of his wife's health he returned to America in 1885, preached at Auburn, R. I., for several months, and was then appointed chaplain of the state institutions of Rhode Island. He resigned this position and became secretary of the Evangelical Alliance in 1889, and two years later returned to India as the general secretary of the India Sunday School Union, a position which he held until his death, 25 June, 1895, at Mussoorie, India.
Besides his reports he published many articles upon missions, in various magazines of this country, and also conducted the " India Sunday-School Journal." He received the degree of D.D. from his Alma Mater in 1878.
"Personally Dr. Phillips was a most engaging man, a direct and interesting public speaker, and possessed of great executive force and ability. His life was one of self-sacrifice and devotion so deep and full and rich, that to his dying day he never had a thought that he was doing anything nobler than the simple duty which the created owe to the Creator."
Dr. Phillips married, 10 August, 1864, at Pascoag, R. I., Mary R. Sayles, who survives him with four children.
Source: Obituary Record of the Graduates of Bowdoin College and the Medical School of Maine, by Bowdoin College, For the Decade Ending 1 June 1899, Brunswick, Maine, 1899; Pgs. 323-324
