John Phin

Who was John Phin?

John Phin, born September 9, 1832, in Scotland, died December 29, 1913, in Paterson, New Jersey, was a prolific author and publisher, a teacher of applied science and a Shakespeare scholar.

His best-known book today is The evolution of the atmosphere as a proof of design and purpose in the creation, and of the existence of a personal God. The book was openly theistic; Phin's Intelligent Designer was the Creator God of Genesis: "...it must be equally obvious that if we find strong and unmistakable evidence of intelligent and controlling design in the earliest stages of the development of this planet, that evidence applies with equal force to the existence of a designer, or in other words, to the existence of a personal God."

Professor Phin organized and ran the "Industrial Publishing Company" in New York City for 25 years; he was a member of the New York Press Club. Some of his many publications are listed in the Bibliography. He was also the editor of the “American Journal of Microscopy.”