Asa Mahan (November 9, 1800, Vernon, New York - 1889), U.S. Congregational clergyman & educator; 1st pres. of Oberlin College 1835-1849.
Career
Asa graduated from Hamilton College in 1824, and from Andover theological seminary in 1827. On 10 November, 1829, he was ordained pastor of the Congregational church in Pittsford, New York, and in 1831 he was called to the pastorate of a Presbyterian church in Cincinnati, Ohio. He accepted the presidency of Oberlin in 1835, with the chair of intellectual and moral philosophy, and the assistant professorship of theology, but after fifteen years was chosen president of Cleveland University, where he also became a professor of mental and moral philosophy. In 1855 he resumed pastoral work, and had charge of Congregational parishes at Jackson in 1855-57 and at Adrian in 1857-60. He has been an active advocate of the religious views that are known as Perfectionist, and has published Scripture Doctrine of Christian Perfection. His other works include System of Intellectual Philosophy, The Doctrine of the Will, The True Believer: his Character, Duties, and Privileges, The Science of Moral Philosophy, Election and the Influence of the Holy Spirit, Modern Mysteries Explained and Exposed, The Science of Logic, Science of Natural Theology, Theism and Anti-Theism in their relations to Science, The Phenomena of Spiritualism scientifically Explained and Exposed, Critical History of the late American War, A System of Mental Philosophy, and Critical History of Philosophy.
