MAHAN, Asa, clergyman, born in Vernon, New York, 9 November, 1800. He was graduated at Hamilton college in 1824, and at 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, Cleveland, Ohio, and professor of mental and moral philosophy there. In 1855 he resumed pastoral work, and had charge of Congregational parishes at Jackson in 1855-'7 and at Adrian in 1857-'60. He was president of Adrian college, Michigan, in 1860-'71, and since then has resided in England. President Mahan has received the degree of D. D. from Hillsdale in 1858, and that of LL.D. from Adrian in 1877. He has been an active advocate of the religious views that are known as Perfectionist, and has published "Scripture Doctrine of Christian Perfection" (Boston, 1839). His other works include "System of Intellectual Philosophy" (New York, 1845); " The Doctrine of the Will" (Oberlin, 1846) ; "The True Believer : his Character, Duties, and Privileges" (New York, 1847); "The Science of Moral Philosophy" (Oberlin, 1848); " Election and the Influence of the Holy Spirit" (New York, 1851) ; "Modern Mysteries Explained and Exposed" (Boston, 1855); "The Science of Logic" (New York, 1857); "Science of Natural Theology" (Boston, 1867) ; "Theism and Anti-Theism in their relations to Science " (Cleveland, 1872);" The Phenomena of Spiritualism scientifically Explained and Exposed " (New York, 1876); "Critical History of the late American War" (1877); " A System of Mental Philosophy" (Chi-cage, 1882) ; and " Critical History of Philosophy" (New York, 1883).