Mahan, Milo

(May 24, 1819-Sept. 3, 1870). Historian, educator, and high churchman. He was born in Suffolk, Virginia. Mahan studied at the Flushing Institute, Long Island, and then taught Greek at the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. His admiration of the Oxford Movement displeased Bishop William Meade. Mahan went back to Flushing where he taught at St. Paul's College. He studied privately for the ordained ministry and was ordained deacon on Oct. 27, 1845, and priest on Dec. 14, 1846. He began his ministry as an assistant at the Church of the Annunciation, New York. In Nov. 1848 he became rector of Grace Church, Jersey City, New Jersey. In 1850 he became the assistant at St. Mark's Church, Philadelphia. Mahan was Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the General Theological Seminary from 1851 until 1864. He resigned at General Seminary because of his southern sympathies during the Civil War. He became rector of St. Paul's Church, Baltimore. On June 30, 1870, Mahan was called back to General Seminary to be Professor of Systematic Divinity, but died before he began his duties. His two major historical works were A Church History of the First Three Centuries, from the Thirtieth to the Three Hundred and Twenty-third Year of the Christian Era (1860), and Church History of the First Seven Centuries (1872). Mahan died in Baltimore.