Dates

• Existence: 1813 - 1877

Biographical History

Amasa Mason Lyman (1813-1877) was a polygamist and early prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who served multiple missions throughout the United States. Later in life, he preached false doctrine while serving as mission president in Europe and was subsequently excommunicated.

Lyman was born in March of 1813 in Lyman, Grafton, New Hampshire. He was introduced to the LDS church by Orsan Pratt and Lyman E. Johnson and chose to be baptized on April 27, 1832. He served missions in many states, including Ohio, Virginia, New York, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and California. He was ordained a seventy in 1835, ordained an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve in 1842, and served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1843 to 1844. In 1847, he traveled to Utah with the Brigham Young Company. During his lifetime, he had nine wives.

In March 1862, he delivered a sermon in Dundee, Scotland in which he denied the atonement of Jesus Christ. After being deprived of apostleship in 1867, he was repentant and formally asked forgiveness of his error, but later, he continued to preach this false doctrine and was excommunicated in 1870. He then became president of the Godbeite Church of Zion. He died in February of 1877 in Millard County, Utah.

Citation:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint: Church History, via WWW, September 16, 2016, (B. Mar. 30, 1813 in NH; served missions in listed states; president of European Mission 1860-1862)

FamilySearch, via WWW, September 16, 2016, (Traveled to Utah in 1847 with Brigham Young Company; had 9 wives)

Joseph Smith Papers, via WWW, September 16, 2016, (Ordained a seventy in 1835; ordained to Quorum of the Twelve in 1842, counselor in First Presidency 1843-1844; deprived of apostleship 1867; excommunicated 1870; president of Godbeite Church of Zion 1870)

Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah, via WWW, delivered sermon in Dundee Scotland 1862 in which he denied the atonement; acknowledged his error 1867; continued to preach and was excommunicated; D. Feb. 4, 1877 in UT)

UPB files, Oct. 29, 2001 (hdg.: Lyman, Amasa M. (Amasa Mason, 1813-1877; usage: Amasa M. Lyman; Amasa Mason Lyman; Amasa Lyman)

Overland Trails Digital Library Collection, 2001 (Lyman, Amasa M. (Amasa Mason), 1813-1877)

Circular, 1855: t.p. (Amasa Lyman)

Amasa Mason Lyman: trailblazer and pioneer from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 1957

Amasa M. Lyman’s journals, 1847-1863, 1958

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