Mathams went to sea ear­ly in life, and for a while joined the gold rush in the Ca­na­di­an Yu­kon. On re­turn­ing to Eng­land through Pal­es­tine, he be­gan stu­dy­ing for the min­is­try. In 1874, he en­tered the Re­gent’s Park Bap­tist Coll­ege, and sub­se­quent­ly be­came the pas­tor at Pres­ton, Lan­ca­shire. In 1879, his health fail­ing, he went for a while to Aus­tral­ia and other plac­es. Re­turn­ing to Eng­land, he be­came, in 1883, min­is­ter at Fal­kirk, Scot­land, and at Birm­ing­ham in 1888. He en­tered the min­is­try of the Es­tab­lished Church of Scot­land in 1900, served for three years as chap­lain to the Scot­tish 1st Bat­tal­ion, Sea­forth High­land­ers, in the Egypt­ian cam­paign (1903-6). In 1906, he be­came an as­so­ci­ate min­is­ter at Stron­say, in the Ork­ney Islands. In 1909, he was or­dained a full min­is­ter at St. Co­lum­ba’s Church, Mallaig, on the north­west Scot­tish coast. In 1919, he re­tired and moved to Ros­lin, near Ed­in­burgh. Af­ter his wife Al­exa Jane died, he moved to Swan­age, Dor­set.

His works in­clude:

• At Jesus’ Feet, 1876
• Fireside Par­a­bles, 1879
• Sun­day Par­a­bles, 1883

Sources

Hymns

1. Bright Falls the Morn­ing Light
2. Captain and Comrade of Us All
3. Christ of the Up­ward Way
4. From Heights Where God Is Reigning
5. Gentle Jesus, Full of Grace
6. Go, Work for God, and Do Not Say
7. God Has Come from Naz­a­reth
8. God Is with Us
9. God Loves the Little Sparrows
10. Jesus, Friend of Little Children
11. Lord Jesus Christ! for Love of Thee
12. My Heart, O God, Be Wholly Thine
13. No Room for Thee, Lord Jesus
14. Now in the Days of Youth
15. O Christ, Sweet Rose of Sharon
16. Reign in My Heart, Great God
17. Sailing on the Ocean
18. Stand Fast for Christ Thy Savior