Introduction

Biography

Mathams went to sea ear­ly in life, and for a while joined the gold rush in the Ca­na­di­an Yu­kon.

On re­turn­ing to Eng­land via Pal­es­tine, he be­gan stu­dy­ing for the min­is­try.

In 1874, he en­tered the Re­gent’s Park Bap­tist Col­lege, and sub­se­quent­ly be­came pas­tor at Pres­ton, Lan­ca­shire. In 1879, his health fail­ing, he went for a while to Aus­tral­ia and oth­er plac­es.

Returning to Eng­land, he be­came mi­ni­ster at Fal­kirk, Scot­land, in 1883, and at Birm­ing­ham in 1888.

He en­tered the min­is­try of the Es­tab­lished Church of Scot­land in 1900, and served for three years as chap­lain to the Scot­tish 1st Bat­tal­ion, Sea­forth High­lan­ders, in the Egyp­tian cam­paign (1903–06). 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, Scot­land. Af­ter his wife Al­exa Jane died, he moved to Swan­age, Dor­set.

Works

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