Career
Born in Salem, New York on 18 March 1785, he died in New York City on 28 January 1870. In 1835 he built the Washington Square church, a branch of the South Dutch church. Upon his accepting a call from the South Dutch church and his consequent departure from the Associate Reformed communion, a question arose in the latter church regarding Mathews" finances, as he had been largely supported by church funds while a seminarian.
The question was referred to General Synod, which unanimously ruled that in future cases comparable to Mathews", no minister should be permitted to depart until he had arranged for the repayment of the assistance that he had received from the church.
From 1840 until his death, Mathews held no pastorate, but was active in ecclesiastical affairs, devoted much time to the cause of education, and delivered a series of lectures to students. He organized and presided over the Christian union council, which met in New York in 1870, and his exertions in its behalf hastened his death.
He was in official life for more than fifty years, and was a successful teacher and preacher. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Yale in 1823.
Doctor Mathews was the author of What is Your Life? (New York, 1840).
The Bible and Men of Learning (1855). The Bible and Civil Government (1858). And Fifty Years in New York (1858).
