Career
He also founded the Ladies" Guild of the Sailors" Society. After going to sea early on in life, he found himself participating in the Yukon Gold Rush. After failing to find his fortune, he returned to England by way of Palestine.
Once back in the United Kingdom, he began studying for Baptist ministry.
In 1874, he entered 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.
Returning to England, he became, in 1883, minister at Falkirk, Scotland, and at Birmingham in 1888. In 1906, he be came an associate minister at Stronsay, in the Orkney Islands.
In 1909, he was ordained a full minister at Saint Columba’s Church, Mallaig, on the north west Scottish coast.
In 1919, he retired and moved to Roslin, near Edinburgh. Mathams published most of his hymns whilst a student at Regent"s Park College, in a small hymnbook entitled "At Jesus" Feet". Attributed to him by the Dictionary of Hymnology are the following hymns:
Bright falls the morning light
Gentle Jesus, full of grace
Go, work for God, and do not say.
God loves the little sparrows
Jesus, Friend of little children
My heart, 0 God, be wholly Thine
Number room for Thee, Lord Jesus
Reign in my heart, Great God
Sailing on the ocean
God is with Us
Christ of the Upward Way
Now in the Days of Youth
Stand Fast for Christ Thy Saviour.