GEORGE MATHESON & MYSTICISM

A Biographical Study

Written by: Scott S McKenna

Published by: Pickwick Publications Price: £20.00

For anyone interested in hymn writing, George Matheson is the writer of one of the most most powerful hymns O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, which still endures more than 100 years after his ministry of the late 19th century.

The roots of the work lie in the author’s PhD work on Matheson, who served as a Church of Scotland minister at Innellan on the west coast of Scotland.

In an introduction by the author, Matheson is described as a ‘mystic’ and defines mysticism as ‘the hidden core at the heart of all religions’. He writes: ‘While a man of his time and indebted to his university teacher, John Caird, Matheson’s insight into Scripture and overwhelming sense of the Divine dwelling in the human soul were mystical in nature and nurtured by his blindness, imagination and exceptional memory’.

This meticulously researched volume traces Matheson’s journey from his birth in Glasgow and takes readers through his ministry and seeks to show the key moments which impacted his life and journey, offering a wider look at this spiritual life rather than just a focus on the influences for the hymns for which he is most widely remembered. His life was also shaped by the onset of the loss of physical sight at the age of 17.

It shows the breadth of Matheson’s life and spirituality and whilst remembered principally today as the writer of a number of enduring and well-loved hymns, that his journey through life was not always smooth but that his ministry embraced much more than simply words and music.

Warm endorsement for the work has come from a number of notable academics, including the Rev Professor Dr David Fergusson at the University of Cambridge, who eloquently writes: ‘By focusing on key mystical elements of Matheson’s work, McKenna captures that blend of humane learning, theological breadth and spiritual intensity that characterized much of Scottish church life of the period. Matheson belongs to a tradition that can still speak to us.’

The book will be valued by anyone seeking to learn more about Matheson’s life, ministry and faith and also be particularly valued by scholars interested in the influence and theology behind the emotive words of the evocative hymn for which he is best remembered but also a notable number of publications during his lifetime. It also offers insights into his moments and times of doubt and offers insights into the value of inner life.

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