In January 1867, after being licensed by the presbytery of Glasgow, he was appointed assistant to the Rev. Dr. MacDuff of Sandyford church, Glasgow, and on 8 April 1868 became minister of Innellan church on the shores of the Firth of Clyde, then a chapel of ease in the parish of Dunoon, but through Matheson's efforts soon erected into a parish church. There Matheson was minister for eighteen years, and his preaching gifts rapidly matured. For a time he grew dissatisfied with the calvinistic theology in which he was brought up, and according to his own account was inclined to reject all religion (cf. Life of Matheson, pp. 121-2). But a study of the Hegelian philosophy saved him from agnosticism. Innellan afforded Matheson leisure and tranquillity for study and writing. In 1874 he published anonymously 'Aids to the Study of German Theology,' in which he sought to show that German theology was positive and constructive. The work passed into a third edition within three years. In 1877 appeared 'The Growth of the Spirit of Christianity' (Edinburgh, 2 vols.), a philosophic presentment of the history of the church to the Reformation. In 'Natural Elements of Revealed Theology' (Baird lecture, 1881) he endeavoured to employ the results of the science of comparative religion in the defence of Christianity as a revealed religion' (A. B. Bruce, Brit. and For. Evangel. Rev. 1881). In his 'Can the Old Faith live with the New ? or, the Problem of Evolution and Revelation' (Edinburgh, 1885 ; 2nd edit.), he argued that the acceptance of evolution was calculated to strengthen belief in the Christian faith.
While at Innellan Matheson also began a long series of devotional books which made a wide appeal, and wrote much sacred poetry. A selection of his verses appeared as 'Sacred Songs' in 1890. The third edition (1904) included the hymn 'O Love that wilt not let me go,' which has found a place in almost every modern hymnal. At the Sunday-school convention held in Jerusalem in 1904 representatives of fifty-five different Christian communions, gathered from twenty-six different nations, sang it on the slopes of Calvary.
In October 1885 Matheson preached with success at Balmoral before Queen Victoria, by whose direction the sermon was printed for private circulation. Meanwhile in 1879 he declined an invitation to succeed Dr. John Gumming [q. v.] of Crown Court church, London, but in 1886 he became minister of St. Bernard's parish church, Edinburgh. His lack of sight proved no bar to the capable discharge of onerous parochial duties. His influence was specially strong among the educated classes, who were attracted by his intellectual force, as well as by his eloquence and dramatic power. In 1897 indifferent health led him to relinquish a portion of pastoral responsibility to a colleague, and the joint pastorate lasted until July 1899, when he finally retired. The later years of his life were devoted almost entirely to study and authorship. He was made D.D. of Edinburgh in 1879, and LL.D. of Aberdeen in 1902, but declined the Gifford lectureship at Aberdeen. In 1890 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Matheson, whose learning was varied rather than profound, was a conspicuous representative of liberal theology. Despite his blindness, he was invariably radiant and cheerful. He died at Avenell House, North Berwick, after a brief illness, on 28 Aug. 1906, and was buried in the family vault in Glasgow Necropolis on 1 Sept. He was unmarried. He shared his home with his eldest sister, Jane Gray Matheson, to whom he attributed much of his happiness and success.
His portrait, painted by Otto Leyde, hangs in the vestry of St. Bernard's parish church, Edinburgh.
Matheson's many devotional works included : 'My Aspirations' (Cassell's 'Heart Chords' series, 1883) ; and 'Words by the Wayside' (1896) ; both of which were translated into German. His contributions to theology other than those cited were : 1. 'The Psalmist and the Scientist, or, the Modern Value of the Religious Sentiment,' Edinburgh, 1887, which popularised the views set forth in 'Can the Old Faith live with the New ?' 2. 'Landmarks of New Testament Morality' (Nisbet's Theological Library), 1888. 3. 'The Spiritual Development of St. Paul,' Edinburgh, 1891 ; translated into Chinese. 4. 'The Distinctive Messages of the Old Religions,' Edinburgh, 1892. 5. 'The Lady Ecclesia,' 1896, an allegorical treatment of the development of the Spirit of Christ in the Church and in the individual. 6. 'Sidelights from Patmos,' 1897. 7. 'The Bible Definition of Religion,' 1898. 8. 'Studies of the Portrait of Christ' (vol. i. 1899; vol. ii. 1900), a characteristic work, of which 11,000 copies were sold within one year. 9. 'The Representative Men of the Bible,' first series, 1902 ; second series, 1903. 10. 'Representative Men of the New Testament,' 1905. 11. 'The
