Rev William John Mathew

The Rev William John Mathew was the former headmaster of Athlone High School, Johannesburg died at his home in Yeoville on Saturday June 7 at the age of 68.

He was born in London and educated at the Barry High School in Wales and at Regents Park College, London. He studied for the ministry completing his Bacheor of Divinity and subsequently joined the Baptist church in Bloemfontein.

For a time he was at Rosebank Union, but left the ministry for health reasons and entered the teaching profession in 1913. His first teaching post was in the Orange Free State at Vrede, from where he moved to Jeppe High School and then to Potchefstroom College.

He taught for 10 years at the Commercial High School, Johannesburg. In 1927 he joined the staff at Athlone High School, and from 1936-1943 when he retired, was headmaster. Mr. Mathew rendered great assistance to the Baptist Union Ministerial Education Committee as examiner in a number of subjects.

So ecclesiastics speaks of one who found favor for his sterling worth in guiding his fellow men.

His brilliant mental capacity was matched by a soul transparent and unsullied. He was brave where many fail. He faced life with a courage that many have never known. He coupled physical weakness with a soul power that made him conquer the specters of the mind and all the terrors of physical uncertainty. Two of his guiding stars were faithfulness and courage. He never betrayed the one or lacked the other. Against the fallibility of men he set the faithfulness of God and in so doing coupled a deep knowledge of theology with a simple faith in the great fundamental facts of the Gospel.

Written by: Syd Hudson-Reed