 Java introduced me to ethnology, anthropology, the cultural pluralism of the race, the history and varied institutions of religions, and a serious study of languages.While in Java, Matthews spent the bulk of his free time working seriously at linguistics, soon mastering the Malay language, known today as Javanese.He became the editor of a Javanese newspaper while there, as well as editing the Methodist Hymnal into that language, contributing over 100 of his own translations.