There is considerable biographical information in periodicals published during the period as well as in Maston's Pure Gold and in his Jubilee. History. Additional biographies, of relevance to this period are R.T. Clow, Evangelism in Australia: The Life of Stephen Cheek (Warwick Newspapers, n.d.), A.G. Elliott, D. A Ewers (Greenacre N.S.W., 1979) and G.P. Pittman, The Life of A.B. Maston (Melbourne, Austral, 1909). A serialized biography of Stephen Cheek was also printed in the 1884-1885 Australian Christian Watchman and the 1885-1886 Australian Christian Standard The Watchman became the standard.

1. Stephen Check
2. D. A. Ewers
3. F. G. Dunn

1. STEPHEN CHEEK

J. J. Haley, A.C.W., 1883, pp. 122-123.

      About one o'clock on Friday afternoon of February 16th we were startled and made to tremble by the receipt of the following telegram from Bro. F.W. Troy, of Queensland--"Bro. Cheek dangerously sick, typhoid fever, brethren pray for him." Believing that a man of Bro. Cheek's constitution and laborious habits would not be able to stand a severe attack of typhoid fever, we feared that this intelligence was ominous. The next day our worst fears were realised, when it was flashed over the wires, "Bro. Cheek died this morning at 11 o'clock." No preacher amongst us was better known to the brethren throughout the southern hemisphere, and none more deeply loved by those who knew him. Indeed, he was one of those rare men who seemed to inspire the boundless confidence and sincerest affection of those who came most directly within the circle of his influence. As a fellow labourer in the gospel, the writer of this feels that he has lost a brother indeed, one of his most congenial and best loved companions, from whose faithful counsel and suggestive conversation on spiritual topics he never failed to derive both profit and pleasure. All we can undertake at present is a brief intimate acquaintance of nearly four years, speaking first of our brother's intellectual characteristics, he was a man of remarkable ingenuity and originality of mind. He did not run in a beaten track, nor repeat merely what he had learned from other men. He was always fresh in the treatment of his subjects, and frequently original and striking. We were often surprised in listening to him, to hear old threadbare subjects and familiar texts invested with a freshness and placed in original settings of ingenious illustration that imparted to them new interest and power.

      We have sometimes associated with preachers for years without ever hearing anything new or fresh from their lips. They were destitute of a single trace of original thought. But no one could listen to Bro. Cheek very long, either in private conversation or in his public utterances, without having fresh combinations of thought and new expositions of the Divine Word suggested to his mind. His method of diagramming his subjects so as to bring the eye into requisition to assist the ear, was ingenious and clever, and highly instructive to those who read his Truth in Love, or heard its editor present the gospel by word of mouth. His memory being remarkably retentive, and his devotion to the Bible supreme, his knowledge of that book was but little short of phenomenal. His familiarity with the Book of books was simply wonderful. It is not too much to say that he was a living encyclopedia of biblical knowledge and a walking concordance combined in one. He could quote more scripture, and give chapter and verse for it, than any man we ever remember to have known. He was always extremely careful to quote the inspired word with faultless accuracy, neither omitting, transposing, nor altering a single word or sentence, and could give you the reference with the same unerring precision. This singular facility in the command of

scripture made him master of the situation in debate in which field of work his superiority had begun to make itself conspicuous. Possessed of fine powers of logical discrimination, and such a mastery of the source of knowledge, when his opponent claimed the Bible for what it did not teach, he exposed himself to an enfilading fire from Bro. Cheek's scriptural guns, and was practically out of the fight before the debate was half over. He was emphatically a man of the one book. He had read other books, and was a good observer of men and things, but the Bible was his chief study, and in this lay the secret of much of his power. His scriptural information did not consist in a mechanical retention of the language of the inspired volume; he understood its meaning, and was as gifted in its application as he was in its recollection / The old maxim, that "the Bible is its own best interpreter," found in Bro. Cheek's method of teaching and preaching a very fine illustration. In forging isolated fragments of scripture into a logical chain, in comparing scripture with scripture so as to make one class of passages explanatory of another and all harmonious parts of a common unit, he had few equals and no superiors in this country. Our lamented Brother was not an orator in the popular sense of that term; but calm, fluent and forcible in delivery, he was an effective speaker, a splendid teacher of the Bible, and an able expounder of the plan of salvation revealed in the New Testament. His work as a writer is before the brotherhood, and has called forth gratifying expressions of appreciation on all sides. His Truth in Love, recently changed to the Christian Pioneer--only two numbers of which had been issued--was a gem of its kind, and was a source of instruction and comfort to many hundreds of people. Now that its beloved editor has gone to his reward, we shall miss its welcome visits with long-remembered regret and sorrow.

      When we come to speak of the moral and christian character of Stephen Cheek, the most unvarnished and literal recital of facts will appear to the reader, who did not know him, as extravagant eulogy and the usual exaggeration indulged in over people who are dead. He was a man of so many virtues, and of such singular nobility of character, without any ignoble traits or off-setting vices, that simply to say what he was will sound to most people like the panegyrics of fiction or the characteristic overdrawing of blind affection, instead of a sober description of a real human character. His extraordinary unselfishness was a matter of common remark amongst the brethren who knew him. The truth is, he never seemed to think of himself at all. He literally forsook all for Christ, and laying himself on the altar of consecration to his Divine Master, "he went about doing good," toiling incessantly, preaching constantly--sometimes more than thirty times a month--carrying on a voluminous correspondence, editing his paper, writing for other journals, conversing daily with people about the things that pertain to the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ--thus in labours prodigious and unremitting his time and strength were consumed, for which he neither desired nor expected fee or reward beyond food and raiment and a few shillings to take him to his next preaching appointment. If he received money beyond enough for the bare necessities of life, he devoted it to his work. If churches treated him handsomely in these matters he never boasted; if they treated him shabbily, as they often did, he never complained. His equanimity of temper was only equalled by his modesty and humility. He had not in his composition the slightest trace of self-conceit. We never saw anything in his conduct that the bitterest enemy could construe into a manifestation of self-esteem. Of this bane of some men of parts, and many men of no parts, he had none. If conceit, and its demon brother, unscrupulous ambition, had ever possessed him, they had been cast out, and their places taken by "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." He was a noble exemplification of the apostolic precept, "In malice be ye children; but in understanding be men." Animosity and bitterness towards his fellows were feelings of which he had no experimental knowledge. Towards his detractors and persecutors--and of these there were many among worldlings and sectarians--he manifested no unkindness, but demeaned himself towards them in the spirit of Paul's instructions to Timothy: "and the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men; apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." His invincible firmness and boldness in the advocacy of truth did not spring from a pugnacious temper, but from a conscientiousness and a fidelity to conviction as admirable as they are rare. Where truth and duty led, there he would go regardless of consequences. He never hesitated to do what he though to be right, nor to embrace what he believed to be the truth. It was these qualities that made him a hero in the fight and a kindred spirit to the noble host of reformers and worthies who braved dangers, courted obliquity, and faced the frowns of a godless world that they might finish their course with joy and the ministry they had received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. It is with peculiar pleasure that we are able to say in literal truth that our departed brother was absolutely free from the envy and jealousy that characterise preachers, as a rule, no less than other men. If any man ever laboured for the glory of God, and not for his own glory, it was Stephen Cheek. He thought it made but little difference who the human instrument was, so men were saved, and the Master's name honoured. While he was living he sought to take no man's place, and now that he is dead we have no man that can take his. His place is left vacant, and his useful career suddenly cut short. In the untimely death of such a man, although he had not reached the prime of life, the brotherhood in Australia have suffered an irreparable loss.

2. D. A. EWERS

C.P., 1896, pp. 400-401.

      D.A. Ewers was born at Enfield, near Adelaide, S.A., on April 28th, 1853. His parents were connected with the Brethren (miscalled "Plymouth"), and his earliest recollections are of the little meetings they attended. They united with the Disciples when he was about 12 years old, and he was baptised by H.S. Earl in 1867, at the age of 14. A year later he removed to Mt. Gambier, where he met with the little church in C. Clark's house. After a few years the house becoming too small, the old Baptist chapel was rented, and here he preached his first sermon from "What must I do to be saved?" before he was 18. This he wrote out, committed to memory and recited. In 1874 he removed to Kingston, Lacepede Bay, where he engaged in business and was instrumental in forming a small church long since scattered, but the members of which have done good work in other places. He removed to Adelaide in 1878, and was soon after engaged by the Conference Committee as an evangelist, and labored for about 12 months at Two Wells and Reeves Plains. The next year he removed to Murtoa, Victoria, and resumed his business as a wheelwright. Here he organised a congregation which became the mother church of the Wimmera District. Among the first baptised was G.H. Browne (now evangelist at Brim), with whom he shortly after entered into business partnership. Here also he first began writing for our papers, and his "Chips from a Wheelwright's Block" were widely read.

      At the request of the late Stephen Cheek, Bro. E. commenced a series of regular articles for his paper the Christian Pioneer, started in Queensland. On the death of the gifted editor in February, 1883, after the publication of two issues, Bro. Ewers, at the request of the Victorian Missionary Committee, took up the evangelistic work in Queensland, removing there in April of that year. The Pioneer was revived in August and from that date has been published by him, first as a monthly but since September 1888, as a weekly. He spent a busy four years and six months in Queensland where he baptised some hundreds of people and was more or less directly connected with the planting of churches at Killarney, Allora Brisbane, Mt. Walker, Harrisville, Marburg, Vernor, Ma Ma Creek, Gympie and Ipswich. He also labored at Warwick, Toowoomba, Rosewood and Charters Towers. Among his co-workers were F.W. Troy, B.C. Black, H. Goodacre and H. Tilcock, all of whom are now preaching in America.

      In September, 1887, Bro. Ewers returned to Victoria, and for a few months labored in the Shepparton District under the Conference Committee, and later on spent six months at Williamstown. In September, 1888, he accepted a call from the Hawthorn church, with which he labored for over three years, during which time there was a net increase of over 60 members. In November, 1891, he commenced his work at Doncaster. Owing to the limited population the number of additions has not been so large as in other fields, but the church has made substantial progress, and his relationship with the brethren there has been most profitable and enjoyable. He removes to Sydney at the end of this month, having accepted an invitation from the Missionary Committee to labor in one of the suburbs.

      In addition to his evangelistic and editorial labors Bro. Ewers has taken an active part in many other departments of church work. He was practically the founder of the Queensland Conference of churches, and since his return to Victoria has taken a prominent part in co-operative work here, having been President of the Conference, and for most of the time a member of the Missionary Committee. He has also been a member of the S.S. Union Executive committee for several years. Taking a great interest in the C.E. movement he was one of the promoters and the first President of our own Endeavor Union. He is also known as a hearty supporter with voice aid pen of both Home and Foreign Missions, and an uncompromising opponent of the drink trade, also an advocate of Scripture lessons in State Schools.

      Bro. Ewers counts himself fortunate in having had a good mother and in possessing a good wife. To the former more than to any other person he considers himself indebted for the religious influences which have moulded his life, and to the latter he owes more than he can well say. In addition to proving a true helpmeet in the home, she has taken an active interest in the Sisters Conference of Victoria, of which she was Secretary for some years, and in which she is now a Vice-president.

3. F. G. DUNN

A.C., 1914, pp. 631-633, (Memorial Edition).

      Bro. Dunn filled great positions, including the greatest within the gift of his brethren. Australia mounts the loss of its beloved Federal President. Australasian interests were confidently entrusted to him in the positions of editor of the "Christian" and chairman of the Board of Management of the College. For a generation--for he was secretary of the Conference in 1882 and president for the first time in 1884--he was constantly associated in a leading capacity with the cause in Victoria.

      The very length of service given is noteworthy. Half a century of toil, of faithful, unremitting labor, in a cause winning its way through misunderstanding, misrepresentation, and sometimes obloquy, is no little thing.

      Our late editor was a man of unusual mental ability. He was a reader and independent thinker, and therefore a leader. We have all enjoyed the fruit of his thought, expressed in incisive speech, or, more particularly, with literary skill and lucidity in our papers. By these means he was largely helped to mould the thought of the Churches of Christ in Australasia.

      Our brother was in excelling degree gifted with a mind well balanced, eminently sane and practical. Many of our young men have acted on the injunction, "Before you begin anything, take counsel," and one of the men of whom they most naturally and wisely sought this counsel was F.G. Dunn. He loved and sought truth, and could quickly detect sophistry and error. A strong, unflinching advocate of New Testament Christianity, he could estimate and appreciate the good in the views of other men, and so was saved from extreme positions.

      Bro. Dunn was felt to be a safe man. His brethren were confident that with him everything was well weighed and tested by its harmony with the Word of God, and the likelihood of its advancing the cause of Christ. His was a characteristic caution which at times was of inestimable value.

      When J.J. Haley, the gifted editor of the A.C. Watchman, left for America at the close of 1884, he referred in his valedictory article to his successor as "sound in head and heart," and as being "certain to conduct the paper upon such principles and with such ability as to give entire satisfaction to the brotherhood." To the correctness of that estimate the nearly 30 years of editorial work bears eloquent testimony.

      Commencing as a Sunday School worker just after his baptism at the age of 18, Bro. Dunn was for over 20 years actively engaged in this service. He took part in the formation of the Victorian Sunday School Union, of which he was the first secretary. He was also in his earlier years prominent in temperance work, and attained the highest position in the Independent Order of Rechabites. Then, as an able preacher and teacher on our church platforms he was much esteemed, while as an energetic member of the Home Mission Committee probably no one did more valuable service on that board for the past 34 years.

      But it is as a writer and editor that he will be best remembered. For this work he was specially fitted, and to this he devoted his best and ripest energies. The Watchman, ion which he commenced his editorial career in January, 1885, was in August of the same year amalgamated with the Witness, and the Christian Standard was the result, of which he became chief editor. Twelve years later the Standard and Pioneer united as the "Australian Christian," with A.B. Maston at the helm and F.G. Dunn as writer of the editorial leaders. On the lamented death of Bro. Maston he relinquished his business position to devote his whole time to the management of the Austral Publishing Co., and the editorship of the "Christian." The fact that the circulation of the paper has since increased by a thousand copies is sufficient evidence of the appreciation of his work.

      Bro. Dunn was a man of profound convictions. He believed, and therefore he wrote. Connected with the movement from his very boyhood, away back in the "fifties," almost from its inception, he was familiar with its principles, to which he ever remained faithful. While not intolerant of new conceptions of truth or methods of work, he was by temperament somewhat conservative, and this rendered him cautious in the encouragement of novel ideas and plans. But when persuaded they were not out of harmony with the teachings of the Book he so highly revered, and were in the interests of the cause he loved, he did not withhold his sympathy and support. Thus it was that the C.E. movement, the Foreign Mission work, etc., found in him a willing helper.

      Believing with all his heart in the Bible as the Word of God, he was naturally jealous of anything that seemed calculated to undermine its influence, and in his editorial work he ever gave it the position of pre-eminence. Hence the prominence in his writings to archaeological and other evidences of its veracity and authority. His articles were always readable, and distinguished rather by soundness of teaching and lucidity of expression than by brilliancy of language or pyrotechnical display. Among the churches generally there was a feeling of confidence in Bro. Dunn as a reliable man, one who could be depended on for a sane and honest treatment of living issues, and his published convictions commanded the respect of his readers. There was such a transparent sincerity running through his literary contributions that it disarmed opposition and won the esteem of the whole brotherhood. Moreover, he was always fair in his presentations and criticisms of views conflicting with his own, above all littleness and petty ideas himself, he looked for fairness and broadmindedness in others, and where possible would see nothing else. With an unfaltering faith in the plea for a restoration of primitive christianity and in its ultimate success, he was ever anxious to further its interests and maintain "the unity of the Spirit in the

bond of peace" among its advocates, and to this he devoted the able powers of his fine intellect from the editorial chair with marked success. Even those who did not experience the charm of personal friendship will realise that a prince has fallen in Israel.

      I cannot close without adding a personal appreciation. From an acquaintance extending over more than 30 years I learned to esteem F.G. Dunn very highly. Commencing our literary work about the same time, we were often brought into touch and into conference. Occasional differences in judgment in matters of minor importance in the earlier period of our work were not allowed to mar our fraternal regard, which in the later years of editorial co-operation mellowed into affectionate comradeship. Hence it is with a deep sense of personal loss that I lay this tribute on the grave of one of our truest, ablest and grandest men.

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