Encouraged by the success attending his tract work, and other publications, Bro. Maston began to lay plans for more ambitious work along these lines. On Sept. 29, 1885, he commenced work on a reprint of the book "On the Rock," by D. R. Dungan, the printing of which he subsequently let for £65. Possibly no publication has been a greater power for good in Australasia than this little work. Many (how many it is impossible to say) have been led into the light by reading it, and it still enjoys a wide circulation. It has run through five editions and, altogether, about 30,000 copies have been sold.

      Bro. Maston's connection with the "Australian Christian Standard" began on Jan. 14., 1886, when he became the manager of its news column. From that time he continued to work on the paper and its successors until the end of his life.

      When paying a visit to Sydney, in February, 1886, delivering his lectures on the Tabernacle in the various Churches, he spoke freely to the brethren about his ambitions in the tract and book work, and also of a contemplated "History of the Church."

      His eye began to give him serious trouble about this time, and he was subject to frequent and severe attacks of pain, but he struggled on, and [37] continued to solicit funds and print tracts, pamphlets, and books, undertaking a great deal of laborious work in the task of publishing.

      Queensland was visited in May, 1886, and he preached and lectured at Brisbane, and in almost all the Queensland churches, returning in the middle of June. The book "Orthodoxy in the Civil Courts," a reprint, was issued in November of this year, and found a ready sale. This work is well-known as an able and unique defence of the principles of the restoration movement.

      During 1887, Bro. Maston preached at Lygon Street for a few months, and made several preaching and lecturing tours in the country.

      The trouble with his eye grew serious at this time, and on March 7, he underwent the first of a long series of operations.

      He was appointed a member of the "Bible College Conference Committee," which met in Melbourne on March 18 of this year. Twenty years were to elapse before the desires of the brethren were to take permanent shape in a "College of the Bible," but it is interesting to notice the earnest efforts made so long ago. Bro. Maston read a paper at the Victorian Conference, 1886, on the subject, "How can we best educate and train young men for evangelistic work in the colonies?" In this essay, he advocated the establishment of a College of the Bible. The "Australian Christian Standard," commenting upon it in a leading article, on June 1, says: "The proposal arising out of Bro. Maston's essay to start a Bible College in connection with our work, is the most important [38] and far-reaching matter that the brotherhood have as yet been invited to consider."

      Bro. Maston continued to plead for a College, but as the years went by, and no beginning seemed possible, he did the next best thing--encouraged and helped many promising young men to go to America, to secure an education there.

      His object in all his publishing ventures was to help forward the movement to restore the faith and practice of the Church according to the teaching of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Believing that the followers of Christ had wandered from the clear instructions of the New Testament, his aim was to direct the thoughts of men to the primitive gospel, with its facts, commands, and promises, and to the pattern of a Church which is to be found in the history and teachings of the Apostles. He acknowledged no authority in religious matters outside of the Word of God. He pinned his faith to no human creed, wore no human or sectarian denominational name, and desired to be a Christian only, and in his church capacity simply a member of the Church of Christ. It was his conviction that if all the followers of Jesus could be brought to take up a similar attitude, sectarian barriers would soon fall, and Christian union would become an accomplished fact. [39]

[LABM 37-39]