As I walked home from the meeting, and revolved in my mind the difficulty of the situation, the idea of an executive committee, to whom the whole work should be intrusted, came across my mind. When I reached my room I sat down, and in a few minutes and without consultation with anyone, wrote out the plan, which without essential modification was subsequently adopted. It seemed to strike all parties very favorably. On the second day of the conference two large, representative committees were appointed by the conference, one on Mandarin and one on Wen-li. I was a member of both these committees. Each committee had a number of meetings, in which the subject was freely and fully discussed in all its bearings. It was evident that there was a general desire for a version in simple Wen-li, and, the difficulties being less in regard to the work already done, a conclusion was first reached in regard to this version. In Mandarin the difficulties were greater. An agreement, however, was reached. The version in the higher classic style then gave the most trouble, but a satisfactory basis for this also was agreed upon; and the reports as to all three versions were adopted unanimously by the conference. In the same letter he says: “I worked hard for these results, and felt no small satisfaction in seeing such perfect unanimity in the adoption of the plan proposed. I have never done anything in which I felt more the guiding hand of God than in drawing up and carrying through this plan.” The selection of translators for each of the projected new versions was handed over respectively to executive committees; and Dr. Mateer was appointed on that having charge of the Mandarin, and made chairman of it. He heard that he was talked of as one of the revisers for that version, but as yet he had not decided what was his duty, if chosen. It will again be best here to take up from one of his letters the thread of the narrative. Under date of December 13, 1890, he writes to Dr. Nevius: