“Let all the true people of God in the United States understand this, our view and feeling. We are all one family—they who are ‘the children of God scattered abroad.’ So I ask them all throughout the States, yea, and the world, to go with us heart and soul and prayer always in this undertaking. Surely in the mighty God of Jacob we shall overcome. We shall win many for Christ, and they shall stand amidst the multitude of the redeemed with palms in their hands, out of every kindred and nation and tongue and people. “With my Christian sentiments to your committee, and asking the blessing of God on all their deliberations, yours and theirs, ever in Him, whom not having seen we love, in whom believing we have joy unspeakable and full of glory, “ROBERT ARTHINGTON.” “56 Reade Street, January 14, 1881. “Robert Arthington, Esq., Leeds, England. Dear Brother: * * * * Further information about the requirements of the mission and the territory to be occupied have been gathered, so that on the receipt of your letter, we felt called of God to take definite action. Our Executive Committee, with prayerful gratitude to God, interpreted your communication as an indication from Him that the time had come for us to go forward. Accordingly they voted to accept your bountiful gift and to undertake the preliminary work needful during the coming year. Among the persons with whom we had been in communication was Rev. Henry M. Ladd, the son of a missionary, who had spent 17 years of his early life at Smyrna and other localities in the East, before coming to this country to study for the ministry, and who was presumed to have peculiar fitness as the leader of the new mission. On receiving your letter, we obtained an interview with Mr. Ladd, and after a full and prayerful deliberation, we tendered him the superintendency of our African Missions, and this week he writes us as follows: ‘I hereby accept the position, praying the great Head of the church for His blessing on the arduous work undertaken in His name.’