Our newly-appointed business agent for the Mendi Mission, Mr. I. J. St. John, in describing his journey from Freetown, West Africa, to our Good Hope Station, writes: “Mr. Hall and myself had been on the water in a boat with nothing but the soft side of a hard board to sit on and sleep on for three days and two nights, with nothing to eat but bread and strawberry jam. The worst of it was the board each of us had was only fourteen inches wide and four feet long.” These brethren will watch with special interest the report of the receipts for the John Brown Steamer, which we shall commence to build as soon as the money is assured. We trust the friends of this Association will keep right on furnishing funds for this object. About one-third of the $10,000 needful has been subscribed. * * * * * ARTHINGTON MISSION.—A PARALLEL. The enterprises of different nationalities operating in northeastern Africa are continually converging about Khartoum, which, during the past three years, has been transformed in appearance from an African to a semi-European city. Good houses and extensive stores have been constructed, and at present all supplies required by modern civilization are furnished. The activity in this locality is indicated by some of the following circumstances: Recently Mr. Goodwin, engineer at Cairo, reported to the Egyptian government the necessity of prolonging the railroads of lower Egypt to the Egyptian Soudan. A Spanish association is planning an expedition from Korosko to the Albert Lake. Agents of the Italian Society of Commerce are on their way to Khartoum for mercantile purposes. The English government contemplate locating consuls south of the desert, both at Souakim and Khartoum. A special interest seems just now to be taken in the Galla country. Baron Müller, with a German expedition, is heading towards this locality. Piaggia is at Khartoum, from whence he purposes to penetrate the same region. There is also reason to believe that Count Pennazzi is already making his explorations in that country. We are chiefly interested, however, in an enterprise which is parallel to our proposed Arthington Mission. It appears that a Swedish missionary society, founded in 1856, was organized with a purpose to labor among the Gallas, reaching their country via Khartoum and the Blue Nile. The society seems to have been delayed and embarrassed in its operations, so much so that it decided in 1866 to locate its stations at Massaoua and its immediate neighborhood on the Red Sea. Here it gave instruction to some 200 children, boys and girls, at its three stations. Some of these children were pure heathen from the Galla tribes, and others belonged to the Abyssinian church.