FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
December 12, 1972
The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting at 3:00 p.m. , December
12, 1972, in the Foreign Mission Board Chapel, Richmond, Virginia with the Presi¬
dent, W. Douglas Hudgins, presiding.
PRESENT: (Board Meeting and/or Appointment Service, Alexandria, Virginia) State
Members : Alabama: J. R. White; Arkansas : W. 0. Vaught, Jr.; California: Loyed
R. Simmons; D.C. : Kenneth E. Thornton; Florida : Don Mott, T. Rupert Coleman;
Georgia : Mrs. John I. Alford, Ohlen R. Wilson; Illinois : Raymond L. Odle; Indiana :
Othar 0. Smith; Kansas : J. W. Pace; Kentucky: Eldred M. Taylor; Maryland :
Ralph D. Walls; Michigan: Hubert G. Keefer; Mississippi: W. Douglas Hudgins;
New Mexico: J. D. Ratliff; North Carolina: Mrs. W. K. McGee; Oklahoma: Harvey
Albright; Oreg. -Wash. : W. D. Malone; South Carolina: Robert L. Deneen; Tennessee:
Joe L. Orr, C. Clifton Ward; Virginia: Mrs. H. Cowen Ellis, M. Mahan Siler, Jr.
Local Members: Robert B. Bass, Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, Paul E.
Crandall, Austin W. Farley, Joseph B. Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock,
Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, Scott C. Humphrey, John W. Kincheloe , Jr., John W. Patterson,
Julian H. Pentecost, Meredith K. Roberson, Mrs. Ross S. Shearer, Mrs. E. S. Stratton,
Mrs. Thomas Whalen.
Board's Attorney: John C. Williams. Staff : Baker J. Cauthen, Charles W. Bryan,
Louis R. Cobbs, Winston Crawley, Edna Frances Dawkins, William K. Dawson, Everett L.
Deane, Samuel A. DeBord, James G. Edwards, Jesse C. Fletcher, Franklin T. Fowler, H.
Cornell Goerner, Eugene Grubbs, Eugene L. Hill, Dwight Honeycutt, J. D. Hughey,
Ralph Magee, Stanley Nelson, Floyd H. North, R. Keith Parks, Norman Price, Sidney
C. Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith, Truman Smith, W. L. Smith, Richard M.
Styles, Wilbur Todd, Melvin Torstrick, E. L. Wright, Elizabeth Minshew.
The President called the meeting to order.
J. R. White, Board member from Alabama, led in the opening Scripture and Prayer.
Minutes of the Board for November 7, 1972 were approved, as distributed.
The President recognized the Executive Secretary, Dr. Baker J. Cauthen.
Board members and visitors were given a cordial welcome by the President of the Board
and the Executive Secretary.
Dr. Cauthen expressed appreciation for the undergirding that is provided by the attend¬
ance of a number of Board members, in all transactions of the matters for which the
Board is responsible. He referred to several strategic matters that would be brought
to the Board through recommendations from the committees.
Dr. Cauthen asked Mr. Reber to come to the platform to receive his ten-year Service
Pin, in recognition of his invaluable services during that period of time. He com¬
mended Mr. Reber on the unique strengths that he has brought to the work of the Board
and to the entire staff.
Dr. Cauthen filed the following report:
During recent weeks staff members have traveled widely throughout the Southern
Baptist Convention speaking in churches concerning foreign missions. The Week
of Prayer has been the occasion for a great concentration of interest and
concern upon worldwide needs and the expectations of our Lord. There is a
great spirit pointing toward an outpouring of giving through the Lottie Moon
Christmas Offering and continued reinforcement of all mission work through
the Cooperative Program,
As the year draws to a close, our hearts are filled with gratitude to our
Lord for His blessing and leadership.
There is particular need for laying afresh upon the hearts of Southern Baptists
the urgency of missionary appointment. The call for 800 new missionaries
from the mission fields has made us aware of the magnitude of the needs and
of the importance of stepping up the flow of missionary reinforcements.
Plans are being laid looking toward 1973 for various steps to accelerate this
important emphasis. A number of missionaries will be brought to Richmond
early in January for special briefing related to their part in missionary
recruitment. It is anticipated that on the campuses of seminaries and colleges
there will be fresh efforts made to place concern for life involvement in
foreign missions upon the hearts of young adults. We also recognize the vast
