11
Foreign Mission Board
December 19, 1957
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday,
December 19, 1957, with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. Howard Jenkins, Garis T. Long, Solon B. Cousins, J. Levering Evans,
Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, Elton Phillips, Oscar L. Hite, Emmett Y. Robertson, Mrs.
Kenneth Burke, Howard L. Arthur, J. E. Boyles, Horace Ford, Perry Mitchell, C.
Bailey Jones, Baker J. Cauthen, George W. Sadler, Cornell Goerner, Winston Crawley,
Eugene L. Hill, Floyd North, Rogers Smith, Fon H. Scofield, E. L. Wright, E. L.
Deane.
Guest: Dr. Chester Quarles.
On the motion of Dr. Hite the following candidates were appointed as missionaries:
Dr. and Mrs. Samuel R. J. Cannata, Jr., Southern Rhodesia
Rev. and Mrs. Roger Glenn Duck, Venezuela, Special Appointees
Miss Betty Jane Hunt, Korea
Rev. and Mrs. John H. McTyre, Chile - Special Appointees
Rev. and Mrs. D. Leon Mitchell, Indonesia - Special Appointees
Rev. and Mrs. Earl Peacock, Brazil
Rev. and Mrs. Howard Lee Smith, Nigeria
Rev. and Mrs. Jimmie Durr Spann, Uruguay
Rev. and Mrs. Harlan E. Spurgeon, Formosa
Each candidate gave a brief testimony of his Christian experience and call to
missionary service.
Dr. Cauthen gave the charge and Rev. C. Bailey Jones led in the prayer of dedica¬
tion.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
We come today to our final meeting of the Board for 1957. Our hearts are filled
with gratitude to God for His blessings throughout the year. With the appointment
of seventeen additional missionaries today, we reach a total of 109 appointments
made during the year. This gives indication of the sustained conviction concerning
world missions which is filling the hearts of Southern Baptists. While rejoicing in
the number of appointments which have been made, we are reminded of the fact that
the needs are far out of proportion to what we are able to supply. It is a growing
conviction with many of us that we should be appointing 200 missionaries per year,
and we believe year by year steps will be taken in this direction, so that this
larger number will presently become a reality.
As we look toward, the next six years, we keep in mind that a net gain of 100 mis¬
sionaries annually will be required in order to bring us to the close of 1963 with
a minimum of 1,800 missionaries. A net gain of 100 missionaries per year will call
for a minimum number of appointments of 130. It is our hope and prayer- that we may
come to the close of 1961j which is the Baptist Jubilee Year with approximately 2,000
missionaries under app'Dintment. This can be done if we have the joy of seeing a
larger net gain annually than 100 missionaries as indicated above.
We continue to be blessed by the fact that not only are missionaries being appointed
but men and -women of high quality are offering themselves for world mission service.
We are particularly impressed by the fact that well trained pastors and other workers
are leaving posts of responsibility for service abroad, having received through their
experience at the hone base excellent preparation for the task ahead.
We come to this final meeting also encouraged by increasing evidence of a determina¬
tion on the part of Southern Baptists to reinforce missionary labor with larger giv¬
ing .
At this time the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is being received. It is impossible
to estimate now what the total of the offering will be. Individual reports are
coming from various places which indicate that the offering will be both larger and
more abundantly filled with spiritual blessing than ever before. The dedication of
life on the part of young people which accompanies this offering is a growing fea¬
ture of its observance year by year. We thank God for the work of Woman's Missionary
Union in this labor of love in the Lottie Moon Offering annually.
