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Foreign Mission Board Rooms
February 10, 19U9
•The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session on Thursday,
February 10, 1 9k9 , at ii:00 p.m. with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. H. Jenkins, Hill Montague, J. 0. Loving, R. C. McDanel,
Garis T. Long, Clyde V. Hickerson, John C. Williams, Solon B. Cousins,
George W. Sadler, Samuel E. Maddox, Edna Frances Dawkins, Louis P.
Seay, Marjorie E. Moore. I:
Visitor: Miss Juliette Mather. '
Dr. Long led in prayer.
In the absence of Dr. Rankin and Dr. Gill on a trip to Colombia, South
America, Dr. Sadler gave a very brief report on the general work of
the Board and then a more detailed report from Africa, Europe, and the
Near East. He stated that since Great Britain and the United States
have recognized the State of Israel that he believed that peace in the
Near East would soon be declared. A very encouraging report came from
Africa. A goal of 10,000 Bible readers has been set by the Baptists
in that country, which they hope to reach by 19!?0, the year of their
centennial celebration. The situation in Hungary and Roumania con¬
tinues to be very serious with reference to religious liberty. Dr.
Sadler was very distrubed by word which had come to him that the Com¬
munist government seems to recognize only two religious groups in the
countries which they control - Roman Catholic and one group represent¬
ing the Protestant churches. For this reason, it is feared that the
Baptist churches, especially in Hungary, will have to unit with other
Protestant churches, although it is hoped that the federation will have
a loose organization in order to enable the churches to operate as they
desire.
On. motion of Dr. Hickerson it was voted to accept with regret the
resignation of Miss Beatrice Glass of Argentina as of January 31> 1 9U9.
Dr. Hickerson gave the following report of Dr. cauthen:
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR THE ORIENT
The month of January has been filled with political activity. As 19U8
came to an end, there arose a great cry throughout the country for
peace. Many prominent leaders in the Government began to voice the
necessity of arriving at some settlement.
In response to the growing clamor for a political settlement, Chiang
Kai Shek on New Year's eve delivered a message in which he announced a
policy of the Government looking toward peace and named five points
which he considered necessary for a peaceful solution.
Many of the Nationalist leaders had a strong feeling that no settlement
with the Communists could be undertaken until the President would re¬
tire. On January 21, Chiang Kai Shek left Nanking and the Vice President
took over the responsibilities of leadership.
In response to the Government's statement of being willing to work out
a peace settlement, the Communists stated eight points upon which they
were willing to come to some kind of agreement. The first of their
points demanded the trial of more than forty prominent Government leaders
as war criminals .
The new President upon assuming office inaugurated a number of political
reforms with the hope of convincing the Communists of his sincerity and
relieving some points of criticism against the National Government. At
the same time, plans were laid for moving the Government to South China,
and mary thousands of soldiers with their equipment were removed from
the Nanking-Shanghai area toward South China.
