February 11 , 1971
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The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting on February 11, 1971, at
3:00 p-.m. in the Board's Chapel, Richmond, Virginia, with the President, Drew J.
Gunnells, Jr., presiding.
PRESENT: State Members: Barney Bayles (Maryland), Clyde Childers (Texas), Robert L.
Deneen (South Carolina), Daniel W. Cloer (South Carolina), Drew J. Gunnells, Jr. (Alabama)
Bruce H. Price (Virginia), W. 0. Vaught, Jr., (Arkansas).
Local Members : Robert B. Bass, Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, Joseph B.
Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, John W. Kincheloe, Jr
John L. Moran, Julian H. Pentecost, Lucius M. Polhill, James E. Rayhorn, Meredith K.
Roberson, Edwin L. Shattuck, Mrs. E. S. Stratton, M. Hunter Riggins.
â– Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, James D. Belote, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs, Winston
Crawley, Edna Frances Dawkins, William K. Dawson, Everett L. Deane, Samuel A. DeBord,
Jesse Fletcher, Franklin T. Fowler, lone Gray, W. Eugene Grubbs, Ward S. Hildreth, Eugene
. L. Hill, J. D. Hughey, Frank K. Means, Stanley Nelson, Floyd H. North, R. Keith Parks,
Norman Price, Sidney C. Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Truman Smith, W. L. Smith, Richard M.
Styles, Melvin Torstrick, Joseph B. Underwood, Elbert L. Wright, Elizabeth Minshew.
The meeting was called to order.
Mr. Sidney C. Reber, the Board's director of the Management Services Division, led the
audience in singing the opening Hymn: "Now to the Lord a Noble Song."
Mr. Barney Bayles, Board member from Maryland, read a passage of Scripture and led in
prayer.
Minutes of the Board for January 14, 1971, were approved as received by the Board members.
Mr. Gunnells extended a cordial welcome to all who were present. He brought special
greetings from Mrs. Charles E. Maddry, wife of a former Executive Secretary of the Board.
Mrs. Maddry is now residing in the Medhaven Nursing Home, Montgomery, Alabama.
Special appreciation was expressed to state Board members for their efforts to be in
attendance. They were asked to stand and be recognized.
I Dr. Cauthen and the President called special attention to a new format that had been
designed and was being "on trial" at the February meeting.
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY - Dr. Baker J. Cauthen
Dr. Cauthen gave special emphases to strategic matters contained in his report. He ex¬
pressed deep gratitude on behalf of the support of missions that is being evidenced
through Lottie Moon Christmas Offering receipts, and other expressions of financial
support which indicate a 13% increase in Cooperative Program gifts as of this date, over
the same date in 1970. In this connection, he pointed out that the Lottie Moon Christmas
Offering for 1970 will be presented to the Board for approval at its meeting, scheduled
to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, April 19-21, 1971. This presentation will include
total Additional Lottie Moon Allocations for 1970.
Dr. Cauthen paid tribute to Dr. G. Allen West, executive director, Long Run Baptist
Association; Dr. Harold S. Sanders, executive secretary, Kentucky Baptist Convention;
and Dr. Duke McCall, president, Southern Seminary, through whom the invitation to the
Board for holding its April meeting in Louisville had been extended and accepted.
He called attention to a matter contained in his report with reference to the arrangement
that has been confirmed by the SBC Committee on Order of Business, on behalf of the
Foreign Mission Program in St. Louis, Missouri. He expressed gratitude for the way in
which these arrangements have been completed, especially with reference to the joint
commissioning service on behalf of the Home Mission Board and the Foreign Mission Board
on Wednesday evening during the Convention.
Dr. Cauthen informed the Board that Rev. J. Howard Reynolds, former Board member from
New Mexico, resigned his pastorate in Los Alamos and accepted the pastorate of the
Greenleaf Baptist Church in Whittier, California, January 17, 1971. In this connection,
Dr. Cauthen explained that he has been in communication with the New Mexico members of
the SBC Committee on Boards, with reference to a suggestion from them of someone to be
elected to fill Mr. Reynolds' unexpired term of service on the Board. Dr. Cauthen ex¬
pressed the hope that he would be in position to bring the name of a person to the Board,
for possible election in March, 1971.
Dr. Cauthen requested prayers of the entire Board and staff, on behalf of forthcoming
meetings of the SBC Executive Committee, scheduled to meet in Nashville. These meetings
would be most strategic in the total cause of missions.