FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
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February 8, 1977
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session, Tuesday, February 8, 1977,
2:00 p.m. , in the Parlor of the Foreign Mission Board. The Second Vice-President,
J. R. White, presided.
PRESENT: State Members: Alabama: L. Earl Tew, J. R. White; D.
С.
: B. Ross Morrison;
Illinois : A. F. Tuck; Kansas : J. W. Pace; Kentucky: Mrs. Ray Mullendore; Michigan:
Mrs. Fern Dannelley; Missouri: John W. Goodwin; New Mexico: J. D. Ratliff; Ohio:
W. Paul Payne; South Carolina: Ira Q. Craft; Texas: Morris G. Cobb.
Local Members: V. Allen Gaines, Franklin D. Hall, Hiram L. Harrison, Scott C.
Humphrey, Neal T. Jones, Bruce H. Price, M. Hunter Riggins, Jr., Mrs. Ross S. Shearer,
Mrs. E. S. Stratton, Mrs. Thomas Whalen, Robert B. Bass, J. Roy Clifford, Paul E.
Crandall, Gurney W. Grant, J. Leonard Moore, John W. Patterson, Raymond L. Spence, Jr.,
R. I. Willett.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, J. Bryan Brasington, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs,
Winston Crawley, Everett L. Deane, James G. Edwards, Franklin T. Fowler, lone Gray,
W. Eugene Grubbs, George H. Hays, Ward S. Hildreth, Thomas W. Hill, Dwight A. Honey¬
cutt, J. D. Hughey, William W. Marshall, Frank K. Means, John E. Mills, Floyd H.
North, R. Keith Parks, Samuel M. Pittman, G. Norman Price, Don A. Reavis, Sidney C.
Reber, Harold D. Richardson, Davis L. Saunders, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith,
Truman Smith, Robert L. Stanley, Richard M. Styles, Wilbur N. Todd, Melvin E.
Torstrick, Joseph B. Underwood, William R. Wakefield, E. L. Wright, Elizabeth Minshew.
The presiding officer called the meeting to order.
The audience joined in singing the Hymn: "He Keeps Me Singing," led by Sidney C.
Reber.
J. D. Ratliff, Board member from New Mexico, read a passage of Scripture and led in
the opening prayer.
Special matters of prayer were: the family of J. Leonard Moore, (local Board mem¬
ber) whose brother was undergoing surgery; the family of Mrs. Millie Maxwell, in the
loss of her sister-in-law, Mrs. Lottie Maxwell, of Elberton, Georgia; Mrs. Davis
Saunders and her family, in the loss of her mother; the family and co-workers of
five Catholic missionaries who were recently murdered in Rhodesia.
By common concent, the Board voted to ask Dr. Davis Saunders to cable to Rhodesia
the smypathy of the entire Board and staff, on behalf of the murder of five Catholic
missionaries, recently murdered in Rhodesia; and the family of a child, lost in Richmond.
Minutes of the 3oard for January 11, 1977 were approved.
The presiding officer recognized the Executive Director, Baker J. Cauthen.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Baker J. Cauthen
RPpnrt of the Executive Director
The Foreign Mission Board is very much in sympathy with the Catholic
Mission in Rhodesia in the death of their seven missionaries. By common
consent we would like to ask Dr. Davis Saunders, secretary for work in
that area to send a message to our Mission in Rhodesia asking them to
convey to the Catholic Mission our deep sympathy in this time of tragedy.
We are very grateful for the encouraging reports from the Cooperative
Program. During January there came to the Southern Baptist Convention,
for the first time in our history, $5,000,000 through the Cooperative
Program. Funds received through the Cooperative Program beginning
October 1 and running through January are 11.51 percent higher than for
the same period one year ago.
We are also encouraged that gifts for relief are continuing to be made.
Announcement has already been given that total gifts for relief in 1976
that came to the Foreign Mission Board reached a total of $1,646,130.66.
Disbursements for relief reached a total of $1,626,294.97.
Appropriations being recommended today for relief amount to approximately
$112,000. Among these appropriations there are some for drilling wells
in East Africa to help to minister to the needs in the villages for
water supply. This is one of the most crucial needs in village life
both in Africa and in other lands. Warnings from West Africa are beginning