Foreign Mission Board Rooms
January 13, 1955
The,Forei'-r Mission B&ard met i; thly session at 3:30 p.m. on
ilr rsda J” nar- 13, 1955, with r. Jenkins presiding.
Present: I.. Howard Jenkins, Maris T. Lon:, H. P. Buxton, J . Hundley Wiley,
Howard L. Arthur, Rush Lovin; , H. F. Thomas, Mrs. Tom Smith, Mrs. Clyde
V. iiickerson, Mrs. Kenneth Burke, Emmett I. Robertson, Neal Ellis, L. G.
Mosley, H. B. Tillman, J. Boyles, Perry itch ell, Baker J. Cauthen;
George W. Sadler, Frank K. Means, rogert M. Smith, Fen H. Scofield, -Imer
S. West, E. L. Wright, E. L. Deane.
Mr. Arthur led in prayer.
Dr. Cauthen made the following report:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
It is with a considerable feeling of encouragement that we come to this
meeting of the 1 oard. As a result of increasing support to the Cooperative
Pro-ram, the Foreign Mission Board received in December from the Advance
Section of the Cooperative Program funds th sum of 1,297,123.1b. This
represents 75 per cent of all Cooperative Program receipts above the
Southwide budget.
Every dollar o.f this money will be used for advance. We have appropriated
K)0C,000 of it to apply to the 195 budget so that advance in current
opera lions car continue. The s"m of '75,000 has been appropriated to
apply toward the headcuarters arrangement for the Fore' Lssion Board.
Feconwiend aligns will be presented today and next month for appropriation
of 37 ,000 equally divided among the three areas of work. The appropria¬
tin' s c iefly will e for capital purposes.
s: ■ ifieaht rec m endation is being presented for the appropriation of
35,000 for a recruitment film to be produced and distributed as a part of
bur renewed emphasis on missionary personnel. The sum of ,15,000 is being
recommended to make possible wider distribution of our visual aids
materials, the use of which have been so productive both from the stand¬
point of finances and missionary conviction.
The remainder of the money amounting to approximately • .>19 5, 000 will be
recommended for appropriation in succeeding meetings of the Board during
the spring in light of careful study of capital needs and available
resources.
Reports of the recent Lottie Moon Christmas Offering are as yet only
fragmentary, but they are encouraging. It is too early to have any idea
as to the total amount that this offering will bring, but we are confident
it will exceed the amount received last year.
Since the last meeting of the Board the secretaries have attended the
meeting of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention in
session in Nashville, Tennessee. At th-^t meeting the finances of all the
ar-encies and institutions of Hhe Southern Baptist Convention are carefully
studied and a budget is ~repared for recommendation to the Southern
Baptist Convention in annual session.
It Ms rratifvin" to -11 of us to know that the Finance Committee of the
Executive Committee, bv
о
standing vote, voiced its appreciation of the
financial Policies of the Forei ission board. Particular care was made
to noi'- out the r -son for the reserve funds in the hands of the Foreign
M.issi.r card and the members of the Finance Committee were strong in
their appreciation of what is done.
The report of the special committee on world evangelization appointed by
the president of the Southern Baptist Convention was constructive and
helplul. This report together with that of the future program committee
called attention to means whereby missionary conviction in the Southern
Baptist Convention can be deepened and greater support both in finances
and personnel can be secured.
