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Richmond, Virginia
July 13, 1967
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session on Thursday, July 13, 1967
at 3 p.m. in the chapel of the Foreign Mission Board with Dr. J. Chester Badgett
presiding.
Present: State Members: J. Blake Woolbright, Calif.; Virgil Clark, Ind.; J. Chester
Badgett, Ky.; J. Robert Stiff, Va.
Local Members: Wade Bryant, Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, Curtis English,
Joseph B. Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock, John W. Kincheloe, Jr., Robert T.
Marsh, Jr., J. Leonard Moore, John L. Moran, Lucius M. Polhill, James E. Rayhorn,
Hunter Riggins, Meredith K. Roberson, Dalton Ward.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, Rogers M. Smith, Winston Crawley, Joseph B. Underwood, E. L.
Deane, E. L. Wright, W. K. Dawson, Jesse C. Fletcher, Edna Frances Dawkins, William W.
Marshall, Louis R. Cobbs, Truman Smith, Samuel A. DeBord, E. L. Hill, Fon H. Scofield,
Jr., lone Gray, G. Norman Price, Harold G. Basden, Floyd North, Emily Lenz.
Guests : Miss Lois Glass, Missionary to Taiwan; Mrs. J. Chester Badgett, Mrs. Blake
Woolbright.
Mr. English read a Scripture passage and led in prayer.
The minutes were approved as printed and previously mailed to members of the Board.
Dr. Cauthen recognized and welcomed the newly elected local Board members who were
present.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report of the Executive Secretary:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
The Middle East crisis has absorbed a great deal of attention in recent weeks. It
developed during the time of the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr.
Hughey remained in his office rather than attend the Convention so that he could be
in touch with missionaries on the field, their families, and the State Department.
On Friday, June 2, Dr. Hughey flew to Beirut with a view to ray joining him on Monday,
June 5, in order that we might confer with missionaries concerning the impending
crisis. On Monday morning, June 5, the war began and it was evident that it would
be impossible for me to undertake the trip. Dr. Hughey was able to confer with the
missionaries in Beirut and share with them in meeting the emergency.
The missionaries in Lebanon were evacuated to Istanbul. The Finlay Graham family
and Rev. James Ragland felt impressed to remain in Beirut. Missionaries in Jordan
were evacuated to Teheran, Iran. Dr. August Lovegren felt impressed to remain with
the hospital in Ajloun and continued with the work of the hospital without interruption.
The missionaries in Gaza were evacuated first to Beirut, then later to Istanbul and
Rome. Dr. David Dorr and Dr. Merrill Moore felt impressed to remain with the Gaza
hospital and kept it functioning throughout the entire crisis. Miss Marilyn Sheaf fer,
who had married an Egyptian Christian, remained in Gaza with her husband.
None of the missionaries in Israel found it necessary to evacuate. The assistance of
Consular representatives and the officials in the State Department of Washington
was greatly appreciated. On every hand there was courtesy and consideration extended,
and the communications from our office to Washington were always very kindly received.
On Sunday, July 2, Dr. Hughey and I went to Beirut together to confer with mission¬
aries there and in all the Missions in the Middle East. We were able to visit
Beirut, Amman, Jordan, Ajloun, Iran, Israel, and Gaza.
We are very grateful to be able to report that there was no damage to any mission
property or harm to any of the Christian workers either in Lebanon, Jordan, or Israel.
The damage to the hospital in Gaza was very slight, and only one worker was wounded
in the fighting. The hospital was able to extend a great amount of help to people
in distress, and the feeling toward the missionaries and the work of the hospital in
Gaza is very cordial.
The situation in Beirut is rapidly returning to normal. Restrictions on travel have
been removed, and missionaries have returned to their posts. When Dr. Hughey and I
were there, four missionary couples and one single lady were already at work.
In Jordan the situation is a little more uncertain due to the presence of large
numbers of refugees and also the presence of the Iraqi army which has not yet been
withdrawn, and the purpose of which in the country is not quite clear. There is a
feeling of caution.
