147
Foreign Mission Board Booms
March 11, 1954
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session on Thursday,
"arch 11, 1954, with Mr, Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. Howard Jenkins, R. C. McDanel, H. P, Ihomas, Neal Ellis, h. B,
Tillman, L. G, Mosley, E. P. uuxton, Mrs. Kenneth Burke, J. Hundley v'iley,
Perry Mitchell, W . Hush Loving, Emmett Y. Robertson, Mrs. Clyde V. Nickerson,
Mrs. Tom Smith, Oscar L. Hite, J. £. Boyles, Baker J. Cauthen, Everett Gill,
Jr., Frank K, Means, Elmer S, "»est, E. L. Deane> E, L. ‘'right, Fon H.
Scofield, Rogers M, Smith
Mr. Ellis led in prayer.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
The meeting of the Board today is significant in that we are appointing our
first missionaries for 1954. These appointees are for each of three areas
where v.e are at work.
During these years of advance the missionary s taff has increased from 625
at the beginning of 1948 to 908 at the beginning of this year. During this
period there have been 464 aopointments but retirements, death, illness and
other losses have reduced the staff 171, thus leaving a net gain of 283.
Appointments during this period have been as follows: 1948 - 74; 1949 - 67;
1950 - 111; 1951 -58; 1952 - 84; 1953 - 70.
The Personnel Deoartment reports that the prospects in view for 1954 are
slightly in excess of the number for 1953.
A glance at these figures indicates that over a period of six years we have
appointed an average of 77.3 missionaries per year, and have lost through
death, retirement or otherwise an average of 28.5 per year giving us a net
annual gain of 48.8.
As we face our objective of advancing toward a goal of 1,750 missionaries,
we are encouraged by the evidences that Southern Baptists will provide the
funds to undergird sending those whom God would have go.
In 1944 gifts from the churches for foreign missions amounted to $2,649,312.43.
In that year we have 504 missionaries or a ratio of one missionary to every
$5,256. In 1948 gifts from the churches for foreign missions amounted to
$4,710,357.95. Mth 662 missionaries in that year we had a ratio of one
missionary to every $7,115.
In 1953 gifts from the churches for foreign missions amounted to $8,759,948.84.
Yiith 908 missionaries we had a ratio of one missionary to every $9,647. The
fact that our financial resources have increased in proportion to the number
of missionaries has two encouraging features.
First, we have been able to provide urgently needed capital developments in
many lands. Schools, hosoitals, seminaries, and missionary residences have
been constructed. Advance in Japan for instance, has been made on a solid
far-reaching basis because v/e have been able to provide many of the essentials
of growth. Entry into new areas has been undertaken with resources to make
a strong beginning. The fruits of this approach are highly evident in
Formosa, Indonesia and other places.
The second encouragement is that even within the limits of our present income
we can continue to appoint missionaries on an advance basis. The need for
missionaries is so urgent, especially in new areas that the missionaries in
all lands would without hesitation recommend the appointment of reinforce¬
ments, even if it should require the sacrifice of having less money available
for canital needs and current operations. As valuable as are capital
developments and funds for current operations, the most vital part of our
missionary effort is the missionary himself with his fervent witness to a
living Christ.
