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Foreign Mission Board Rooms
March 15, 1947
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session at 4:00 p.m. on March 13,
1947 with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present:
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. Jenkins, '-•lvde V. Fickerson, R. Aubrey Williams, T. Rupert Coleman,
Mrs. T. Justin Moore, Mrs. J. J. Ricker, Jr., T. F. Adams, Hill Montague, 3. Lever-
in:’- Evans, J. G. Loving, i . T. Rankin, George V.. Sadler, Man F, V.eeks, L. C. Routh,
Mary M., Hunter, E. P. inixton, Gene Newton.
Dr. Evans led in prayer.
The minutes of the February meeting were approved as read.
Dr. Rankin stated that at the April meeting approximately 75 candidates would be
brought to Richmond for examination looking toward appointment.
On motion of Dr. Evans it was voted that all funds received for relief be referred
to the Relief Committee for allocation. This action is taken in view of the fact
that the Relief Committee was appointed to allocate funds received through the cam¬
paign for Relief and Rehabilitation and has no authority over funds received since
the close of the campaign.
Dr. Sadler reported that Mr. and Mrs. John D. Hughey had arrived in Spain and that
Dr. and Mrs. " . Dewey Moore would sail the following day for Italy,
Dr. Evans read the following report from Dr. Gill, now in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
REPORT OF LATIN AM! RICAN SECRETARY
Mr. President and Members of the Board: Most of the last month has been spent in
and about Buenos Aires, visiting different churches with our missionaries, holding
conferences, attending the annual Mission meeting, and fighting to keep up with my
correspondence. Mrs, Marshall Sams, new appointee, is helping me now about two
days a week, but much of the correspondence I must do myself. ..e united. with the
Sudoeste Baptist Church, built by Missionary Logan many years ago, whose pastor
Dr. de la I'orre, one of our finest, is also a practising physician. I have also
had conferences with Drs. ". S. Rycroft and Arthur Moore, of the Committee on
Cooperation in Latin America, recently from the Literature Convention in Rio.
They speak highly of our Publishing House there, one of the best, if not the best
Evangelical publishing house in Latin America.
The Mission Meeting (Feb. 18-22) was fully attended by some 35 missionaries from
all parts of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. They have changed back to the July
date for next year. These mission meetings are at the heart of all our mission
planning and progress, where I feel that as secretary I can make my best contri¬
bution in helping to coordinate and correlate the work. Having visited all of
the stations, J am prepared to give an over-all picture which no single missionary
can give.
V«e faced up frankly to our problems, based on a general survey which I presented
of the number of workers, pastors, missionaries, institutions, budgets — the actual
results, and plans for the future. As a result a permanent survey and planning
committee was appointed to continue these studies from year to year. A] 1 rededi¬
cated themselves to more definite evangelization, to more emphasis on self-support.
The over-all budget will be pared down 10 per cent in preparation for the possible
or probable decrease in Foreign Mission Board receipts in 1948. In the light of
rising costs it was voted to l) Suspend build ng operations for the seminary in
Buenos Aires, and the Draining School in Rosario, until prices come down. This
means also that we will hold both properties in Buenos Aires, rather than sell
one of them as formerly planned. 2) Mr. M, S. Blair, director of the Publishing
House, resigned from this position to give full time to evangelization. Mr. Swen¬
son from Bahia Blanca was recommended to take his place. It is hoped that new
quarters will become available on one of the properties in this section if the
Publication Board agrees. The Mission so recommended. 3) I was requested to
meet with the pastors at the annual Convention in Rosario (March 3-8) to present
the survey given to the Mission, and lead them in a forum discussion of ways and
means of reaching more people, and bringing churches to self-support. (This is a
big order and a delicate one.)
Plans for the coming weeks include visits to Bahia Blanca (Swensons), and Cipol-
letti (Bowdlers) (See the two southernmost black dots in Argentina), followed by
visits to Rasario (Dr. Sowell, Mrs. Margrett) and Parana (accent on last "a")
