Foreign Mission Board looms
March In , 1950
The Foreign mission Board met in semi-annual session at 7:30 P.m on
Tue’s. . arch H4, 1?5G, with Mr. Jenkins presiding..
Jr. A Hope Owen of Texas gave the devotional.
Present: itate -e:::bers: M. lay McKay, Arkansas.j L. D. V.hite, .Arizona;
M. P. German, 0. C.j El H. Ratliff;, California; R. Kelly Tnite, Florida;
R. C, Gresham, Georgia; Searcy Garrison, Georgia;
V/.
A. Gray, Illinois;
R. E. H ..-.ohreys, Kentucky; 3am R. Gordon, Louisiana; Vernon F. Richardson,
Maryland; Jo*., son M. Kelson, Jr., Missouri; R. Knolan Ienfield, I. G.;
Ralph A. Herring, N. C.; J. E> R-awlinspn, S. C.; 1. Bradley Jones, Tenn.;
A. Hope uwnn, Texas; F. J. feezor, Texas; Charles 3. McKinney, Texas;
С.
E. Hereford, iexas ; R. P. Jovmey, 7ir-inia.
■sLoc-il members: Reuben E. Alley, T. Rupert Coleman, .Colon B. Cousins,
J. Levering Mans, Clyde 7. dickers on, L. Howard Jenkins, Gsris T. Long,
J. G. loving, % Rush Loving, R. C. McJanel, Hill Montague, Emmett Y.
Robertson, Mrs. T. №. Smi th, H. P. Thomas, Elmer Test.
ri si tors: Jr. and Mrs. Charles E. „.a :dry, Jr. 0. №.
Та
-lor, Jr. and
.. rs. Charles
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Pope, Jr. William P. Ja/is, Jr. A. L. Goodrich, Jr. R.
T. Skinner, :Jr. №. C. Boone, Jr. Jair.es Merritt, Jr. Clifton C. Thomas,
i)r. and ...rs. Andrew Potter, Jr . A. Huggins, Dr. L. L. Carpenter,
Jr. James R. Pry ant, Jr. T. W. Medearis, Jr. Albert McClellan, Jr. ii. C.
Goerner, Mr. Cal Guy.
Mr. Jenkins welcomed the state editors and secretaries who were in attend¬
ance at this meeting of the Board.
Dr. Lladdry gave the f0llovd.ii,- talk in dedicati on of the lew additional
quarters of the Foreign Mission Board:
THE HOMES OF THE F0REIG1! MISSION BOARD
President Jenkins and Secretary Rankin graciously invited me to be
nresent on this happ/ occasion, and speak briefly concerning the homes
or headquarters of the Baptist Foreign Mission Board durin” the one
hunired and five years since its organ! 2 ition. To those who have: read
the story of the constantly expandin'- work of the Board during the
various stages of its history, it is an interesting and thrilling
narrati vs.
‘.Then the local "Board of Managers", as they were called, who had been
elected by the newly organized Southern Baptist Convention, meeting at
Augusta, Georgia, in May 18U5, came Mack to Richmond, they faced diffi¬
culties, baffling and almost superhuman in magnitude. They had been
instructed by the Convention to create and establish a foreign mission
enterprise, which in the dream of the founders was to be worli-wi ie in
its scope, and universal in its redemptive purpose. They were called
upon by their brethren to make bricks Without straw. There were no
fun Is in hand and no worthy plan for the organized and systematic
gathering of money in the churches for the establishment, and support
of a foreign mission enterprise.
■Vith refreshing optimism the convention elected a Treasurer, but there
were no funds even for the necessary expenses.
The Search for a Secretary
Tie search for a secretary was begun at once, but it was a year before
one was found who w ;ld consent to leal in the seemingly f rlem under¬
taking. .After five prominent men had declined, Dr. James . Taylor, for
seven years pastor of the Grace Street Baptist Church of Richmond, was
induced to undertake the colossal task of leading Southern Baptists in
their newly organized foreign mission work.
Jr. Taylor was a n tive born. Englishman. ills parents emi -rated
America when the future secretary was two years of age. •‘‘hey settled
;ih [’iew York City.
«Staff members listed on Page LOG.
