Ill
March 9, 1961
The Foreign Mission Board met in business session at 3:00 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.
for the appointment service on Thursday, March 9, 1961, with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. Howard Jenkins, E. Norfleet Gardner, C. Bailey Jones, James T. 'Ibdd,
J. Levering Evans, Ryland Reamy, Emmett Y. Robertson, Horace Ford, Joseph Edmond¬
son, Mrs. John C. Tyree, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, T. F. Adams, Elton Phillips,
Stuart Grizzard, Meredith Roberson, P. Earle Wood, Josiah Hoover, Herman P. Thomas,
Baker J. Cauthen, Frank K. Means, E. L. Hill, Fon Scofield, E. L. Deane, Elmer
West, Edna Frances Dawkins, Bill Cody, James Stertz, Rogers Smith, Jesse Fletcher,
Franklin Fowler, Luke Smith, Floyd North, E. L. Wright, lone Gray, Mary E. Fuqua.
Dr. Gardner led in prayer.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
REPORT OF
ШЕ
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
It gives us great joy to report that the amount received from the Lottie Moon
Christmas Offering stands today at the sum of 16,367,731. 'Ihis amount is $360,577
more than the amount of the offering at this same date last year. It is too early
to estimate the full amount of the offering as the books will remain open until
May 1. At the April meeting of the Board recommendations will be made for appro¬
priation of all the money which has been received up to that time.
It is impossible to state the gratitude with which this money is received at the
Foreign Mission Board. Without it, mission work across the world would be greatly
reduced. We are dependent upon this money for $3,000,000 of the operating budget
of the Foreign Mission Board for 1961. We are also dependent upon it for most of
the money that will be used to construct church buildings, missionary residences,
schools, seminaries, hospitals, and other urgently needed buildings on mission
fields. We can never estimate how much the prayer support which has accompanied
this offering means in the furtherance of mission work across the world and the
stimulation of concern at home.
Since the last meeting of the Board, the Executive Conmittee of the Southern Bap¬
tist Convention has held its annual meeting at which time the operating budget of
the Southern Baptist Convention for 1962 has been drawn up to be presented to the
Convention at its meeting in St. Louis for consideration.
The operating budget for 1962 has been left at exactly the same figure as that for
1961. 'Ihis seems to be a very wise move in view of prevailing economic conditions
in the country and the flow of giving at the present time. The amount for the
Foreign Mission Board for its operating budget in 1962 to be received from the
Cooperative Program is $7,250,000.
The amount for capital purposes for 1962 had already been determined by an earlier
action of the Convention, and there will be the sum of $1,275,000 for capital
purposes in 1962 which represents an increase of $1*75,000 over the amount for
1961. This total amount for the Foreign Mission Board to be anticipated from the
Cooperative Program in 1962 is $8,525,000. In addition, all that is received
beyond the Convention budget will be divided 75 per cent for foreign missions and
25 per cent for home missions. It is our hope that throughout 1961 the general
economic conditions of the nation will greatly improve with the result that the
Convention budget for this year will be attained and that the Convention budget for
1962 will not only be reached but show a very sizable amount of funds in the
advance section.
In view of the fact that the amount for the operating budget of the Foreign Mission
Board for 1962 to be derived from the Cooperative Program remains the same as that
for 1961, and at the same time it will be necessary to increase the Foreign Mission
Board budget for 1962 in order to take care of the appointment of new missionaries
and necessary increases in field operations, it will be our policy throughout this
year to be very conservative in the appropriations to be made from current funds
with a view to being in position at the October meeting of the Board to apply to the
1962 budget as much as possible from current funds received in this present year.
