FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
May 11, 1976
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session, Tuesday, May 11, 1976,
3:00- p.m. , in the Baker James Cauthen Chapel. The second Vice-President, J. R.
White, presided.
PRESENT : State Members: Alabama : J. R. White; Arkansas : James F. Sawyer; D.C.:
B. Ross Morrison; Georgia: William L. Self; Illinois : A. F. Tuck; Indiana:
Ronald P. Liesmann; Kansas : J. W. Pace; Kentucky : Mrs. Ray Mullendore; Maryland :
Ralph D. Walls; Michigan : Hubert G. Keefer; North Carolina: Mrs. J. E. Collette,
Mrs. Thomas C. Womble; South Carolina: Ira Q. Craft; Tennessee : Jonas L. Stewart;
Virginia: W. Curtis English.
Local Members: V. Allen Gaines, Franklin D. Hall, Hiram L. Harrison, Scott C.
Humphrey, Bruce H. Price, M. Hunter Riggins, Jr. , Mrs. Ross S. Shearer, Mrs. E. S.
Stratton, Mrs. Thomas Whalen, Robert B. Bass, J. Roy Clifford, Paul E. Crandall,
John W. Patterson, Julian H. Pentecost, H. I. Willett.
Staff : Baker J. Cauthen, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs, Winston Crawley, Edna
Frances Dawkins, William K. Dawson, Everett L. Deane, James G. Edwards, Cornell
Goerner, lone Gray, George H. Hays, Ward S. Hildreth, Dwight A. Honeycutt, J. D.
Hughey, Ralph A. Magee, Frank K. Means, Stanley A. Nelson, R. Keith Parks, G.
Norman Price, Sidney . Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith, W. L. Smith,
Richard M. Styles, Melvin E. Torstrick, William R. Wakefield, E. L. Wright, Elizabeth
Minshew.
The audience joined in singing the Hymn: "Crown Him with Many Crowns," led by
Sidney C. Reber, director, Management Services Division.
V. Allen Gaines, local Board member, read a passage of Scripture and led in the
Opening Prayer.
A number of friends were remembered in special prayer: Hal Boone (missionary to
Kenya), Garis Long (former Board member), James G. Harris (Board President), and
Owen Cooper (former President SBC).
Minutes for the semiannual meeting April 12-14, 1976, were approved.
The presiding officer reminded the audience that the Appointment Service would be
held on Tuesday evening, at 7:30 p.m., in the Baker James Cauthen Chapel.
The presiding officer recognized the Executive Secretary, Baker J. Cauthen.
Dr. Cauthen shared with the audience the report that Dr. James G. Harris had been
moved to Harris Hospital where he would undergo surgery on Wednesday or Thursday,
May 12 or 13, for the removal of the gallbladder. Dr. Harris was reported in good
spirit and the opinion of the doctors was that the surgery would probably eliminate
the cause of other difficulties and discomforts that Dr. Harris had been suffering.
Dr. Cauthen read a letter from Mrs. Owen Cooper, indicating that Mr. Cooper had
undergone open heart surgery but seemed to be improving satisfactorily. Mrs.
Cooper indicated the hope that they would be present for the meeting of the
Southern Baptist Convention in Norfolk, June 1976.
The Executive Secretary reported happily that Cooperative Program receipts were
continuing on the climb. The first six months of the SBC fiscal year indicated a
16.45% increase over the same period in 1975.
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering receipts continue to be a source of inspiration.
The Goal of $24,000,000.00 had been exceeded in a total of $26,169,421.12. An
amount of $2,689,277.34 above the offering in 1975.
Dr. Cauthen referred to a recommendation that would be brought from the Administrative
Committee, expressing appreciation to Woman’s Missionary Union for their generosity
and labor of love in these Lottie Moon Offering receipts.
Dr. Cauthen announced that recent word from Miss Carolyn Weatherford, executive
secretary of Woman's Missionary Union, indicated an increase in the original
Lottie Moon Goal for 1977, to a total of $29,000,000.00.
The Executive Secretary referred to the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention
in Norfolk and specifically the report that would be brought by the Missions
Challenge Committee. This report would come on Wednesday evening, the same evening
on which our foreign missions program would be brought. The home mission program
would be presented on Thursday evening.
