May 14. 1970
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The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting and Appointment Service on
May 14, 1970 at 3:00 p.m. in the Board's Chapel, Ri«.L.:iond , Virginia, with M. Hunter
Riggins, president, presiding.
PRESENT: State Members: Barney Bayles (Maryland), Charles A. Lassiter (Michigan), Bruce
Price (Virginia), J. Howard Reynolds (New Mexico), Ralph M. G. Smith (Missouri).
Local Members: Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, W. Curtis English, Austin W.
Farley, Joseph B. Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson,
John W. Kindheloe, Jr., Julian H. Pentecost, Lucius M. Polhill, James E. Rayhorn, Hunter
Riggins, Meredith K. Roberson, Edwin L. Shattuck, Mrs. Thomas Whalen.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthep, James D. Belote, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs, Winston
Crawley, Edna Frances Dawkins, Everett L. Deane, Jesse C. Fletcher, Franklin T. Fowler,
lone Gray, Cornell Goerner, Eugene L. Hill, J. D. Hughey, W. David Lockard, Frank K.
Means, Floyd H. North, Norman Price, Sidney C. Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith,
Truman Smith, W. L. Smith, Melvin E. Torstrick, E. L. Wright, Elizabeth MiHshew.
The meeting was called to order.
The meeting opened with Hymn 453: "Hail to the Brightness," led by Sidney C. Reber.
Dr. Robert L. Lindsey, missionary to Israel, read a passage of Scripture and led in
prayer.
The President welcomed Board members and guests and pointed out that they would be
recognized later. State Board members were asked to stand.
Minutes of the Board for April 15, 1970, were approved (including minor changes which
were made in the permanent record).
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY - Dr. Baker J. Cauthen
Dr. Cauthen informed the Board that Dr. L. Howard Jenkins was unable to be present for
the meeting because of a fall that he had sustained earlier in the week. The report
that came to the Board indicated no serious injuries but he was experiencirg a great
deal of discomfort.
Dr. Cauthen called special attention to the loss in Board membership that would be sus¬
tained in June, during the meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to the
rotation system of Board membership. He expressed deep appreciation for the invaluable
service that had been rendered by those who would be rotating off the Board: Mr. W.
Curtis English, Dr. W. Morris Ford, Rev. Harvey Kimbler, and Dr. C. Wade Freeman. He
called attention to the fact that, during the April meeting of the Board, the service
of these men was recognized by the presentation of individual plaques. At that time,
Mr. English was unable to be present and his plaque was presented during the May
Administrative Committee meeting. Rev. Harvey Kimbler, who was also absent at the
time of the presentation of the plaques in April, had received his plaque b- mail.
Dr. Cauthen referred to the forthcoming meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention
in Denver and the significance of this particular meeting during these "troubled
times." Dr. Cauthen expressed the feeling that this meeting of the Convention can
be the most joyful or the most sorrowful in the history of Southern Baptists. He
stressed the need for Southern Baptists to hear the voice of God and "stand tall"
as Chrifetians.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for 1969 is now complete. The grand total is
$15,297,558.63. This is $138,351.71 more than the grand total givei in 1968.
As far as we know, this is the largest love gift for missions ever made in the history
of the foreign mission enterprise. The Foreign Mission Board expresses gratitude to
Woman's Missionary Union and to all others who shaved in this magnificent offering.
Without it the cause of missions advance woiild be greatly hindered, and the work being
done on many mission fields would be seriously impaired.
Most of this money has been appropriated at meetings of the Board in October and in
April. Final lists will be brought to the meeting of the Board in June, at Ridge¬
crest. Ml of this money is used for mission work overseas, including salaries of
275 missionaries and costs of getting new missionaries to their fields.
One of the outstanding events in the 125th anniversary celebration of the Foreign
Mission Board has been the writing of the history of the Board. The history has
now been' published. The title is . Advance : A History of Southern Baptis t Foreign
