FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
May 8, 1973
The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting at 3:00 p.m., May 8,
1973, in the Foreign Mission Board Chapel, Richmond, Virginia with the President,
W. Douglas Hudgins, presiding.
PRESENT: State Members: Arkansas : W. 0. Vaught, Jr.; Colorado: Glen E.
Braswell; D.C. : Kenneth E. Thornton; Florida : T. Rupert Coleman; Maryland :
Ralph D. Walls; Michigan: Hubert G. Keefer; Mississippi : W. Douglas Hudgins,
John Lee Taylor; Missouri : John W. Goodwin, James W. Hackney; Ohio: W. Paul
Payne; South Carolina: Ira Q. Craft; Tennessee : C. Clifton Ward; Virginia:
Mahan Siler.
Local Members: Robert B. Bass, Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, Paul E.
Crandall, Austin W. Farley, Joseph B. Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock,
Scott C. Humphrey, John W. Kincheloe, Jr., J. Leonard Moore, John W. Patterson,
Julian H. Pentecost, Meredith K. Roberson, Mrs. E. S. Stratton, Mrs. Thomas
Whalen, H. I. Willett.
Staff : Baker J. Cauthen, James D. Belote, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs,
Winston Crawley, Edna Frances Dawkins, William K. Dawson, E. L. Deane, Samuel A.
DeBord, James G. Edwards, Jesse Fletcher, Franklin Fowler, Cornell Goerner, lone
Gray, Ward Hildreth, Eugene L. Hill, Dwight Honeycutt, J. D. Hughey, W. David
Lockard, Ralph Magee, Frank K. Means, Floyd H. North, R. Keith Parks, Sam Pittman,
Norman Price, Sidney C. Reber, Davis L. Saunders (area secretary for Eastern and
Southern Africa, elected April 11, 1973), Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith, Truman
Smith, W. L. Smith, Richard M. Styles, Wilbur Todd, Melvin Torstrick, E. L. Wright,
Elizabeth Minshew.
The meeting was called to order.
Sidney C. Reber, member of the Board's staff, led the audience in the opening Hymn:
"Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart."
The President welcomed state Board members and asked that they stand and be
recognized .
Dr. Hudgins paid special tribute to Dr. T. Rupert Coleman, Board member from
Florida, referring with gratitude to the years of devoted service rendered by Dr.
Coleman on behalf of foreign missions and as an invaluable member of the Board
during the period 1944-1973.
Dr. Coleman responded to the commendations by Dr. Hudgins by expressing a great
depth of feeling on behalf of the privileges and joys that he had experienced
through the years in his responsibilities and associations with the Board and its
entire program.
Dr. Coleman read a passage of Scripture and led in prayer.
Minutes of the Board for April 1973 were approved.
The President recognized the Executive Secretary, Dr. Baker J. Cauthen.
Dr. Cauthen referred to the highlights of his report, as follows:
Report of the Executive Secretary
We are grateful to report that the Cooperative Program during April experienced
remarkable growth of 21.1 per cent above April of one year ago. When we consider
the seven months of the Convention fiscal year, the growth of the Cooperative
Program has been 9.39 per cent over the year before. We thank God and take courage.
It is of great joy that we announce the final total of the Lottie Moon Christmas
Offering. As you will recall, the goal was $18 ,000 ,000 . 00, but the final total
came to $19,664,972.00.
We thank God for this great outpouring of missionary giving. We extend to the
Woman's Missionary Union our heartfelt thanks for their labor of love in this
Offering and we also thank all pastors, denominational workers, deacons, teachers,
and every member of churches who had a share in making this Offering such a glorious
victory.
The final recommendations for appropriation of this Offering will be presented
at the next meeting of the Foreign Mission Board.
