FOREIGN MISSION BOARD MINUTES
May 9, 1972
The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting at 3:00 p.m., May 9, 1972,
in the Foreign Mission Board Chapel, Richmond, Virginia with the President, Drew J.
Gunnells, Jr., presiding.
PRESENT: State Members: Alabama: Drew J. Gunnells, Jr., J. R. White; Florida:
Don Mott; Georgia: Mrs. John I. Alford: Maryland : Ralph D. Walls; Michigan:
Hubert C. Keefer; Missouri: Ralph M. G. Smith; New Mexico: J. D. Ratliff; North
Carolina : Mrs. W. K. McGee; South Carolina: Daniel W. Cloer; Texas : E. H.
Westmoreland; Virginia: Mrs. H. Cowen Ellis.
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, Mrs.
Clyde V. Hickerson, John W. Kincheloe, Jr., Julian H. Pentecost, Meredith K. Roberson,
Mrs. Thomas Whalen, H. I. Willett.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs, Winston Crawley, Edna
Frances Dawkins, E. L. Deane, Samuel A. DeBord , William K. Dawson, Jesse Fletcher,
Cornell Goerner, Eugene L. Hill, J. D. Hughey, Frank K. Means, Stanley A. Nelson,
Floyd H. North, Norman Price, Sidney C. Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Melvin Torstrick,
Rogers M. Smith, Truman Smith, Richard M. Styles, E. L. Wright, Elizabeth Minshew.
The meeting was called to order.
Sidney C. Reber, director of the Board's Management Services Division, led the audience
in the opening Hymn: "Awake, My Tongue Thy Tribute Bring."
Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, local Board member, read a passage of Scripture and led in
prayer.
Minutes of the Board for April, 1972 were approved.
All Visitors were recognized and welcomed. The visitors included a group of Acteens
who were extended a very cordial welcome.
The President recognized the Executive Secretary, Dr. Baker J. Cauthen.
Dr. Cauthen gave the following report:
Since the last meeting of the Board, we have been saddened by the death of Mrs.
William M. Jones, member of our Board from North Carolina. She was a valuable
Board member and had shown her dedication to the cause of our Lord through faithful
service and joy. It was my privilege to participate in her funeral service, and I
was impressed by the remarkable attitude on the part of the entire family as they
met their sorrow in faith and confidence in our Lord's love and providence. Ap¬
propriate resolutions will be presented later in the meeting concerning Mrs. Jones.
It is with great joy that we announce the final total of the Lottie Moon Christmas
Offering as being $17,833,810.22. This represents the largest love offering for
foreign missions ever given in the history of our Board. It surpassed the amount
given last year by the sum of $1,613,705.23.
We express to Woman's Missionary Union and to all others who have shared in this
remarkable offering our deep appreciation for their labor of love which made it a
possibility.
Recommendations for appropriation of the final amounts of the Lottie Moon Offering
will be brought to the meeting of the Board at Ridgecrest.
We are also grateful for the continued growth of the Cooperative Program. The amount
of increase in the Cooperative Program in April does not reflect the full growth
experienced, because five states got their checks in too late to be counted in this
month. This will mean, of course, that the following month should reflect this
larger increase.
The strengthening of the financial outlook is especially important at this time.
The Board remembers that it was necessary to make approximately $900,000.00 of
additional appropriations early in the year in order to strengthen the support of
missionaries. Those additions constitute long-range increases in the financial
obligation of the Foreign Mission Board and must be reflected year by year in
current budgets. We are greatly encouraged as we look toward the future, feeling
that Southern Baptists are deeply committed to the world-wide ministry of the
Gbspel of Christ, and will continue to undergird it through prayer, dedication of
life, and resources.
