181
Foreign Mission Board Rooms
October lli, 1952
The Foreign Mission Board met in semi-annual session at 7:30 p.m. on
Tuesday, October 11* , 1952* with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
The following members were Dresent on Tuesday night or at the Wednesday
session:
State Members: John H. Buchanan, Alabama; Waymon C. Reese, Alabama;
Lloyd Sparkman, Arkansas; James R. Staples, Arizona; R. G. Brister,
California; Searcy Garrison, Georgia; Monroe Swilley, Georgia; Russell
W. Wallis, Illinois;
V/.
Peyton Thurman, Kentucky; J. H. Kyzar, Mississippi;
Vernon B. Richardson, Maryland; J. Edwin Hewlett, Missouri; Eph Whisenhunt,
North Carolina; it. Knolan Benfield, North Carolina; J. E. Rawlinson, South
Carolina; C-rady Cothen, Oklahoma; Russell .Bradley Jones, Tennessee;
A. Hope Owen, Texas; James N. Morgan, Texas; Charles S. McKinney, Texas;
С.
E. Hereford, Texas; R. P. Downey, Virginia.
Local Members: E. P. Buxton, T. Rupert Coleman, Solon B. Cousins, Mrs.
Clyde V. Hickerson, Oscar L. Hite, L. Howard Jenkins, Mrs. Paul LaRoque,
Garis T. Long, W. Rush Loving, R. C. McDanel, T. Shad Medlin, Perry
Mitchell, Emmett Y. Robertson, Mrs. T. W. Smith, Herman P. Thomas,
Elmer West, J. Hundley Wiley.
Staff: M. Theron Rankin, George Vi. Sadler, Everett Gill, Jr., Baker
James Cauthen, Frank K. Means, Fon H. Scofield, S. E. Maddox, E. L.
Deane, Louis P. Seay.
Visitors: J. D. Grey, Miss Alma Hunt, Dr.
С.
E. Maddry
The devotional period was led cy Dr. Monroe Swilley of Georgia.
Mr. Jenkins asked Dr. John Buchanan, Vice President, to preside.
In connection with the presentation of the portrait of Mr. Jenkins,
Dr.
С.
E. Maddry spoke briefly about the contribution which Mr.
Jenkins has made to the Foreign „Mis si on Board during his twenty
years as ^resident, and /£Wfrty- €$ree years as a member of the Board.
He scoke of the heavy debts which the Board owed when Mr. Jenkins
became president and of the courage, faith and good business manage¬
ment which Mr. Jenkins made manifest during those troubled years.
In 1932 the total budget of the Board was $600,000, of which
$67,000 went for interest on the indebtedness. It took ten years
to repay the debt and Dr Maddry stated that he did not believe it
could have been done/ Bit mut tne® support and help of Mr. Jenkins.
Dr. Maadry spoke also about Mr. Junkins' great devotion to the cause
of foreign missions throughout his whole lifetime and of the unique
service which he has given to the Board.
Helen Howard Jenkins, six-year old granddaughter of Mr. Jenkins,
then unveiled the portrait of Mr. Jenkins which the Board commissioned
to be painted in April, 1951.
Dr. Rankin gave the report of the Executive Secretary:
When the Foreign Mission Board's program of advance was presented to
the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention in 191*8,
someone was heard to say, "Here we go again; around and around. Some¬
body is always creating problems."
Growth is full of problems. We cannot expect to prow without having
to deal with them. They are part of the nature and process of advance.
The problems discussed in this report, therefore, are not necessarily
causes for discouragement. Rather, they may well be taken as evidences
of progress, for it is our advance that has produced most of them.
The 1953 budget which will be presented for adoption at this meeting
of the Board reveals a problem of rather crucial importance. Briefly
stated it is whether or not the finances of this Board justify us in
undertaking to appoint missionaries in 1953 over a minimum maintenance
level, which would call for about 1*0 appointments.
