First Baptist Church
October 9, 1956
The Foreign Mission Board met in annual session at 7=30 p.m. on Tuesday,
October 9, 1956 at the First Baptist Church, Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: State Members: Samuel E. Maddox, Ala.; James E. Davidson, Ala.;
W. 0. Vaught, Jr., Ark.; James R. Staples, Ari2.; Robert D. Hughes , Calif.;
S. Lewis Morgan, D. C. ; Preston B. Sellers, Fla.; Monroe F. S willey, Ga. ;
Clifton A. Forrester, Ga.; Howard . Giddens, Ga. ; Carroll Hubbard, Ky. ;
James W. Middleton, La.; W. Clyde Atkins, Md . ; J, H. Kyzar, Miss.; J. Edwin
Hewlett, Mo.; Eph WhisCnhunt, N.
С.
; V. Ward Barr, N. C. ; Mrs. Foy J. Farmer,
N.
С.;
C. Murray Fun u ay, Okla.; Dotson M. Nelson, Jr., S. C.; James A. Canaday,
Tenn.; V.'. Fred Kendall, Tenn.: M. B. Carroll, Texas; James N. Morgan, Texas.;
Mrs. R. L. Mathis, Texas.; Arthur B. Rutledge, Texas; Neal W. Ellis, Virginia.
Local Members: Howard L. Arthur, J. E. Boyles, Mrs. E^rl Brown, Mrs. Kenneth
Burke, Solon B. Cousins, J. Levering Evans, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, Oscar L.
Hite, L. Howard Jenkins, C. Bailey Jones, Garis T. Long, Perry Mitchell, Elton
Phillips, Emmett Y. Robertson, Herman P. Thomas, H. E. Tillman, P. Earle Wood.
Staff: Raker J. C.authen, George W. Sadler, Frank K. Moans, J. Winston Crawley,
Elmer S. West, Jr., Eugene L. Hill, Everett L. Deane, Fon H. Scofield, Jr.,
Rogers M, Smith, E. L. Wright, R. A. Magee, Bill B. Cody.
Guests: Dr. Albert McClellan, Miss Alma Hunt, Mrs. William KcMurray, Dr. Cal
Guy, Dr. Herbert Jackson, Dr. Luther Coreland, Miss Helen Falls, Dr. Arnold
Ohrn, Dr. Ira Peak.
Dr. Samuel E. Maddox of Alabama led the devotional period.
Dr. Capthen gave the following report of the Executive Secretary:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
The annual meeting of the Foreign Mission Board this month finds Southern Bap¬
tists at a new high peak in world missions advance. For one thing, more
missionaries have been appointed this year than ever in the history of our
Board. With the group appointed tonight, we hnve reached the total of 103 and
we are expecting by the end of the year to core near 125. While only a few
minutes is required to actually conduct the appointment of these missionaries,
a very long Path leads from the time of their decision until the moment they
stand here.
Every effort h°s been made to bring each individual face to face with the
realities of missionary service. Efforts are made to prepare the individual
for going. V.'e are confident that the careful procedures being followed in the
appointment of missionaries will continue to be highly significant. It is
important not only that missionaries be sent to the fields but that they be
able to remain. This calls for rugged health, adequate preparation and deep
motivation.
A new neak has been reached in the number of young people volunteering for
missionary service. Reports from the Personnel Department through this meeting
’.■•ill indicate that never in the history of the Board have there been as many
vounr people indicating their feeling that God is leading them into foreign
missionary service. Almost every week we receive letters from pastors who say
that they have decided to yield themselves for service on mission fields.
Efforts now being made to conserve the best results of the decisions for mission
service made by young people will continue to be highly significant. Across the
years we have observed that a good many young people who have made decisions in
summer assemblies and other places have sometimes failed to carry through to the
place of appointment. Through the efforts being made to cultivate these young
people, we expect this number to be very different in the days ahead.
From the standpoint of finances we have come to a new high peak. The largest
budget ever recommended to the Foreign Mission Board for ado tion will be pre¬
sented at this session. It will amount to *8,125,000. While this is a large
sum of money, it was necessary to eliminate more than a half million dollars
of the renuests for current operations resented by the missions.
in budget preparation we ne‘d to remember that all requests have been carefully
studied on the mission fields. Missions meet in annual session and every need
is examined thoroughly because missions know that it will not be possible for
