September 10, 1970
Richmond, Virginia
The Foreign Mission Board held its regular monthly meeting on September 10, 1970, at
3:00 p.m., in the Board's Chapel, Richmond, Virginia, with V. Allen Gaines, second
vice-president, presiding in the absence of M. Hunter Riggins, president.
The absence of the President, Mr. Riggins, was recognized and explanation was made
that he was taking his son to enter Fork Union Academy and this necessitated his
absence from the Board meeting.
PRESENT: State Members: Barney Bayles (Maryland) , Bruce H. Price (Virginia)
Local Members: Robert B. Bass, Mrs. R. B. Carter, Sr., J. Roy Clifford, Austin W.
Farley, Joseph B. Flowers, V. Allen Gaines, David S. Hammock, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson,
John W. Kincheloe, Jr., John L. Moran, Lucius M. Polhill, James E. Rayhorn, Meredith
K. Roberson, Edwin L. Shattack, Mrs. E. S. Stratton, Mrs. Thomas Whalen.
Staff: Baker J. Cauthen, James D. Belote, Charles W. Bryan, Louis R. Cobbs, Winston
Crawley, William K. Dawson, Everett L. Deane, Jesse C. Fletcher, Cornell Goerner,
Eugene L. Hill, J. D. Hughey, Frank K. Means, Floyd H. North, Norman Price, R. Keith
Parks, Sidney C. Reber, Fon H. Scofield, Rogers M. Smith, Richard M. Styles, Joseph
B. Underwood, Elizabeth Minshew.
The meeting was called to order.
Mr. Sidney C. Reber, the Board's director of the Management Services Division, led
the audience in the opening Hymn: "I Know Whom I Have Believed."
Rev. Joseph B. Flowers, local Board member, read a passage of Scripture from the 12th
Chapter of John, and led in prayer.
Minutes of the Board for July 30, 1970, were approved.
Mr. Gaines extended a cordial welcome to all who were present, with special appreciation
being espressed for the attendance of state Board members.
REPORTS were called for, as follows:
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE SECRETARY - Dr. Baker J. Cauthen
Dr. Cauthen commented briefly on highlights in the following report which was available
for distribution:
At this season of the year our major attention is focused upon the presentation of the
budget for 1971, to be considered by the Board at its meeting in October. This is a
weighty responsibility. The process begins on mission fields where all recommendations
are given official consideration and approval before being forwarded to the Foreign Mis¬
sion Board. At the Board they are given further administrative study so as to enable
the budget to be prepared within the framework of anticipated resources. We are always
confronted by the problem that the recommendations from the fields are far in excess of
all resources available. This emphasizes the necessity of doing everything we can to
cultivate support of missions through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christ¬
mas Offering, so that strength may be available for sustained advance.
The Administrative Committee today is recommending adjustments in emergency compensa¬
tion for missionaries on the fields effective January 1, 1971. This will enable these
adjustments to be included in the new budget. Missionaries are grateful for the care¬
ful attention that is given to all matters pertaining to their support. Adjustments
are necessary because of the inflation both in America and throughout the world as well
as the normal increasing cost of operation.
A very important recommendation is being presented to the Board today by the Administra¬
tive Committee, relative to providing benefits for missionary widows and children. This
recommendation has been needed for a long time. Encouragement to move in this direction
is provided by the fact that similar provisions have been made for widows of pastors
and other denominational workers through the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Con¬
vention. The steps taken in that way have served as guidelines for the recommendations
being presented.
This recommendation will make possible ministering to the severe loss that comes in a
missionary family when a beloved missionary parent is taken away by death. With the
growth of our missionary staff there have been more instances of such bereavements, and
the timeliness of this action is evident.
These recommendations will strengthen the family situation both of the missionaries who
remain in service and those who find it necessary to discontinue their missionary service
