1 07
September 14, 1961
The Foreign Mission Board met in regular monthly session at 3:00 p.m.
for the business session with Mr. Jenkins presiding.
Present: L. Howard Jenkins, T. F. Adams, J. Levering Evans, Horace Ford,
Stuart Grizzard, Oscar Hite, Josiah Hoover, Mrs. Clyde V. Hickerson, J.
Walter Martin, Ryland 0. Reamy, Meredith Roberson, Emmett Y. Robertson,
Herman P. Thomas, James Todd, Mrs. John C. Tyree, P. Earle Wood, C. Bailey
Jones, Baker J. Cauthen, Frank K. Means, Winston Crawley, Cornell Goerner,
E. L. Hill, E. L. Deane, Elmer West, Luke Smith, Rogers Smith, Bill Cody,
Edna Frances Dawkins, E. L. Wright, Jesse Fletcher, lone Gray, Joseph
Underwood, Floyd North, Franklin Fowler, Mary E. Fuqua.
Emmett Robertson led in prayer.
Dr. Grizzard led in a special prayer for Mrs. Rankin.
Dr. Cauthen gave the report of the Executive Secretary as follows:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
First of all, I wish to express to the Board my deep gratitude for the
many kind remembrances upon the occasion of the death of my father. He
was a very wonderful Christian who served his Lord with joy and devotion.
His death was a beautiful close to his earthly life.
We are now engaged in one of the most responsible parts of the year's work.
We are preparing the budget for presentation at the October meeting of the
Foreign Mission Board. Budget preparation is an extensive matter beginning
first of all on mission fields where the mission organizations meet in annual
session and study carefully all the needs they confront. It is necessary
for them to delete many items because experience has long indicated that
funds will not be adequate for even the most urgent needs presented.
Advance in mission work requires an annual increase of approximately
$1,000,000 in the Foreign Mission Board budget. We have recognized
that this increase for 1962 is necessary, and throughout the present year
we have carried on all operations with a view to getting ready to make that
increase possible.
The budget to be recommended for adoption will provide only for current
operation. The ceiling which is possible for this budget is $13,400,000.
The increase in the budget will consist chiefly of the necessary increases
in the missionary section of the budget to provide for the responsibilities
faced in placing new missionaries under appointment. There will also be
some necessary increases in field operations to provide for the work being
projected.
We have much reason for gratitude as we study the story of advance. Letters
frequently come to the Foreign Mission Board inquiring if the greatest need
is for money or for missionaries. It is quite obvious that the need runs
in parallel lines.
At the close of 1944 we had 504 missionaries under appointment. The income
of the Foreign Mission Board for that year was $2,747,207. At the close of
1953 we had 908 missionaries under appointment, and the income for that
year was $9,327,700. We are particularly grateful that during those years
the income rose in such a way as to off-set the declining value of the
American dollar. The chief decline was in those years immediately after
the close of the war. At the close of I960, we had 1,480 missionaries and
received an income for the year of $17,579,763. We will come to the close
of 1961 with more than 1,550 missionaries and the income should be more
than $18,000,000.
These figures indicate that advance has gone along the two essential lines
of personnel and resources. The financial structure of the Foreign Mission
Board is stronger today than in its history because in addition to a well
balance in advance between personnel and resources, there is also the fact
that an emergency reserve fund exists for which we are deeply grateful.
Another factor in our financial structure is that a balance is maintained
between the financial responsibility for the support of missionaries,
the funds required for paying operating costs on mission fields, and the
