Representations regarding the advisability of a change of date for the next World Congress were considered. Extensive correspondence from the United States, South America, Germany and other countries in Europe, was submitted by the Secretaries. The President added a brief report respecting representations that had reached himself.
The Baptist World Alliance is a fellowship of twenty-six million Baptists of many nations and widely differing cultures and ways of life and thought. It is neither within its power nor its function to direct, admonish, or rule on the internal affairs or the political or economic procedures of its constituent bodies or of their countries
Whereas, Peace is a Christlike characteristic and should be the personal goal of every Christian, expressing itself in one’s peace with God and with his fellowmen, and
Whereas, The Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance, meeting in Monrovia, Liberia, July 30 to August 1, 1968, has learned that the Rever-end James Leeper, pastor of an English-speaking Baptist church in Ankara, Turkey, has been denied an extension of his residence permit,
1. We the Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance in Monrovia, Liberia, July 30-August 1, 1968, are deeply concerned about the many people in the world who are presently suffering hunger and who are great need of other necessities of life. The alarming aspect of this situation is the fact that the number of those affected is growing constantly.
We the members of the Executive Committee gathered at the annual meeting in Liberia heartily express to Adolfs Klaupiks our brotherly gratitude for his service on the Relief Committee of the Baptist World Alliance for so many years.
Be it therefore resolved that we express our appreciation to Sir Donald Finnemore for his long and faithful service to the Baptist World Alliance, that we extend to him our gratitude for the portrait of Dr. Clifford, and that we request that the General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance communicate to Sir Donald Finnemore these expressions of the Executive Committee.
Be it therefore resolved that we renew our consecration to the work of evangelism, evangelism being understood to involve both the redemption of the individual, that individual’s growth in Christian character and service, and his involvement as a Christian in the broad spectrum of the life of his total environment.
That we express our deepest gratitude to Dr. William R. Tolbert, Jr., President of the Baptist World Alliance, Vice President of Liberia, and Presi-dent of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, and Mrs. Tolbert for being the perfect host and hostess, and
The Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance takes note with deep sorrow of the violent death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. They recall with thanksgiving his strong compassion for the underprivileged and oppressed, his unshakable courage in the pursuit of what he believed to be right, and his advocacy of a non-violent solution to evils and injustices in society.