Through the graciousness of God our Convention continues to be signally blessed with a high quality of dedicated Christian leaders who serve as our elected officers. We thank the Lord for them and express our sincere gratitude to them.
President Wayne Dehoney has added a new dimension to the type and quality of service which a president of the Southern Baptist Convention can render. Through the effective use of his numerous and varied talents, he has projected the image of Southern Baptists in a marvelous fashion. Through his travels throughout the homeland and around the earth, he has brought the light of encouragement to all of us; he has undergirded and strengthened our total program and every cause of our blessed Saviour which we foster. The vigor and vitality of his leadership has been equaled by few and excelled by none of his predecessors. His dedication to the inspired Word of God, his loyalty to Christ, and his fidelity in performing the duties of this office have earned from us our fondest admiration. Like the Apostle Paul he has truly “fought a good fight and kept the faith.” In thanking him for his service, we also thank his wife and family and the noble church of which he is pastor, the First Baptist Church, Jackson, Tennessee, for so generously sharing him with our Convention these two years.
Sharing the responsibilities of the president have been two brothers beloved who served as vice-presidents, M. B. Carroll from the West, and Leobardo Estrado from the East. These also have served faithfully.
Clifton J. Allen in his first year as recording secretary, W. Fred Kendall, registration secretary, and Porter Routh, treasurer, have all performed the duties of their respective offices in a most efficient manner.
To all of these, our Convention officers, we say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servants.”