188 visit to the Hunan School. Upon their return they gave a full report td the Board, stating that, in their opinion, the economic and political situ- - ation had become more chaotic in China. The Civil War and the inroads of . the Communists into the area also added to the chaos. These reports raised serious questions among the Biola Board members concerning whether or not they should continue the work. In April, 1949, when Dr. Roberts returned to the United States, he sug- gested that all the China affairs be directed from a headquarters· established in Hong Kong. The approval by the Biola Board enabled the work to begin there immediately with Dr. Roberts in charge. However, the Hunan Bible In- stitute was still able to function under strenuous circumstances and grad- uated its first class since the Japanese-Chinese War, in 1949, as well as reviving the Evangelistic Bands, some members of which had been released from Communist territory. However, in spite of all this the situation was becoming hopeless, and it was only a matter of time until the work would cease entirely. Early in 1950, the situation in Changsha deteriorated suddenly and dras- ticly, with the invasion of the Chinese Communists. Dr. Roberts reported that the orphanage was in the process of being seized by the Government and that Mr. William Ebeling would remain in Changsha for a time to care for the property. With these occurrences in mind, the Biola Board cabled the China Inland Mission to see if they would be willing to take over the School and attempt to continue the operation, as it was impossible for Biola mis- sionaries who had returned to the States to return to Central China. The Biola Board offered to turn over the School to the Mission if they could operate it as an inter-denominational School. The Mission's own problem in- valving the Communist take-over made it impossible for them to comply with Biola's request. The process of seizure of property by the Communists continued. In
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