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Edman, V. Raymond (Victor Raymond), 1900-1967.

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1900 - 1967

Biographical Statement

Victor Raymond Edman was born in 1900 to Swedish immigrant parents and one of six children. He left home in 1918 to join the army and served for one year, spending much of that time in Allied-occupied Germany. After returning home, he attended college and became a missionary to the Quichua Indians in Ecuador from 1923 to 1928. During this time he married Edith Olson, whom he had met in the United States. He came to Wheaton College in 1936 as an associate professor of history and became the college’s fourth president in 1940, a position he held until he became chancellor in 1965.

During his term as president, the College expanded its financial endowments, its enrollment, and its campus. Fourteen major buildings were erected during his twenty-five year presidency. Buildings included Centennial Gymnasium, Memorial Student Center, Old Dining Hall, Smith Hall, Breyer Science Building, McAlister Conservatory, Health Center, Nicholas Library and Edman Chapel, named by the Trustees in his honor. During this time the College also acquired land for the Black Hills Science Station in South Dakota and HoneyRock Camp in Wisconsin.

Over the years Dr. Edman had a number of serious health problems: typhoid fever (from which he nearly died while in Ecuador), cataracts, gallstones, and ever-increasing heart attacks. One of these attacks, which finally proved fatal, occurred on September 22, 1967, while he delivered a chapel message entitled, “In the Presence of the King.”

Dr. Edman had been a very active public speaker with engagements in Africa, Europe, the Far and Near East, South America, and, of course, all over the United States. He authored nineteen books and numerous articles, most of them devotional in nature. Many were translated into several foreign languages. His correspondence often gave personal counsel and advice and reached thousands. He was a personal friend of Billy Graham and often worked with him on his crusades.

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

Collection 260 Oral History Interviews with Jeannette Thiessen

 Collection
Identifier: CN 260
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Jeannette Louise Martig Thiessen (1927-2014) in which she discusses her family life in Illinois, favorite professors and her education at Wheaton College, nurses' training, and years in India (1952-1974) working with her husband under the sponsorship of the Mennonite Mission to the Lepers and American Leprosy Mission. Other topics discussed include: the Indian caste system, Indian politics, economics, literacy, hospital work with lepers, the Indian church,...
Dates: Created: 1983

Collection 262 Oral History Interview with Raymond Buker Jr.

 Collection
Identifier: CN 262
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Raymond Bates Buker in which he describes growing up in Burma as the child of missionaries, his education at Wheaton College, his decision to become a missionary under the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society, language study; evangelization, church planting, translation, medical missions and education activities in Pakistan, working with Muslims and the Sindhi, Bhils, and Marwari tribal people, 1954-1969. Other topics discussed include: the culture,...
Dates: Created: 1983

Collection 283 Oral History Interviews with Nancy Folkerts

 Collection
Identifier: CN 283
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Nancy Wood Folkerts. Topics discussed include her childhood as a pastor's daughter; study at Wheaton College; her marriage; training in London; work as a missionary in British Cameroon (now Republic of Cameroon), especially Bible study and literacy programs for women and 3H clubs for girls; the political and social situation in Cameroon; Cameroon independence; medical problems in Cameroon; the work of her husband, Fred, at the Baptist Teacher Training College and...
Dates: Created: 1984

Collection 290 Oral History Interview with Merle A. Steely

 Collection
Identifier: CN 290
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Merle Ashel Steely, who worked as a missionary with Sudan Interior Mission between 1951 and 1977 in Liberia and Nigeria. Topic discussed include: Steely's conversion while in military service, education and employment at Wheaton College (including the 1950 revival there), his missionary work in Liberia at radio station ELWA and with Sudan Interior Mission in Nigeria, teaching in mission and government schools, evangelism and church planting, Billy Graham's 1960...
Dates: Created: 1984

Helen Renich Papers.

 Collection
Identifier: CN 124
Brief Description Two oral history interviews with Helen Gignilliat Torrey Renich in which she describes her grandfather, Reuben Archer Torrey, Sr., and her experiences growing up in China as a child of missionaries. Other topics discussed include her experiences at Wheaton College and culture shock. The collection also includes photographs of her family life in China and Chinese nationals, ca. 1920-30s.Helen Renich was interviewed by Robert Shuster on May 15, 1980 in Michigan and on May 17, 1982...
Dates: Created: 1920-1982

Filtered By

  • Type: Collection X
  • Subject: Culture shock. X
  • Subject: Bible. X

Additional filters:

Subject
Boarding schools. 4
Children of missionaries. 4
Church and state. 4
Conversion. 4
Education 4
∨ more
Evangelistic work. 4
Language in missionary work. 4
Medical care 4
Missionaries -- Training of. 4
Missionaries. 4
Missions, Medical. 4
Women missionaries. 4
Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. 3
Missions -- Educational work. 3
Revivals. 3
Tribes. 3
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 3
Women 3
Women -- Religious life. 3
Bible colleges 2
Bible colleges. 2
Bible. 2
Caste. 2
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 2
Catholic Church. 2
Children of missionaries -- Education. 2
Christianity and culture. 2
Church work with women. 2
College students in missionary work. 2
College students. 2
Intercultural communication. 2
Islam -- Relations -- Christianity. 2
Missionaries -- Training of -- United States. 2
Missions to Muslims. 2
Missions. 2
Muslims. 2
Presbyterians. 2
Revivals -- Wheaton. 2
Rural missions. 2
Sex role. 2
Street preaching. 2
World War, 1939-1945. 2
Worship (Christian) 2
Alcoholism -- United States 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service -- Nigeria. 1
Animism -- Nigeria. 1
Animism. 1
Athletes 1
Athletes -- United States 1
Athletes -- United States -- Religious life. 1
BGEA: South Africa Tour -- 1960 1
Baptists -- Missions -- Cameroon. 1
Baptists -- Missions. 1
Baptists. 1
Belief and doubt. 1
Bhil (Indic people) 1
Bible -- Study and teaching. 1
Bible -- Translating. 1
Bible colleges -- India. 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Boarding schools -- Africa. 1
Boarding schools -- China. 1
Boarding schools -- Korea. 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Cameroon. 1
Cameroon. -- Politics and government. 1
Caste -- India. 1
Caste. -- Pakistan. 1
Catholic Church. -- Cameroon. 1
Children of missionaries -- China. 1
China -- History -- 1912-1937. 1
China -- History -- 1937-1945. 1
China -- History -- Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901. 1
China -- History -- Civil War, 1945-1949. 1
China -- History. 1
Christian education -- Cameroon. 1
Christian education of children. 1
Christian education. 1
Christian leadership. 1
Christian life. 1
Christian literature -- Publication and distribution -- Pakistan. 1
Christian literature -- Publication and distribution. 1
Christian literature. 1
Church and social problems -- Nigeria. 1
Church and social problems. 1
Church and state -- Cameroon. 1
Church and state -- India. 1
Church and state -- Nigeria. 1
Church and state -- Pakistan. 1
Church development, New. 1
Church discipline. 1
Church growth -- India. 1
Church growth. 1
Church schools 1
Church schools -- Nigeria. 1
Church work with military personnel. 1
Church work with students -- United States. 1
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