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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 6 Collections and/or Records:

Collection 105 Oral History Interview with Paul D. Votaw

 Collection
Identifier: CN 105
Scope and Contents Oral history interview with Paul Dean Votaw (1917-2007) in which he describes his childhood; education at Wheaton College, Dallas Seminary, and Princeton Seminary; and missionary activities in Syria and Lebanon. The time period covered by the interview is roughly 1917-1954.Reverend Paul Votaw was interviewed by Robert Shuster on March 4, 1980, at the Graham Center offices in Wheaton. The first ten minutes of the interview are barely decipherable due to technical difficulties. The...
Dates: Created: 1980

Collection 169 Oral History Interviews with Harold P. Adolph

 Collection
Identifier: CN 169
Scope and Contents Oral History Interview with Harold Paul Adolph, in which he discusses his boyhood in China as the son of missionaries with China Inland Mission, conditions in China, his education at Wheaton College, medical education at the University of Pennsylvania, decision to become a missionary, and his ministry in Ethiopia as a medical missionary in African with Sudan Interior Mission; American missions in Ethiopia; family life on the mission field, and work with the Christian Medical Society. The...
Dates: Created: 1981

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 284 Oral History Interview with Gladys Wright

 Collection
Identifier: CN 284
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Gladys Lyle Wright (1902-1994), in which she discusses her work as a teacher in Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo). Topics discussed include: Wright's family background, education at Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute, her work as a missionary in the Belgian Congo for the Africa Inland Mission, memories of the Congolese people and culture, and her experiences at Wheaton when she was on the staff of the College after retriring from the mission...
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

Collection 392 Oral History Interviews with Dorothy J. Mainhood

 Collection
Identifier: CN 392
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Dorothy Jane Mainhood in which she describes her childhood, conversion, spiritual growth, education at Wheaton College, call to be a missionary, and work in Thailand for Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Other topics discussed include Mainhood’s medical training, language study in Thailand, Thai people and culture, regional differences in Thailand, the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Thailand, religious syncretism, church-state relations, characteristics of...
Dates: Created: 1988

Filtered By

  • Type: Collection X
  • Subject: Muslims X

Additional filters:

Subject
Evangelistic work. 5
Indigenous church administration 5
Language in missionary work. 5
Tribes. 5
Catholic Church. 4
∨ more
Children of missionaries. 4
Medical care 4
Missions -- Educational work. 4
Missions, Medical. 4
Muslims. 4
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 4
Animism. 3
Boarding schools. 3
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 3
Culture shock. 3
Education 3
Islam -- Relations -- Christianity. 3
Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 3
Rural missions. 3
Women missionaries. 3
Bible. 2
Children of missionaries -- Education. 2
Christian education. 2
Christian leadership. 2
Christian life. 2
Christianity and culture. 2
Church and social problems. 2
Church development, New. 2
College students -- Religious life. 2
College students in missionary work. 2
College students. 2
Leprosy. 2
Missionaries -- Training of -- United States. 2
Missionaries' spouses. 2
Missions -- Finance. 2
Persecution. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Employees. 2
Women 2
Women -- Religious life. 2
World War, 1939-1945. 2
Alcoholism -- United States 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service -- Nigeria. 1
Amharic language. 1
Animism -- Ethiopia. 1
Animism -- Nigeria. 1
Arab-Israeli conflict. 1
Arabs. 1
Athletes 1
Athletes -- United States 1
Athletes -- United States -- Religious life. 1
BGEA: South Africa Tour -- 1960 1
Bangkok, Thailand. 1
Belgium. 1
Belgium. -- Administration. 1
Belgium. -- Colonies 1
Belgium. -- Colonies -- Africa. 1
Bhil (Indic people) 1
Bible -- Study and teaching. 1
Bible -- Translating. 1
Bible colleges 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Boarding schools -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Buddhists -- Thailand. 1
Buddhists. 1
Caste. 1
Caste. -- Pakistan. 1
Catholic Church. -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Catholic Church. -- Syria. 1
Catholic Church. -- Thailand. 1
Children -- Religious life. 1
Children. 1
China -- History -- 1937-1945. 1
China -- History -- Civil War, 1945-1949. 1
China -- History. 1
Chinese -- Missions. 1
Chinese. 1
Christian education -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Christian education -- United States. 1
Christian literature -- Publication and distribution -- Pakistan. 1
Christian literature -- Publication and distribution. 1
Christian literature. 1
Christianity and culture -- Thailand. 1
Christianity and other religions. 1
Church and social problems -- Nigeria. 1
Church and state -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Church and state -- Ethiopia. 1
Church and state -- Lebanon. 1
Church and state -- Nigeria. 1
Church and state -- Pakistan. 1
Church and state -- Syria. 1
Church and state -- Thailand. 1
Church discipline. 1
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