Skip to main content

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 4 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 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

Wheaton College Revivals Collection

 Collection
Identifier: CN 514
Scope and Contents

Oral history interviews, questionnaires, reports, videos, and other materials relating to spontaneous revivals on Wheaton College campus in the twentieth century. There are restrictions on some material in this collection. The collection primarily documents the March 1995 revival at the College, largely through oral history interviews conducted during or shortly after the event; also included are thirteen follow-up interviews conducted two years after the revival.

Dates: Created: 1936-1997; Other: Majority of material found in 1994-1995

Filtered By

  • Subject: Evangelistic work X
  • Subject: Bible colleges X

Additional filters:

Subject
Bible colleges 3
Children of missionaries. 3
Christianity and culture. 3
College students in missionary work. 3
College students. 3
∨ more
Culture shock. 3
Education 3
Indigenous church administration 3
Medical care 3
Missions, Medical. 3
Revivals -- Wheaton. 3
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 3
Women 3
Women -- Religious life. 3
Women missionaries. 3
Boarding schools. 2
Children of missionaries -- Education. 2
Church and state. 2
College students -- United States 2
College students -- United States -- Religious life. 2
Evangelistic work -- United States. 2
Language in missionary work. 2
Missionaries -- Training of. 2
Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. 2
Missionaries. 2
Missions -- Educational work. 2
Prayer groups -- United States. 2
Prayer groups. 2
Sex role. 2
Street preaching. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Buildings. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Employees. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Faculty. 2
Worship (Christian) 2
Worship. 2
AIDS (Disease) 1
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
Belief and doubt. 1
Bible colleges -- India. 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Bible colleges -- United States. 1
Bible colleges. 1
Bible. 1
Boarding schools -- China. 1
Boarding schools -- Korea. 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Caste -- India. 1
Caste. 1
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 1
Catholic Church. 1
Children -- United States 1
Children -- United States -- Conversion to Christianity. 1
Children -- United States -- Religious life. 1
Children of missionaries -- China. 1
Children. 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 leadership. 1
Christian life. 1
Christianity and culture -- United States. 1
Church and social problems -- Nigeria. 1
Church and social problems. 1
Church and state -- India. 1
Church and state -- Nigeria. 1
Church development, New. 1
Church discipline. 1
Church growth -- India. 1
Church growth. 1
Church renewal -- United States. 1
Church renewal. 1
Church schools 1
Church schools -- Nigeria. 1
Church work with military personnel. 1
Church work with prisoners -- Florida. 1
Church work with prisoners. 1
Church work with women -- China. 1
Church work with women. 1
College students -- Religious life. 1
College students in missionary work -- United States. 1
Confession. 1
Demoniac possession 1
Demoniac possession -- Nigeria. 1
Donahue (Television program) 1
Drug abuse. 1
Education -- India. 1
Education -- Nigeria. 1
∧ less