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

Person

Staff Only

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 2 Collections and/or Records:

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

Found in: Evangelism & Missions Archives / Collection 262 Oral History Interview with Raymond Buker Jr.

Collection 302 Oral History Interview with David L. Farah

Collection

Identifier: CN 302

Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with David Livingstone Farah, in which he discusses his upbringing, education at Wheaton College, work as an administrator with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Peru and Bolivia, and relationships with other religious bodies, national groups and governments. Other topics include the 1950 revival at Wheaton College; Wycliffe jungle training in Mexico; the Catholic Church in Bolivia and the prevalence of syncretism; differences between Peru and Bolivia; description of...

Dates: Created: 1985

Found in: Evangelism & Missions Archives / Collection 302 Oral History Interview with David L. Farah

Filtered By

Subject: Evangelistic work X
Subject: Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. X
Subject: Bible -- Translating. X

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