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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 7 Collections and/or Records:

Collection 248 Papers of William J. Barnett

 Collection
Identifier: CN 248
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews and booklet of short stories and photographs created by William John Barnett, relating to his upbringing in Kenya as the son of missionaries with Africa Inland Mission (AIM) and his own later medical missionary service in Tanzania, Kenya, and the Comoro Islands from 1950-1990.Series: Audio TapesOral history interviews with William John Barnett in which he describes his childhood in Kenya with his missionary parents;...
Dates: Created: 1983-1997

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 263 Oral History Interview with Margaret Carlson

 Collection
Identifier: CN 263
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Margaret Johanna (Larson) Carlson in which she describes growing up in Ecuador as the child of missionaries, her education at Westmont and Wheaton Colleges, her nursing experience, and her missionary service with her husband at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Seminary in Hong Kong. Other topics discussed include: the founding of a HCJB radio station by her father, Reuben Larson, and her involvement in Wheaton College's HNGR Program. Individuals described...
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 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

Collection 567 Papers of H. Wilbert Norton

 Collection
Identifier: CN 567
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews, photographs, correspondence, reports, minutes, budgets, pamphlets, and manuscripts relating to Gustav H.W. Norton's (1915-2017) work as an administrator and professor of theology and missiology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Wheaton College, as well as his involvement with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Evangelical Literature Overseas, and Mid-American Keswick. The collection documents Norton’s childhood, education, and career as professor of missions...
Dates: Created: 1950-2000

Filtered By

  • Subject: Evangelistic work X
  • Subject: Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. X
  • Subject: College students. X

Additional filters:

Subject
College students in missionary work. 6
College students. 6
Children of missionaries. 5
Church and state. 5
Language in missionary work. 5
∨ more
Missionaries -- Training of. 5
Women missionaries. 5
Animism. 4
Boarding schools. 4
Catholic Church. 4
Children of missionaries -- Education. 4
Christianity and culture. 4
College students -- United States -- Religious life. 4
Conversion. 4
Indigenous church administration 4
Medical care 4
Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 4
Missions -- Educational work. 4
Missions -- Finance. 4
Revivals -- Wheaton. 4
Revivals. 4
Tribes. 4
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 4
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 3
College students -- Religious life. 3
College students -- United States 3
Culture shock. 3
Education 3
Missions, Medical. 3
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Faculty. 3
Women 3
Women -- Religious life. 3
Bible colleges 2
Children. 2
Christian education. 2
Church and social problems. 2
Church development, New. 2
Communism. 2
Evangelistic work -- United States. 2
Fund raising. 2
Great Britain 2
Great Britain -- Colonies -- Africa. 2
Great Britain -- Colonies. 2
Indians of South America -- Missions. 2
Indians of South America. 2
Intercultural communication. 2
Leprosy. 2
Marriage. 2
Mass media in missionary work. 2
Mass media in religion. 2
Missionaries -- Training of -- United States. 2
Missions -- Congo (Democratic Republic). 2
Missions to Muslims. 2
Missions. 2
Nursing -- Study and teaching 2
Nursing -- Study and teaching -- United States. 2
Nursing. 2
Radio in missionary work. 2
Rural missions. 2
Seminary extension. 2
Theological seminaries. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Employees. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Religious life and customs. 2
Alcoholism -- United States 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service 1
Alcoholism. -- United States -- Diplomatic and consular service -- Nigeria. 1
Animism -- Bolivia. 1
Animism -- Kenya. 1
Animism -- Nigeria. 1
BGEA: South Africa Tour -- 1960 1
Belgium. 1
Belgium. -- Administration. 1
Belgium. -- Colonies 1
Belgium. -- Colonies -- Africa. 1
Bible -- Publication and distribution. 1
Bible -- Translating. 1
Bible colleges -- India. 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Bible. 1
Boarding schools -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Boarding schools -- Ecuador. 1
Boarding schools -- Kenya. 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Bolivia -- Religion. 1
Bolivia. 1
Bolivia. -- Politics and government. 1
Caste -- India. 1
Caste. 1
Catholic Church -- Bolivia. 1
Catholic Church. -- China. 1
Catholic Church. -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Catholic Church. -- Hong Kong 1
Children -- Conversion to Christianity. 1
Children -- Religious life. 1
Children -- United States 1
Children -- United States -- Religious life. 1
China -- History -- Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976. 1
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