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 3 Collections and/or Records:

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 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 328 Papers of Eric and Lydia Maillefer

 Collection
Identifier: CN 328
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews, speech manuscripts and prayer letters relating to the careers and ministries of Eric and Lydia Maillefer as missionaries and Christian workers with the Evangelical Free Church in Zaire, Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar (AEAM), and the Africa Evangelical Office (AEO). Lydia worked as a teacher and school administrator; Eric worked first as a teacher, then on loan as a conference coordinator to the Africa Evangelical Office, and later as administrative secretary...
Dates: Created: 1971-1991

Filtered By

  • Subject: Evangelistic work X
  • Subject: Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. X
  • Subject: Missionaries' spouses. X

Additional filters:

Subject
Animism. 2
Catholic Church. 2
Children of missionaries -- Education. 2
Christianity and culture. 2
Church and social problems. 2
∨ more
Church development, New. 2
Church schools 2
Education 2
Evangelicalism. 2
Islam -- Relations -- Christianity. 2
Medical care 2
Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 2
Missionaries, Resignation of. 2
Missions -- Educational work. 2
Missions -- Finance. 2
Missions to Muslims. 2
Missions, Medical. 2
Muslims. 2
Rural missions. 2
Sex role. 2
Superstition. 2
Tribes. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 2
Women missionaries. 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
Apartheid. 1
BGEA: South Africa Tour -- 1960 1
Belgium. 1
Belgium. -- Administration. 1
Belgium. -- Colonies 1
Belgium. -- Colonies -- Africa. 1
Bible colleges 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Boarding schools. 1
Catholic Church -- Africa. 1
Catholic Church -- Kenya. 1
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 1
Catholic Church. -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 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 -- United States. 1
Christian education. 1
Christian leadership. 1
Christian life. 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 -- Nigeria. 1
Church discipline. 1
Church schools -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Church schools -- Nigeria. 1
Church work with military personnel. 1
College students -- Religious life. 1
College students in missionary work. 1
College students. 1
Communism -- China. 1
Communism -- Ethiopia. 1
Communism. 1
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- History -- Civil War, 1960-1965. 1
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Politics and government. 1
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Religion. 1
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Social conditions. 1
Congo (Democratic Republic)--Social life and customs 1
Demoniac possession 1
Demoniac possession -- Nigeria. 1
Ecumenical movement. 1
Education -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Education -- Nigeria. 1
Education, Higher 1
Education, Higher -- United States. 1
Ethiopia 1
Ethiopia -- History 1
Ethiopia -- History -- Revolution, 1974. 1
Ethiopia -- Religion. 1
Evangelical Free Church of America -- Missions. 1
Evangelicalism -- Africa. 1
Evangelistic work -- China. 1
Evangelistic work -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
∧ less