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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 5 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 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 325 Oral History Interview with Donald W. Berry

 Collection
Identifier: CN 325
Scope and Contents Oral history interview in which Berry discusses his conversion, education at Wheaton College, and his work as a pilot and administrator for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Honduras and Southeast Asia. Other topics discussed include. Berry’s service in the Army during World War II, his views on pacifism, the origins of Mission Aviation Fellowship, challenges of MAF, and the effect of life on the mission field on Berry’s family.Donald Berry was interviewed by Robert Shuster on...
Dates: Created: 1986

Filtered By

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

Additional filters:

Subject
Children of missionaries. 4
Christianity and culture. 4
Church and state. 4
Language in missionary work. 4
Animism. 3
∨ more
Children of missionaries -- Education. 3
College students in missionary work. 3
College students. 3
Conversion. 3
Missionaries -- Training of. 3
Missions -- Finance. 3
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 3
Women missionaries. 3
Bible colleges 2
Boarding schools. 2
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 2
Catholic Church. 2
College students -- Religious life. 2
College students -- United States -- Religious life. 2
Culture shock. 2
Education 2
Great Britain 2
Great Britain -- Colonies -- Africa. 2
Great Britain -- Colonies. 2
Indigenous church administration 2
Intercultural communication. 2
Leprosy. 2
Marriage. 2
Medical care 2
Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 2
Missions, Medical. 2
Missions. 2
Pentecostalism. 2
Rural missions. 2
Soldiers 2
Tribes. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Faculty. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Religious life and customs. 2
World War, 1939-1945. 2
Worship. 2
Aeronautics in missionary work. 1
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
Arminianism -- United States 1
Arminianism. 1
BGEA: South Africa Tour -- 1960 1
Bible -- Publication and distribution. 1
Bible -- Translating. 1
Bible colleges -- India. 1
Bible colleges -- Nigeria. 1
Bible. 1
Boarding schools -- Kenya. 1
Boarding schools -- Nigeria. 1
Bolivia -- Religion. 1
Bolivia. 1
Bolivia. -- Politics and government. 1
Calvinism -- United States 1
Calvinism. 1
Caste -- India. 1
Caste. 1
Catholic Church -- Bolivia. 1
Christian education -- United States. 1
Christian education. 1
Christian martyrs -- Ecuador. 1
Christian martyrs. 1
Christianity and culture -- Bolivia. 1
Christianity and culture -- United States. 1
Christianity and politics -- Bolivia. 1
Christianity and politics. 1
Church and social problems -- Nigeria. 1
Church and social problems. 1
Church and state -- Bolivia. 1
Church and state -- India. 1
Church and state -- Nigeria. 1
Church and state -- United States. 1
Church development, New. 1
Church discipline. 1
Church growth -- India. 1
Church growth. 1
Church schools 1
Church schools -- Nigeria. 1
Church work with military personnel. 1
Church work with students. 1
Cold War. 1
College students -- United States 1
Communication in organizations -- United States 1
Communication in organizations. 1
Communism. 1
Community development -- Bolivia. 1
Community development. 1
Cults. 1
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