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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 052 Oral History Interview with Esther Salzman

 Collection
Identifier: CN 052
Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with Esther I. Salzman (1906-1996), a Wheaton College alumna and missionary to China in the 1940s and to the Philippines from 1950 to 1972. Topics discussed include her education at Wheaton College, medical work in China and the Philippines, and Communism in China. The time period covered by the interview is 1906 to 1978.

Esther Salzman was interviewed by Wheaton College student Fred Baker on October 28, 1978 at her home in Kankakee, IL.

Dates: Created: 1978

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 279 Oral History Interview with Elizabeth Evans

 Collection
Identifier: CN 279
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Elizabeth Morrell Evans (1899-1976) in which she discusses her childhood; education at Wheaton College; work with J. Elwin Wright; her Christian education activities; the development of the New England Fellowship, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the World Evangelical Fellowship; and her work as a missionary in Taiwan. The time period covered by the interviews is 1899-1976.Elizabeth Evans was interviewed by Robert Shuster on October 8,...
Dates: Created: 1984-1985

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 317 Oral History Interview with Ian H. and Ruth E. Cook

 Collection
Identifier: CN 317
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Ian Harper Cooke and Ruth Eileen (Witmer) Cook, in which Ian describes his childhood and education in South Africa, college education at Wheaton College, training for missionary work, medical missions work in South Africa with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), the Zulus, apartheid, and the national church; and Ruth describes her childhood, conversion, and intention to become a missionary nurse, education at West Suburban Hospital and Wheaton College,...
Dates: Created: 1985

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: Women -- Religious life. X

Additional filters:

Subject
Catholic Church. 6
Church and state. 6
Children of missionaries. 5
Conversion. 5
Culture shock. 5
∨ more
Indigenous church administration 5
Missions -- Educational work. 5
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 5
Education 4
Evangelicalism. 4
Language in missionary work. 4
Medical care 4
Missionaries -- Training of. 4
Missions -- Finance. 4
Missions, Medical. 4
Missions. 4
Boarding schools. 3
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 3
Children of missionaries -- Education. 3
Christianity and culture. 3
College students in missionary work. 3
College students. 3
Fund raising. 3
Missions -- Interdenominational cooperation. 3
Nursing. 3
Sex role. 3
Tribes. 3
Animism. 2
Apartheid. 2
Belgium. 2
Belgium. -- Administration. 2
Belgium. -- Colonies 2
Belgium. -- Colonies -- Africa. 2
Belief and doubt. 2
Catholic Church. -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 2
Children. 2
China -- History. 2
Christian education. 2
Christian leadership. 2
Church and social problems. 2
Church and state -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 2
Church and state -- India. 2
Church development, New. 2
Church work with women. 2
College students -- United States 2
College students -- United States -- Religious life. 2
Communism -- China. 2
Communism. 2
Congo (Democratic Republic) -- History -- Civil War, 1960-1965. 2
Congo (Democratic Republic)--Social life and customs 2
Education -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 2
Evangelicalism -- United States. 2
Evangelistic work -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 2
Intercultural communication. 2
Marriage. 2
Mass media in religion. 2
Medical care -- China. 2
Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 2
Missions -- China. 2
Missions -- Congo (Democratic Republic). 2
Missions -- India. 2
Nursing -- Study and teaching 2
Nursing -- Study and teaching -- United States. 2
Pentecostalism. 2
Racism. 2
Radio in religion -- United States. 2
Radio in religion. 2
Seminary extension. 2
Taoism. 2
Worship. 2
Animism -- South Africa. 1
Baptism. 1
Bible colleges 1
Bible colleges -- India. 1
Boarding schools -- Congo (Democratic Republic) 1
Boarding schools -- Ecuador. 1
Boarding schools -- South Africa. 1
Buddhists -- Taiwan. 1
Buddhists. 1
Caste -- India. 1
Caste. 1
Catholic Church -- Africa. 1
Catholic Church -- Evangelicalism. 1
Catholic Church -- Kenya. 1
Catholic Church -- Missions. 1
Catholic Church -- United States. 1
Catholic Church. -- China. 1
Catholic Church. -- Hong Kong 1
Catholic Church. -- Missions -- South Africa. 1
Catholic Church. -- Philippines. 1
Catholic Church. -- South Africa. 1
Chaplains, Military 1
Chaplains, Military -- United States. 1
Children -- Conversion to Christianity. 1
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