Edman, V. Raymond (Victor Raymond), 1900-1967.
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 11 Collections and/or Records:
Collection 169 Oral History Interviews with Harold P. Adolph
Collection 259 Oral History Interviews with Donald A. Cook
Collection 262 Oral History Interview with Raymond Buker Jr.
Collection 279 Oral History Interview with Elizabeth Evans
Collection 285 Papers of Torrey Maynard Johnson Sr.
Collection 302 Oral History Interview with David L. Farah
Collection 325 Oral History Interview with Donald W. Berry
Collection 344 Oral History Interview with Paul B. Long
Collection 489 Oral History Interview with John A. MacDonald
Helen Renich Papers.
Herbert J. Taylor Papers
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Conversion. 7
- Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. 7
- Missionaries. 7
- Church and state. 6
- Evangelistic work -- United States. 6
- Christianity and culture. 5
- Evangelicalism. 5
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 5
- Children of missionaries. 4
- Church work with students. 4
- Evangelicalism -- United States. 4
- Fundamentalism. 4
- Indigenous church administration 4
- Mass media in religion. 4
- Missionaries -- Training of. 4
- Missions -- Educational work. 4
- Missions. 4
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Religious life and customs. 4
- Animism. 3
- Children. 3
- Christian education -- United States. 3
- Christian education. 3
- Church work with students -- United States. 3
- Culture shock. 3
- Education 3
- Education, Higher 3
- Education, Higher -- United States. 3
- Evangelistic work -- China. 3
- Evangelistic work -- Philosophy. 3
- Fund raising. 3
- Intercultural communication. 3
- Language in missionary work. 3
- Mass media in religion -- United States. 3
- Missionaries -- Leaves and furloughs. 3
- Missions, Medical. 3
- Pentecostalism. 3
- Presbyterian Church -- Missions. 3
- Presbyterian Church. 3
- Radio in religion -- United States. 3
- Radio in religion. 3
- Revivals. 3
- Sex role. 3
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Faculty. 3
- Women 3
- Women -- Religious life. 3
- Belief and doubt. 2
- Bible -- Translating. 2
- Bible. 2
- Boarding schools. 2
- Catholic Church. 2
- Chaplains, Military 2
- Chaplains, Military -- United States. 2
- Chicago (Ill.) 2
- Children -- United States 2
- Children -- United States -- Conversion to Christianity. 2
- Children -- United States -- Religious life. 2
- China -- History -- 1937-1945. 2
- China -- History -- Civil War, 1945-1949. 2
- China -- History. 2
- Christian leadership. 2
- Church and social problems. 2
- Church and state -- United States. 2
- Church growth. 2
- Church work with military personnel -- United States. 2
- Church work with military personnel. 2
- Church work with the working class 2
- Church work with women. 2
- Church work with youth. 2
- City missions. 2
- College students -- United States 2
- College students -- United States -- Religious life. 2
- College students in missionary work. 2
- College students. 2
- Communism. 2
- Evangelistic work -- Australia. 2
- Evangelistic work -- Canada. 2
- Evangelistic work -- Great Britain. 2
- Evangelistic work -- Japan. 2
- Family. 2
- Interdenominational cooperation. 2
- Islam -- Relations -- Christianity. 2
- Liberalism (Religion) 2
- Liberalism (Religion) -- United States. 2
- Medical care 2
- Missionaries -- Training of -- United States. 2
- Missions -- China. 2
- Missions -- Finance. 2
- Missions to Muslims. 2
- Motion pictures in church work -- United States. 2
- Motion pictures in church work. 2
- Muslims. 2
- Pentecostalism -- United States. 2
- Persecution. 2
- Preaching. 2
- Presbyterians. 2
- Revivals -- Wheaton. 2
- Sino-Japanese Conflict, 1937-1945. 2
- Sunday schools -- United States. 2 ∧ less