Van Wagenen, Jonathan, a preacher of the Baptist denomination, was born at New Paltz, Ulster Co., N. Y. On his father's side he was of Dutch de- scent, and on his mother's he was of Huguenot stock. His father was a highly respected citizen. Jonathan Dubois, his grandfather, was county judge and a mem- ber of the convention that framed for the state of New York the constitution of 1846. The subject of this sketch was fitted for college under the tuition of Eli- pbaz Fay, and when Mr. Fay came to Waterville to as- sume the presidency of the college, he came with him. During his college course, he developed decided liter- ary tastes, and held a high raidi as an accomplished writer. He was graduated in tlie class of 1845. For one year, 1845-46, he was assistant teacher in the Ver- mont Literary and Scientillc Institute at Brandon. Subsequently he taught at JMacon and Columbus, ^iiss., and for a time preached to a Baptist Church in Sliiloli, Miss. He never received ordination. In consequence of ill-health he gave up preaching and teaching, and devoted himself to secidar piu-snits. His death occur- red at Smithland, Ky., in March, 1852. See Obituary Record <f Colhij U nicer f it ij. p. 48. (.1. C. S.)
Van Wagenen, W^illiani A., a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church, died in New York city, July 25, 1866. At the time of his death he was assistant minister of the Church of the Holy Trinity, New York city, having been ordained deacon in 185.5. He was a graduate from Princeton Theological Semi- nary, and came from a Reformed (Dutch) family. See A mer. Quar. Church Rev. Oct. 1866, p. 487.
Van Winkle, B. D., a IMethodist Episcopal min- ister, was born in Shelby Comity, 111., Feb. 1, 1832. He united with the Church in early life, joined the Southern Illinois Conference in 1858, and labored ac- ceptably until 1861, when be took a local relation, and, entering the army, served four years as lieutenant in the Seventy-third Illinois Volunteers. In 1868 he was re- admitted into his conference, labored in its active ranks until 1877, when he became supernumerary, and in this relation labored diligently until his death, Feb. 2, 1878. Mr. Van Winkle led a truly conscientious, earnest, un-
VAN ZANDT
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compromising Christian life. See Minutes of Animal Conferences, 1878, p. 53.
Van Zandt, Pt/rEK, a minister of the Reformed (Dutcli) Church, graduated at New IJnniswick Theo- logical Seminary in 1817, and was licensed by the Clas- sis of New Brunswick; was pastor at Schenectady, N. Y., 1818-22; and missionary to Oakliill, N. Y., 1823. He died in 1865. See Corwin, }[anHid ofthe Ref. Church in A inerica, s. v.
Van Zuuren, Casparus, a Dutch minister of the Reformed Church who came to America; was pastor at B'latbush, New Utrecht, Brooklyn, and Flatlands, L. I., 1677-85; and preached occasionally at Bushwick, Gravesend, Bergen, and Staten Island. He returned to Hdllanil May 17, 1685, and preached at Gonderaph, 1685- 1704, or longer. In 1695 his old congregations on Long Island recalled him, but he did not accept. See Cur- win, .Uanuul ofthe Ref. Church in America, s. v.
Vara, in Norse mythology, was the goddess of truth, who presided over witnesses and oaths.
Varaggio, <1iacomo da (French, Jacques de Vo- rar/ine). an Italian hagiographer, was born about 1280 at Varaggio or Varazze, near Savona. He became a Dominican in 1254, and tanght in various schools with great reputation for piety and science. In 1267 he was chosen provincial "f his order for Lombardy, and in 1268 detinitor, in which capacity he raised the interdict from Genoa and reconciled the Sicilians to the king of Naples. In 1288 he assisted at the Cotmcil of Lucca, and in 1290 at that of Ferrara. In 1292 he was raised to the archbishopric of Genoa, an office which he ad- ministered with great moderation and yet discipline. He died there, .July 14, 1298. leaving many historical and legendary ^vorks, for which see lioefer, Xouv. Biog. Generate, s. v.
Varaha, the third avatar, or incarnation of Vish- nu, in which he appears as a boar. It is supposed to have taken place at the period of creation when the earth was immersed in water, and Vishnu, in order to raise it up. assumed the form of a gigantic boar. In the earlier recension of the Ramaynna (q. v.) and the Linga-Purdna, the act ^f assuming the form of a boar in order to rescue the earth from its imperilled position is ascribed to Brahma, the creator of the universe; and in the Black Yajurveda, where this idea is first met with, it is likewise said that the lord of crea- tion upheld the earth, assuming the form of a boar. At a later period, however, the incarnation is attrib- uted to Vishnu. Between both conceptions there is the great difference, however, that in the former tlie transformation of the deity into a boar has appar- ently a purely cosmical character, wliile in the lat- ter it allegorically represents the extrication of tlie world from a deluge of iniquity by the rites of religion. The boar as an incarnation of Vishnu is a type of the ritual of the Vedas. He is described as the sacrifice personified; his feet being the Vedas; his tusks, the sacrificial post to which the victim is tied; his teeth, the sacrificial offerings; his mouth, the altar; his tongue, the fire; his hairs, the sacrificial grass; his eyes, day and night; his head, the place of Brahma; his mane, the hymns of the Vedas; his nostrils, all the oblations; his snout, the ladle of oblation; his voice, the chanting ofthe iSdmaveda ; his body, the hall of sacrifice; his joints, the different ceremonies; and his ears as having the properties of voluntary and obligatory rites. The above are from the ris/«n!(-P(/?aHr/, and similar descrip- tions occur in the flarivansa and elsewhere.