Wack, George, a miiii:*ter of the German Re- fiirmcd Cliiircl). was born in Uucks County, Pa., March ]. 177(). Alter having pursued a course of classical studies, he was tauirht theology by his father, then pas- tor in Kockaway. N. .1. He was licensed an<l ordained in I'Stll. In l;Slt2 he becanie pastor of cliurches in Jlontgotnery and Bucks counties. In this charge he spent a long life. In 1><40, in the seventieth year of his age, he was compelled by increasing infirmities to quit the active duties of the ministry. He died Feb. 17, 185G, after a ministry of fifty -nine years. He was a man of great simplicity of heart, which with age made liim a patriarch in the Church. He was able to preach in (Jerman and English.
Wack, John J., an American minister of the Ger- man Kiloiiiicd Church whose churches finally joined the Dutch communion, was born in Philadelphia, June 14, 1774, and studied theologj' with his brother, Casper Wack. He was pastor at Amwell, N. J., from 1798 to 1803; supplied Knowlton and Hardwick from 1798 to 1805; pastor at Canajoharie and Stone Arabia, N. Y., from 1803 to 1814; suspended on account of intem- perance in 181(5; preached as an independent at Can- ajoharie and Stone Arabia from 1810 to 1827; also preached in the Independent Church of Tillaborough for several years. He died at Ephratah, N, Y,, May "26, 1851. See Corwin, Manual of the Ref. Church in A merica, s. v.
Wackernagel, Kaisl Ei>iahi> Piiiijpp, a (Ger- man Protestant hymnologist of great note, was born at Berlin, June 28, 1800, where also he studied natural sciences and philology. In 1«20 he was promoted at Erlangen as doctor ol philosophy, and in 1801 the Uni- versity of Breslau conferred on him the degree of doctor of divinity. He died June 20, 1877, at Dresden, where he had resided from 18G0, Wackernagel was a member of dilTerent learned societies of (iermany and Holland, Besides a number of works on mathematics and natural sciences, he published very im|i(irtant contributions to (ierman hymnology, which made him an auth<irity in that department. We name, Das deutsche Kirche/ilied (Stuttgart, 1841) : — Bibliof/niphie zur Gesch. rl. deutschen Kirchenliedes im 16. Jahrhundert ( Frankfort -on -the - Main, 1855) : — Lieder der niederldmlischen Reformirten aus der Zeit der Verfoh/unfj im 16. Juhrhundert (1867): — Das deutsche Kirchenlied rnn den dltesteii Zeilen (Leips. 1864-73, 4 vols.). Besides these, he published the hymns of PauKierhard, Martin Luther, and Johann Herm'ann, See Zuchold, Z.VW, Theol. ii, 1408; Theolo- f/isches Unicers(d-lA'x. s. v. ; Koch, Gesch. d. deutschen KirchcnUcdcs, vii, 47 s(j. (B. P.)
Waddel, James, D.D., a Presbyterian divine, celebrated for his eloquence, and immortalized by the pen of William Wirt as " The Blind Preacher," was born at Newry, in the North of Ireland, in July, 1739. He came with his parents at an early age to America, was educated at Dr. Finlay's Nottingham Academy, studied theology with the IJev. John Todd, was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Hanover April 2, 1761, and was ordained and installed pastor of the churches of Lancaster and Northumberland, Va., Oct. 7, 1762. In 1778 he took charge of the Tinkling Spring congrega- tion, Va.; in 1783 he organized a congregation at Staun- ton, to whom he preached on alternate Sabbaths; in 1785 he removed to Louisa County, Va., to an estate which he had purchased, and while there he lost his sight from cataract, but still continued to preach. It was during this period that iSIr. Wirt was thrilled by liis eloipience in the secluded little church in Orange County, In 1792 the degree of D.D, was conferred upon liim by Dickinson College. Pa. He died in great triumph, Sept. 17, 18(1.'). The testimonies to Dr. Wad- del's surpassing elotpience are numerous and unques- tionable. His oratory was simple, majestic, and impas-
sioned. It glowed with the peculiar fire of the South, Patrick Henry himself pronounced Davies and Waddel the greatest orators of the age. In him were blended " the poet's hand and prophet's fire," Dr. Waddel ])ub- lished nothing during his life, and gave orders that all his MSS. slioidii be burned after his death. Several of his ten children occujjied iinportant positions in socie- ty. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, iii, 235; Thomas, Pronouncing Biog. Diet.; Foote, Sketches of Virgiida, vol. i ; Life of Rev, Dr. A lexander ; Watch- man of the South, and Prot. and IJer. Oct. 24, 1844; Davidson, Ilist. (f the Presh. Church in Kentucky, ^.2G\ Letters nj a liritish Spy, let. vii. (J. L. S.)
Waddel, Moses, D.D., a Presbyterian divine, was born in Iredell County, N. C, July "20, 1770. He re- ceived a good academic education, graduated at Hamp- den Sidney College in 1791, and was licensed by Han- over Presbytery of Virginia in May, 1792. He taught school in Columbia Countv, Ga, (1793-1801); then in Vienna, Abbeville District," S, C. (1802-1804). He re- moved to Willington, S. C, in 1804, Avhere he remained until iMay, 1819, when, having in the previous year been elected president of the L^niversity of Georgia, he en- tered upon the duties of that office. " The effect of his coming to this institution was almost magical; it very soon attained a measure of prosperity altogether un- equalled in its previous history." He resigned this po- sition in August, 1829, and then returned to Willington. His labors in the ministry he continued six or seven j'ears longer. In September, 1836, he was visited with a stroke of the palsy, which incapacitated him for all active duties. He died July 21, 1840. Dr. Waddel was distinguished as an instructor. " He may be justly considered as the father of classical education in the upper countr\' of South Carolina and Georgia." As a Christian, his character was imexceptionable. He was active and constant in the discharge of his ministerial duties, and he shraidv from no labor which his ecclesi- astical relations imposed upon him. His style of preaching was plain, simple, and earnest. He publish- ed Memoirs of Miss Catharine Elizabeth Smelt (N, Y, 1810, 12iTio), It was a highly interesting and popular work, as was indicated by the fact that it passed to a third edition in the L'nited States, and was published twice in (Jreat Britain. See Sprague, Annuls of the Amer. Pulpit, iv, 63 ; Allibone, Diet, of Bi'it. and A mer. Authors, s.\.\ Memoirs, etc., of S.Grellet (Phila. 1860), ii, 187, (J, L. S.)