Walloon Church, a branch of the French Re- formed Church, whicli still exists in the Netherlands. It differs from the Dutch Reformed Church chiefly in retaining the use of the French language in divine ser- vice, and of the Geneva Catechism instead of the Heidel- berg. The congregations of this body, though once nu- merous, are now reduced to a very few ; and the minis- ters are in most cases Dutchmen bv birth. The Wal-
loons were largely represented among the early Dutch settlers in North America, particularly iu New York and New Jersey.
Wall-painting. The large spaces which are some- times left without any ornamentation in our churches, and which, when whitewashed, appear so cold and un- sightly, were originally covered with color, either in the shape of tloral or geometrical patterns, or of figures or emblems. The painted glass when treated in conjunc- tion with the wall, as may be seen at St. Chapelle, has a beautiful effect, Tlie bands of color on the wall were, no doubt, in continitation of the transom, or the sill, or a continuation of a band carried round the arches, and taking the place of a drip-stone and string. There are fresh examples discovered every daj', but they are sel- dom in such a state as to admit of preservation. — Parker, Gloss, of A rchi/ect. s. v.
dl-paiiitiiig, Rhigstead, Northamptonshire.
"Wall-plate, a piece of timber laid horizontally on the top of a wall, on which joists rest.
"Wallroth, August Fkieurich Christian, a Prot- estant theologian of (lermany, was born May 3, 1803, at Eutin. He studied at Kiel, Berlin, and Bonn; was ap- pointed pastor at Eutin in 1832; in 1838 he was made court and garrison preacher in Oldenburg, and member of consistory ; until in 1849 he was obliged to retire from the Church government on account of the new constitution of the Church. In 1853 he was again ap- pointed for Eutin as superintendent and court preacher, with the title of superior counsellor of the Church. Here he died, April 4, 1876. He published a number of sermons, which are enumerated in Zuchold, Biblioth. Theolog. ii, 1413. (B. P.)
"Walls, F. H., a Methodist Episcopal minister, who served the Church many years as class-leader, steward, exhorter, and local preacher; joined the Southern Illi- nois Conference in 1848, when somewhat advanced in years; travelled some years; took the superannuated relation ; and a few years later died, Aug. 13, 1862. Mr. Walls was a pious, earnest, successful minister. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1862, p. 211.
"Walmesley, Charles, D.D., F.R.S., an English Benedictine monk and Roman Catholic bishop, was born in 1721. He was senior bishop and vicar-apostolic of the Western district, and doctor of theology of the Sorbonne. He was the last survivor of those eminent mathematicians who were active in bringing about a change in the chronological style, or calendar, of Eng- land, which was accomplished in 1752. He wrote a number of mathematical and theological works, which are at present unimportant. He died at Bath in 1797. See Clialmers, Biog. Diet. s. v.
"Walmsley, John, an English Wesleyan minister, was converted in early life, called into the ministry in
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1797, and died April 22, 1842. His sermons evinced an affectionate spirit, a fulness of love to God, compassion for sinners, and sympathy with atllicted saints. He en- joyed tlie confidence and esteem of his brethren. See JJinules of ]\'eslei/an Conferences, 1842.
Walii, Nicholas, a member of the Society of Friends, was born Oct. 19, 1742, at Fair Hill, near Phila- delphia, Pa. He acquired a good elementary education at a Friends' school in Philadelphia, and on leaving the institution commenced the study of law; and before at- taining to his majority was admitted to practice in the courts. In order to extend his knowledge of the law, he went to England in the fall of 17(13, and was a stu- dent for some time in the Temple. Having secured the object which carried him abroad, he returned to Phila- delphia and resumed the practice of his profession. For seven years he devoted himself with untiring industry and success to his work as a lawyer, at the end of which time, having liad a remarkable religious experience, he felt it to be his duty to abaiulon his profession and de- vote himself to religious work, as a member of the So- ciety of Friends. He was a frequent visitor to quarter- ly and yearly meetings of Friends in different parts of the country; and his gifts made him an acceptable preacher wherever and whenever he felt moved to ad- dress the assembled people. Some of these public dis- courses were remarkable for their power and their unc- tion, and produced a profoinid impression on those who listened to them. He visited most of the Friends' meet- ings in England in the years 1783 to 1785, and ten years after made a similar tour through Ireland. Everywhere he was welcomed, and made a good impression. His death occurred Sept. 29, 1813. See Biographical Sketch- es of Friends (Phila. 1871), p. 381. (J. C. S.)
Walpurgis, or Walpurga, St., was the sister of Willibald. the first bishop of tlie diocese of Eichstiidt after it had been founded by Honiface. She was of Eng- lish birth, and went as a missionary to Germany at the solicitation of Boniface. After a period of labor in Thu- ringia, she became abbess of the convent at Heidenheim, in Eichstiidt, where Wunnebald, another brother, exer- cised supervision. Tradition states that Walpurgis ex- ercised control over monasteries also, after Wunnebald's death. She herself died in 776 or 778, and several days are still observed in her honor; e. g. Aug. 4, in memory of her departure from England ; Feb. 25, in commemo- ration of her death ; May 1, in honor of her canoniza- tion. It is customary in certain sections of Germany to adorn the doors of houses with birch twigs on the last- named of these days, as a protection against witches; and, in explanation of this custom, tradition relates that Walpurgis was in the habit of accompanying the apos- tles James and Philip in their missionary journeys, thereby incurring the suspicion of maintaining unchaste relations with them. To remove that suspicion, she planted a dry twig in the ground, which immediately produced leaves. The night of Walpurgis, ^lay 1, has long been regarded as the chosen time when witches begin their infernal practices. To banish them, it was customary to bind wisps of straw to long poles and burn them — a custom which became known under the name of Walpurgis-fire. The bones of this saint, especially of the breast, are said to exude an oil which is a specific against the diseases of domestic animals, and which is distributed in the Convent of St. Walpurgis at Eich- stadt. See Hollandus et Godefr. Henschenius, Acta SS. Februarius 25 (Antw. 1G58), iii, 511-572; Herzog, Real-Enciiklop. s. v.