Of Biblical willows by far the most interesting is the weeping willow, or Avillow of Babj'lon {S. Babylonica'). With its long lanceolate, finely serrated, and pointed leaves, with its smooth, slender, purplish, drooping branches, it has in all modem times been the symbol of sorrow. Before the Babylonian Captivity the wil- low was always associated with feelings of joyful pros- perity. " It is remarkable," as Mr. .Johns (Foi-est Trees of Britain, ii, 240) truly says, "for having been in dif-
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Brauch of the Weepiug Willow.
ferent ages emblematical of two directly opposite feel- ings— at one time being associated with the palm, at another with the cypress." After the Captivity, how- ever, this tree became the emblem of sorrow, and is fre- quently thus alluded to in the poetry of our own coun- try ; and " there can be no doubt," as Mr. Johns contin- ues, " that the dedication of the tree to sorrow is to be traced to the pathetic passage in the Psalms." " The children of Israel," says lady Callcott (^Scriptvre Her- bal, p. 533), "still present willows annually in their syn- agogues, bound up with palm and myrtle, and accom- panied with a citron."
Wills. The subject of testamentary disposition is, of course, intimately connected with that of inheritance, and little need be added here to what will be found there. See Heir. Under a system of close inherit- ance like that of the Jews, the scope for bequest in re- spect of land was limited by the right of redemption and general re-entry in the Jubilee year. See Jubilke; Vow. But the law does not forbid bequests bj' will of such limited interest in land as was consistent with those rights. The case of houses in walled towns was different, and there can be no doubt that they must, in fact, have frequently been bequeathed by will (Lev. XXV, .30). Two instances are recorded in the Old Test., under the law, of testamentary disposition — 1. Effected in the case of Ahithophel (2 Sam. xvii, 23); 2. Recom- mended in the case of Hezekiah (2 Kings xx, 1 ; Isa. xxxviii, 1); and it may be remarked in both that the word "set in order" (M^iJ; Sept. tvTtWofiai ; Vulg. dig- pono. «^XJ^ in Kabbinic is a will. See Gesen. The- saur. p. 1155), marg. "give charge concerning," agrees with the Arabic word "command," which also means " make a will" (jNIichaelis, Ldicx of Moses, art. 80). Va- rious directions concerning wills will be found in the Mishna, which imply disposition of land {Baba Bathr. viii, 6, 7). — Smith. See Tkstajient. ,
"Willson, James McLeod, D.D., an eminent Presbyterian divine, and sou of the distinguished di- vine Hev. James K. Willson, D.D., was born at the Forks of Yougb, near Eli/abeth, Allegheny Co., Pa., Nov. 17, 1809. From childhood he Avas apt in the ac-
quisition of learning, and diligent in his studies. His preparatory education was prosecuted under his father's instruction. " So thorough had been his previous train- ing, and so advanced his scholarship, that on entering college he took high rank at once in the senior class." He graduated at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., in 1829; then spent some years in teaching, first in an academy at Belair, Md., then at the village of Scho- dack, N. Y., and lastly as principal of the High-school in Troy, N. Y. ; studied theology until 1834, when he was licensed to preach by the then Southern Presbytgrj^ ; and ordained and installed pastor of a church in Phila- delphia, Pa., Nov. 27, 1834. where he labored with great success until 1862. In 1859 he was appointed by the Synod to a professorship in the Theological Seminary, Allegheny City, Pa., a position for which he was emi- nently qualified, and which he filled with great industry and zeal for three successive sessions, while still retaining his pastoral relation to his congregation. In 1862, his pastoral relation was dissolved, and he removed to Alle- gheny, where he continued to perform the duties of his professorship, imtil the day of his death, Aug. 31, 1866. Coincident with his pastoral and professional duties, he performed an amount of other work equal to the whole power of a man of ordinary gifts. For more than seven- teen years he was sole editor of the Covenanter, an abl}' conducted and eflicient monthly, and co-editor with Dr. Thomas SprouU for four years more after its union with the Refoimed Presbyterian. He was also the author of several treatises, viz., The Deacon (1840): — Bible Mag- istraoj: — Civil G oi'e7-nment. ■ — aho a little treatise on Psalmody. Dr. Willson was a diligent, kind, and faith- ful pastor; a plain, logical, and eminently instructive preacher; a successful editor and author; a distinguish- ed theological professor. His controversial powers were of a high order; his knowledge of liistorv was both ex- tensive and accurate. In the Theological Seminary he was in his element. He was an " Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile." His whole life gave evidence of this. See Wilson, Pi-esb. Hist. Almanac, 1867, p. 387. (J. L. S.)
Willson, James Renwick, D.D., one of the most learned, able, and eloquent divines of the Reform- ed Presbyterian Church in his day, was born near Pitts- burgh, Pa., April 9, 1780. He early gave indications of great mental abilify, and, when only twelve years of age, was well known as an eager student of theology. He graduated at Jefferson College, Pa., with first honors, in 1806; was licensed to preach in 1807; and was principal of Bedford, Pa., 1806-16, and of a classical school in Phila- delphia for two and a half years. His labors as a teacher were highly successful, some of the most prominent gen- tlemen of the country having been trained by him. In 1817 he became pastor of the congregations of Newburgh and Coldenham, N. Y. At that time Newburgh was noto- rious for its infidelity ; but his advent was a new sera in the village. The town collected to hear him; it was gradually reformed, and the oldest inhabitants still as- cribe very much to his sermons. In 1823 the congre- gation of Coldenham asked and received all his services until 1830, when he removed to Albany, as pastor of a church there. As early as 1820 lie began educating young men for the ministry; in 1822 he began to edit the Evangelical Witness, a monthly magazine, the first ever published by a Covenanter as a distinctive denom- inational magazine: it was discontinued in 1826. He afterwards commenced and continued for two years The Christian Statesman, a small paper, 8vo, of eight pages. In 1831, about the time when the abolition movement began, and also a movement within the liefcirmed Pres- byterian Church respecting certain national jirivileges, he took a leading part in all this conflict, and from its earlier appearance had begun the publication of The Albany Quarterly. From 1840 until 1845 he was senior professor in the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary, Al- legheny, Pa.; from 184,5, when the Seminary was re- moved to Cincinnati, 0., he was sole professor until