Bernard, Ptolomei, St., founder of the Olivetans (q. v.), was born at Sienna 1272, died August 20, 1318. He descended from one of the first families of Sienna, and had filled the highest positions in his country. In consequence of a vow to leave the world if he should be cured from a sore eye, he sold all he had, distribu- ted the money among the poor, withdrew to a desert ten miles from Sienna, and then practiced extraordinary austerities. He was soon joined by some followers ; and when the pope counselled him to connect himself with one of the monastic orders of the Church, ho adopted the rule of St. Benedict and a white habit. The congregation established by him is known under the name of Congregation of the Virgin Mary of Mount Olivet, and was approved by several popes. —Hoefer, Biog. Generale, v, 375.
Bernard, Jacques, a Reformed minister of France, was born at Nions, in Dauphine, September 1, 1658, and died April 27, 1718. His father, who was a Reformed minister, sent him to Geneva to pursue his theological studies. On his return he was himself or- dained minister, and preached publicly, notwithstand- ing the prohibitive laws. He was soon compelled to flee, and went first to Lausanne, where he remained until the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Then he went to Holland, where he established a school of belles lettres, philosophy, and mathematics. He undertook, in 1691, to continue the publication of the Bibtioth&ue Universe lie, begun by Jean Leclerc. In 1693 he suc- ceeded Bayle as editor of the journal La Ripublique dss Lettres. He wrote, besides a number of historical works, Trait e de la Repentance tardive (Amsterdam, 1712, 12mo), and Traite de I' Excellence de la Religion (Amsterdam, 1714).— Hoefer, Biog. Generale, v, 584.
Bernard, Richard, a Puritan divine, was born 1566 or 1567, died in 1611. Among his numerous works are the following : Plain Evidence that the Church of England is Apostolical (bond. 1610); A Key for Opening the Mysteries of the Revelation of St. John (bond. 1617); The fabulous Foundation of the Popedom, showing that St. Peter was never at Rome (Oxford, 1619) ; and several other works against the Church of Rome ; The Isle of Man, or legit Proceedings in Manshire against Sin (Lond. 1627, 10th edit. 1635), supposed by some to have been the germ of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress; A Guide /" Grand Jurymen with regard, to Witches (Lond. 1627, 12mo).— Hoefer, Biog. Generale, v, 592 ; Allibone, Did. of Authors, i, 179.
Bernardin, St., of Sienna, descended from the fam- ily Albiceschi, one of the most distinguished in the re- public of Sienna, was bom in 1 380 at Massa-Carrara, and entered the Franciscan order in 1101. He became one of the boldest and most famous preachers against the prevailing corruptions of the times; was appointed in 1438 vicar general of his order, and successfully ex- erted himself for the restoration of the strict monastic
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role, lie died in 1444 at Aqnila, where his relics are still kept, and was canonized in 1450. He is com- memorated by the Roman Church on March 20. His works are mostly of a mystical character; among them is a commentary cm the Revelation. His com- plete works have been often published (Yen. 1591, 4 vols, lto ; Paris, 1636, 5 vols. fol. ; Yen. 1745, 5 vols.
fol.).
Bernardiu de Sahagun, a Spanish Franciscan, lived in the second half of the lGth century. He spent many years in the West Indies and Mexico, and composed a grammar and dictionary of the language of the latter country, and many other works for the use of the missionaries and native Christians. He wrote in Spanish a history of the religion, the govern- ment, and the customs of the natives of the West In- dies, and an essay on the conquest of New Spain or ■Mexico. — Hoefer, Biog. Generate, v, GOG.
Bernardine Monks (the same with the Cister- cians), so called after Bernard of Clairvaux, who great- ly extended the order. See Bernard and Cister-
t IA.NS.
Berne, Conference or Disputation of, a name given especially to a conference held in 1528, which led to the establishment of the Reformation in that city. The soil of Berne, not originally favorable to the reform, was suddenly prepared for it by the jug- gling doings of the Dominicans (1507-1509), and by Sampson's bold traffic in indulgences (Mosheim, Ch. Hist, iii, 13, 27). The reform movement was earnest- ly preached by Kolb, Hallcr, etc. (q. v.). The bishop of Lausanne demanded the indictment of the heretical preachers, but the council of the city refused to inter- fere. Great excitement arose (D'Aubigne, Hist, of Ref. 1 k. viii). The mandates of I "iti and Jlodesti (Jure 15, 1523) were intended to mediate between the par- tics, and the council forhade any preaching, "whether of doctrine given out by Luther or other doctors, in the way of disputation, apart or aside from proof out of the Word of God." For two years the cause of reform fluctuated between advance and retreat. In 1526 the "Baden Disputation" was held, audits issue seemed likely to be fatal to the reformers. But the decisions of Baden were, too severe and partial for the patience of the Bernese, to whom Haller and Kolb were still preaching. On November 17th, 1527, the great council decided to hold a conference at Berne to settle the disputes by appeals to the Word of God. They invited the bishops of Constance, Basle, the Yalais, and Lausanne, and the Leagues of both parties were requested to send "delegates and learned men." The bishops declined the invitation, and the emperor, Charles V, sent a dissuasive, advising trust and re- course to the anticipated general council. Neverthe- less, there was a large assembly that opened on the 6th of January, 152,':, the majority being reformers, and among them Bucer, Capito, CEcolampadius, and Zuingle. A graphic account of the discussion is given by D'A\ib\gn6(HistoTyofRef mint:, n, I k.xv). Among the results of this disputation were the abrogation of the mass, the removal of images, etc., from the church- es, and the Reformation Edict of Feb. 7th, 1528, an- nulling the authority of the bishops, settling questions of Church order, etc For Heme, and, in fact, for Switzerland, this conference was the turning-point of the Reformation. See D'Aubigne, as above-cited, and Fis< In-.-.',, tchkhd d. Disputation u. ft formation in /:> m 'Berne, 1828); Herzog, ReaUEncykbp. ii, 81 ; Ruchat, Reformation in ISw /. Hand, ch. iv.