THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
and even with the name of Bel, so that in the comparatively modern Old Testament times "Bel" stands for " Merodach" and for him only (so in Isa. xlvi, 1; Jer. li, 44; in Jer. 1, 2 both names occur together, meaning practically " Bel-Merodach ").
The Babylonian Bel was not only adopted by the Assyrians as one of their chief gods (of course lower than Asshur), but like Ishtar (see Ashtoreth), Sin, and Nebo, he seems to have obtained worshipers in the West-land. Such, at least, is an inference which has been drawn from the proper names Bildad ("Bel loves"), Ashbel ("man of Bel "), and Balaam. Moreover, " Bel " is found as an element in several Phenician and Palmyrene names. See Babylonia, VII. J. F. McCurdy.
Bibliography : A. H. Sayce, Religion of the Ancient Babylonians, London, 18S7; idem, Religion of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia, Edinburgh, 1902; M. Jastrow, Religion of Babylonia, Boston, 1898; idem, in DB, extra vol., pp. 538-539, 545; Schrader, KAT, pp. 354-358.
BEL AND THE DRAGON. See Apocrypha, A, IV, 3.
BELGIC CONFESSION : A statement of belief written in French in 1561 by Guy de Bres (q.v.) aided by H. Saravia (professor of theology in Leyden, afterward in Cambridge, where he died 1613), H. Modetus (for some time chaplain of William of Orange), and G. Wingen. It was revised by Francis Junius of Bourges (1545-1602), a student of Calvin, pastor of a Walloon congregation at Antwerp, and afterward professor of theology at Leyden, who abridged the sixteenth article and sent a copy to Geneva and other churches for approval. It was probably printed in 1562, or at all events in 1566, and afterward translated into Dutch, German, and Latin. It was presented to Philip II in 1562, with the vain hope of securing toleration. It was formally adopted by synods at Antwerp (1566), Wesel (1568), Emden (1571), Dort (1574), Middleburg (1581), and again by the great Synod of Dort, April 29, 1619. Inasmuch as the Arminians had demanded partial changes, and the text had become corrupt, the Synod of Dort submitted the French, Latin, and Dutch texts to a careful revision. Since that time the Belgic Confession, together with the Heidelberg Catechism, has been the recognized symbol of the Reformed Churches in Holland and Belgium, and of the Reformed (Dutch) Church in America.
The Confession contains thirty-seven articles, and follows the order of the Gallican Confession, but is less polemical, full, and elaborate, especially on the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Church, and the Sacraments. It is, upon the whole, the best symbolical statement of the Calvinistic system of doctrine, with the exception of the Westminster Confession.
The French text must be considered as the original. Of the first edition of 1561 or 1562 no copies are known. The Synod of Antwerp, in September, 1580, ordered a precise parchment copy of the revised text of Junius to be made for its archives, which copy had to be signed by every
new minister. This manuscript has always been regarded in the Belgic churches as the authentic document. The first Latin translation was made from Junius's text by Beza, or under his direction, for the Harmonia Confessionum (Geneva, 1581). The same passed into the first edition of the Corpus et Syntagma Confessionum (Geneva, 1612). A second Latin translation was prepared by Festus Hommius for the Synod of Dort, 1618, revised and approved 1619; and from it was made the English translation in use in the Reformed (Dutch) Church in America. It appeared in Greek 1623, 1653, and 1660, at Utrecht.
Bibliography: An excellent description and short history is given by Schaff in Creeds, i, 502-508, with the text in iii, 383—436, where the literature is given.
BELGIUM: A kingdom of northwestern Europe; area, 11,373 square miles; population, 6,800,000. After a revolt from Holland in 1830, Belgium was recognized with its present boundaries by the Powers in 1839, when it was declared to be neutral territory. The population belongs to two nationalities, the northern portion, which is the larger, being Flemish (Low German), and the southern Walloon (French); the vernacular of forty-one per cent, is French. The boundary between these two components may be defined as running from Maestricht west to the French department Nord.
The prevailing religion is Roman Catholic, since the Dutch Protestants, who were numerous from 1815 to 1830 have, for the most part, emigrated. [The Protestants constitute less than one-half of one per cent, of the entire population.] The Evangelical confessions are represented in many cities, however, by immigrants from Germany in recent decades, as well as by Anglicans and Methodists and converts to Protestantism. The most numerous of these Protestant communions is the Union des Eglises Evangeliques Protestantes de la Belgique, which was founded in 1839 and consists of French, Dutch, and German congregations, being represented in Liege, Verviers, Seraing, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, La Bouverie, Dour,
Paturages, Jolimont, and Tournai. Protestants. The permanent bond of the Union
is a board of directors, chosen at the annual synod of the congregations interested. Recognition by the State as a legal ecclesiastical body assures state aid to its clergy, the usual salarybeing 2,220 francs, although it occasionally runs as high as 4,000 and 6,000. An " evangelization committee " of the Union cares for scattered members, and especially for the religious education of children by " evangelists " where Protestant schools do not exist. The Union has between 16,000 and 18,000 members. The Societe Erangdique or Eglise Chritienne Missionnaire Bclgc is a free church consisting of converts from Roman Catholicism or their children. It is strongest in the Walloon districts and has numerous places of worship, united into three districts, whose representatives (Conseih Sectionnaires) meet four times annually. Over these three councils, to which each congregation sends a pastor and a layman,