Bernard, Jacques

Bernard, Jacques a Reformed minister of France, was born at Nions, in Dauphine, September I, 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 ordained minister, and preached publicly, notwithstanding 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 Bibliotheque Universelle, begun by Jean Leclerc. In 1693 he succeeded Bayle as editor of the journal La Republique dis Lettres. He wrote, besides a number of historical works, Traite de la Repentance tardive (Amsterdam, 1712, 12mo), and Traite de l'Excellence de la Religion (Amsterdam, 1714). — Hoefer, Bog. Generale, 5, 584.