BEARD, CHARLES: English Unitarian; b. at Higher Broughton, Manchester, July 27, 1827, son of John Relly Beard, also a well-known Unitarian minister and educator (b. 1800; d. 1876); d. at Liverpool Apr. 9, 1888. He studied at Manchester New College 1843-48, was graduated B.A. at London University 1847, and continued his studies at Berlin 1848-49; became assistant minister at Hyde Chapel, Gee Cross, Cheshire, 1850, minister 1854, minister at Renshaw Street Chapel, Liverpool, 1867. From 1864 to 1879 he edited The Theological Review. Besides sermons, addresses, etc., he published Port Royal, a Contribution to the History of Religion and Literature in France (2 vols., London, 1861); The Reformation in its Relation to Modern Thought (Hibbert lectures for 1883); and Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany until the Close of the Diet of Worms (ed. J. F. Smith, 1889).

BEARD, RICHARD: Cumberland Presbyterian; b. in Sumner County, Tenn., Nov. 27, 1799; d. at Lebanon, Tenn., Nov. 6, 1880. He was licensed in 1820; graduated at Cumberland College, Princeton, Ky., 1832, and was professor of Greek and Latin there 1832-38, and in Sharon College, Sharon, Miss., 1838-43; president of Cumberland College 1843-54; professor of systematic theology in Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tenn., after 1854. He published the following books. Why am I a Cumberland Presbyterian? (Nashville, 1872); Lectures on Theology (3 vols., 1873-75); Brief Biographical Sketches of Some of the Early Ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (1874).

BEARDSLEE, CLARK SMITH: Congregationalist; b. at Coventry, N. Y., Feb. 1, 1850. He was educated at Amherst College (B.A., 1876), Hartford Theological Seminary (1879), and the University of Berlin. He was instructor in Hebrew at Hartford Theological Seminary from 1878 to 1881, and then held successive pastorates at Le Mars, Ia. (1882-85), Prescott, Ariz. (1885-86), and West Springfield, Mass. (1886-88). In 1888 he was appointed associate professor of systematic theology at Hartford Theological Seminary, and four years later was made professor of Biblical dogmatics and ethics, a position which he still holds. In theology he is a Biblical Evangelical. He is the author of Christ's Estimate of Himself (Hartford, 1899); Teacher-Training with the Master Teacher (Philadelphia, 1903); and Jesus the King of Truth (Hartford, 1905).

BEATIFICATION: An intermediate stage in the process of canonization. It is in modern usage itself the result of a lengthy course of inquiry into the life of the person under consideration, and is solemnly declared in St. Peter's at Rome. By it the title of "Blessed" is attributed to the subject, and a limited and partial cultus of him permitted, as in a certain country or order. See CANONIZATION.