Learn the contributions of Francis Bellamy to American baptist history in this quick one-minute read by our co-pastor, Dr. Jim Willoughby.

Early Life

Francis Bellamy was born in Mount Morris, New York, on May 18, 1855.  His father was a Baptist preacher and moved his family to Rome, New York, to pastor the First Baptist Church when Francis was five years old.  Francis, along with the rest of his family, was very involved in the church that his father pastored.  After high school, he attended the University of Rochester, where he studied theology.  Influenced by the preaching of men such as Charles Finney, he surrendered to the ministry as a young man. 

Accomplishments

As a Baptist preacher, Bellamy traveled extensively throughout the New England states, specifically Massachusetts.  As a Baptist, he was a firm believer in the separation of church and state.  Inasmuch, he became known for his great love for America and strong patriotism. In 1891, he became involved in the Schoolhouse Flag Movement, which aimed to place an American flag above every school in the country.  Also known as a very accomplished writer, he was hired by a small publication called the Youth’s Companion, to help promote the flag cause.  In recognition of Columbus Day in 1892, Bellamy penned a pledge that he encouraged all school children throughout the United States to make.  This was the first version of the Pledge of Allegiance.  While it has since undergone several revisions, it now reads as follows:  “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Influence

Recognizing the unique greatness of our nation, Bellamy once told his wife, “Mary, if I can instill into the minds of our American youth a love for their country and the principles on which it was founded, and create in them an ambition to carry on with the ideals which the early founders wrote into The Constitution, I shall not have lived in vain.”  As we enjoy our freedoms in America, it is fitting that we recognize the contribution of this Baptist preacher and the Christian principles upon which she was founded.  May we never forget that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…”

We hope you enjoyed this piece of baptist history authored by our pastor, Dr. Jim Willoughby, Temple Baptist Church in Kokomo, IN. For more articles like this, we invite you to visit our blog. For more information about our church, visit our homepage.