By Pastor Dave Farmer
This flag is being restored in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. It flew at Fort McHenry and inspired the writing of our National Anthem.
On September 13, 1814, as the morning mist was burning away, by the first light of dawn, the HMS Tonnant under the command of Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane sailed his fleet into Baltimore's Harbor.
Standing just out of range of Fort McHenry's canons, the Tonnant opened fire on the Fort's batteries, hurling it's 200-pound cannon balls at the gun ports. The first shells that fell struck terror into the hearts of all save those few who had been cannonaded before. The whistles of incoming shells, the earth-shaking concussions of the exploding rounds, and the fiery fragments flying everywhere undid many. As one man stated, "There you were as if trapped in hell's pit."
Admiral Cochrane, assuming that the Tonnant's heavy guns and the rain of terror from the fleets bombardment of Fort McHenry, had destroyed the fort's batteries, moved in for the kill. He sent in the Royal Navy's new secret weapon. The British employed eight new bomb ships who lofted aerial missiles that exploded in the air with fiery shrapnel and death. Francis Scott Key would later write about "bombs bursting in air." It was calculated the British had fired between 1500 and 1800 rounds at the fort.
Later, to the Admiral's surprise, not a gun at Fort McHenry was disabled. When the American gunners found the range they sent several of the new secret weapon's to "Davy Jones' Locker."
One notable thing about Fort McHenry was its flag. It was 42 feet wide by 30 feet long. This is one big Flag. It could fill an auditorium. It could be seen for miles. If you could burn that flag, it could set the neighborhood on fire. It was the sight of this flag and the ineffectiveness of the 25-hour bombardment that convinced Admiral Cochrane that the harbor could not be breached and therefore withdrew his forces. As Key would later write, "The flag was still there. . . ".
Francis Scott Key was a Bible-believing Christian. 1 Where was he? He was not in the fort but onboard the British ship Minden where he was negotiating with Cochrane for the release of Dr. William Beanes, who had been captured in an attack on Washington. Since he had overheard the plan of attack, he was detained on the ship.
As he watched the heroic defense of the Americans throughout the night and then at dawn's early light, he could see Old Glory flapping in the wind. So he wrote the poem that would become our National Anthem.
O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Folks, that flag has always been more than a piece of colorful cloth. It represents an ideal. It represents an idea. It is a sacred emblem representing freedom and justice. Today, in this American culture nothing is sacred, not even life. Our highest court, in a case brought by the A.C.L.U., found that an individual has the right to burn the flag." I find that offensive. Our flag represents those brave men and woman who throughout our history gave their lives for our liberty.
As a Christian and a patriot, I believe it is my duty to honor the flag. I see it as my Christian responsibility. When I see the Stars and Stripes, I pause as it passes by and place my right hand over my heart, to show respect for what it represents.
Footnote
1 One of the poems in Francis Scott Key's Book of Poetry.
Before The Lord We Bow
Before the Lord we bow, the God Who reigns above,
And rules the world below, boundless in power and love.
Our thanks we bring in joy and praise, our hearts we raise
To Heaven's high King.
The nation Thou hast blest may well Thy love declare,
From foes and fears at rest, protected by Thy care.
For this fair land, for this bright day, our thanks we pay,
Gifts of Thy hand.
May every mountain height, each vale and forest green,
Shine in Thy Word's pure light, and its rich fruits be seen!
May every tongue be tuned to praise, and join to raise
A grateful song.
Earth, hear thy Maker's voice, thy great Redeemer own;
Believe, obey, rejoice, and worship Him alone.
Cast down thy pride, thy sin deplore and bow before
The Crucified.
And when in power He comes, O may our native land,
From all its rending tombs, send forth a glorious band.
A countless throng, ever to sing to Heaven's high King
Salvation's song - Francis Scott Key