The poem above is the fourth and final verse to our national anthem. It was sketched on the back of an envelope by Francis Scott Key in the summer of 1814 during the Battle of Fort McHenry outside the Baltimore Harbor. Mr. Key, who had been involved in negotiating the release of American prisoners, was being detained by the British invaders until after the attack since he had seen the strength of the English force.

For 25 anxious hours the young lawyer paced the deck of the British warship that held him and his companions, worrying and wondering whether the American fort could hold out. The thunderous bombardment against Ft. McHenry lasted a day and a night. The harbor air was streaked with rocket smoke. Over 1500 cannonballs, some weighing up to 220 pounds each, were lobbed at the Americans; the fort took many hits, and one bombshell actually fell into the fort's powder magazine and could have spelled the end - thankfully, it was a dud! By night the English rockets illumined the American defenses, and in the morning, Key found inspiration in the sight of Old Glory fluttering defiantly.

Francis Scott Key's ultimate belief, however, was not grounded in mere ideals of American freedom and bravery. His personal hope was in Jesus Christ! As a devout Christian he led his household in prayer twice each day and ensured that those under his roof were at Sunday services. A member of the Episcopal Church, he actively promoted the gospel message and methods of the evangelical "low church" wing. For a while he even considered the ministry, but he remained an attorney, using his legal skills and vast connections to serve the cause of Christ.

As district attorney in Washington, D.C., he argued several cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and he moved among the power-brokers of the nation's capital. When his political friend, John Randolph, was toying with atheism, Francis turned John's thinking through a chain of correspondence that patiently and persistently "preached" the only hope of mankind. As a Christian apologist, Key "attributed calamities to the wrath of God and believed in the unseen hand of the Lord at work to chastise the wicked and reward the worthy."

One of his other poems captures Francis Scott Key's devotion to Christ:

"Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood-sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to him and live;
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease,
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace."

Click Picture for Free Download

Deluxe Then and Now Bible Maps includes full-color Bible maps with clear plastic overlays that show modern cities and countries. Now you can see where Bible places are today. It also comes with a CD-ROM of all the maps in JPG and PDF so you can easily print them for Bible studies, teaching, reports, or personal use. The bestselling Deluxe Then and Now Bible Map Book brings new relevance to Bible events. No other Bible atlas has so many full-color maps, clear plastic overlays, and large readable type.  Tell Bible stories and lead studies while presenting today's geography. Here are some examples:

• Daniel was taken as POW to Iraq (where the ruins of Babylon are today south of Baghdad) and lived there the rest of his life
• The ruins of Nineveh are in Northern Iraq near Mosul in Kurdish areas
• The wise men were probably from Iran or Saudi Arabia
• Queen Esther's throne was just 100 northeast of Kuwait City

The CD-ROM inside the book contains all of the same maps in JPG and PDF formats so that you can use them in your own teaching material, essays, and reports. Perfect for students, Bible study leaders, pastors, professors, and others who enjoy Bible study.

This easy-to-use Bible atlas presents "Then and Now" maps for five different eras of Bible history, including:

• The Beginnings to the Exodus
• The Conquest of the Promised Land to the United Kingdom
• The Divided Kingdom to the Persian Empire
• The Life of Jesus
• The Spread of Christianity

Deluxe Then and Now Bible Maps uses larger, easier-to-read type than most Bible atlases. The book is full-color and includes the following Bible maps and clear-plastic overlays that display today's cities and countries over Bible-time maps. Pastors will want a copy of this resource for themselves and several throughout the church as a ministry resource.

 Logos Christian Bookstore - The Pledges laminated chart