Francis Julius Bellamy (May 18, 1855 – August 28, 1931) was a second-generation Baptist pastor. He was a promoter of the Christian Socialist Movement, believing that capitalism served only to promote greed and idolatry. His beliefs are a bit confusing, though. After serving as a Baptist pastor, he left the ministry and went into advertising where he lost a substantial job with the Tampa Electric Company due to his high-pressure advertising techniques and his pushiness to promote himself as the one who could develop a systematic advertising/publicity campaign.
Bellamy is also the man who gave us these words: I pledge Allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. This was followed with the Bellamy Salute, replaced during WWII because it was the same salute that Hitler and the Nazi regime used.
Over the years, the pledge has changed.
1892 version: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
1892-1923 revision by Bellamy: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
1923-1924: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
1924-1954: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
1954 (current version, per 4 U.S.C. §4: “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.”1
Today is National Pledge of Allegiance Day. On this day in 1945, Congress gave formal recognition of the pledge and nine years later, it would be codified into law.
Have you ever thought about a Biblical pledge of allegiance to God? This Day Calendar observance got me thinking about this. Three passages stood out as possible declarations.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (26) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: (27) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (18) Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (19) The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
With disgust, we watch Hollywood stars defect to other countries because they don’t like the president. Their loyalties to America are fair weather at best. The same, though, is true within Christianity. People get bent out of shape over something and they defect to 
another church or other Sunday activities.
May we be able to emphatically state today that our loyalties belong to the Lord. John 6:66-68 says, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
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