A Response from Mark Allison to an article by Jeff Spencer and Steve Bright

Note: This article has been prominently featured on several websites. "Dake's Dangerous Doctrines" is filled with inaccuracies, quotes taken out of context and misinformation. To set the record straight, I've added my response (in red) below:

DAKE'S DANGEROUS DOCTRINES

by Jeff Spencer and Steve Bright

This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 27, number 5 (2004). For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org

SYNOPSIS

The teachings of Finis Jennings Dake, author of The Dake Annotated Reference Bible, have had a profound impact on conservative Pentecostalism and have been embraced by charismatic Word-Faith preachers such as Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Dake's views range from orthodox to outlandish, to decidedly unorthodox. He rejected the theology of “denominationalism” and instead adopted a hyperliteral (already the author is using a pejorative description to characterize Dake's method of Biblical interpretation) interpretation of Scripture that resulted in erroneous doctrines, such as the view that each person in the Trinity has a body, soul, and spirit (Dake's definition of the Trinity can be found in his book God's Plan for Man on page 51. "TRINITY. This means the union of three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in one (unified) Godhead or divinity-so that all three persons are one in unity and eternal substance, but three separate and distinct persons as to individuality), and that Jesus' resurrected body was not physical. (Quote from the note titled "What a Christian Must Believe" in the Dake Annotated Reference Bible: 10. That Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead, not spiritually. He is alive forevermore in His earthly, resurrected flesh-and-bone body and represents people before God as their High Priest and Savior (Lk. 24:39; Jn. 10:17-18; Acts 1:3, 11; 2:22-34; 4:10-12; Rom. 1:4; 8:11; 1 Cor. 15; 1 Th. 4:13-16; Phil. 3:20-21; Rev. 1:18; Zech. 13:6). His aberrant teachings also include a salvation by grace plus works (Nowhere in Dake's writings will you find any indication that Dake believed we are saved by works. Dake's note in Acts 15:11 bears this out: {a} grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved This is why salvation cannot be of works (Rom. 3:23-31; 4:2, 6; 9:11; 11:6; Gal. 2:16; 3:2-14; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5). This does not, however, mean that grace will remit sins without repentance and faith (Lk. 13:1-5; Eph. 2:8-9), or keep one automatically justified without walking and living in the Spirit (Rom. 6:14-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:16-26; Col. 1:6-7; 3:5-10; 1 Jn. 1:7). Neither does this mean that Jews are saved by the law and Gentiles by grace (Acts 15:11; Rom. 10:9-17; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). and a gospel of health and prosperity (For Dake, if the Scriptures clearly stated a promise of God, then that was good enough for him: "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Ex. 15:26). Dake's study materials emphasize the authority of the Bible (at least the authors admit this fact), but they contain many unbiblical and dangerous doctrines that sometimes have as much in common with the cults as with historic Christian theology. (This statement is absolutely false, and is never supported by the authors).

Each Christian denomination can point to certain preachers and teachers who have helped shape and propagate its theology and practice. One such prominent figure in Pentecostal and charismatic circles is Finis Jennings Dake (1902–87), author of The Dake Annotated Reference Bible. The Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements states, Dake's “impact on conservative Pentecostalism cannot be overstated.”¹

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Following his conversion to Christianity at the age of 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dake allegedly received a “special anointing” that enabled him to quote hundreds of Scripture verses without having previously memorized them, earning him the nickname “the Walking Bible.” He studied the Bible diligently and claimed to have spent nearly 100,000 hours over the course of his ministry digging into its teachings.²

Dake first preached in 1925 and was ordained by the Assemblies of God denomination two years later at the age of 24.³ After working as a pastor and evangelist in Texas and Oklahoma, he moved to Zion, Illinois, in order to become the pastor of the Christian Assembly Church, a union that lasted until 1937.⁴ In Zion, he also founded Shiloh Bible Institute, which ultimately merged with Central Bible Institute and which was located in the home formerly owned by controversial faith healer John Alexander Dowie.⁵

During Dake's ministry in Zion, he was the center of a raging controversy. In 1937, he was convicted of violating the Mann Act by willfully transporting 16-year-old hitchhiker Emma Barelli across the Wisconsin state line “for the purpose of debauchery and other immoral practices.”⁶ Dake pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in a Milwaukee jail,⁷ where he “intended to pass most of his time…writing a book — a commentary on the Bible.”⁸

^{(The following is material taken from Dake's Biography)}

On February 9, 1937, Finis Jennings Dake was sentenced to six months in jail, after reluctantly pleading guilty to violation of the Mann Act.

It seems that Dake had transported a sixteen year–old girl across state lines. Dake swore that nothing wrong had occurred, and his lawyer called the incident “an unfortunate mistake.”

Years later, he told Lester Sumrall that he had passed this girl hitchhiking along the side of the road in winter time. He gave her a ride and talked to her about Shiloh Bible Institute. He said she was a runaway, belligerent toward her parents and toward school. He said:

Now, I knew better than to pick up a girl hitchhiker, although I was twice her age. But I didn't act on my better judgment. I took her with me, feeling sorry for her, and thinking I could turn her life around. As soon as I let her out of my car, however, she called her parents in Illinois and laughed in their faces. She told them a real handsome man with a beautiful face gave her free transportation all the way to St. Louis. When they got my name, they immediately took out a warrant.

Everyone Stood By Dake

While many years have passed and little is known about the specific events of this tragic situation, there are a number of observations that can be made.

Zion, Illinois, was more or less a border town, situated only about three and a half miles from the Wisconsin state line. In the course of everyday life, many residents of Zion crossed the border every day. And, in fact, Dake was assisting a pioneer church there getting its roots. Earl Hoyt remembers:

I went with him a number of times to a large room above a tavern in uptown Kenosha, where we sang and I played my sax and Brother Dake would speak to those who came out.

Under the pastorate of James Davidson, the Kenosha Assembly of God moved into its new location on Roosevelt Road in 1935. So Dake was travelling back and forth from Zion to Kenosha on a regular basis in his assistance to this church. While we in no way lessen the seriousness of the Mann Act, which involved transportation of minors across state lines, for those living in and around this area, crossing the state line was a common everyday occurrence.

Dorothy stood by Dake. She believed his account that nothing had happened. She was steadfast in her defense of her husband. She stated that the girl in question was in fact a hitchhiker and that she herself had met the girl. She said that Dake was taking her to East St. Louis in order that the girl would have a home and where Dake's sister, Mrs. Daisy Smith, found work for her as a domestic. Dorothy said that those opposed to Dake and his teachings had learned of this incident and had pressed the charges. It is also worth noting that Dake and Dorothy were married for sixty–two years prior to their homegoing in 1987. Indeed, Dorothy stood by her man.

The staff and students of Shiloh Bible Institute also stood by Dake during this incident. In fact, during Dake's absence from the church while serving time, Rev. Theodore Kessel—an instructor at Shiloh—assisted Dorothy in the day–to–day activities of the pastoral work at Christian Assembly. Rev. Kessel later went on to be Secretary of the Illinois District from 1942–1948.

The members of Christian Assembly supported Dake. In one church service over 300 members rose in support of their pastor. In fact, the day of his trial the courtroom was crowded with more than 100 of the members from Christian Assembly who were there to lift up and encourage him. One of the members of Christian Assembly said:

The church people really prayed for and stuck by the Dakes and dearly loved them through it all.

To this day Christian Assembly still has kind words to say about Dake. For their church history states Dake:

. . . left behind a great legacy in the form of his Annotated Reference Bible and the Great Lakes Bible Institute.

Government prosecutors themselves admitted that their investigations of the girl showed no evidence that she was, in their modest terms of the day, “ruined.” According to records of the event, this gave some substance to Dake's story.

Dake's attorney, Eugene Sullivan, told the court that Dake had made an unfortunate mistake, but added that no improper relations took place during the trip. He added that “there is no actual moral offense committed here.”

As for the girl, she herself said that nothing happened. She even wrote her father when she arrived in East St. Louis, telling him not to worry about her “because I have got religion.” Government agents had said the girl was under the spell of the minister and believed he would bring her into the church, but she said that she accompanied him voluntarily, that he never forced her to do anything and that nothing happened. It is also worth noting that till her dying day she never changed her story. She insisted nothing happened.

What About Dake?

Dake denied the charges, saying he didn't transport the girl for immoral purposes. He just wanted to help her find work.

He maintained that nothing happened. However, to get this thing behind him and to spare his family and the ministry the shame of an embarrassing trial, he pleaded guilty and threw himself on the mercy of the court.

In a farewell sermon to Christian Assembly, where the building was packed to capacity and with people standing in the aisles, Dake talked about this whole ordeal:

I have learned a lesson, I have had a little sense knocked into my head. I am disgusted with the devil. If the devil had a tail and I could get hold of it . . . I'd grab it and wrap it around a tree.

But Dake said that in spite of it all, “I am the happiest man this side of Heaven.” In the farewell service Dake played his slide trombone and then his beloved Dorothy addressed the congregation and promised to carry on in her husband's absence. Dorothy closed the service with the singing of the hymn, Thy will Be Done.

The Spirit of God was mightily upon this service and at the close of the meeting the Dake's had an altar call and twenty people came forward and accepted Christ!

Milwaukee House of Corrections

Dake entered the Milwaukee House of Corrections on Monday, February 15, 1937. He was to serve six months. Because of his good behavior he only served five months and was released on Friday, July 16, 1937.

When he left the institution he said he left without bitterness. He said that confinement “galled” him, but he could not be bitter and still be a Christian. He had used the time to write and study the Bible. He said he was going home and wanted no reception and no fanfare.

His First Sunday Back

On his first Sunday back to Christian Assembly, on July 18, when he arrived in the building, the people enthusiastically welcomed him with open arms. They all began to sing a hymn and at this point, Dake threw up his arms and said, “Now friends, let's just forget our sorrows and the past, I feel God and I know that He's here.”

Amid a chorus of “halleluiahs,” he declared “I'm not going to preach a sermon, I am just going to make a few remarks.” He then talked and warned the people against human weakness and urged them to forget the past. The church was full and at the conclusion of the meeting many of those came forward to hug and shake the hand of their pastor.

His Smile Returns

As Dake would soon end his stay in Zion he ended it on a very high note. Finette who was now almost 11 years old had brought much joy to the Dake family, but now a new arrival would come. On Wednesday, June 15, 1938, Dorothy and Dake welcomed into the world their second child—Rhoda Annabeth Dake. Annabeth was born in Shiloh House and would bring a smile back into the heart of the Dake family. Changes were taking place and Dake was moving with the change.

Even though Dake had much support in Zion, he felt as though it was best for him to now leave. It was a very difficult decision but God's church and the school must come first. Because of what had happened he and his family needed a new start in some other place, and the school and church needed new leadership.

Christian Assembly would continue to reach out in its ministry to Zion for many years to come. Shiloh Bible Institute would continue, but it too would face changes. The school later became know as the “Great Lakes Bible Institute.” It was placed under the control of the Illinois District of the Assemblies of God. The Great Lakes Bible Institute eventually combined with Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri.

Summing It Up

Lester Sumrall makes an important observation: “God brought good out of what the devil meant for evil.”

In jail, Dake had time to work on his writing and his Bible annotations. And just as Howard Carter had received the basic revelation and outline on the gifts of the Holy Spirit in jail, and as the classic Christian book, Pilgrim's Progress, came out of John Bunyon's time spent in prison, so too Dake would redeem the time.

Most of us want blessing without suffering, but if there had not been a cross, there would have been no resurrection.

It is interesting to note that no matter how people judge these events in Zion, Dake himself never let it hamper his ministry. For as we shall see, he and Dorothy went on to even greater ministry. They continued to write and publish books culminating in the Dake Annotated Reference Bible. Daily, for the rest of their lives, they would spend themselves for the cause of Christ. As we look at the remainder of Dake's ministry, it becomes increasingly evident that he lived a life of faithfulness and devotion to God and his kingdom.