Chapter 20: Appendix A: Finis Dake’s Unrepentance over Sex with an Underage Girl

In the spring of 1936, the religious community of Zion, Illinois, was about to be embroiled in one of the most shocking scandals in its history. What began as the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl from Kenosha, Wisconsin, would ultimately expose a pattern of predatory behavior by one of Zion’s most prominent religious leaders, reveal the dangerous cult-like devotion of his followers, and demonstrate a complete failure of biblical accountability within a Christian community. This is the comprehensive account of how Finis Jennings Dake, the 33-year-old pastor of the Christian Assembly Church and founder of the Shiloh Bible Institute, violated federal law, betrayed pastoral trust, and yet maintained his ministry despite criminal conviction—a sobering testament to the church’s failure to uphold biblical standards for spiritual leadership.

The Initial Disappearance

In April 1935, a 16-year-old girl from Kenosha, Wisconsin, vanished from her home. Her name was Emma Barelli (sometimes spelled Baralli in court documents), a student at McKinley Junior High School with no prior police record. Her worried family’s initial search proved fruitless, leaving them in agonizing uncertainty about their daughter’s fate. A month after her disappearance, in May 1935, the family received a letter postmarked from St. Louis, Missouri. The letter’s contents were both reassuring and troubling. The young girl wrote to her father: “Don’t worry, because I have got religion.” She described attending evangelistic meetings in a tent, painting a picture of religious devotion that would later prove to be a carefully constructed deception masking a far more sinister reality.

Kenosha News (Kenosha, Wisconsin), May 27, 1936, Page 1

The investigation into Emma Barelli’s disappearance was led by Policewoman Beulah McNell of the Kenosha Police Department, who worked tirelessly on the case for several weeks. The letters from the girl, particularly her mention that the man she was with was “holding outdoor revival meetings,” eventually provided the crucial lead that would expose the truth. McNell’s persistence in following these slim clues demonstrated the dedication of law enforcement to protecting vulnerable youth, even when the trail seemed cold.

The Discovery in St. Louis

Acting on the information from Emma’s letters, Kenosha police contacted their counterparts in St. Louis. The search for religious revival meetings led investigators to a shocking discovery: Emma Barelli was found living with Mrs. Daisy Smith at 4418 Swan Avenue in St. Louis—Mrs. Smith was none other than Finis Dake’s sister. The girl was working as a domestic servant, far from the spiritual awakening her letters had suggested. This arrangement raised immediate questions about the true nature of her relationship with the minister and the circumstances that led her from Wisconsin to Missouri.

Belleville Daily Advocate (Belleville, Illinois), May 27, 1936, Page 3

The Federal Investigation Intensifies

When Emma Barelli was returned to Kenosha and questioned by Lieutenant Frank Schneeberger, chief of detectives, the full scope of the situation began to emerge. She admitted that she had gone voluntarily with the clergyman but denied that he had harmed her. However, federal agents noted a crucial detail that would become central to understanding the case: the girl “was under the spell of the minister” and believed he would bring her into the church. This observation revealed the psychological manipulation at play—a vulnerable teenager had been convinced that her relationship with a married minister twice her age was somehow part of a spiritual journey.

The South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Indiana), May 28, 1936, Page 5

The federal investigation uncovered even more damning evidence. According to Assistant United States District Attorney Raymond Drymalski, Dake had “willfully and feloniously did transport and cause to be transported in interstate commerce from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Illinois” the teenage girl “for the purpose of debauchery and other immoral practices.” The evidence showed a calculated pattern of deception: between April 1935 and his arrest in May 1936, Dake had registered at hotels in Waukegan, Bloomington, and East St. Louis with the girl under the false name of “Christian Anderson and wife.”

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), May 28, 1936, Page 17

The Most Disturbing Revelations

As the investigation progressed, Assistant U.S. Attorney E. J. Koelzer revealed details that transformed this case from a single incident into evidence of systematic predatory behavior. In court, Koelzer stated that “Dake became acquainted with a group of Kenosha high school girls and that he frequently left his church parish to go on ‘petting’ parties with his young friends.” This revelation was devastating—it showed that Emma Barelli was not an isolated victim but potentially one of several teenage girls targeted by the minister.

Kenosha News (Kenosha, Wisconsin), February 9, 1937, Page 1

The terminology used by prosecutors—”petting parties”—was the contemporary language for what we would today recognize as sexual misconduct with minors. These weren’t the actions of a spiritual mentor trying to help troubled youth; they were the calculated behaviors of a predator using his position of religious authority to gain access to vulnerable teenagers. The fact that Dake “frequently” left his church duties for these encounters suggests a pattern of behavior that had likely been ongoing for some time before Emma Barelli’s case brought it to light.

The Night of May 26, 1936

On Tuesday evening, May 26, 1936, federal agents arrived at Dake’s home at 620 Shiloh Boulevard in Zion, Illinois, to execute an arrest warrant. The timing was particularly dramatic—Dake was just preparing to leave with his wife Dorothy and their 8-year-old daughter Finette to conduct services at his Christian Assembly Church. The arrest came as a shock to the Zion community, though it had been months in the making as federal prosecutors built their case following Emma Barelli’s return to Kenosha.

The scene at the Dake household that evening was one of barely controlled chaos. The minister, described in newspaper accounts as a “husky 33-year-old clergyman” with a “heavy shock of blonde hair,” was visibly shaken by his arrest. Reporters noted that he appeared “red-eyed from weeping” and “confused” as he was taken into custody. The image of this tall, handsome pastor being led away by federal agents would become seared into the memory of the Zion community.

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), May 27, 1936, Page 1

A Night in County Jail

Dake spent the night of May 26 in the Cook County Jail, a harsh introduction to the consequences of his actions. During his initial appearance before the authorities, he made a request that revealed his primary concern was not repentance but reputation: “I am holding services at my church tonight and I would like to be there so my parishioners won’t know about this affair,” Dake pleaded. When told he could not be released on his own recognizance, United States Commissioner Edwin K. Walker responded simply, “This is too bad, but it can’t be done.”

The Arraignment

On May 27, 1936, Dake was arraigned before Commissioner Walker. The federal indictment was read, detailing the charges that he had violated the Mann Act by transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes. The Mann Act, formally known as the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910, was federal legislation designed to combat human trafficking and the interstate transport of women and girls for “immoral purposes.” While the law had sometimes been controversially applied, in Dake’s case, the evidence of hotel registrations under false names and the age of his victim made the charges particularly serious.

During the arraignment, Dake waived examination and his attorneys indicated he would agree to be taken to Milwaukee for trial, as the indictment had been returned there in February 1936. He was ordered held on $2,000 bond—a substantial sum in 1936 that underscored the seriousness of the charges.

The Oshkosh Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin), May 27, 1936, Page 5

Initial Denials and Contradictions

Even as the evidence mounted against him, Dake maintained a stance of denial that would characterize his response throughout the ordeal. After the hearing, he told interviewers: “I did take her there, but there was no immorality involved. I wanted to get her a job.” This admission that he had indeed taken the girl across state lines contradicted his earlier complete denials and began to reveal the pattern of deception that would continue throughout the case.

Dake’s explanation for his actions strained credibility from the start. He claimed that his interest in the Kenosha girl was “purely platonic” and that he took her to East St. Louis “only at her request and in an effort to help her find work.” He stated that in East St. Louis, they stayed at the home of his sister. However, this explanation failed to account for several crucial facts: the hotel registrations under false names in multiple cities, the “petting parties” described by prosecutors, and the secretive nature of the entire arrangement.

Dorothy Dake’s Unwavering Support

Throughout the scandal, Dake’s wife Dorothy presented a troubling picture of either willful blindness or complete denial. Dorothy Dake was not merely a pastor’s wife but an ordained minister in her own right who conducted services at the Christian Assembly Church. On the night of her husband’s arrest, she took over the church service, maintaining a facade of normalcy despite the shocking circumstances.

Her public statements defending her husband revealed either remarkable loyalty or disturbing complicity: “There is no truth to this charge about my husband,” Mrs. Dake declared. “The girl was leaving home as a hitch-hiker and hailed a ride from my husband. His enemies learned of this and pressed the charges.” She further claimed that she had met the girl, attempting to normalize what was clearly an inappropriate relationship.

The Owensboro Messenger (Owensboro, Kentucky), May 28, 1936, Page 4

The Congregation’s Cult-Like Devotion

The response of Dake’s congregation to his arrest was perhaps even more troubling than the crime itself. On the evening of May 27, 1936, while their pastor sat in jail, more than 100 parishioners gathered in the Christian Assembly Church for what can only be described as a disturbing display of blind loyalty. The scene that unfolded that night would become a case study in how religious communities can enable predatory behavior through misguided devotion.

John Erickson, a director in the church and bible school, immediately declared the charges “a frameup,” stating: “Mr. Dake is a fine man and we are all going to stand behind him.” This immediate dismissal of serious federal charges, without any consideration of the evidence or concern for the victim, set the tone for the congregation’s response throughout the ordeal.

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), May 29, 1936, Page 1

The church’s board of deacons passed a resolution declaring their belief in Dake’s innocence, which was adopted with a chorus of “hallelujahs” and “amens.” One deacon, Archibald Swartzentrauber, made a particularly remarkable statement: “Brother Dake is the same old Brother Dake. All classes of people say this charge against him is a lie. The saints say it. The denominations say it. The people who don’t go to church say it, and even the ungodly, the people who cuss and swear—they say it’s a lie too.”

This statement reveals a dangerous pattern of thinking that prioritizes institutional loyalty over truth and justice. The claim that “all classes of people” believed in Dake’s innocence was demonstrably false—federal prosecutors, law enforcement, and the victim herself had provided evidence of his guilt. Yet the congregation chose to create an alternate reality where their pastor was a victim rather than a perpetrator.

Some congregation members went even further in their displays of devotion. During the service, some knelt to pray for Dake, while others, described as “more hysterical,” lay on the floor and shouted “God save Brother Dake” and “the Lord is with him.” This extreme emotional response resembles more a personality cult than a Christian congregation concerned with truth and righteousness.

The “Vindication Service”: A Masterclass in Manipulation

After posting bail on May 28, 1936, Dake conducted what he called a “vindication service” that revealed the depth of his manipulation and the congregation’s enabling behavior. From his seclusion in Shiloh house before the trial, he sent a message to his church asserting: “There is not a thing in that indictment against me that is true.” This blanket denial, despite his own admission to taking the girl across state lines and the evidence of hotel registrations, showed a brazen disregard for truth.

February 9, 1937: The Day of Reckoning

After months of legal maneuvering and delays, Finis Dake finally stood before Federal Judge F. A. Geiger in Milwaukee on February 9, 1937. The courtroom was packed with more than 100 of his parishioners who had traveled from Zion to support their pastor. The scene was set for what would become one of the most revealing moments in the entire saga—the moment when Dake would finally be forced to confront the reality of his actions.

Through his counsel, Dake pleaded guilty to the Mann Act charges. This guilty plea was a crucial admission—despite all his previous denials and claims of innocence, when faced with the prospect of a trial and the overwhelming evidence against him, Dake admitted his guilt. However, even in this moment of legal confession, he continued to minimize his actions. While admitting that he had taken the girl from Wisconsin to Illinois, he denied having “intimate relations” with her.

Kenosha News (Kenosha, Wisconsin), February 9, 1937, Page 1

The Prosecution’s Case

Assistant U.S. Attorney E. J. Koelzer presented the government’s case with devastating clarity. He told the court that Dake had become acquainted with a group of Kenosha high school girls and that he frequently left his church parish to go on “petting parties” with his young friends. This testimony painted a picture not of a single lapse in judgment but of a pattern of predatory behavior targeting multiple teenage girls.

The prosecution presented evidence that Dake had registered at hotels in Waukegan, Bloomington, and East St. Louis with Emma Barelli under the false name of “Christian Anderson and wife.” These multiple hotel registrations across different cities demonstrated planning and intent, not the spontaneous attempt to help a troubled youth that Dake claimed.

Dake’s Pathetic Defense

When given the opportunity to explain his actions, Dake’s defense was breathtakingly inadequate. He claimed that his interest in the Kenosha girl was “purely platonic” and that he took her to East St. Louis “only at her request and in an effort to help her find work.” He insisted that in East St. Louis, they stayed at the home of his sister, conveniently ignoring the evidence of multiple hotel stays.

His attorney characterized the entire affair as “an unfortunate mistake” and declared, “there is no actual moral offense involved. The girl is unharmed.” This minimization of the crime—treating the violation of federal law and the exploitation of a minor as merely a “mistake”—would become a pattern in Dake’s response to his conviction. The claim that “no actual moral offense” was involved was particularly galling, given that Dake was a minister who should have been held to the highest moral standards.

The Sentence

Judge Geiger sentenced Dake to six months in the Milwaukee House of Correction. While this might seem lenient by today’s standards, it was a significant sentence for a Mann Act violation in 1937, particularly for a first-time offender with prominent standing in his community. The sentence reflected the seriousness with which the court viewed Dake’s abuse of his position of trust and authority.

The News-Review (Roseburg, Oregon), February 18, 1937, Page 8

February 10, 1937: The “Vindication Service”

What happened in the days following Dake’s guilty plea and sentencing revealed the true depth of his refusal to accept responsibility for his actions. On February 10, 1937, just one day after pleading guilty in federal court and just days before beginning his jail sentence, Dake stood before his congregation and delivered what can only be described as a masterpiece of deflection and manipulation.

At this so-called “vindication service,” Dake made a series of remarkable statements that showed no genuine repentance or accountability. Instead of accepting personal responsibility for his criminal behavior, he externalized the blame in the most dramatic fashion possible:

“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.”

The Times (Hammond, Indiana), February 11, 1937, Page 22

This statement is remarkable for several reasons. First, it completely removes personal agency from Dake’s actions. By blaming Satan for his “one mistake,” Dake was essentially claiming that he was not responsible for his calculated pattern of predatory behavior. This externalization of blame—attributing his crimes to demonic influence rather than his own moral failures—represents a stunning abdication of personal accountability.

Second, the theatrical nature of his statement about wrapping the devil’s tail around a tree seems calculated to distract from the seriousness of his crimes. It’s the kind of colorful, memorable image that would stick in people’s minds, potentially overshadowing the actual facts of his conviction.

Emotional Manipulation

The service continued with Dake engaging in what can only be described as emotional manipulation of his congregation. The handsome pastor bowed his blond head and shed tears as he asked his congregation: “Do you still love me?” When they responded with “Everybody loves you,” followed by “amens” and “hallelujahs,” Dake pivoted to more practical matters.

With stunning audacity, he declared: “I am now a better man, better morally and better spiritually—better in every way except financially.” This statement, made just one day after pleading guilty to federal charges involving a minor, shows a breathtaking lack of self-awareness or genuine repentance. The addition of the financial complaint adds an almost comedic note to what should have been a moment of deep contrition.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida), February 10, 1937, Page 10

The Congregation’s Continued Enabling

The congregation’s response to Dake’s performance was equally troubling. Dorothy Dake, who would take over the church during her husband’s incarceration, stood by him throughout. At one service, she proclaimed: “I am gladder tonight than I ever have been. It is marvelous what the Lord can do for you.” An elderly member of the congregation responded: “Sister Dake, the Lord has made you look 10 years younger tonight.”

This bizarre exchange, focusing on Dorothy Dake’s appearance rather than the serious criminal conviction of her husband, reveals how completely the congregation had divorced itself from reality. They were more interested in maintaining their comfortable delusion than confronting the ugly truth about their leader.

The “Happiest Man This Side of Heaven”

In perhaps the most bizarre twist in this sordid tale, on February 15, 1937, the night before beginning his jail sentence, Dake declared himself “the happiest man this side of heaven.” Taking advantage of his last hours of freedom, he preached what was described as a stirring sermon that so moved his audience that at its end, 20 men and women rose and announced they had been converted.

Throwing his arm around his wife’s shoulders, Dake declared: “God bless this little woman. She has set an example for all to follow.” He then claimed that since his trouble, he had “renewed communication with Divine Authority” and as a result, was now “the happiest man this side of heaven.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), February 16, 1937, Page 1

This performance—for that’s what it was—represents a textbook example of religious manipulation. By claiming special communication with God and presenting himself as spiritually elevated by his experiences, Dake was attempting to reframe his criminal conviction as a spiritual trial that had actually improved him. The fact that 20 people claimed conversion at this service shows how effective this manipulation could be with a receptive audience.

The Devil Made Me Do It

Henry Stevenson, a former Waukegan businessman and ardent follower of Dake, crystallized the congregation’s narrative when he declared the whole thing was “a plot of the devil to ruin Rev. Mr. Dake and wreck his work.” This narrative—that Dake was not a perpetrator but a victim of satanic persecution—became the dominant story within his congregation.

This is a dangerous theology that removes human responsibility for sin and crime. If the devil can be blamed for a minister’s calculated pattern of predatory behavior toward teenage girls, then any sin can be excused as demonic influence. This theology provides a convenient escape hatch for those who wish to avoid accountability for their actions.

A Rival’s Perspective

Not everyone in Zion was fooled by Dake’s performance. Wilbur Glenn Voliva, overseer of the Christian Catholic Apostolic Church and Dake’s chief rival in Zion, saw through the charade with remarkable clarity. Voliva, who was known for his controversial views (including his famous insistence that the earth was flat), nonetheless showed more moral clarity on this issue than Dake’s own congregation.

Voliva, who referred to Dake’s church as the “monkey house” and his congregation as “nitwits,” was particularly amused by Dake’s claim about wanting to wrap the devil’s tail around a tree. “It would be more fitting,” Voliva told an interviewer, “if the devil would wrap Dake around a tree.”

The Times (Hammond, Indiana), February 11, 1937, Page 24

Calling Out the Absurdity

Voliva pointed out the absurdity of Dake’s claim that he had taken the 16-year-old girl to three hotels and to East St. Louis “merely to pray for her.” This sarcastic observation cut through the fog of religious language to the heart of the matter: Dake’s explanations were patently ridiculous, and anyone with common sense could see through them.

In his regular Sunday broadcast, while Dake was preparing for prison, Voliva declared: “There are some people in the House of Correction that ought to be in the federal penitentiary.” This statement reflected a widespread feeling that Dake’s six-month sentence was too lenient given the nature of his crimes.

The Value of Outside Perspective

Voliva’s criticism, while perhaps motivated partly by religious rivalry, serves an important function in this narrative. It shows that not everyone in the religious community was taken in by Dake’s manipulation. There were voices of sanity and moral clarity, even if they came from unexpected sources. The fact that Voliva—a man with his own controversial views—could see through Dake’s deceptions while Dake’s own congregation could not, speaks volumes about the power of group psychology and religious manipulation.

Life in the Milwaukee House of Correction

Dake began serving his sentence at the Milwaukee House of Correction on February 16, 1937. According to reports from March 1937, he had been put to work as a shipping clerk, wrapping parcels for seven hours daily. Prison officials described him as a “good workman” who devoted most of his spare time to theological studies, declining to mingle with the other prisoners.

Deputy Inspector John Drewniak reported: “He is subjected to the same discipline and the same treatment as the rest of the inmates, and he is adjusting himself to the rules and behaving himself very well.” When asked about his situation, Dake reportedly said: “I am perfectly content here.”

Belleville Daily Advocate (Belleville, Illinois), March 24, 1937, Page 5

This report of Dake being a model prisoner is not surprising. Many manipulative individuals are able to present different faces in different contexts. In prison, where he had no congregation to manipulate and where the power dynamics were clearly against him, Dake apparently chose to keep a low profile and serve his time quietly.

Writing Behind Bars

During his incarceration, Dake claimed to be writing two books: a commentary on the Bible and a planned book about his jail experiences. This continued focus on religious writing, even while serving time for crimes that should have disqualified him from ministry, shows a remarkable lack of self-awareness. Rather than using his time in prison for genuine reflection and repentance, Dake was already planning his comeback as a religious teacher.

Early Release

Dake served only five months of his six-month sentence, receiving one month off for good behavior. This early release was standard practice, but it meant that his already lenient sentence was further reduced. On July 16, 1937, he walked out of the Milwaukee House of Correction and prepared to return to his pulpit in Zion.

July 19, 1937: The Homecoming

Dake’s return to Zion on July 19, 1937, was nothing short of triumphant. The Daily Review reported: “Rev. Finis J. Dake, amid a chorus of hallelujahs, returned to his flock Monday from a five-month sojourn in the Milwaukee, Wis., House of Correction.” The use of the word “sojourn”—typically used for a temporary stay or visit—rather than “incarceration” or “imprisonment” shows how the narrative was being softened even in media reports.

The saxophone trio of his Christian Assembly Church played “His Grace is Greater Than Our Sins,” a song choice that was certainly intentional. While theologically true that God’s grace is greater than our sins, the use of this song in this context seemed to suggest that Dake’s crimes should simply be forgotten under the blanket of divine forgiveness, without any acknowledgment of the need for genuine repentance, restitution, or disqualification from ministry.

The Daily Review (Clifton Forge, Virginia), July 19, 1937, Page 1

A Sermon Without Repentance

When Dake took the pulpit for his first service back, he chose to make no direct reference to his imprisonment. Instead, he offered vague platitudes: “I’m not going to preach a sermon. I’m just going to make a few remarks. We’ll have an old-fashioned love feast.”

The closest he came to acknowledging his crimes was a cryptic statement: “God is real and we should find Him. When your conscience hurts it is a terrible thing.” Even this mild acknowledgment of conscience was immediately undercut by his call to “forget the past” and his warning against “human weaknesses.”

This complete absence of genuine repentance, public confession, or acknowledgment of wrongdoing represents a fundamental failure of Christian leadership. Biblical repentance requires acknowledgment of sin, not vague references to “human weaknesses.” It requires taking responsibility, not urging people to “forget the past.”

The “New Elijah”

Perhaps most disturbing was the congregation’s response to Dake’s return. Members of his flock made extraordinary claims about their convicted pastor. An elderly woman declared: “He’s the most lovable man in the world.” An old man added: “Verily, the new Elijah!”

The comparison to Elijah—one of the greatest prophets in biblical history—for a man just released from prison for violating the Mann Act with a teenage girl represents a complete inversion of biblical values. Elijah was known for his uncompromising stand for righteousness and his confrontation of evil. Dake, by contrast, had been convicted of exploiting his religious position to prey on a vulnerable minor.

Iberia Sentinel (Iberia, Missouri), July 22, 1937, Page 1

Emma Barelli: The Forgotten Victim

Throughout this entire saga, one voice is notably absent: that of Emma Barelli herself. The 16-year-old girl at the center of this case has been largely forgotten in the narrative, overshadowed by Dake’s theatrical performances and his congregation’s dramatic displays of support. Yet understanding her experience is crucial to grasping the full impact of Dake’s crimes.

Emma was described in court documents as being “under the spell of the minister.” Federal agents noted that she believed Dake would bring her into the church. This reveals the psychological and spiritual manipulation at the heart of this case. A vulnerable teenage girl, seeking meaning and belonging, was instead exploited by someone who should have been a spiritual protector.

The Journey of Manipulation

Emma’s journey from Kenosha to East St. Louis was not the romantic adventure or spiritual awakening that Dake tried to portray. Court records show that Dake registered at hotels in multiple cities—Waukegan, Bloomington, and East St. Louis—with the teenage girl, using the false name “Christian Anderson and wife.” Each of these registrations represents a conscious decision to deceive, a planned step in what prosecutors described as transportation for “debauchery and other immoral practices.”

The psychological impact on a 16-year-old girl of being taken from her home, isolated from family and friends, and placed in adult situations she was not equipped to handle cannot be overstated. The fact that she was found working as a domestic servant at Dake’s sister’s house suggests she was being exploited for labor as well as companionship.

Institutional Failures

After her return to Kenosha, Emma was taken before Juvenile Judge R. V. Baker and committed to the State Industrial School for Girls in Milwaukee. Rather than being treated as a victim of adult exploitation, she was institutionalized as a delinquent. This response reflects the attitudes of the era but represents a fundamental injustice—the victim was punished while her exploiter initially remained free.

Emma escaped from the Industrial School twice, the second time successfully, and was never heard from again. Her disappearance from the historical record is tragic. We don’t know what became of her, whether she found healing from her exploitation, or how Dake’s crimes affected the rest of her life. Her absence from the narrative—while Dake went on to publish his Bible and maintain his ministry—is a sobering reminder of how victims are often forgotten while perpetrators are rehabilitated.

The Other Victims

The prosecution’s revelation that Dake “became acquainted with a group of Kenosha high school girls” and frequently left his parish for “petting parties” with young friends suggests that Emma Barelli may not have been his only victim. The full extent of Dake’s predatory behavior toward teenage girls was never fully investigated or revealed. How many other young women were exploited by this minister? How many kept silent out of shame, fear, or misplaced loyalty? These questions remain unanswered, their potential victims invisible in the historical record.

Biblical Qualifications for Ministry

The Bible is unequivocal about the qualifications for spiritual leadership. First Timothy 3:2 states that an overseer must be “above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” Titus 1:6-7 requires that elders be “blameless.” These are not suggestions or ideals—they are requirements for those who would serve in pastoral ministry.

Dake’s criminal conviction for transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes clearly disqualified him from pastoral ministry according to biblical standards. The term “above reproach” means having a reputation that cannot be legitimately criticized. A federal conviction for violating the Mann Act with a teenage girl is the antithesis of being above reproach.

Furthermore, the requirement to be “the husband of one wife” speaks to marital faithfulness. Dake’s conduct with Emma Barelli, regardless of whether physical intimacy occurred (which he denied but prosecutors implied), represented a profound betrayal of his marriage vows. The emotional and spiritual intimacy of traveling with a teenage girl, registering at hotels as husband and wife, constitutes adultery of the heart even if Dake’s denials of physical intimacy were true.

The Nature of True Repentance

Biblical repentance involves several essential elements, none of which were evident in Dake’s response to his conviction:

• Acknowledgment of Sin: True repentance begins with a clear acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Dake never clearly acknowledged his sin. Instead, he spoke vaguely of “mistakes” and “human weaknesses,” and primarily blamed the devil for his actions.
• Godly Sorrow: 2 Corinthians 7:10 speaks of “godly sorrow” that leads to repentance. While Dake shed tears at various points, his sorrow seemed more focused on his circumstances than on the wrong he had done to God, to Emma Barelli, to his family, and to his congregation.
• Confession: James 5:16 instructs believers to “confess your sins to one another.” Dake never offered a clear, specific confession of his wrongdoing. His guilty plea in court was a legal necessity, not a spiritual confession.
• Turning from Sin: True repentance involves a decisive turning away from sin. Dake’s immediate return to ministry after his release, without any period of restoration or accountability, suggests no genuine turning from the attitudes and behaviors that led to his crime.
• Making Amends: Where possible, biblical repentance includes making restitution or amends for wrongdoing. There is no record of Dake ever attempting to make amends to Emma Barelli or her family, or acknowledging the harm he had caused them.

The Danger of Cheap Grace

Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned against what he called “cheap grace”—grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ. Dake’s congregation’s response to his conviction exemplified cheap grace at its worst. They offered forgiveness without requiring repentance, restoration without accountability, and continued ministry without acknowledgment of disqualification.

The playing of “His Grace is Greater Than Our Sins” at Dake’s return service, while theologically true, was deployed in a way that suggested grace could simply cover over unrepented sin and ongoing ministerial disqualification. This is not the costly grace of the gospel, which requires death to self and resurrection to new life, but a cheap imitation that allows sin to continue unchecked under a veneer of religious language.

The Responsibility of the Church

The Christian Assembly Church’s response to Dake’s conviction represents a catastrophic failure of church discipline. Matthew 18:15-17 outlines a process for dealing with sin in the church, culminating in treating unrepentant sinners as “pagans and tax collectors”—that is, removing them from fellowship until they repent.

First Corinthians 5 provides even clearer instruction about dealing with serious sin in the church. Paul instructs the Corinthian church to remove an unrepentant sinner from their midst, writing: “Expel the wicked person from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:13). The purpose of such discipline is both to maintain the purity of the church and to bring the sinner to repentance.

Instead of following biblical church discipline, Dake’s congregation:

• Declared his innocence despite his guilty plea
• Blamed the devil rather than holding Dake accountable
• Immediately restored him to ministry upon his release from prison
• Elevated him to near-messianic status (“the new Elijah”)

This response enabled Dake’s unrepentance and sent a dangerous message that serious sin, even criminal behavior toward minors, could be overlooked if the perpetrator was charismatic enough.

The Shadow of John Alexander Dowie

To understand how Dake could maintain his ministry despite criminal conviction, it’s important to understand the unique religious context of Zion, Illinois. The city had been founded in 1901 by John Alexander Dowie as a theocratic community for his Christian Catholic Apostolic Church. Dowie, who proclaimed himself “Elijah the Restorer,” created a community where religious authority was absolute and questioning leadership was seen as rebellion against God himself.

This legacy of authoritarian religious leadership created a culture in Zion where charismatic religious figures could command extraordinary loyalty from their followers. Even after Dowie’s death in 1907, this pattern continued under his successor, Wilbur Glenn Voliva, and in splinter groups like Dake’s Christian Assembly Church.

The Dake-Voliva Rivalry

Finis Dake had originally been a follower of Voliva but broke away to establish his own church. This split created a rivalry between two groups, both claiming to be the true spiritual heirs of Zion’s theocratic tradition. In this context, Dake’s followers might have seen attacks on their pastor—even criminal prosecution—as part of the ongoing religious warfare in Zion rather than legitimate law enforcement.

Voliva’s Christian Catholic Apostolic Church and Dake’s Christian Assembly Church competed for followers, buildings, and influence in Zion. This competition may have intensified the loyalty of Dake’s followers, who saw supporting their pastor through his legal troubles as a way of defending their religious movement against its rivals.

The Shiloh Bible Institute

Dake had purchased Shiloh House, once the home of John Alexander Dowie himself, and converted it into the Shiloh Bible Institute with 75 students. This gave him not just a church but an educational institution, increasing his influence and providing him with a steady stream of young people under his authority. The location in Dowie’s former home would have carried symbolic weight in Zion, suggesting that Dake was the true successor to the city’s founding prophet.

The existence of the Bible Institute raises troubling questions about Dake’s access to young people even after his conviction. How many students continued to study under a man convicted of Mann Act violations? What safeguards, if any, were put in place to protect these students? The historical record is silent on these crucial questions.

The Dake Annotated Reference Bible

Despite his criminal conviction and unrepentant response, Finis Dake went on to have a successful career as a religious publisher. In 1963, he published the Dake Annotated Reference Bible, which became widely used in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. The Bible contains extensive notes and commentary by Dake, presenting his theological interpretations as authoritative teaching.

The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia), July 11, 1987, Page 57

The success of the Dake Bible is deeply troubling when considered in light of his criminal conviction and lack of repentance. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have studied Scripture through the interpretive lens of a man who demonstrated he could not properly interpret and apply clear biblical commands about sexual morality and honesty. How can someone who so fundamentally misunderstood or ignored biblical teaching about personal holiness be trusted to correctly interpret complex theological matters?

Other Published Works

In addition to his annotated Bible, Dake wrote several other books including:

• “God’s Plan for Man”
• “The Rapture and Second Coming of Christ”
• “Revelations Expounded”
• “Bible Truths Unmasked”

The title “Bible Truths Unmasked” is particularly ironic given Dake’s own masking of the truth about his criminal behavior. Each of these books represents the spread of teaching from a disqualified minister, potentially influencing thousands of readers who were unaware of the author’s criminal past and unrepentant response to it.

The Hidden History

Most users of the Dake Bible and readers of his books are completely unaware of his criminal conviction and the circumstances surrounding it. Publishers and distributors of his materials have generally not included any acknowledgment of this history. This represents a form of consumer fraud—selling religious teaching materials without disclosing that the author was a convicted criminal who never showed genuine repentance for his crimes.

This hidden history has allowed Dake’s teachings to spread throughout Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity without the scrutiny they deserve. Churches and Bible schools have used his materials, pastors have quoted his commentary, and laypeople have studied his notes, all without knowing they were learning from a man who should have been permanently disqualified from ministry.

The Playbook of Ministerial Abuse

Examining Dake’s case from a contemporary perspective, we can identify patterns that continue to appear in cases of ministerial sexual abuse:

• Targeting the Vulnerable: Dake targeted teenage girls who were at a vulnerable age, seeking identity and meaning. This is a common pattern among abusive ministers who seek out those less likely to resist or report inappropriate behavior.
• Spiritual Manipulation: Emma Barelli was “under the spell of the minister” and believed he would bring her into the church. Abusive ministers often use spiritual language and promises to manipulate victims.
• Isolation: Dake took Emma far from her home and support system, isolating her in unfamiliar cities. This isolation makes victims more dependent on their abuser and less likely to seek help.
• Gradual Escalation: The prosecution’s mention of “petting parties” with multiple girls suggests a pattern of gradual escalation, testing boundaries before committing more serious violations.
• Cover Stories: Dake’s claim that he was “helping” Emma find work provided a cover story that seemed plausible enough to avoid immediate suspicion.

The Enabling Church

The response of Dake’s congregation also follows patterns we see in contemporary church abuse cases:

• Immediate Denial: The congregation’s immediate declaration that the charges were “a frameup” before any investigation shows a reflexive protection of the institution over concern for potential victims.
• Attacking the Accusers: Dorothy Dake’s claim that “enemies” had pressed false charges is a classic example of attacking accusers rather than investigating accusations.
• Minimization: Calling criminal behavior a “mistake” or “human weakness” minimizes serious sin and crime.
• Spiritualizing the Problem: Blaming the devil or framing the issue as spiritual warfare avoids dealing with the human responsibility and real-world consequences of abuse.
• Premature Restoration: Immediately returning an abuser to ministry without genuine repentance, accountability, or safeguards enables future abuse.
• Cult of Personality: The extreme devotion to Dake, including comparing him to Elijah, shows how personality cults in churches can override moral judgment.

Lessons for Today’s Church

The Dake scandal offers crucial lessons for contemporary churches:

1. Believe Victims: The immediate dismissal of Emma Barelli’s experience and the characterization of her as a delinquent rather than a victim shows the importance of believing and supporting those who report abuse.
2. Investigate Thoroughly: Churches must thoroughly investigate all allegations of misconduct, not dismiss them as attacks from “enemies.”
3. Hold Leaders Accountable: Biblical standards for leadership are not suggestions—they are requirements. Criminal convictions absolutely disqualify someone from pastoral ministry.
4. Require Genuine Repentance: Vague acknowledgments of “mistakes” are not sufficient. Genuine repentance requires specific confession and clear acknowledgment of harm caused.
5. Implement Safeguards: Even if restoration to some form of ministry were appropriate (which in cases like Dake’s it is not), strict safeguards must be in place to protect the vulnerable.
6. Transparency is Essential: Hiding the history of abuse enables further harm. Churches and publishers have a responsibility to be transparent about the backgrounds of those they platform.

The Invisible Victims

While we know about Emma Barelli because her case led to criminal prosecution, the prosecutor’s statement about Dake’s “petting parties” with multiple Kenosha high school girls suggests other victims whose stories were never told. These invisible victims may have carried trauma, shame, and spiritual wounds throughout their lives, never receiving justice or even acknowledgment of the wrong done to them.

The impact on these victims would have extended far beyond the immediate abuse. Many victims of clergy sexual abuse experience:

• Crisis of faith and difficulty trusting religious institutions
• Shame and self-blame, often reinforced by church communities that protect abusers
• Difficulty in intimate relationships due to betrayed trust
• Long-term psychological effects including depression, anxiety, and PTSD
• Spiritual trauma that can take decades to heal, if ever

Impact on Dake’s Family

While Dorothy Dake publicly supported her husband, the impact on her and their daughter Finette (later Finetta) cannot be minimized. Living with the shame of a husband’s criminal conviction, maintaining a public facade of support while potentially dealing with private betrayal, and raising a daughter in this environment would have taken an enormous toll.

The fact that Dorothy continued in ministry, taking over the church during her husband’s imprisonment, suggests either remarkable loyalty or significant pressure to maintain the family’s position in the community. Either way, she and her children were also victims of Dake’s actions, forced to live with the consequences of his crimes.

Corruption of Biblical Truth

Perhaps the most lasting harm from the Dake scandal is the corruption of biblical truth through his continued teaching ministry. Every person who has studied the Dake Bible or read his books has potentially been influenced by the theological interpretations of a man who fundamentally failed to live by biblical standards.

This is not to say that everything Dake taught was wrong, but rather that his moral failure and unrepentant response to it should have disqualified him from the teaching authority he continued to exercise. When we accept biblical teaching from those who flagrantly violate biblical standards, we risk corrupting our understanding of Scripture itself.

Damage to Christian Witness

The Dake scandal and his congregation’s response to it caused immeasurable damage to Christian witness in Zion and beyond. Every person who knew about Dake’s conviction and saw him continue in ministry received a message that the church doesn’t take sexual abuse seriously, that powerful men can escape consequences for their actions, and that religious institutions protect their own rather than the vulnerable.

How many people turned away from faith because of this scandal? How many victims of abuse concluded that the church would never be a safe place for them? How many observed the hypocrisy of a convicted sex offender continuing to preach about morality and decided that Christianity was a fraud? These questions cannot be answered, but the spiritual damage was undoubtedly significant.

The Problem of Moral Authority

A fundamental question arises when examining Dake’s extensive theological writings: Can someone who so profoundly violated biblical moral standards be trusted as a biblical teacher? This is not merely an ad hominem attack but a serious theological concern. Biblical interpretation requires not just intellectual capacity but spiritual discernment, and spiritual discernment is compromised by unrepentant sin.

First Corinthians 2:14 states: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” While this verse primarily refers to non-believers, the principle extends to believers living in unrepentant sin. How can someone who blamed the devil for his own criminal actions properly interpret passages about personal responsibility?

Specific Theological Concerns

Several aspects of Dake’s theology become particularly problematic in light of his moral failure:

• Teaching on Holiness: Dake wrote extensively about holy living and separation from sin. Yet his own life demonstrated a fundamental disconnect between his teaching and practice. This hypocrisy undermines the credibility of his instruction on sanctification.
• Spiritual Warfare: Dake’s immediate blaming of Satan for his crimes reveals a defective understanding of spiritual warfare. While Satan is real and active, humans remain responsible for their choices. Dake’s theology apparently allowed him to externalize blame rather than accept responsibility.
• Authority and Submission: Any teaching Dake offered on proper authority structures and submission to leadership is tainted by his abuse of his own authority. He violated the trust placed in him as a pastor and used his position to exploit the vulnerable.
• Marriage and Family: How can someone who registered at hotels with a teenage girl under a false married name offer credible teaching on marriage? His betrayal of his wife and family disqualifies him from instructing others on family life.

The Danger of Compartmentalization

Some might argue that Dake’s personal failures don’t necessarily invalidate his theological insights—that we should separate the message from the messenger. This compartmentalization is dangerous for several reasons:

First, it assumes that theological understanding can be separated from spiritual condition, which contradicts biblical teaching about the unity of belief and practice. James 2:17 declares that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Second, it ignores the biblical requirements for teachers. James 3:1 warns: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” This stricter judgment isn’t arbitrary—it reflects the serious responsibility of handling God’s Word and the damage that can be done by unqualified teachers.

Third, it enables a culture where theological knowledge is valued over character, creating space for abusive leaders to maintain influence despite disqualifying behavior.

The story of Finis Dake’s moral failure serves as a sobering warning to the church about the dangers of celebrity Christianity, the tendency to overlook serious sin in charismatic leaders, and the devastating consequences of failing to maintain biblical standards for ministry. This was not merely a “mistake” or a “moment of weakness”—it was a criminal violation of federal law involving the exploitation of a minor, followed by a complete absence of genuine repentance and a congregation’s enabling of continued ministry despite clear biblical disqualification.

The Pattern of Failure

The Dake scandal reveals several critical failures that continue to plague the church today:

• Minimization of Serious Sin: Calling criminal behavior a “mistake” rather than sin trivializes serious moral failure and prevents genuine accountability.
• Externalization of Blame: Attributing personal moral failures to Satan rather than accepting responsibility prevents true repentance and enables continued sin.
• Enabling by Followers: Congregations that refuse to hold leaders accountable become complicit in their sin and create environments where abuse can flourish.
• Lack of Genuine Repentance: Emotional displays without true acknowledgment of wrongdoing are theatrical performances, not biblical repentance.
• Continuation in Ministry: Allowing disqualified individuals to continue in positions of spiritual authority violates biblical standards and endangers the vulnerable.
• Hidden Histories: Concealing the past failures of religious leaders prevents informed consent and enables continued influence by those who should not be trusted.

The Call for Reform

The church today must learn from the Dake scandal and implement serious reforms:

1. Zero Tolerance for Abuse: Sexual misconduct by spiritual leaders, especially involving minors, must result in immediate and permanent removal from ministry.
2. Victim-Centered Response: The church’s first concern must be for victims, not for protecting institutions or leaders.
3. Transparent Accountability: Leaders must be held to transparent accountability structures that prevent abuse and ensure swift response when it occurs.
4. Biblical Standards: The biblical qualifications for ministry are not suggestions—they are requirements that must be maintained.
5. Corporate Repentance: Churches that have enabled abuse must engage in corporate repentance, acknowledging their failure and implementing changes to prevent future harm.
6. Historical Honesty: The church must be honest about its history, including the failures of its leaders, rather than hiding uncomfortable truths.

A Personal Challenge

For those who have used the Dake Bible or other materials by Finis Dake, this history presents a personal challenge. Will you continue to study Scripture through the interpretive lens of a man who demonstrated such profound moral failure and lack of repentance? Will you recommend his materials to others without disclosing his history? Will you allow his theological influence to continue unchecked?

These are not easy questions, but they are necessary ones. The integrity of our faith demands that we hold our leaders and teachers to biblical standards, even when—especially when—it is uncomfortable to do so.

The Ultimate Warning

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15-16: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” Finis Dake’s fruit included criminal conviction, exploitation of a minor, and a complete lack of genuine repentance. These facts cannot be separated from evaluation of his theological teachings.

The church must do better. We must hold our leaders to biblical standards, protect the vulnerable, and refuse to elevate or continue using the teachings of those who have shown themselves untrustworthy through serious moral failure and unrepentant sin. Only then can we maintain the integrity of the gospel message and protect the sheep from wolves in shepherd’s clothing.

The story of Finis Dake is not merely a historical curiosity—it is a cautionary tale that speaks directly to contemporary challenges in the church. Sexual abuse by religious leaders continues to plague Christianity, and too often the response mirrors that of Dake’s congregation: denial, minimization, blame-shifting, and premature restoration without genuine repentance. This pattern must end.

As we reflect on this dark chapter in church history, we must commit ourselves to better. We must create churches that are safe for the vulnerable, where leaders are held accountable, where victims are believed and supported, and where biblical standards are maintained regardless of the cost. Only then can we begin to repair the damage done by leaders like Finis Dake and create communities that truly reflect the love and holiness of Christ.

The Final Word

In closing, it is worth returning to the voice that has been most absent from this narrative: that of Emma Barelli. This teenage girl, whose life was disrupted and potentially destroyed by a predatory minister, deserves the last word, even if we must imagine it for her.

Somewhere, if she survived the trauma of her experience, Emma Barelli lived with the knowledge that her abuser was celebrated as a great Bible teacher. She may have walked past bookstores selling his Bible, heard pastors quote his commentary, or encountered Christians who studied his materials. Each instance would have been a reminder that the church that should have protected her instead protected her abuser.

To Emma Barelli and all the invisible victims of clergy abuse: We see you. We believe you. We are sorry for the church’s failure to protect you and hold your abusers accountable. Your stories matter, your pain is real, and your voices deserve to be heard. May the church of today and tomorrow do better by you than the church of yesterday did.

And to Finis Jennings Dake, whose lack of repentance echoes through history: Your story stands as a warning to all who would abuse religious authority for personal gratification. Your criminal conviction, your blame-shifting, and your congregation’s enabling response are now part of the permanent record, a cautionary tale for all who would follow in your footsteps. The truth you tried to hide has been revealed, and the judgment of history, if not of God, has found you wanting.

May the church learn from this history. May we do better. May we protect the vulnerable, hold leaders accountable, and never again allow wolves in shepherd’s clothing to prey upon the flock of God. This is our sacred duty, our solemn responsibility, and our necessary repentance for the failures of the past.

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