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Marshal Anderson Who Led Raid
On Baptist Temple Elected Sheriff
by Dr. Greg J. Dixon
Frank Anderson, the marshal who led the raid on the Baptist Temple February 13, 2001, has just won one of the most powerful and lucrative political positions in Marion County. His decisive victory over Republican Tom Schneider will give him the $170,000 job plus a percentage of delinquent tax warrants collected.
After the raid it was obvious from public statements made by Anderson and his supporters that he expected to be reappointed to the Marshal’s office. After all, he had been in the Marshal’s service for 35 years and was one of the most decorated in the history of the service and had recommendations from both Republicans as well as Democrats. Furthermore, Anderson should have expected to be rewarded for the “successful” raid on the Baptist Temple because of the personal call from Attorney General John Ashcroft that night congratulating him. But to his surprise, he found out the next day that even before the raid there was a letter from Senator Richard Lugar's Merit Selection Committee stating that he would not be recommended for the position. Historically, the
recommendation of Marshals has been one of the perks of the senior Senator of a state and in this case the Democrat fell to the spoils of politics.
It didn’t take the Marshal long to rebound however because the Democratic machine in Marion County grabbed him fast to head their ticket for Sheriff, which he readily accepted. He won handily in the primary with no opposition and now he is the first black sheriff in Indianapolis.
But an interesting sidelight to all of this is the fact that even though it wasn’t necessary because of his popularity and a severe split among the Republicans locally, he actually used the raid on the Baptist Temple in his campaign ads during the primary. For any student of the scriptures, this raises many biblical principles.
In several face to face meetings with the Marshal and his chief lieutenants, he made it very clear that if we could get a crowd, there really wouldn’t be anything that he could do about raiding the church because of a lack of man power and public opinion. He was reported in the press as saying that, “There is no good way to do a wrong thing.” It was apparent to all involved that the Marshal, a professed Christian who attends a Christian church locally, struggled over the conflict between his oath to carry out court orders and his duty as a professed believer in Christ. In the end his oath won out over his responsibility to fellow believers. The Lord Jesus said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6) He also said concerning oaths, “But I say unto you, Swear not…But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matt. 5:34-37) Believers should be very careful about taking oaths especially those that would require them to carry out orders of wicked government like raiding a church sanctuary.
If Anderson had never raised the issue of the Baptist Temple raid in his ads, we would have never mentioned it, but he did, and he will have to live with his decision. The ad which was played on a regular basis on TV and radio says over a picture of Anderson with the caption, “Paid For By Frank Anderson For Sheriff”.
“Frank Anderson can take on any challenge. A state champion in wrestling, he served his country in the navy then dedicated his life to law enforcement. Frank Anderson Deputy Sheriff of Marion County. Appointed by the President to the U.S. Marshal.
Frank Anderson took on the tough jobs with integrity. From the execution of the Oklahoma City bomber to resolving the crisis of the Baptist Temple without violence. It's called leadership. Frank Anderson for Sheriff.”
This preacher believes that the people of Indianapolis, especially the preachers, committed a great sin when they voted for the most powerful nation on earth to crush a Baptist church over the ploy of a tax issue especially when the evidence showed that the taxes had already been paid. Is it possible that God in his mercy gave the city one more chance? However, when they got that chance voted again for Anderson and against the Lord’s church. In editorials and letters to the editor columns, the people said, including Republicans, that they were going to vote for Anderson because they like the way he handled the raid on the Baptist Temple.
May we ask once again, how can someone carry out a successful raid on a church? Was it successful because no one was injured or killed? If so, this fact was not to the credit of the marshals but rather the non-violent stance of the congregation.
Is it possible that once more we are hearing those words of Pilate long ago, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?" As all know they chose the seditionist and robber over our Lord. So it is with the people of Indianapolis these many centuries later, by choosing Frank Anderson as their Sheriff, they have said once again…we choose Christ over Barabbas.
Some would say that Frank Anderson is a man of sterling character. We are not questioning this nor are we suggesting that Tom Schneider, the Republican candidate, is a better man. The fact is Anderson raised the issue of the raid on the church to garner votes. He was elected in a landslide, but in the end he will wish a thousand times over that he had not won by climbing on the back’s of God’s people, especially after he had already crushed them.
These ads are nothing short of blasphemy and remind us of the prophecy of the beast at Revelation 13:5-7-“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them…”
The next Sheriff of Marion County should consider the words of Paul the Apostle, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." He should also consider the age old axiom that the wheels of God’s judgment grind exceedingly slow, but they also grind exceedingly fine.
What a contrast between Christians today who believe that it is God’s will for them to give unlimited submission to the civil magistrate and those 10,000 soldiers of Caesar who served under Aurelian in 267 AD as reported in Fox’s Book of Martyrs. They had been given a command to march to Gaul and kill all of the citizens of that country. When they found out that Gaul was a Christian nation, they refused to go even though they had sworn an oath of loyalty to Caesar when forced into the army of Rome. When their commanding general found out about their decision, he ordered them to go with the penalty that every 10th soldier should be killed if they refused. They still refused and the slaughter began. They still refused to go and another 10th group was killed. Finally the mayhem continued with every 10th group killed until they were all slain with the sword. They vowed that they would rather meet Christ as martyrs than to march against Gaul to kill the believers there.
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