Announcement for 2010!
A New, Four-Session Class on DVD
“Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery”
by Dick B. and Ken B.
Available Soon on a “Pilot” Basis for Your Christian Recovery Programs!
Are you a Christian leader or worker in the recovery arena? Help is on the way! Dick B. and Ken B. are glad to report that their new class, “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery,” will be available to you on a “pilot program” basis very soon.
This new class includes the fruits of: (1) Dick B.'s and Ken B.'s 20 years of research into early A.A. astonishing successes; (2) Dick B.'s 23 years of continuous sobriety and sponsoring of more than 100 men in their sobriety; and (3) Dick B.'s 39 published titles, more than 300 articles on early A.A. history, and work with alcoholics and addicts to help them rely on the power and love of God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Here is our “mission statement” for this new class: To glorify God by: (1) sharing accurate information with Christian leaders and workers in the recovery arena about the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.'s astonishing successes; and (2) showing those leaders and workers how they can substantially enhance their effectiveness by including in their Christian-oriented recovery efforts the lessons learned by the early A.A. Christian pioneers.
The four sessions of the “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery” class cover the following material:
Session 1: The Founding, Activities, and Summary of the Original Akron A.A. “Christian Fellowship” Program
Part 1: How the First Three A.A. Members Got Sober and Were Cured
Part 2: The 14 Practices the Early Akron Aas Used to Achieve Astonishing
Successes
Part 3: The Original, Seven-Point, Akron A.A. Program Summarized by Frank
Amos for John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Session 2: Christian Organizations and People That Shaped the Recovery Ideas of the Original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program before It Began
Part 1: Seven Pre-A.A. Organizations and People That Fed to A.A. the Necessity
for Salvation and the Word of GOD
Part 2: The Extensive, Christian, Biblical Training Bill W. Received in East
Dorset and and Manchester, Vermont
Part 3: Dr. Bob's “Excellent Training” in the Bible as a Youngster in St.
Johnsbury, VT.
Session 3: The Manner in Which the A.A. Society Came about, Beginning about 1931
Part 1: The Relevant Events in Bill W.'s Life, Including His Early Friendship with
Ebby Thacher.
Part 2: The Relevant Events in Dr. Bob S.'s Life, Beginning in the Early 1930's in
Akron
Part 3: Bill W. and Dr. Bob Meet at the Home of Henrietta Seiberling on May 12,
1935
Session 4: The A.A. Program Changes Between June 1935 and April 1939
Part 1: The Akron Program Successes between June 1935 and November 1937
Part 2: The Change of Course Bill W. Began to Take
Part 3: Work on the Big Book Between the Spring of 1938 and April of 1939
Part 4: Battles over Big Book Content and Language
Part 5: The Closing Phases of the Altered Akron Program
The “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery” class was originally designed with a Christian or “Christian Track” treatment center environment in mind. As a result, each session is about 40-45 minutes long, and the sessions are “non-serial”; i.e., the class sessions do not “build on each other.” A student or client may come into the class on any of the four weeks of a 28-day program without having “missed anything” from the previous session(s).
The class package contains:
• Four (4) audio CD's or four DVD's.
• A Class Guide for each student and for the class instructor
• A Class Orientation text and audio CD for the class instructor
• A set of questions and answers for the class instructor
We also strongly recommend that the individual or group putting on the class purchase at least one copy of:
• The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (2010), by Dick B. and Ken B.; and
• The Dick B. 29-volume “Christian Recovery Reference Set” (www.DickB.com)
We believe this new class is one you will want. Please contact us for ongoing information even before the release date: Dick B.'s email address is: DickB@DickB.com; Ken B.'s cell phone: (808)-276-4945.
This concise, easily used package will be of immeasurable help and inspiration to:
A.A. and 12 Step speakers, sponsors, groups, and conferences.
Christian recovery pastors, recovery fellowships, and Christ-centered programs
Christian counselors, therapists, clergy, and churches
Treatment Centers, rehabs, and therapeutic centers
Professional counselors, therapists, and clinicians
Detoxes, half-way houses, sober houses, sober clubs, Alano clubs, and sober living
groups, hospitals, and mental health centers.
Teen Challenge, Celebrate Recovery, Alcoholics for Christ
Women’s programs and shelters
Correction outreach programs
Homeless outreach programs
Bridge groups, community centers, and human services referrals
Programs of the Rescue Missions, Salvation Army, YMCA, Youth with a Mission,
Overcomers Outreach, Inc., Footprints/Alcoholics Victorious, ISAAC,
and Overcomers
Historians, writers, researchers, scholars, colleges and universities, scientists
Individuals who want to know the origins, effectiveness, and applicability of early A.A.
Study groups—Big Book, Twelve Step, Bible, Recovery, Christian, non-denominational
Consider these currently-popular words: “You think you know, but you have no idea.” Arrange to license this class for your Christian-oriented recovery program—and get “the rest of the story.”
Dick B.'s main web site: www.DickB.com;
Dick B.'s email address: DickB@DickB.com
Ken B.'s email address: kcb00799@gmail.com
Ken B.'s cell phone: (808) 276-4945
Gloria Deo
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Seven-Point Summary of the Original Akron A.A. "Christian Fellowship" Program
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
The Seven-Point Summary of
the Original Akron A.A. “Christian Fellowship” Program
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The essence of the A.A. program was, and still is, helping the alcoholic who still suffers by carrying to him a message of what God has done, and can do, for him—if he wants that help and diligently seeks God. The lesson is that the first three AAs soon wanted to develop a program for others coming after them. Others who would, like they, be or become Christians, and diligently seek God’s help. To carry a proper message, and effectuate miraculous recoveries like their own, the first AAs developed some very definite practices that were used by the early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship.” The principles and practices of this early A.A. Christian Fellowship in Akron were surveyed for John D. Rockefeller, Jr. by his agent Frank Amos—who went to Akron in February 1938 to investigate and report on the successes and cures that had been calculated in November 1937 when Bill W. and Dr. Bob “counted the noses” of the recoveries up to that time. And Amos rendered a report now found in the Rockefeller Archives in New York and quoted in part in the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. (For more information, please see: Dick B., When Early AAs Were Cured and Why (www.DickB.com/titles.shtml).
The Frank Amos Published Summary of the Early Akron A.A. Program
Following his visit to Akron in February 1938, Frank Amos, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s agent, summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers: (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc, 1980), 128-36—especially 131.
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
The Seven-Point Summary of
the Original Akron A.A. “Christian Fellowship” Program
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The essence of the A.A. program was, and still is, helping the alcoholic who still suffers by carrying to him a message of what God has done, and can do, for him—if he wants that help and diligently seeks God. The lesson is that the first three AAs soon wanted to develop a program for others coming after them. Others who would, like they, be or become Christians, and diligently seek God’s help. To carry a proper message, and effectuate miraculous recoveries like their own, the first AAs developed some very definite practices that were used by the early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship.” The principles and practices of this early A.A. Christian Fellowship in Akron were surveyed for John D. Rockefeller, Jr. by his agent Frank Amos—who went to Akron in February 1938 to investigate and report on the successes and cures that had been calculated in November 1937 when Bill W. and Dr. Bob “counted the noses” of the recoveries up to that time. And Amos rendered a report now found in the Rockefeller Archives in New York and quoted in part in the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. (For more information, please see: Dick B., When Early AAs Were Cured and Why (www.DickB.com/titles.shtml).
The Frank Amos Published Summary of the Early Akron A.A. Program
Following his visit to Akron in February 1938, Frank Amos, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s agent, summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers: (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc, 1980), 128-36—especially 131.
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
The 14 Practices the Early Akron AAs Used to Achieve Astonishing Successes
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
The 14 Practices the Early Akron AAs Used to Achieve Astonishing Success
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The essence of the A.A. program was, and still is, helping the alcoholic who still suffers by carrying to him a message of what God has done, and can do, for him—if he wants that help and diligently seeks God. The lesson is that the first three AAs soon wanted to develop a program for others coming after them. Others who would, like they, be or become Christians, and diligently seek God’s help. To carry a proper message, and effectuate miraculous recoveries like their own, the first AAs developed some very definite practices that were used by the early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship.”
Qualification: They “qualified” every newcomer. He must concede to his innermost self that he had lost the ability to control his drinking; really wanted permanent sobriety; and would go to any length to get well. In short, he agreed never to drink again.
Hospitalization: Hospitalization was a must. The newcomer was put in the hospital for five-to-seven days; given medications to prevent withdrawal dangers; given only a Bible in his room; was visited by Dr. Bob and other sober AAs; and then required to confirm that he, the patient, believed in God and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Service to Others—Bible in hand: Upon discharge from the hospital, the newcomer was given a Bible and told to go out and help others.
Fellowship and Housing: Important also was housing of newcomers by old-timers in their homes. Newcomers received food, shelter, Christian fellowship, teaching, counsel, love, and service.
Quiet Time: Anne Smith conducted morning “Quiet Time” at the Smith home. This involved prayer, Bible reading, seeking God’s guidance, discussion, and Anne's sharing from her personal journal. AAs and their families were included. A.A. was a “family program,” then, though its actual “members” were all male at first.
Daily Devotionals: There was daily use of Christian devotionals: e.g., The Runner’s Bible, The Upper Room, Victorious Living and My Utmost for His Highest.
Christian Literature: There was regular reading of Christian literature circulated by Dr. Bob, his wife Anne, and others: e.g., The Greatest Thing in the World; The Soul’s Sincere Desire; The Christ of the Mount; Love: The Law of Life.
The Contents of Anne Smith’s Journal: Many of the strongest remaining aspects today of the original practices came directly out of what Anne Smith shared from her personal journal. (See Dick B., Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939.)
The One, Weekly, “Regular” Oxford Group Meeting: There was one “regular,” weekly, “clandestine” Oxford Group meeting—Oxford Group in name, but certainly not in purpose or practice. For it was focused on old-fashioned prayer meetings, Bible reading, seeking God’s guidance, topical discussions, “real surrenders,” arranging hospital visits, closing with the Lord’s Prayer, and socializing.
Bible Study Stress: Bible study every day was stressed, and there was intense study especially of the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13—with daily fellowship meetings in the Akron homes. (See Dick B., The James Club and the Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials.)
Required “Real Surrenders”: There was the vital and required “real surrender” with elders of the group, including Dr. Bob. This meant that each new person must: (1) Confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; (2) Ask, in Jesus’ name, that alcohol be taken out of his life; and (3) Ask, in that name, for removal of sinful conduct and for guidance in living according to Christian principles. (See Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History.)
Witnessing to Others: There were regular visits with newcomers in the hospital by the pioneers, and daily visits by Dr. Bob.
Social and Religious Comradeship: There was regular social and religious comradeship--much like daily Christians’ fellowships in the Book of Acts.
Strong Friendships and Frequent Visits in the homes: Pioneers knew, talked with, and had regular visits and phone calls with, the other A.A. believers and families in homes—using address books with street addresses and phone numbers, and keeping rosters with sobriety information. The rosters—one handwritten by Dr. Bob—enable us today to learn and document the percentage of successes among the pioneers.
For further information, please see: www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
The 14 Practices the Early Akron AAs Used to Achieve Astonishing Success
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The essence of the A.A. program was, and still is, helping the alcoholic who still suffers by carrying to him a message of what God has done, and can do, for him—if he wants that help and diligently seeks God. The lesson is that the first three AAs soon wanted to develop a program for others coming after them. Others who would, like they, be or become Christians, and diligently seek God’s help. To carry a proper message, and effectuate miraculous recoveries like their own, the first AAs developed some very definite practices that were used by the early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship.”
Qualification: They “qualified” every newcomer. He must concede to his innermost self that he had lost the ability to control his drinking; really wanted permanent sobriety; and would go to any length to get well. In short, he agreed never to drink again.
Hospitalization: Hospitalization was a must. The newcomer was put in the hospital for five-to-seven days; given medications to prevent withdrawal dangers; given only a Bible in his room; was visited by Dr. Bob and other sober AAs; and then required to confirm that he, the patient, believed in God and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Service to Others—Bible in hand: Upon discharge from the hospital, the newcomer was given a Bible and told to go out and help others.
Fellowship and Housing: Important also was housing of newcomers by old-timers in their homes. Newcomers received food, shelter, Christian fellowship, teaching, counsel, love, and service.
Quiet Time: Anne Smith conducted morning “Quiet Time” at the Smith home. This involved prayer, Bible reading, seeking God’s guidance, discussion, and Anne's sharing from her personal journal. AAs and their families were included. A.A. was a “family program,” then, though its actual “members” were all male at first.
Daily Devotionals: There was daily use of Christian devotionals: e.g., The Runner’s Bible, The Upper Room, Victorious Living and My Utmost for His Highest.
Christian Literature: There was regular reading of Christian literature circulated by Dr. Bob, his wife Anne, and others: e.g., The Greatest Thing in the World; The Soul’s Sincere Desire; The Christ of the Mount; Love: The Law of Life.
The Contents of Anne Smith’s Journal: Many of the strongest remaining aspects today of the original practices came directly out of what Anne Smith shared from her personal journal. (See Dick B., Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939.)
The One, Weekly, “Regular” Oxford Group Meeting: There was one “regular,” weekly, “clandestine” Oxford Group meeting—Oxford Group in name, but certainly not in purpose or practice. For it was focused on old-fashioned prayer meetings, Bible reading, seeking God’s guidance, topical discussions, “real surrenders,” arranging hospital visits, closing with the Lord’s Prayer, and socializing.
Bible Study Stress: Bible study every day was stressed, and there was intense study especially of the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13—with daily fellowship meetings in the Akron homes. (See Dick B., The James Club and the Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials.)
Required “Real Surrenders”: There was the vital and required “real surrender” with elders of the group, including Dr. Bob. This meant that each new person must: (1) Confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; (2) Ask, in Jesus’ name, that alcohol be taken out of his life; and (3) Ask, in that name, for removal of sinful conduct and for guidance in living according to Christian principles. (See Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History.)
Witnessing to Others: There were regular visits with newcomers in the hospital by the pioneers, and daily visits by Dr. Bob.
Social and Religious Comradeship: There was regular social and religious comradeship--much like daily Christians’ fellowships in the Book of Acts.
Strong Friendships and Frequent Visits in the homes: Pioneers knew, talked with, and had regular visits and phone calls with, the other A.A. believers and families in homes—using address books with street addresses and phone numbers, and keeping rosters with sobriety information. The rosters—one handwritten by Dr. Bob—enable us today to learn and document the percentage of successes among the pioneers.
For further information, please see: www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
The Seven Basic Christian Roots of Early A.A.
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
A.A. cofounders William Griffith Wilson (“Bill W.”) and Robert Holbrook Smith, M.D. (“Dr. Bob”) both were born and raised in Vermont, had a Congregational Christian upbringing, were much involved in Bible study, knew of conversions, attended church at least once a week, and attended chapel every school day as required at the Academies in which they were “scholars” (i.e., students). Each was steeped in the seven basic Christian roots of early A.A.
Christian Root Number One: Evangelists and Revivalists: These strong Christian men included such well-known figures as Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey, and the English evangelist Henry Moorhouse, all of whom visited St. Johnsbury, Vermont, not many years before Dr. Bob was born on August 8, 1879. These and other evangelists and revivalists had direct and/or indirect impact on St. Johnsbury, Vermont (where Dr. Bob was born) and East Dorset, Vermont (where Bill W. was born) both through meetings and through their public talks being written up in newspapers of the day—such as The New York Times. These Christian men preached salvation and God’s Word.
Christian Root Number Two: The Young Men's Christian Associations (YMCA): Christian laymen involved with the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)—such as Henry Martyn (“H. M.”) Moore (who later became president of Northfield Seminary founded by Dwight L. Moody), K. A. Burnell, Allen Folger, Russell Sturgis, Jr., and others, were largely responsible for the “Great Awakening” of 1875 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, which took place just before Dr. Bob was born. The YMCA's orientation was undenominational and featured outreach by Christian laypeople. They conducted gospel and revival meetings, and stressed conversion to Christ and Bible study.
Christian Root Number Three: (Gospel) Rescue Missions: These missions served derelicts and drunks; gave them “soup, soap, and salvation”; opened services with “Jesus Saves”; and had featured hymns, Bible reading, and an altar call. Both Bill W.'s former drinking buddy, Ebby Thacher [who told Bill that he (Ebby) had “found religion”], and Bill W. himself, made their “decisions for Christ” at Calvary Rescue Mission in New York.
Christian Root Number Four: The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army's fundamental outreach involved one recovered alcoholic reaching out to another alcoholic, bringing that alcoholic to Christ by sharing the good news of the Bible with him, and then encouraging that alcoholic (as he got sober and on track with God) to serve others in “God’s Army.”
Christian Root Number Five: The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor (“For Christ and for Church”): Dr. Bob said in his personal story in Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”) that he was active in Christian Endeavor in his North Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury. The Christian Endeavor program Bob was involved in as a youth was almost identical to that of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program which he and Bill W. developed beginning in the summer of 1935. It involved confession of Christ, conversion meetings, prayer meetings, Bible study meetings, “Quiet Hour,” reading and discussion of Christian literature, and the slogan “love and service”—which popped up in Dr. Bob’s A.A. talks.
Christian Root Number Six: The Oxford Group: This group was formed about 1919 and espoused a Christian life-changing program with 28 principles that impacted upon A.A. Bill W. incorporated many of these principles into the Big Book (first published in April 1939) and its Twelve Step program.
Christian Root Number Seven: Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York. An American Oxford Group leader, prolific writer, and a man who taught Bill W. the ideas behind all of the Twelve Steps, particularly Steps Three through Twelve.
Resources: Dick B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous; Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W; Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous; Dick B., New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A.; Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History. For more information, please see: www.DickB.com/titles.shtml
The Seven Basic Christian Roots of Early A.A.
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
A.A. cofounders William Griffith Wilson (“Bill W.”) and Robert Holbrook Smith, M.D. (“Dr. Bob”) both were born and raised in Vermont, had a Congregational Christian upbringing, were much involved in Bible study, knew of conversions, attended church at least once a week, and attended chapel every school day as required at the Academies in which they were “scholars” (i.e., students). Each was steeped in the seven basic Christian roots of early A.A.
Christian Root Number One: Evangelists and Revivalists: These strong Christian men included such well-known figures as Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey, and the English evangelist Henry Moorhouse, all of whom visited St. Johnsbury, Vermont, not many years before Dr. Bob was born on August 8, 1879. These and other evangelists and revivalists had direct and/or indirect impact on St. Johnsbury, Vermont (where Dr. Bob was born) and East Dorset, Vermont (where Bill W. was born) both through meetings and through their public talks being written up in newspapers of the day—such as The New York Times. These Christian men preached salvation and God’s Word.
Christian Root Number Two: The Young Men's Christian Associations (YMCA): Christian laymen involved with the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)—such as Henry Martyn (“H. M.”) Moore (who later became president of Northfield Seminary founded by Dwight L. Moody), K. A. Burnell, Allen Folger, Russell Sturgis, Jr., and others, were largely responsible for the “Great Awakening” of 1875 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, which took place just before Dr. Bob was born. The YMCA's orientation was undenominational and featured outreach by Christian laypeople. They conducted gospel and revival meetings, and stressed conversion to Christ and Bible study.
Christian Root Number Three: (Gospel) Rescue Missions: These missions served derelicts and drunks; gave them “soup, soap, and salvation”; opened services with “Jesus Saves”; and had featured hymns, Bible reading, and an altar call. Both Bill W.'s former drinking buddy, Ebby Thacher [who told Bill that he (Ebby) had “found religion”], and Bill W. himself, made their “decisions for Christ” at Calvary Rescue Mission in New York.
Christian Root Number Four: The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army's fundamental outreach involved one recovered alcoholic reaching out to another alcoholic, bringing that alcoholic to Christ by sharing the good news of the Bible with him, and then encouraging that alcoholic (as he got sober and on track with God) to serve others in “God’s Army.”
Christian Root Number Five: The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor (“For Christ and for Church”): Dr. Bob said in his personal story in Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”) that he was active in Christian Endeavor in his North Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury. The Christian Endeavor program Bob was involved in as a youth was almost identical to that of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program which he and Bill W. developed beginning in the summer of 1935. It involved confession of Christ, conversion meetings, prayer meetings, Bible study meetings, “Quiet Hour,” reading and discussion of Christian literature, and the slogan “love and service”—which popped up in Dr. Bob’s A.A. talks.
Christian Root Number Six: The Oxford Group: This group was formed about 1919 and espoused a Christian life-changing program with 28 principles that impacted upon A.A. Bill W. incorporated many of these principles into the Big Book (first published in April 1939) and its Twelve Step program.
Christian Root Number Seven: Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York. An American Oxford Group leader, prolific writer, and a man who taught Bill W. the ideas behind all of the Twelve Steps, particularly Steps Three through Twelve.
Resources: Dick B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous; Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W; Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous; Dick B., New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A.; Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History. For more information, please see: www.DickB.com/titles.shtml
Please pray for the speedy deliverance of Santos
Our beloved friend and Christian percussionist and singer Walter Santos of Carlsbad, California is in the hospital after a mild heart attack. Please pray for his speedy deliverance and healing and immediate recovery. God can and will answer this call.
Dick B. dickb@dickb.com
Dick B. dickb@dickb.com
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
Christian Recovery with Dick B.
Report on Our Southern California Meetings, March 18-26, 2010
Ken and I were in Southern California from March 18 to 26, 2010. We're now back in Maui. Here is a synopsis of our trip.
March 18-21: Orange County (Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon):
March 19, Friday, late afternoon, Costa Mesa: We met with Dale Marsh and his wife from Oroville, California. They want to launch a Christian recovery program at their church, the Church of the Nazarene, in Oroville, California. In order to gather information relating to that program, they visited our friend David Powers on Thursday. David oversees Rock Recovery (under ministry leader, Tommy Moseley) for the Rock Church in San Diego (http://www.rockrecovery.org/). David called us while we were still in the plane on the ground at Orange County Airport Thursday evening and suggested we meet with them just before they visited our friend Randy Moraitis who oversees the Lifelines Christian recovery meeting on Friday evenings for the Crossing Church in Costa Mesa (http://www.thecrossing.com/care). They were able to work in the visit with us, and it was very profitable. They decided to talk with their church about doing a pilot program in a church setting with us involving their use of the brand new, four-session, audio and video class, Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery, by Dick B. and Ken B.
** The Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery Class by Dick B. and Ken B. **
March 20, Saturday, morning and afternoon, Huntington Beach: We were at New Life Spirit Recovery on 18652 Florida Street in Huntington Beach (http://www.newlifespiritrecovery.com/OC_Recovery.html). Dr. Robert Tucker and his wife Stephanie are skilled Christian recovery counselors. Bob is the new President of the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ACADC) Institute (http://www.acadc.org/index.html); and he conducts his programs at New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc., in Huntington Beach. This location is also the Southern California office of the new and rapidly-growing International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com) founded in July 2009 , with Dr. Tucker as its Southern California outreach director. Dr. Tucker and his wife filmed the first “pilot version” on DVD of our new, four-session Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class by Dick B. and Ken B.
This class consists of four (4) sessions of about 40-45 minutes each. We have now recorded all four sessions in “first pass” form on both audio (mp3) and video (DVD) formats. The sessions were originally designed for 28-day, Christian and Christian-track treatment programs; and we made each session a “stand-alone,” “non-serial,” presentation which does not “build on the other sessions” (as many classes do). Consequently, clients/students may listen to whichever session is playing the week they enter the treatment program and will not have missed anything. The Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class also includes: (1) a workbook for the students; (2) an “orientation” session for class instructors; and (3) a series of questions and answers for each of the four session provided to the class instructors as further guides to the key points in each session. Additional, we strongly recommend that organizations and groups who present this class acquire for the class instructors—and, perhaps in some settings, for students—the new, third edition of The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide by Dick B. and Ken B. (2010). This Guide represents our effort to consolidate in one place the 20 years of research by Dick B. (and Ken B.) on the key points which show the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.'s astonishing successes—as documented in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature, authoritative autobiographies and biographies, and actual historical documents
This Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class marks the beginning of our new “Christian Recovery” outreach to Christian counselors, Christian and Christian-track treatment programs, Christianity-based sober houses, Christ-centered groups, Christian recovery groups, correctional facilities, homeless folks, churches, clergy, AAs, NAs, other 12 Step groups, and more. We are in the process of developing customized “pilot programs” based on this new class for the different categories of “Christian Recovery” outreaches focused on helping those who still suffer from alcoholism, drug dependence, and other life-controlling problems. Our first such “pilot program” took the form of a class Dick B. and Ken B. are making available to the ACADC Institute so that all Christian counselors certified by the ACADC Institute will be required to learn about the Christian nature of the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program.
Our second “pilot program” came out of a suggestion by Dr. Robert Tucker as to the need for a four-session class in a Christian or Christian-track treatment program. We have now put that class down on four DVD's. Our third “pilot program” built around this class is in the process of being incorporated into a Christian treatment program as of the time of this writing. And just before and during our trip to Southern California this month, we have had requests for us to develop “pilot programs” based on this class for Christian churches having (or wanting to develop) Christian-oriented recovery programs and for Christian-oriented sober houses.
March 20, Saturday, evening: After our all-day, marathon filming event, we went over to eat awesome Italian food at one of David Roman's four Roman Cucina restaurants in Orange County. David has been an avid “Christian Recovery,” A.A.-friendly supporter of our work in Orange County—to the point of buying cases of The Good Book and the Big Book by Dick B. and distributing them free to others. Not only would we like to encourage you to support David and his restaurants by eating there, but we would also like to ask for your prayers for David, his family, and his restaurants. Just before he was to meet with us on Friday, March 26, he suffered a break-in at one of his restaurants. Please consider putting David in your prayers relative to that situation. Thank you.
March 21, Sunday, afternoon in Costa Mesa: We spoke to the leadership of the Friday night Lifelines meeting at The Crossing Church (overseen by Randy Moraitis and arranged a further meeting with Greg Sipe, Program Director for Lifelines. A little while after that meeting we headed down to the San Diego area.
March 21-24: San Diego Area (Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning):
(David Powers of Rock Recovery provided us with a room at the Crowne Plaza San Diego hotel for the duration of our visit to the San Diego area again this trip. Thank you, David!)
March 22, Monday, evening in Escondido: We had a tremendous meeting at Neighborhood Church in Escondido hosted by Gary Seymour and his Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ group. Gary's group provides Christian ministry at the church, Bible study, Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ meetings, and outreach to street people. Gary will expand Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ in San Diego and elsewhere as our Heavenly Father directs Him and others answer. Walter Santos (“Santos”--,http://www.santosministries.org/), the noted Christian percussionist who "Sings for the King" provided great music throughout the evening. Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ provided food. And Ken and I made a Christian recovery history presentation to the audience.
March 23, Tuesday, afternoon: We met at our hotel with Bob Bowling who has a “Bible Ministry” that distributes Bibles, Christian literature, and Dick B. books throughout the San Diego Area—FREE. Also present was his cousin Don who oversees an Overcomers Outreach meeting in the San Diego Area.
We also had an awesome conversation with a well-known Christian musician, Bryan Duncan.
March 23, Tuesday, evening: David Powers and Tommy Hathorn invited us to a dinner at 5:30 PM, followed by a Bible study from6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at one of the sober living houses associated with Rock Recovery. I conducted the Bible study portion of the meeting (a first!), and there were about 40 people there. My topic involved two sections of scripture from the Book of James. Great audience!
March 24-26: Orange County (Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon):
March 24, Wednesday, morning and early afternoon in San Juan Capistrano. We met with Tod Cunningham, Marketing Director at Pacific Hills Treatment Centers, at about 10:00 AM at their headquarters in San Juan Capistrano. We then had a “working lunch” meeting with Tod and the clinical staff. We met with them to help them launch a new effort to position Pacific Hills Treatment Center as a unique, premier, Christian treatment program in part by working in an intensive way with Dick B. to incorporate his 20 years of research on the Christian origins of early A.A.'s highly-successful program into their Christian treatment efforts.
March 24, Wednesday, afternoon, in the City of Orange: Christian psychologist, marriage and family therapist, and radio personality, Dr. Bob Noonan, arranged a meeting for us at his office with the renowned Gospel and Blues harmonica player Darrell Mansfield (recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame—http://www.darrellmansfield.net/). He had read a copy of my book, The Good Book and the Big Book, and told us that he could see my heart (in that book). Bob is in the process of arranging a large meeting at the Church of the Open Door in Glendora for some time within the next few months (as schedules permit), that will involve a talk of perhaps one hour by me, followed by a concert by Darrell Mansfield. We were very excited to hear that Darrell will be staying and performing for Christian churches and groups in Maui from April 1-12, 2010, and we look forward to supporting him with our presence as available.
March 24, Wednesday, evening, in Costa Mesa: We met with Greg Sipe and four other people involved in the Lifelines Friday night meetings at The Crossing Church and shared our needs and plans for future outreach in Southern California. One of them, Skip, operates a sober living facility and is working on cranking up a Christian recovery group at his church.
March 25, Thursday, morning and early afternoon in San Juan Capistrano. We had another “working lunch” meeting with Tod and the clinical staff at Pacific Hills Treatment Centers.
March 25, Thursday, late afternoon in Huntington Beach. We obtained from Dr. Robert Tucker of New Life Spirit Recovery the “pilot copy” of our new, four-session, Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class on four DVD's.
March 25, Thursday, evening in Costa Mesa: We had a dinner meeting with Roger McDiarmid of His Place Church and were joined by noted Christian bass player and successful businessman Johnny Ray Bartel. Johnny Ray is helping us arrange for the next version of the Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class to be filmed and edited by Christian professionals in the television and/or movie industry. This will be a major production occurring possibly within a few weeds. Please consider praying for us concerning this endeavor.
March 26, Friday, late morning and early afternoon in Costa Mesa: We had a “working breakfast meeting” with Greg Sipe, Roger McDiarmid, and Eric Mack to discuss the filming of the class and the revamping of our websites. Eric, who assists Greg with the Lifelines meetings, spoke with us about undertaking correctional outreach with us.
March 26, Friday, later afternoon: Roger McDiarmid then drove us over to Johnny Ray Bartel's place of work to pick up the four DVD's containing the “pilot version” of the Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class that we had loaned him the evening before. We discussed with him plans for professional filming, editing, and reproduction of the class. And we spent the remainder of the time with Roger McDiarmid working out plans for outreach, funding, films, and International Christian Recovery Coalition programs, as well as our next trip.
Richard Skolnik of Nesconset, New York—our Director of Transportation and Clinical outreach for International Christian Recovery Coalition—flew in from New York to drive us around Orange County and the San Diego area. Rich discussed extensive plans with us for more effective presentations in Vermont—particularly at the Dr. Bob Core Library in St. Johnsbury, Vermont—the village where Dr. Bob was born and raised and received his excellent training in the Bible from his family, church, Sunday school, Christian Endeavor, and St. Johnsbury Academy days as well as connections with the YMCA of which his father Judge Smith was president from 1895 to at least 1897.
In His Service, Dick B.
Writer, Historian, Retired attorney, Bible student, CDAAC, and recovered AA
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com)
Email: DickB@DickB.com
Main web site: www.DickB.com
See also: www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com
Contact Rev. Ken B. 808 276 4945
Report on Our Southern California Meetings, March 18-26, 2010
Ken and I were in Southern California from March 18 to 26, 2010. We're now back in Maui. Here is a synopsis of our trip.
March 18-21: Orange County (Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon):
March 19, Friday, late afternoon, Costa Mesa: We met with Dale Marsh and his wife from Oroville, California. They want to launch a Christian recovery program at their church, the Church of the Nazarene, in Oroville, California. In order to gather information relating to that program, they visited our friend David Powers on Thursday. David oversees Rock Recovery (under ministry leader, Tommy Moseley) for the Rock Church in San Diego (http://www.rockrecovery.org/). David called us while we were still in the plane on the ground at Orange County Airport Thursday evening and suggested we meet with them just before they visited our friend Randy Moraitis who oversees the Lifelines Christian recovery meeting on Friday evenings for the Crossing Church in Costa Mesa (http://www.thecrossing.com/care). They were able to work in the visit with us, and it was very profitable. They decided to talk with their church about doing a pilot program in a church setting with us involving their use of the brand new, four-session, audio and video class, Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery, by Dick B. and Ken B.
** The Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery Class by Dick B. and Ken B. **
March 20, Saturday, morning and afternoon, Huntington Beach: We were at New Life Spirit Recovery on 18652 Florida Street in Huntington Beach (http://www.newlifespiritrecovery.com/OC_Recovery.html). Dr. Robert Tucker and his wife Stephanie are skilled Christian recovery counselors. Bob is the new President of the Association of Christian Alcohol and Drug Counselors (ACADC) Institute (http://www.acadc.org/index.html); and he conducts his programs at New Life Spirit Recovery, Inc., in Huntington Beach. This location is also the Southern California office of the new and rapidly-growing International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com) founded in July 2009 , with Dr. Tucker as its Southern California outreach director. Dr. Tucker and his wife filmed the first “pilot version” on DVD of our new, four-session Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class by Dick B. and Ken B.
This class consists of four (4) sessions of about 40-45 minutes each. We have now recorded all four sessions in “first pass” form on both audio (mp3) and video (DVD) formats. The sessions were originally designed for 28-day, Christian and Christian-track treatment programs; and we made each session a “stand-alone,” “non-serial,” presentation which does not “build on the other sessions” (as many classes do). Consequently, clients/students may listen to whichever session is playing the week they enter the treatment program and will not have missed anything. The Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class also includes: (1) a workbook for the students; (2) an “orientation” session for class instructors; and (3) a series of questions and answers for each of the four session provided to the class instructors as further guides to the key points in each session. Additional, we strongly recommend that organizations and groups who present this class acquire for the class instructors—and, perhaps in some settings, for students—the new, third edition of The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide by Dick B. and Ken B. (2010). This Guide represents our effort to consolidate in one place the 20 years of research by Dick B. (and Ken B.) on the key points which show the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.'s astonishing successes—as documented in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature, authoritative autobiographies and biographies, and actual historical documents
This Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class marks the beginning of our new “Christian Recovery” outreach to Christian counselors, Christian and Christian-track treatment programs, Christianity-based sober houses, Christ-centered groups, Christian recovery groups, correctional facilities, homeless folks, churches, clergy, AAs, NAs, other 12 Step groups, and more. We are in the process of developing customized “pilot programs” based on this new class for the different categories of “Christian Recovery” outreaches focused on helping those who still suffer from alcoholism, drug dependence, and other life-controlling problems. Our first such “pilot program” took the form of a class Dick B. and Ken B. are making available to the ACADC Institute so that all Christian counselors certified by the ACADC Institute will be required to learn about the Christian nature of the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program.
Our second “pilot program” came out of a suggestion by Dr. Robert Tucker as to the need for a four-session class in a Christian or Christian-track treatment program. We have now put that class down on four DVD's. Our third “pilot program” built around this class is in the process of being incorporated into a Christian treatment program as of the time of this writing. And just before and during our trip to Southern California this month, we have had requests for us to develop “pilot programs” based on this class for Christian churches having (or wanting to develop) Christian-oriented recovery programs and for Christian-oriented sober houses.
March 20, Saturday, evening: After our all-day, marathon filming event, we went over to eat awesome Italian food at one of David Roman's four Roman Cucina restaurants in Orange County. David has been an avid “Christian Recovery,” A.A.-friendly supporter of our work in Orange County—to the point of buying cases of The Good Book and the Big Book by Dick B. and distributing them free to others. Not only would we like to encourage you to support David and his restaurants by eating there, but we would also like to ask for your prayers for David, his family, and his restaurants. Just before he was to meet with us on Friday, March 26, he suffered a break-in at one of his restaurants. Please consider putting David in your prayers relative to that situation. Thank you.
March 21, Sunday, afternoon in Costa Mesa: We spoke to the leadership of the Friday night Lifelines meeting at The Crossing Church (overseen by Randy Moraitis and arranged a further meeting with Greg Sipe, Program Director for Lifelines. A little while after that meeting we headed down to the San Diego area.
March 21-24: San Diego Area (Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning):
(David Powers of Rock Recovery provided us with a room at the Crowne Plaza San Diego hotel for the duration of our visit to the San Diego area again this trip. Thank you, David!)
March 22, Monday, evening in Escondido: We had a tremendous meeting at Neighborhood Church in Escondido hosted by Gary Seymour and his Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ group. Gary's group provides Christian ministry at the church, Bible study, Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ meetings, and outreach to street people. Gary will expand Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ in San Diego and elsewhere as our Heavenly Father directs Him and others answer. Walter Santos (“Santos”--,http://www.santosministries.org/), the noted Christian percussionist who "Sings for the King" provided great music throughout the evening. Neighborhood Alcoholics for Christ provided food. And Ken and I made a Christian recovery history presentation to the audience.
March 23, Tuesday, afternoon: We met at our hotel with Bob Bowling who has a “Bible Ministry” that distributes Bibles, Christian literature, and Dick B. books throughout the San Diego Area—FREE. Also present was his cousin Don who oversees an Overcomers Outreach meeting in the San Diego Area.
We also had an awesome conversation with a well-known Christian musician, Bryan Duncan.
March 23, Tuesday, evening: David Powers and Tommy Hathorn invited us to a dinner at 5:30 PM, followed by a Bible study from6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at one of the sober living houses associated with Rock Recovery. I conducted the Bible study portion of the meeting (a first!), and there were about 40 people there. My topic involved two sections of scripture from the Book of James. Great audience!
March 24-26: Orange County (Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon):
March 24, Wednesday, morning and early afternoon in San Juan Capistrano. We met with Tod Cunningham, Marketing Director at Pacific Hills Treatment Centers, at about 10:00 AM at their headquarters in San Juan Capistrano. We then had a “working lunch” meeting with Tod and the clinical staff. We met with them to help them launch a new effort to position Pacific Hills Treatment Center as a unique, premier, Christian treatment program in part by working in an intensive way with Dick B. to incorporate his 20 years of research on the Christian origins of early A.A.'s highly-successful program into their Christian treatment efforts.
March 24, Wednesday, afternoon, in the City of Orange: Christian psychologist, marriage and family therapist, and radio personality, Dr. Bob Noonan, arranged a meeting for us at his office with the renowned Gospel and Blues harmonica player Darrell Mansfield (recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame—http://www.darrellmansfield.net/). He had read a copy of my book, The Good Book and the Big Book, and told us that he could see my heart (in that book). Bob is in the process of arranging a large meeting at the Church of the Open Door in Glendora for some time within the next few months (as schedules permit), that will involve a talk of perhaps one hour by me, followed by a concert by Darrell Mansfield. We were very excited to hear that Darrell will be staying and performing for Christian churches and groups in Maui from April 1-12, 2010, and we look forward to supporting him with our presence as available.
March 24, Wednesday, evening, in Costa Mesa: We met with Greg Sipe and four other people involved in the Lifelines Friday night meetings at The Crossing Church and shared our needs and plans for future outreach in Southern California. One of them, Skip, operates a sober living facility and is working on cranking up a Christian recovery group at his church.
March 25, Thursday, morning and early afternoon in San Juan Capistrano. We had another “working lunch” meeting with Tod and the clinical staff at Pacific Hills Treatment Centers.
March 25, Thursday, late afternoon in Huntington Beach. We obtained from Dr. Robert Tucker of New Life Spirit Recovery the “pilot copy” of our new, four-session, Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class on four DVD's.
March 25, Thursday, evening in Costa Mesa: We had a dinner meeting with Roger McDiarmid of His Place Church and were joined by noted Christian bass player and successful businessman Johnny Ray Bartel. Johnny Ray is helping us arrange for the next version of the Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class to be filmed and edited by Christian professionals in the television and/or movie industry. This will be a major production occurring possibly within a few weeds. Please consider praying for us concerning this endeavor.
March 26, Friday, late morning and early afternoon in Costa Mesa: We had a “working breakfast meeting” with Greg Sipe, Roger McDiarmid, and Eric Mack to discuss the filming of the class and the revamping of our websites. Eric, who assists Greg with the Lifelines meetings, spoke with us about undertaking correctional outreach with us.
March 26, Friday, later afternoon: Roger McDiarmid then drove us over to Johnny Ray Bartel's place of work to pick up the four DVD's containing the “pilot version” of the Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery class that we had loaned him the evening before. We discussed with him plans for professional filming, editing, and reproduction of the class. And we spent the remainder of the time with Roger McDiarmid working out plans for outreach, funding, films, and International Christian Recovery Coalition programs, as well as our next trip.
Richard Skolnik of Nesconset, New York—our Director of Transportation and Clinical outreach for International Christian Recovery Coalition—flew in from New York to drive us around Orange County and the San Diego area. Rich discussed extensive plans with us for more effective presentations in Vermont—particularly at the Dr. Bob Core Library in St. Johnsbury, Vermont—the village where Dr. Bob was born and raised and received his excellent training in the Bible from his family, church, Sunday school, Christian Endeavor, and St. Johnsbury Academy days as well as connections with the YMCA of which his father Judge Smith was president from 1895 to at least 1897.
In His Service, Dick B.
Writer, Historian, Retired attorney, Bible student, CDAAC, and recovered AA
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com)
Email: DickB@DickB.com
Main web site: www.DickB.com
See also: www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com
Contact Rev. Ken B. 808 276 4945
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Alano Club Refuses Bible as "not Conference-approved"
A strong A.A. member just donated a Bible to an Alano Club in Colorado. But the club refused to accept the Bible. It was not "Conference-approved," said the club. Too bad they haven't read the A.A. General Service Conference-approved pamphlet The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Item # P-53) where Dr. Bob's last speech lays out the close basic relationship between the Bible and A.A. The same material is also covered in more detail in the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. And see Dick B., The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible
www.DickB.com/goodbook.shtml
God Bless, Dick B. DickB@DickB.com
www.DickB.com/goodbook.shtml
God Bless, Dick B. DickB@DickB.com
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Awake thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light
One of the many tools of the Adversary is to get Christians--and there are a few among the critical ranks today--to criticize other Christians in recovery for calling the Holy Bible the "Good Book." And these scare items need to be repudiated. Awake!
First, Dr. Bob, the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was a devoted Christian and long-time Bible student--especially of the King James Version. He read and studied it. So did his wife Anne Ripley Smith. Both read from it in front of AAs at the early meetings. And Anne Smith wrote in the journal she shared almost daily that the Bible ought to be the main source book of all--that not a day should pass without reading it.
Now about the "Good Book." Dr. Bob read it from cover to cover three times as he was getting sober. He said he had had excellent training in the Good Book as a youngster. He said he felt he should refresh his recollection of the Good Book. He said the basic ideas for the program came from their study of the Good Book. He said that the Book of James, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13 were considered absolutely essential to the program--and he was talking about the King James Version of the Bible. He said the oldtimers believed the answers to their problems were in the Good Book.
There wasn't a soul in early A.A. who saw or heard Dr. Bob read from the Bible that didn't hear him mention it as the Good Book from time to time and know that he was talking about the Holy Bible.
And if the Bible isn't a Good Book, then we are not playing for your team. And just because some anti-AA critic says you are a heretic if you call the Bible the Good Book, I'm glad I'm not playing on his team and sorry he doesn't seem the fine hand of the Accuser in his own flesh and blood position. Ephesians 6:20.
God Bless, Dick B. http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml
First, Dr. Bob, the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was a devoted Christian and long-time Bible student--especially of the King James Version. He read and studied it. So did his wife Anne Ripley Smith. Both read from it in front of AAs at the early meetings. And Anne Smith wrote in the journal she shared almost daily that the Bible ought to be the main source book of all--that not a day should pass without reading it.
Now about the "Good Book." Dr. Bob read it from cover to cover three times as he was getting sober. He said he had had excellent training in the Good Book as a youngster. He said he felt he should refresh his recollection of the Good Book. He said the basic ideas for the program came from their study of the Good Book. He said that the Book of James, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13 were considered absolutely essential to the program--and he was talking about the King James Version of the Bible. He said the oldtimers believed the answers to their problems were in the Good Book.
There wasn't a soul in early A.A. who saw or heard Dr. Bob read from the Bible that didn't hear him mention it as the Good Book from time to time and know that he was talking about the Holy Bible.
And if the Bible isn't a Good Book, then we are not playing for your team. And just because some anti-AA critic says you are a heretic if you call the Bible the Good Book, I'm glad I'm not playing on his team and sorry he doesn't seem the fine hand of the Accuser in his own flesh and blood position. Ephesians 6:20.
God Bless, Dick B. http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Six Major Christian Recovery Highlights
Six Major Christian Recovery Highlights
We Will Cover on Our Southern California Trip, March 18-26, 2010
By Dick B.
1. How the first three AAs (Bill W., Dr. Bob, and Bill D.)—Christians all—got sober by relying on the power and love of God.
2. The simple, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program of 1935-1939.
3. The 75% success rate early A.A. claimed among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last-gasp,” “real” alcoholics who thoroughly followed that original program.
4. Where the original “Christian fellowship” program came from and how it arrived in Akron.
5. What about Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”) and its Twelve Step program published in 1939? According to Big Book's author, Bill W. the “material for”—the “spiritual substance of”—ten of the Twelve Steps (i.e., Steps Two through Eleven) “came straight from Dr. Bob's and my own earlier association with the Oxford Groups, as they were then led in America by that Episcopal rector, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker.” [Source: The Language of the Heart, 298]. In a letter dated April 23, 1963, from Bill W. to Dr. Shoemaker, Bill called Dr. Shoemaker a “co-founder” of Alcoholics Anonymous.
6. How Christians in the recovery arena can apply the principles and practices of the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program in 12 Step Fellowships today, starting with the “abc’s” found on page 60 of the Big Book.
For the details of, and documentation for, the six ideas above, please see the forthcoming book by Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010.
For current details of our March 18-26, 2010, trip to Southern California, please regularly check: http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com/.
DickB@DickB.com
www.DickB.com
Gloria Deo
We Will Cover on Our Southern California Trip, March 18-26, 2010
By Dick B.
1. How the first three AAs (Bill W., Dr. Bob, and Bill D.)—Christians all—got sober by relying on the power and love of God.
2. The simple, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program of 1935-1939.
3. The 75% success rate early A.A. claimed among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last-gasp,” “real” alcoholics who thoroughly followed that original program.
4. Where the original “Christian fellowship” program came from and how it arrived in Akron.
5. What about Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”) and its Twelve Step program published in 1939? According to Big Book's author, Bill W. the “material for”—the “spiritual substance of”—ten of the Twelve Steps (i.e., Steps Two through Eleven) “came straight from Dr. Bob's and my own earlier association with the Oxford Groups, as they were then led in America by that Episcopal rector, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker.” [Source: The Language of the Heart, 298]. In a letter dated April 23, 1963, from Bill W. to Dr. Shoemaker, Bill called Dr. Shoemaker a “co-founder” of Alcoholics Anonymous.
6. How Christians in the recovery arena can apply the principles and practices of the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program in 12 Step Fellowships today, starting with the “abc’s” found on page 60 of the Big Book.
For the details of, and documentation for, the six ideas above, please see the forthcoming book by Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010.
For current details of our March 18-26, 2010, trip to Southern California, please regularly check: http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com/.
DickB@DickB.com
www.DickB.com
Gloria Deo
Monday, March 08, 2010
Alcoholics Anonymous – How the First Three Got Sober
Alcoholics Anonymous – How the First Three Got Sober
and Where to Learn the Facts
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The first three members of Alcoholics Anonymous were Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob Smith, and Akron attorney Bill Dotson. When these three got sober by turning to God for help, there was no Alcoholics Anonymous. There was no Big Book. There were no Twelve Steps, or any steps at all. There were no Twelve Traditions. There were no drunkalogs. And there were no meetings as we know them today.
Snippets for More Study
How did Bill Wilson, Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous get well? First, Dr. William D. Silkworth told him that the Great Physician Jesus Christ could cure him. Then Bill’s long-time friend and drinking buddy Ebby Thacher told Bill that he was living at Calvary Rescue Mission, had got religion, and that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. Bill quickly concluded that Ebby had been reborn. And Bill went to Calvary Rescue Mission seeking what Ebby Thacher had found. Bill went to the altar at the Mission, made a decision for Christ, and soon wrote that he too had been born again. Bill was in a deep depression and decided to call on the Great Physician for help. He wandered drunk for several days, checked into Towns Hospital, cried out to God for help, had his “white light” experience, believed he had been in the presence of “the God of the Scriptures,” and soon said he never again doubted the existence of God. Bill Wilson never drank again. In fact, on his discharge from the hospital, he went about with a Bible under his arm and stating, “The Lord has cured me of this terrible disease, and I just want to keep talking about it and telling people.” No Big Book. No Steps. No Traditions. No drunkalogs. No meetings. Just reliance on God.
How did Dr. Bob, Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous get well? After years of disastrous drinking episodes, Dr. Bob began a renewed study in the Bible—a discipline he had begun in his youth. But he didn’t want to quit drinking. Then, at the urging of Henrietta Seiberling, Dr. Bob dropped to his knees in a small meeting of the “alcoholic squad” of the Oxford Group and joined the group in prayer for his deliverance. He continued to drink. But the prayers were soon answered by the miraculous appearance of Bill Wilson in Akron—seeking for a drunk to find and help. After much effort, Bill talked by phone to Henrietta Seiberling. She said he was “manna from heaven.” And a meeting was arranged between the two men the next day at Henrietta’s home. There the two men (Bill and Dr. Bob) talked for six hours. Dr. Bob realized that the one thing he hadn’t grasped was the need for his own love and service—a motto he had learned as a youngster in Christian Endeavor, and which Bill Wilson had eloquently exemplified. After one brief binge, Dr. Bob quit drinking forever and concluded that he and Bill had found a cure for alcoholism. On page 181 of the Big Book, Dr. Bob spelled out his solution: “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down.” On the day of Dr. Bob’s last drink (said to be on June 10, 1935), A.A. was founded.
How did Bill Dotson, A.A. Number Three get well? Bill and Dr. Bob concluded they needed to start helping drunks and hospitalized the seemingly hopeless drunken attorney Bill Dotson. They told Bill Dotson their story. Dotson—a deacon in his church and long-time Sunday school teacher—decided to turn to God for help. And when Bill and Bob returned to visit him, Dotson had been cured for good. He never drank again. And he later subscribed to Bill Wilson’s statement that the Lord had cured him; and this became, for Dotson, the golden text of A.A.
What Were The Ingredients of their Success?
All three men were Christians. All three men had studied the Bible. All three men had reached the end of the road. All three men had turned to God for help. And all three men declared they had been cured. They neither had, nor relied upon a Big Book, Steps, Traditions, drunkalogs, or meetings as we know them today. Just the power and love of God.
Study Resources
Dick B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 2d ed., 2009
Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W.
Dick B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous
Dick B., When Early AAs Were Cured and Why
Bill W., Bill W.: My First Forty Years (Hazelden, 2000)
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers
The Co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Last Talks
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., 2001, 179-181, 191
Dale Mitchel, Silkworth: The Little Doctor Who Loved Drunks (Hazelden, 2002)
William G. Borchert, The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough (Hazelden, 2005), 170
Where and How to Hear “the rest of the story”
The new Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010 by Dick B. and Ken B.
dickb@dickb.com; http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; 808 874 4876
and Where to Learn the Facts
By Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
The first three members of Alcoholics Anonymous were Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob Smith, and Akron attorney Bill Dotson. When these three got sober by turning to God for help, there was no Alcoholics Anonymous. There was no Big Book. There were no Twelve Steps, or any steps at all. There were no Twelve Traditions. There were no drunkalogs. And there were no meetings as we know them today.
Snippets for More Study
How did Bill Wilson, Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous get well? First, Dr. William D. Silkworth told him that the Great Physician Jesus Christ could cure him. Then Bill’s long-time friend and drinking buddy Ebby Thacher told Bill that he was living at Calvary Rescue Mission, had got religion, and that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. Bill quickly concluded that Ebby had been reborn. And Bill went to Calvary Rescue Mission seeking what Ebby Thacher had found. Bill went to the altar at the Mission, made a decision for Christ, and soon wrote that he too had been born again. Bill was in a deep depression and decided to call on the Great Physician for help. He wandered drunk for several days, checked into Towns Hospital, cried out to God for help, had his “white light” experience, believed he had been in the presence of “the God of the Scriptures,” and soon said he never again doubted the existence of God. Bill Wilson never drank again. In fact, on his discharge from the hospital, he went about with a Bible under his arm and stating, “The Lord has cured me of this terrible disease, and I just want to keep talking about it and telling people.” No Big Book. No Steps. No Traditions. No drunkalogs. No meetings. Just reliance on God.
How did Dr. Bob, Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous get well? After years of disastrous drinking episodes, Dr. Bob began a renewed study in the Bible—a discipline he had begun in his youth. But he didn’t want to quit drinking. Then, at the urging of Henrietta Seiberling, Dr. Bob dropped to his knees in a small meeting of the “alcoholic squad” of the Oxford Group and joined the group in prayer for his deliverance. He continued to drink. But the prayers were soon answered by the miraculous appearance of Bill Wilson in Akron—seeking for a drunk to find and help. After much effort, Bill talked by phone to Henrietta Seiberling. She said he was “manna from heaven.” And a meeting was arranged between the two men the next day at Henrietta’s home. There the two men (Bill and Dr. Bob) talked for six hours. Dr. Bob realized that the one thing he hadn’t grasped was the need for his own love and service—a motto he had learned as a youngster in Christian Endeavor, and which Bill Wilson had eloquently exemplified. After one brief binge, Dr. Bob quit drinking forever and concluded that he and Bill had found a cure for alcoholism. On page 181 of the Big Book, Dr. Bob spelled out his solution: “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down.” On the day of Dr. Bob’s last drink (said to be on June 10, 1935), A.A. was founded.
How did Bill Dotson, A.A. Number Three get well? Bill and Dr. Bob concluded they needed to start helping drunks and hospitalized the seemingly hopeless drunken attorney Bill Dotson. They told Bill Dotson their story. Dotson—a deacon in his church and long-time Sunday school teacher—decided to turn to God for help. And when Bill and Bob returned to visit him, Dotson had been cured for good. He never drank again. And he later subscribed to Bill Wilson’s statement that the Lord had cured him; and this became, for Dotson, the golden text of A.A.
What Were The Ingredients of their Success?
All three men were Christians. All three men had studied the Bible. All three men had reached the end of the road. All three men had turned to God for help. And all three men declared they had been cured. They neither had, nor relied upon a Big Book, Steps, Traditions, drunkalogs, or meetings as we know them today. Just the power and love of God.
Study Resources
Dick B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 2d ed., 2009
Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W.
Dick B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous
Dick B., When Early AAs Were Cured and Why
Bill W., Bill W.: My First Forty Years (Hazelden, 2000)
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers
The Co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Last Talks
Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., 2001, 179-181, 191
Dale Mitchel, Silkworth: The Little Doctor Who Loved Drunks (Hazelden, 2002)
William G. Borchert, The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough (Hazelden, 2005), 170
Where and How to Hear “the rest of the story”
The new Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010 by Dick B. and Ken B.
dickb@dickb.com; http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; 808 874 4876
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Was or Is A.A. a Unique Treasure?
Was or Is A.A. a Unique Treasure?
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Introduction
As I have been traveling, interviewing, reading, speaking, and writing, I’ve seen and heard many things recently that I never heard when I entered the rooms of A.A. almost 24 years ago. One thing is clear: The A.A. that was founded in 1935 very little resembles the A.A. so many have been involved in today. More importantly, A.A. Lately has faced critics of all sizes and shapes that it did not face before. And we will talk about the facts in the well-known A.A. fashion: “What we were like. What happened. And what we are like now.”
First, however, let’s look at the myriad changes: Many churches today are denouncing A.A. because it no longer talks about Jesus Christ and the Bible. A few religious writers claim it was heretical from the beginning. The more poetic of its critics say it is “spiritual, but not religious.” A large number of writers claim you don’t have to believe in anything at all to belong to A.A. And then there are the government, scientific, academic, medical, clinical, and treatment folks who have done a complete turnabout: They talk less about the “Minnesota Model.” They talk more about the “Medical Model.” They even talk about the “Spiritual Model.” A few claim a new therapeutic approach is needed. There are more variations. However, none has yet produced much in terms of documented success with its particular approach. Pharmaceuticals, vitamins, meditation, “spirituality,” psycho-therapy, intervention, and other ideas haven’t made a dent in the growing problem. Not even the war on drugs.
But that’s not what I saw when I came in. It’s not even what I listened to as I roamed the rooms in search of hope, healing, and a new life. I saw victory, and I pursued it. Successfully! I achieved victory by diving into the program; learning its “recovery” aspects in the Big Book and Twelve Steps; and side-stepping the naysayers who told me I’d get drunk if I read the Bible, who told most of us that we’d drive newcomers out of the rooms if we mentioned God, and who prattled on about their various higher powers—ranging from Ralph to the Big Dipper to a doorknob to a chair. None of the negative approaches appealed to me at all. I didn’t follow them. They didn’t drive me out. And, if anything, they strengthened my conviction that God could do for me what I had not been able to do for myself. And He did!
Let’s now look at the A.A. that was, that changed, that isn’t, and that is.
What We Were Like
Here are five major things familiar to AA's today that were not part of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program reported on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers:
1. Early A.A. had no Twelve Steps;
2. Early A.A. had no Big Book;
3. Early A.A. had no Traditions;
4. Early A.A. had no “drunkalogs” to speak of; and
5. Early A.A. had no meetings of the kind(s) we know today.
(For the documentation concerning the absence of the five items listed above from the the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program, please see: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, available through my main web site: www.DickB.com.)
Frank Amos investigated the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program for John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in February 1938 and confirmed its success. Following his visit to Akron, Amos summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted on page 131 in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.
In addition to the seven elements of the original Akron A.A. program which Amos documented in his report, I have also identified and documented 14 key practices of the early A.A. pioneers in Akron in several of my titles, including: (1) Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History: The Old School A.A. You May Not Know (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 85-92; http://dickb.com/realhistory.shtml; (2) Dick B., A New Way In: Reaching the Heart of a Child of God in Recovery With His Own, Powerful Historical Roots (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 9-14; http://dickb.com/anewwayin.shtml; and (3) When Early AAs Were Cured and Why, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 3rd ed., 2006), 31-26; http://dickb.com/alcoholismcured.shtml.
Dr. Bob—one of A.A.'s two cofounders, and the man whom Bill W. called “the prince of all twelfth steppers”—told AAs what the program was really like in the early days during his last major speech in 1948. This talk was reproduced in The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Item P-53). Dr. Bob said:
. . . [W]e were convinced that the answer to our problems was in the Good Book. [p. 13]
To some of us older ones, the parts that we found absolutely essential were the Sermon on the Mount, the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, and the Book of James. [p. 13]
I didn’t write the Twelve Steps. I had nothing to do with the writing of them. [p. 14]
We got them [i.e., the basic ideas] . . . as a result of our study of the Good Book. [p. 14]
In November 1937, Bill W. met with Dr. Bob in Akron, and they counted recoveries. DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers reports on page 123 concerning that meeting:
“A hard core of very grim, last-gasp cases had by then been sober a couple of years,” he [Bill W.] said. “All told, we figured that upwards of 40 alcoholics were staying bone dry.”
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers continues on page 123:
Dr. Bob and Bill realized a “chain reaction” had started, and “Conceivably it could one day circle the whole world. . . . We actually wept for joy,” Bill [W.] said, “and Bob and Anne and I bowed our heads in silent thanks.”
. . .
This was when Bill began to think of . . . writing a book of experiences that would carry the message of recovery to other cities and other countries.
The November 1937 meeting during which Bill W. and Dr. Bob counted recoveries demonstrated the success of early A.A., especially in Akron. Not long thereafter, Dr. Bob prepared a hand-written list of the members. It gave names, length of drinking period, length of sobriety, and relapse if any. Dr. Bob's list ended up in the Rockefeller Archives in New York, and it is still there (as of late 2009). It corresponded to several other rosters I personally have seen and compared, and provides authoritative evidence of the many early successes and of the failures.
When asked to write his own personal story, which is still the first of the personal stories in A.A.’s basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., 2001, Dr. Bob concluded: “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!” [p. 181]
That’s what we were like!
Previously, medicine had regarded “last-gasp” alcoholics as “medically-incurable” and said so. Yet across the nation, early A.A.’s unique success was proclaimed in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. They said, in large part, that AAs had been cured by the power of God—when neither they themselves nor anyone else had been successful in helping them up to that time.
That record was unique. It was a treasure. It put A.A. on the map. And it offered hope to those really willing to go to any length to get well.
What Happened?
I leave to others the mechanics and logistics as to how the Big Book was written. In fact, as of this writing, we eagerly await a new book which will contain a heavily-annotated manuscript of one phase of the Big Book publication.
As for the period from 1938 to 1939, the following outline will suffice: (1) The original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” continued to pump out successful, recovered converts. (2) Bill Wilson sought and obtained a vote authorizing his preparation of a book which was supposed to describe, figuratively, “how it worked.” But this he did not do. (3) Instead, Bill drew on what he had learned of the Oxford Group life-changing program. He claimed that some six “word of mouth” ideas were being used. But he described them in at least four different ways, and he said there was disagreement among AAs as to how they were being applied. (4) He closeted himself with his friend, Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., and worked out Twelve Steps which were to be the heart of the Big Book program. At first, he asked Shoemaker to write them, but Shoemaker declined. (5) Bill claimed there were three main fountains from which his Steps flowed—Dr. William D. Silkworth, Professor William James (long dead), and Reverend Sam Shoemaker. He conceded that ten of the twelve steps came from Shoemaker’s teachings. (6) In fact, however, Bill drew on some 16 different sources for the ideas, language, and ideas he laid out in the Big Book. [See Dick B., A New Way Out: New Path – Familiar Road Signs – Our Creator’s Guidance (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 14-21; http://dickb.com/anewwayout.shtml.] The Big Book, then, was not at all a report of how the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” had gone about its successful program. In fact, it intentionally discarded all significant references to the Bible, Jesus Christ, and the Akron program.
What really happened is that Bill compromised on the word “God.” Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age reports on pages 166-67 that, after a heated battle among a “committee” of four people on the East Coast—one of whom was Bill W.—the committee made the following decisions, among others:
• To change Bill W.'s use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Two into "a Power greater than ourselves."
• To change his use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Three into "God as we understood Him."
• To change his use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Eleven into "God as we understood Him."
As Bill W. stated frankly on page 167 of Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: “. . . [W]e finally began to talk about compromise. . . . Such [i.e., the three critically-important changes discussed above and two others of less significance] were the final concessions to those of little or no faith; this was the great contribution of our atheists and agnostics.” These changes to the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program—which had no Twelve Steps, required surrender to God, and required acceptance of Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior—were incorporated into the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous published in April 1939. And thus these compromises became part of the new, “official” program propounded in the Big Book to this day. And the aftershocks are still being felt.
What We Are Like Today
A.A. today is no longer a “Christian fellowship” as it was in the 1930’s in Akron. There are, nonetheless tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Christians in A.A. And A.A. itself has in recent years laid down some specific rules far different from those in effect when it claimed a 75% success rate overall and had a documented 93% success rate in Cleveland. For example: (1) The only requirement for membership today is a desire to stop drinking—whereas belief in God, decisions for Jesus Christ, and study of the Bible were required in the original Akron A.A. fellowship. (2) A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature today states that a person does not have to believe in anything at all to be in A.A. today—whereas its Big Book and Twelve Steps are specifically pointed at “establishing a relationship with God,” “finding God,” and adhering to “the abc’s” which end with item (c): “That God could and would if He were sought”—relieve a member of his or her alcoholism. (3) A.A.'s “leadership” today keeps insisting that A.A. is not a religion; is not “religious”; and that it may be “spiritual, but not religious”—whereas the courts called upon to rule on the issue have largely found the obvious—“A.A. is a religion.”
As stated at the beginning of this article, some Christian writers claim you are hell-bent for destruction if you set your foot in A.A.’s doors or keep company with the many unbelievers in today's A.A. Far more Christian leaders and churches are becoming inclined to disavow the A.A. program—not because they know where it came from, but because they see what it has become. Some groups try to provide a bridge between A.A. and the churches. AAs have, to a great extent, developed a rigid attitude about the mention of God, His Son Jesus Christ, or the Bible; about saying the Lord’s Prayer at the close of meetings; and about even reading any literature in or out of meetings that is not (A.A. General Service) “Conference-approved.” When their approach is ignored, the “bleeding deacons” (to use a Bill Wilson phrase) claim a violation of the “Traditions”—“Traditions” which are, in fact, neither mandatory nor enforceable. They claim that any literature that even appears in an A.A. meeting must be banned if it is not “Conference-approved,” even though the Bible and Christian literature were common fare in early A.A. At times, they send intimidating letters or threatening representatives to squash “violations” and intimidate members into ceasing their activities, their convictions, and their sharing.
A.A. today is watching either a “no growth” or a declining center of membership. It still seems to hover at around 2 million members worldwide; but the statistics as to how long these members stay, how often they come and go, and how successful they are cannot be firmed up. Many “scientific” studies simply reject A.A. success stories today as “anecdotal,” and as lacking when it comes to the use of “accepted” scientific procedures in gathering and analyzing them. Many courts are refusing any longer to compel A.A. attendance as they were doing when I entered A.A. in 1986. Many treatment programs—which used to bus patients to A.A. as a compulsory attendance matter—have closed. And many treatment centers today are more inclined to modify their original Twelve Step emphasis, and talk in terms of the “Medical Model” or some “spiritual” model.
My own experience has been that, the more the old timers learn what early A.A. was really like, the more they want to know; and the more they tend to return to the precepts of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. The timid succumb to intimidation. But many with substantial sobriety and accurate knowledge of early A.A.'s astonishing successes in Akron and Cleveland just resist leaving, continue sharing, and welcome facts.
What the Outcome Can Be
I believe the story of many “social movements,” at least in the United States—like the YMCA, the Salvation Army, rescue missions, homeless shelters, sober houses, half-way houses, recovery fellowships, and even church-related recovery efforts—is one of adaptation and change, rather than demise. Once established, and once able to seek the aid of the United Way or similar community charities, government grants, private or institutional charitable donations, insurance support, and sheer-entrenched “leadership,” they adapt, change, and survive. But that does not mean their principles are unyielding. A.A. probably already has followed and undoubtedly will follow this course.
But there are two underlying and compelling challenges: (1) Is it important to rely upon, serve, obey, and glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ—and the answer in much of early A.A. originally was an unqualified “yes.” (2) Is the primary purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous to carry the message to the newcomer who still suffers—and the answer should be an unqualified “yes.” Most AAs would, I think, agree.
In other words: Consider these factors: Early A.A. claimed a 75% success rate overall and a documented 93% success rate in Cleveland. This amazing success took place among the worst-of-the-worst—the “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last gasp” alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. Early A.A. relied upon God. Early A.A. produced cures. Early A.A. focused on helping the next person get well. Early A.A. boldly picked up the Bible, read whatever literature it could find, used whatever Bible devotionals were handy, conducted “old-fashioned prayer meetings,” unabashedly sought the guidance and help of Almighty God, tried to obey God’s commandments, insistently refused to drink—no matter what—and surged forward to help the next suffering soul who entered the doors.
What can happen today is this: If alcoholics and addicts think God can be their refuge, He can. If alcoholics and addicts realize they have a lot to learn about God, they will. If alcoholics and addicts subscribe to the biblical precepts of love, kindness, patience, tolerance, and serving the Creator, they’ll have no difficulty with others who think or believe otherwise. If alcoholics and addicts flee from the Fellowship, they may find little help elsewhere. If alcoholics and addicts fight within the Fellowship or fight the Fellowship itself, they are repudiating the very precept that AA. laid down about avoiding controversy. If alcoholics and addicts really abhor God, His Son Jesus Christ, the Bible, church, religion, freedom of speech, tolerance, love, and service, they certainly can find a place in the Fellowship today. In fact, Bill W. underlined that choice when he said, “God either is, or He isn’t.” But God-rejectors and God-deniers have little assurance that their position and choice will help them, help others, or help the Fellowship. Certainly not in the “God-centered” way the Big Book bespeaks.
Christian AA's today can choose to “stick with the winners,” such as Dr. Bob and his sponsee, Clarence S. They can follow the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program documented on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. And they can apply the 14 practices of the highly-successful early Akron and Cleveland fellowships that I have discussed and document elsewhere. I'm rooting for you!
Dick B.'s main web site: www.DickB.com
Dick B.'s email address: DickB@DickB.com
Gloria Deo
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Introduction
As I have been traveling, interviewing, reading, speaking, and writing, I’ve seen and heard many things recently that I never heard when I entered the rooms of A.A. almost 24 years ago. One thing is clear: The A.A. that was founded in 1935 very little resembles the A.A. so many have been involved in today. More importantly, A.A. Lately has faced critics of all sizes and shapes that it did not face before. And we will talk about the facts in the well-known A.A. fashion: “What we were like. What happened. And what we are like now.”
First, however, let’s look at the myriad changes: Many churches today are denouncing A.A. because it no longer talks about Jesus Christ and the Bible. A few religious writers claim it was heretical from the beginning. The more poetic of its critics say it is “spiritual, but not religious.” A large number of writers claim you don’t have to believe in anything at all to belong to A.A. And then there are the government, scientific, academic, medical, clinical, and treatment folks who have done a complete turnabout: They talk less about the “Minnesota Model.” They talk more about the “Medical Model.” They even talk about the “Spiritual Model.” A few claim a new therapeutic approach is needed. There are more variations. However, none has yet produced much in terms of documented success with its particular approach. Pharmaceuticals, vitamins, meditation, “spirituality,” psycho-therapy, intervention, and other ideas haven’t made a dent in the growing problem. Not even the war on drugs.
But that’s not what I saw when I came in. It’s not even what I listened to as I roamed the rooms in search of hope, healing, and a new life. I saw victory, and I pursued it. Successfully! I achieved victory by diving into the program; learning its “recovery” aspects in the Big Book and Twelve Steps; and side-stepping the naysayers who told me I’d get drunk if I read the Bible, who told most of us that we’d drive newcomers out of the rooms if we mentioned God, and who prattled on about their various higher powers—ranging from Ralph to the Big Dipper to a doorknob to a chair. None of the negative approaches appealed to me at all. I didn’t follow them. They didn’t drive me out. And, if anything, they strengthened my conviction that God could do for me what I had not been able to do for myself. And He did!
Let’s now look at the A.A. that was, that changed, that isn’t, and that is.
What We Were Like
Here are five major things familiar to AA's today that were not part of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program reported on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers:
1. Early A.A. had no Twelve Steps;
2. Early A.A. had no Big Book;
3. Early A.A. had no Traditions;
4. Early A.A. had no “drunkalogs” to speak of; and
5. Early A.A. had no meetings of the kind(s) we know today.
(For the documentation concerning the absence of the five items listed above from the the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program, please see: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, available through my main web site: www.DickB.com.)
Frank Amos investigated the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program for John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in February 1938 and confirmed its success. Following his visit to Akron, Amos summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted on page 131 in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.
In addition to the seven elements of the original Akron A.A. program which Amos documented in his report, I have also identified and documented 14 key practices of the early A.A. pioneers in Akron in several of my titles, including: (1) Dick B., Real Twelve Step Fellowship History: The Old School A.A. You May Not Know (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 85-92; http://dickb.com/realhistory.shtml; (2) Dick B., A New Way In: Reaching the Heart of a Child of God in Recovery With His Own, Powerful Historical Roots (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 9-14; http://dickb.com/anewwayin.shtml; and (3) When Early AAs Were Cured and Why, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 3rd ed., 2006), 31-26; http://dickb.com/alcoholismcured.shtml.
Dr. Bob—one of A.A.'s two cofounders, and the man whom Bill W. called “the prince of all twelfth steppers”—told AAs what the program was really like in the early days during his last major speech in 1948. This talk was reproduced in The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Item P-53). Dr. Bob said:
. . . [W]e were convinced that the answer to our problems was in the Good Book. [p. 13]
To some of us older ones, the parts that we found absolutely essential were the Sermon on the Mount, the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, and the Book of James. [p. 13]
I didn’t write the Twelve Steps. I had nothing to do with the writing of them. [p. 14]
We got them [i.e., the basic ideas] . . . as a result of our study of the Good Book. [p. 14]
In November 1937, Bill W. met with Dr. Bob in Akron, and they counted recoveries. DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers reports on page 123 concerning that meeting:
“A hard core of very grim, last-gasp cases had by then been sober a couple of years,” he [Bill W.] said. “All told, we figured that upwards of 40 alcoholics were staying bone dry.”
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers continues on page 123:
Dr. Bob and Bill realized a “chain reaction” had started, and “Conceivably it could one day circle the whole world. . . . We actually wept for joy,” Bill [W.] said, “and Bob and Anne and I bowed our heads in silent thanks.”
. . .
This was when Bill began to think of . . . writing a book of experiences that would carry the message of recovery to other cities and other countries.
The November 1937 meeting during which Bill W. and Dr. Bob counted recoveries demonstrated the success of early A.A., especially in Akron. Not long thereafter, Dr. Bob prepared a hand-written list of the members. It gave names, length of drinking period, length of sobriety, and relapse if any. Dr. Bob's list ended up in the Rockefeller Archives in New York, and it is still there (as of late 2009). It corresponded to several other rosters I personally have seen and compared, and provides authoritative evidence of the many early successes and of the failures.
When asked to write his own personal story, which is still the first of the personal stories in A.A.’s basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., 2001, Dr. Bob concluded: “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!” [p. 181]
That’s what we were like!
Previously, medicine had regarded “last-gasp” alcoholics as “medically-incurable” and said so. Yet across the nation, early A.A.’s unique success was proclaimed in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. They said, in large part, that AAs had been cured by the power of God—when neither they themselves nor anyone else had been successful in helping them up to that time.
That record was unique. It was a treasure. It put A.A. on the map. And it offered hope to those really willing to go to any length to get well.
What Happened?
I leave to others the mechanics and logistics as to how the Big Book was written. In fact, as of this writing, we eagerly await a new book which will contain a heavily-annotated manuscript of one phase of the Big Book publication.
As for the period from 1938 to 1939, the following outline will suffice: (1) The original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” continued to pump out successful, recovered converts. (2) Bill Wilson sought and obtained a vote authorizing his preparation of a book which was supposed to describe, figuratively, “how it worked.” But this he did not do. (3) Instead, Bill drew on what he had learned of the Oxford Group life-changing program. He claimed that some six “word of mouth” ideas were being used. But he described them in at least four different ways, and he said there was disagreement among AAs as to how they were being applied. (4) He closeted himself with his friend, Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., and worked out Twelve Steps which were to be the heart of the Big Book program. At first, he asked Shoemaker to write them, but Shoemaker declined. (5) Bill claimed there were three main fountains from which his Steps flowed—Dr. William D. Silkworth, Professor William James (long dead), and Reverend Sam Shoemaker. He conceded that ten of the twelve steps came from Shoemaker’s teachings. (6) In fact, however, Bill drew on some 16 different sources for the ideas, language, and ideas he laid out in the Big Book. [See Dick B., A New Way Out: New Path – Familiar Road Signs – Our Creator’s Guidance (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006), 14-21; http://dickb.com/anewwayout.shtml.] The Big Book, then, was not at all a report of how the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” had gone about its successful program. In fact, it intentionally discarded all significant references to the Bible, Jesus Christ, and the Akron program.
What really happened is that Bill compromised on the word “God.” Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age reports on pages 166-67 that, after a heated battle among a “committee” of four people on the East Coast—one of whom was Bill W.—the committee made the following decisions, among others:
• To change Bill W.'s use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Two into "a Power greater than ourselves."
• To change his use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Three into "God as we understood Him."
• To change his use of the unqualified word "God" in his “original draft” of Step Eleven into "God as we understood Him."
As Bill W. stated frankly on page 167 of Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: “. . . [W]e finally began to talk about compromise. . . . Such [i.e., the three critically-important changes discussed above and two others of less significance] were the final concessions to those of little or no faith; this was the great contribution of our atheists and agnostics.” These changes to the highly-successful, original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program—which had no Twelve Steps, required surrender to God, and required acceptance of Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior—were incorporated into the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous published in April 1939. And thus these compromises became part of the new, “official” program propounded in the Big Book to this day. And the aftershocks are still being felt.
What We Are Like Today
A.A. today is no longer a “Christian fellowship” as it was in the 1930’s in Akron. There are, nonetheless tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Christians in A.A. And A.A. itself has in recent years laid down some specific rules far different from those in effect when it claimed a 75% success rate overall and had a documented 93% success rate in Cleveland. For example: (1) The only requirement for membership today is a desire to stop drinking—whereas belief in God, decisions for Jesus Christ, and study of the Bible were required in the original Akron A.A. fellowship. (2) A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature today states that a person does not have to believe in anything at all to be in A.A. today—whereas its Big Book and Twelve Steps are specifically pointed at “establishing a relationship with God,” “finding God,” and adhering to “the abc’s” which end with item (c): “That God could and would if He were sought”—relieve a member of his or her alcoholism. (3) A.A.'s “leadership” today keeps insisting that A.A. is not a religion; is not “religious”; and that it may be “spiritual, but not religious”—whereas the courts called upon to rule on the issue have largely found the obvious—“A.A. is a religion.”
As stated at the beginning of this article, some Christian writers claim you are hell-bent for destruction if you set your foot in A.A.’s doors or keep company with the many unbelievers in today's A.A. Far more Christian leaders and churches are becoming inclined to disavow the A.A. program—not because they know where it came from, but because they see what it has become. Some groups try to provide a bridge between A.A. and the churches. AAs have, to a great extent, developed a rigid attitude about the mention of God, His Son Jesus Christ, or the Bible; about saying the Lord’s Prayer at the close of meetings; and about even reading any literature in or out of meetings that is not (A.A. General Service) “Conference-approved.” When their approach is ignored, the “bleeding deacons” (to use a Bill Wilson phrase) claim a violation of the “Traditions”—“Traditions” which are, in fact, neither mandatory nor enforceable. They claim that any literature that even appears in an A.A. meeting must be banned if it is not “Conference-approved,” even though the Bible and Christian literature were common fare in early A.A. At times, they send intimidating letters or threatening representatives to squash “violations” and intimidate members into ceasing their activities, their convictions, and their sharing.
A.A. today is watching either a “no growth” or a declining center of membership. It still seems to hover at around 2 million members worldwide; but the statistics as to how long these members stay, how often they come and go, and how successful they are cannot be firmed up. Many “scientific” studies simply reject A.A. success stories today as “anecdotal,” and as lacking when it comes to the use of “accepted” scientific procedures in gathering and analyzing them. Many courts are refusing any longer to compel A.A. attendance as they were doing when I entered A.A. in 1986. Many treatment programs—which used to bus patients to A.A. as a compulsory attendance matter—have closed. And many treatment centers today are more inclined to modify their original Twelve Step emphasis, and talk in terms of the “Medical Model” or some “spiritual” model.
My own experience has been that, the more the old timers learn what early A.A. was really like, the more they want to know; and the more they tend to return to the precepts of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. The timid succumb to intimidation. But many with substantial sobriety and accurate knowledge of early A.A.'s astonishing successes in Akron and Cleveland just resist leaving, continue sharing, and welcome facts.
What the Outcome Can Be
I believe the story of many “social movements,” at least in the United States—like the YMCA, the Salvation Army, rescue missions, homeless shelters, sober houses, half-way houses, recovery fellowships, and even church-related recovery efforts—is one of adaptation and change, rather than demise. Once established, and once able to seek the aid of the United Way or similar community charities, government grants, private or institutional charitable donations, insurance support, and sheer-entrenched “leadership,” they adapt, change, and survive. But that does not mean their principles are unyielding. A.A. probably already has followed and undoubtedly will follow this course.
But there are two underlying and compelling challenges: (1) Is it important to rely upon, serve, obey, and glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ—and the answer in much of early A.A. originally was an unqualified “yes.” (2) Is the primary purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous to carry the message to the newcomer who still suffers—and the answer should be an unqualified “yes.” Most AAs would, I think, agree.
In other words: Consider these factors: Early A.A. claimed a 75% success rate overall and a documented 93% success rate in Cleveland. This amazing success took place among the worst-of-the-worst—the “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last gasp” alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. Early A.A. relied upon God. Early A.A. produced cures. Early A.A. focused on helping the next person get well. Early A.A. boldly picked up the Bible, read whatever literature it could find, used whatever Bible devotionals were handy, conducted “old-fashioned prayer meetings,” unabashedly sought the guidance and help of Almighty God, tried to obey God’s commandments, insistently refused to drink—no matter what—and surged forward to help the next suffering soul who entered the doors.
What can happen today is this: If alcoholics and addicts think God can be their refuge, He can. If alcoholics and addicts realize they have a lot to learn about God, they will. If alcoholics and addicts subscribe to the biblical precepts of love, kindness, patience, tolerance, and serving the Creator, they’ll have no difficulty with others who think or believe otherwise. If alcoholics and addicts flee from the Fellowship, they may find little help elsewhere. If alcoholics and addicts fight within the Fellowship or fight the Fellowship itself, they are repudiating the very precept that AA. laid down about avoiding controversy. If alcoholics and addicts really abhor God, His Son Jesus Christ, the Bible, church, religion, freedom of speech, tolerance, love, and service, they certainly can find a place in the Fellowship today. In fact, Bill W. underlined that choice when he said, “God either is, or He isn’t.” But God-rejectors and God-deniers have little assurance that their position and choice will help them, help others, or help the Fellowship. Certainly not in the “God-centered” way the Big Book bespeaks.
Christian AA's today can choose to “stick with the winners,” such as Dr. Bob and his sponsee, Clarence S. They can follow the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program documented on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. And they can apply the 14 practices of the highly-successful early Akron and Cleveland fellowships that I have discussed and document elsewhere. I'm rooting for you!
Dick B.'s main web site: www.DickB.com
Dick B.'s email address: DickB@DickB.com
Gloria Deo
The Original A.A. Program in Akron – Frank Amos Investigation
The Original A.A. Program in Akron – Frank Amos Investigation
Dick B.
Following his visit to Akron in February 1938, Frank Amos, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s agent, summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.
Dick B.
Following his visit to Akron in February 1938, Frank Amos, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s agent, summarized the original Akron A.A. “Program” in seven points. Here are those points, as quoted in Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.
A.A. History, Origins, Early Program, Successes - a Guide for You
A.A. History, Origins, Early Program, Successes
How to See and Hear the Facts in Brief or in Depth
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Twitter: For frequent, brief info: TWITTER
http://twitter.com/MauiHistorian
Facebook: For brief info and exchanges
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/mauihistorian?ref=profile
Blog—The Real “Power” Behind A.A.: For frequent articles in 2010
http://MauiHistorian.blogspot.com/
Dick B. Main Website: Books, Articles, Audio, Radio, Archives, Links
www.DickB.com
Dick B. Personal A.A. History Blog
www.DickB-blog.com
Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous
www.DrBob.info
Take12Radio.com [Tuesday show: “A.A. History with Dick B.”]
www.Take12Radio.com
International Christian Recovery Coalition
www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com
Dick B.'s email: DickB@DickB.com
Gloria Deo
How to See and Hear the Facts in Brief or in Depth
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Twitter: For frequent, brief info: TWITTER
http://twitter.com/MauiHistorian
Facebook: For brief info and exchanges
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/mauihistorian?ref=profile
Blog—The Real “Power” Behind A.A.: For frequent articles in 2010
http://MauiHistorian.blogspot.com/
Dick B. Main Website: Books, Articles, Audio, Radio, Archives, Links
www.DickB.com
Dick B. Personal A.A. History Blog
www.DickB-blog.com
Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous
www.DrBob.info
Take12Radio.com [Tuesday show: “A.A. History with Dick B.”]
www.Take12Radio.com
International Christian Recovery Coalition
www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com
Dick B.'s email: DickB@DickB.com
Gloria Deo
Friday, March 05, 2010
Follow the History One-liners on my Twitter
I'm tweeting on twitter. Please follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MauiHistorian. And check out my new
Facebook page: Richard G. Burns.
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Thursday, March 04, 2010
“Stick with the Winners”
“Stick with the Winners”
Authoritative Quotes about the Early A.A. Pioneers
Dick B. and Ken B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Early A.A. claimed a 75% success rate among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last-gasp” case alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. How do we know this? We go straight the current edition of “the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous,” the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”). The Fourth Edition of the Big Book (first published in 2001) contains on pages xv-xxi a reprint of the “Foreword to Second Edition.” (The Second Edition of the Big Book was first published in 1955.) And the following statement is made on page xx of the “Foreword to Second Edition”:
Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement.
Why do we use the words “Christian fellowship” in conjunction with the original A.A. program Bill W. and Dr. Bob began developing during the summer of 1935. Again, we go directly to A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature for the answer—in this case, to DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (published in 1980). This book states on page 118:
“[A.A. cofounder] Dr. Bob was a prominent man in Akron. Everybody knew him. When he stopped drinking, people asked, 'What's this not-drinking-liquor club you've got over there?' 'A Christian fellowship,' he'd reply.”
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers states on page 131 that Dr. Bob was the “leader by common consent” of the first Akron group, which was known as “Akron Number One.” (See, for example, page 353 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, The Language of the Heart: Bill W.'s Grapevine Writings, for this name for the first A.A. Group.)
What was the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program that produced these astonishing successes with the toughest cases imaginable before the publication of the First Edition of the Big Book in April 1939? We find the seven-point original A.A. program summarized by Frank Amos on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly
In addition to the seven principles of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program, Dick B. has documented in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature the following 14 practices that were closely associated with the original A.A. program:
1. Qualifying each newcomer.
2. Hospitalizing newcomers was a must.
3. Inviting the newcomer to “surrender” by professing a belief in God and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior during his five-to-seven-day stay at the hospital.
4. Upon leaving the hospital, newcomers were often taken to the Oxford Group meeting at T. Henry and Clarace Williams’ house, given a Bible by Dr. Bob, and told by Dr. Bob to “go out and fix drunks as an avocation.”
5. Most newcomers went to live in the Smith residence or in the residences of other Akron people as long as needed in order to get steady in their path.
6. There were Christian fellowship meetings every day, with Dr. Bob, Anne, and Henrietta Seiberling. These included group Bible study, prayer, and Quiet Time observances.
7. In addition, each morning, alcoholics and their family members gathered at the Smith home for a Quiet Time conducted by Anne, with prayer, Bible reading, seeking guidance, and discussion of portions of Anne’s personal journal.
8. There was one “Oxford Group” meeting each Wednesday at the home of T. Henry Williams—a meeting unlike any other Oxford Group meeting—rather like an old-fashioned revival meeting. And at these weekly meetings, there was a time in which newcomers were required to make a “real surrender” with Dr. Bob and one or two others upstairs. There the newcomer, on his knees, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, asked that alcohol be taken out of his life, and asked strength and guidance to live according to cardinal Christian teachings. The elders prayed with him after the manner of James 5:16.
9. There was extensive reading of Christian devotionals and literature provided by Dr. Bob and distributed at meetings.
10. There was particular stress on study of the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and 1 Corinthians 13.
11. Meetings concluded with invitations to reach out to newcomers in the hospital and elsewhere, and then closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
12. There was frequent socializing in the homes, particularly on Saturday evenings.
13. Members knew each other well. They phoned and visited each other. And they kept little address books with the names, phone numbers, and street addresses of the pioneers. Also, this data was listed on some of the rosters which they kept and which are discussed next.
14. In addition, rosters of the names and addresses, sobriety dates, and relapses, if any, were kept and still exist today.
For extensive documentation in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature of the 14 practices presented above, see Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (2010), available at www.DickB.com.
To be able to “stick with the winners,” we must know who they were. Two men immediately stand out. The first is A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob, “the prince of all twelfth-steppers.” Why is he one of the winners? Here is what the other A.A. cofounder, Bill W., had to say about Dr. Bob on page 171 of the Fourth Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous:
To 1950, the year of his death, he [co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Dr. Bob] carried the A.A. message to more than 5,000 alcoholic men and women, . . ."
Bill W. also stated on page 34 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved pamphlet, The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Item P-53):
Between 1940 and 1950, in the company of that marvelous nun, Sister Ignatia, he [Dr. Bob] had treated 5,000 drunks at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. . . . So Dr. Bob became the prince of all twelfth-steppers. Perhaps nobody will ever do such a job again.
The second is Clarence S., Dr. Bob's sponsee and founder of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland in May 1939. (See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 161-67--especially 167.) Why is he one of the winners? To begin with, the early Cleveland fellowship had a documented 93% success rate. DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers states on page 261:
"I [Clarence S.] think A.A. was more effective in those days. Records in Cleveland show that 93 percent of those who to us never had a drink again. When I discovered that people had slips in A.A., it really shook me up. Today, it's all watered down so much."
Mitchell K., Clarence S.'s biographer, reported on page 108 of How It Worked: The Story of Clarence H. Snyder and the Early Days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio (Washingtonville, NY: AA Big Book Study Group, 1999) as to the 93% success rate in Cleveland:
Two years after the publication of the book [i.e., of Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book") in April 1939], Clarence made a survey of all of the members in Cleveland. He concluded that, by keeping most of the "old program," including the Four Absolutes and the Bible, ninety-three percent of those surveyed had maintained uninterrupted sobriety.1
And the early Cleveland fellowship grew from one group to 30 groups in one year. As stated in Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, comp. and edited by Dick B., Our A.A. Legacy to the Faith Community: A Twelve-Step Guide for Those Who Want to Believe (Winter Park, FL: Came to Believe Publications, 2005), 9.
Of the first 260 people who came into A.A. in Cleveland, ninety-three percent never drank again! These were the Cleveland groups that grew from one to thirty in a year.
We encourage you to share the positive, power and love of God with people—especially suffering newcomer who may be blessed to hear that message. And “stick with the winners!”
DickB@DickB.com; www.DickB.com;
Gloria Deo
Authoritative Quotes about the Early A.A. Pioneers
Dick B. and Ken B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Early A.A. claimed a 75% success rate among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “last-gasp” case alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program. How do we know this? We go straight the current edition of “the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous,” the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”). The Fourth Edition of the Big Book (first published in 2001) contains on pages xv-xxi a reprint of the “Foreword to Second Edition.” (The Second Edition of the Big Book was first published in 1955.) And the following statement is made on page xx of the “Foreword to Second Edition”:
Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement.
Why do we use the words “Christian fellowship” in conjunction with the original A.A. program Bill W. and Dr. Bob began developing during the summer of 1935. Again, we go directly to A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature for the answer—in this case, to DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (published in 1980). This book states on page 118:
“[A.A. cofounder] Dr. Bob was a prominent man in Akron. Everybody knew him. When he stopped drinking, people asked, 'What's this not-drinking-liquor club you've got over there?' 'A Christian fellowship,' he'd reply.”
DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers states on page 131 that Dr. Bob was the “leader by common consent” of the first Akron group, which was known as “Akron Number One.” (See, for example, page 353 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, The Language of the Heart: Bill W.'s Grapevine Writings, for this name for the first A.A. Group.)
What was the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program that produced these astonishing successes with the toughest cases imaginable before the publication of the First Edition of the Big Book in April 1939? We find the seven-point original A.A. program summarized by Frank Amos on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers:
• An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
• He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
• Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
• He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
• He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
• It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly
In addition to the seven principles of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program, Dick B. has documented in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature the following 14 practices that were closely associated with the original A.A. program:
1. Qualifying each newcomer.
2. Hospitalizing newcomers was a must.
3. Inviting the newcomer to “surrender” by professing a belief in God and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior during his five-to-seven-day stay at the hospital.
4. Upon leaving the hospital, newcomers were often taken to the Oxford Group meeting at T. Henry and Clarace Williams’ house, given a Bible by Dr. Bob, and told by Dr. Bob to “go out and fix drunks as an avocation.”
5. Most newcomers went to live in the Smith residence or in the residences of other Akron people as long as needed in order to get steady in their path.
6. There were Christian fellowship meetings every day, with Dr. Bob, Anne, and Henrietta Seiberling. These included group Bible study, prayer, and Quiet Time observances.
7. In addition, each morning, alcoholics and their family members gathered at the Smith home for a Quiet Time conducted by Anne, with prayer, Bible reading, seeking guidance, and discussion of portions of Anne’s personal journal.
8. There was one “Oxford Group” meeting each Wednesday at the home of T. Henry Williams—a meeting unlike any other Oxford Group meeting—rather like an old-fashioned revival meeting. And at these weekly meetings, there was a time in which newcomers were required to make a “real surrender” with Dr. Bob and one or two others upstairs. There the newcomer, on his knees, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, asked that alcohol be taken out of his life, and asked strength and guidance to live according to cardinal Christian teachings. The elders prayed with him after the manner of James 5:16.
9. There was extensive reading of Christian devotionals and literature provided by Dr. Bob and distributed at meetings.
10. There was particular stress on study of the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and 1 Corinthians 13.
11. Meetings concluded with invitations to reach out to newcomers in the hospital and elsewhere, and then closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
12. There was frequent socializing in the homes, particularly on Saturday evenings.
13. Members knew each other well. They phoned and visited each other. And they kept little address books with the names, phone numbers, and street addresses of the pioneers. Also, this data was listed on some of the rosters which they kept and which are discussed next.
14. In addition, rosters of the names and addresses, sobriety dates, and relapses, if any, were kept and still exist today.
For extensive documentation in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature of the 14 practices presented above, see Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (2010), available at www.DickB.com.
To be able to “stick with the winners,” we must know who they were. Two men immediately stand out. The first is A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob, “the prince of all twelfth-steppers.” Why is he one of the winners? Here is what the other A.A. cofounder, Bill W., had to say about Dr. Bob on page 171 of the Fourth Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous:
To 1950, the year of his death, he [co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Dr. Bob] carried the A.A. message to more than 5,000 alcoholic men and women, . . ."
Bill W. also stated on page 34 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved pamphlet, The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Item P-53):
Between 1940 and 1950, in the company of that marvelous nun, Sister Ignatia, he [Dr. Bob] had treated 5,000 drunks at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. . . . So Dr. Bob became the prince of all twelfth-steppers. Perhaps nobody will ever do such a job again.
The second is Clarence S., Dr. Bob's sponsee and founder of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland in May 1939. (See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 161-67--especially 167.) Why is he one of the winners? To begin with, the early Cleveland fellowship had a documented 93% success rate. DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers states on page 261:
"I [Clarence S.] think A.A. was more effective in those days. Records in Cleveland show that 93 percent of those who to us never had a drink again. When I discovered that people had slips in A.A., it really shook me up. Today, it's all watered down so much."
Mitchell K., Clarence S.'s biographer, reported on page 108 of How It Worked: The Story of Clarence H. Snyder and the Early Days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio (Washingtonville, NY: AA Big Book Study Group, 1999) as to the 93% success rate in Cleveland:
Two years after the publication of the book [i.e., of Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book") in April 1939], Clarence made a survey of all of the members in Cleveland. He concluded that, by keeping most of the "old program," including the Four Absolutes and the Bible, ninety-three percent of those surveyed had maintained uninterrupted sobriety.1
And the early Cleveland fellowship grew from one group to 30 groups in one year. As stated in Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, comp. and edited by Dick B., Our A.A. Legacy to the Faith Community: A Twelve-Step Guide for Those Who Want to Believe (Winter Park, FL: Came to Believe Publications, 2005), 9.
Of the first 260 people who came into A.A. in Cleveland, ninety-three percent never drank again! These were the Cleveland groups that grew from one to thirty in a year.
We encourage you to share the positive, power and love of God with people—especially suffering newcomer who may be blessed to hear that message. And “stick with the winners!”
DickB@DickB.com; www.DickB.com;
Gloria Deo
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
A.A. Quotes about the Early Winners
Dick B. and Ken B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Perhaps you might consider sticking with what the pioneer A.A. winners did--e.g., practice the original Akron A.A. program documented on page 131 in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers so you can claim recovery and share with others how they can have the 75% success rate early A.A. claimed among "seemingly-hopeless," "medically-incurable," "last-gasp" case alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original program.
The following statement from the "Foreword to Second Edition," is found also in "the Fourth Edition of the Big Book, the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous":
Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement.1
[1 From "Foreword to Second Edition" in Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., xx. (And read the page or two in the Second Edition right before and after that statement.)]
Eph 4:29 (KJV):
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Tell them you are sticking with the winners:
1. Dr. Bob, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, whom Bill W. called "the prince of all twelfth-steppers":
"To 1950, the year of his death, he [co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Dr. Bob] carried the A.A. message to more than 5,000 alcoholic men and women, . . ."
[Source for the quote above: Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed. (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2001), 171.]
"[Bill W. states:] Between 1940 and 1950, in the company of that marvelous nun, Sister Ignatia, he had treated 5,000 drunks at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. . . . So Dr. Bob became the prince of all twelfth-steppers. Perhaps nobody will ever do such a job again."
[Source for the quote above: The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Item P-53 (25M-7/96)--this is the older version with the white-and-gray cover; it is also on the same page in the newer version (20M 9/07) with the green-and-white cover], 34.]
2. Clarence S., Dr. Bob's sponsee and founder of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland. (See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 161-67--especially 167.)
2a. The early Cleveland fellowship founded in May 1939 had a documented 93% success rate:
"I [Clarence S.] think A.A. was more effective in those days. Records in Cleveland show that 93 percent of those who to us never had a drink again. When I discovered that people had slips in A.A., it really shook me up. Today, it's all watered down so much."
[Source for the quote above: DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), 261]
See also:
"Here is what Mitchell K., Clarence Snyder's biographer, reported as to the 93% success rate in Cleveland:
Two years after the publication of the book [i.e., of Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book") in April 1939], Clarence made a survey of all of the members in Cleveland. He concluded that, by keeping most of the "old program," including the Four Absolutes and the Bible, ninety-three percent of those surveyed had maintained uninterrupted sobriety.1
[1 Mitchell K., How It Worked: The Story of Clarence H. Snyder and the Early Days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio (Washingtonville, NY: AA Big Book Study Group, 1999), 108.]
[Source for the quotation and footnotes 1 and 2 above is: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2010), 72. That page number is at least valid on 3/3/10 (Dick B.'s son, Ken), as I am editing it and preparing it for publication shortly.]
2b. The early Cleveland fellowship grew from one group to 30 groups in one year:
And three of Clarence Snyder's sponsees wrote:
"Of the first 260 people who came into A.A. in Cleveland, ninety-three percent never drank again!"1 These were the Cleveland groups that grew from one to thirty in a year.2]
[1 Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, comp. and edited by Dick B., Our A.A. Legacy to the Faith Community: A Twelve-Step Guide for Those Who Want to Believe (Winter Park, FL: Came to Believe Publications, 2005), 9. See also pages 4 and 75.]
2 Nobody seemed to reject the claim that the greatest growth in early A.A. was in Cleveland. From a single group which first met in May 1939, Cleveland had grown into perhaps thirty groups over a year period. In Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, at pages 21-22, Bill wrote of the growth in both the number of groups, the several hundred members, and results which he said “were of the best.” Bill said that, a year after the publication of the Plain Dealer articles [October 21, 1939, to November 4, 1939—"1939 Cleveland Plain Dealer Articles"; http://barefootsworld.net/aaplaindealer.html; accessed 7/8/09], “Cleveland had about thirty groups and several hundred members." After a diligent investigation of the Cleveland A.A. picture, historian Wally P. reported: “By the end of 1940, Cleveland had 20-30 groups and 400 to 500 members. In September, Dorothy discussed with New York the possibility of setting up a Directory with the names and addresses of group members. . . . The Headquarters responded favorably. . . . The Group Directories were compiled starting in 1940." See Wally P., But, For the Grace of God. . . : How Intergroups & Central Offices Carried the Message of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1940’s (Wheeling, WV: The Bishop of Books, 1995), 76.
[Source for the quotation and footnotes 1 and 2 above is: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2010), 72. That page number is at least valid on 3/3/10 (Dick B.'s son, Ken), as I am editing it and preparing it for publication shortly.]
Share the positive, power and love of God with people—especially the suffering newcomer who may be blessed to hear that message.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com; http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com; 808 874 4876
Gloria Deo
Dick B. and Ken B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Perhaps you might consider sticking with what the pioneer A.A. winners did--e.g., practice the original Akron A.A. program documented on page 131 in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers so you can claim recovery and share with others how they can have the 75% success rate early A.A. claimed among "seemingly-hopeless," "medically-incurable," "last-gasp" case alcoholics who really tried to follow thoroughly the original program.
The following statement from the "Foreword to Second Edition," is found also in "the Fourth Edition of the Big Book, the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous":
Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement.1
[1 From "Foreword to Second Edition" in Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., xx. (And read the page or two in the Second Edition right before and after that statement.)]
Eph 4:29 (KJV):
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Tell them you are sticking with the winners:
1. Dr. Bob, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, whom Bill W. called "the prince of all twelfth-steppers":
"To 1950, the year of his death, he [co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous Dr. Bob] carried the A.A. message to more than 5,000 alcoholic men and women, . . ."
[Source for the quote above: Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed. (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2001), 171.]
"[Bill W. states:] Between 1940 and 1950, in the company of that marvelous nun, Sister Ignatia, he had treated 5,000 drunks at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. . . . So Dr. Bob became the prince of all twelfth-steppers. Perhaps nobody will ever do such a job again."
[Source for the quote above: The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Item P-53 (25M-7/96)--this is the older version with the white-and-gray cover; it is also on the same page in the newer version (20M 9/07) with the green-and-white cover], 34.]
2. Clarence S., Dr. Bob's sponsee and founder of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland. (See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 161-67--especially 167.)
2a. The early Cleveland fellowship founded in May 1939 had a documented 93% success rate:
"I [Clarence S.] think A.A. was more effective in those days. Records in Cleveland show that 93 percent of those who to us never had a drink again. When I discovered that people had slips in A.A., it really shook me up. Today, it's all watered down so much."
[Source for the quote above: DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), 261]
See also:
"Here is what Mitchell K., Clarence Snyder's biographer, reported as to the 93% success rate in Cleveland:
Two years after the publication of the book [i.e., of Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book") in April 1939], Clarence made a survey of all of the members in Cleveland. He concluded that, by keeping most of the "old program," including the Four Absolutes and the Bible, ninety-three percent of those surveyed had maintained uninterrupted sobriety.1
[1 Mitchell K., How It Worked: The Story of Clarence H. Snyder and the Early Days of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio (Washingtonville, NY: AA Big Book Study Group, 1999), 108.]
[Source for the quotation and footnotes 1 and 2 above is: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2010), 72. That page number is at least valid on 3/3/10 (Dick B.'s son, Ken), as I am editing it and preparing it for publication shortly.]
2b. The early Cleveland fellowship grew from one group to 30 groups in one year:
And three of Clarence Snyder's sponsees wrote:
"Of the first 260 people who came into A.A. in Cleveland, ninety-three percent never drank again!"1 These were the Cleveland groups that grew from one to thirty in a year.2]
[1 Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, comp. and edited by Dick B., Our A.A. Legacy to the Faith Community: A Twelve-Step Guide for Those Who Want to Believe (Winter Park, FL: Came to Believe Publications, 2005), 9. See also pages 4 and 75.]
2 Nobody seemed to reject the claim that the greatest growth in early A.A. was in Cleveland. From a single group which first met in May 1939, Cleveland had grown into perhaps thirty groups over a year period. In Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, at pages 21-22, Bill wrote of the growth in both the number of groups, the several hundred members, and results which he said “were of the best.” Bill said that, a year after the publication of the Plain Dealer articles [October 21, 1939, to November 4, 1939—"1939 Cleveland Plain Dealer Articles"; http://barefootsworld.net/aaplaindealer.html; accessed 7/8/09], “Cleveland had about thirty groups and several hundred members." After a diligent investigation of the Cleveland A.A. picture, historian Wally P. reported: “By the end of 1940, Cleveland had 20-30 groups and 400 to 500 members. In September, Dorothy discussed with New York the possibility of setting up a Directory with the names and addresses of group members. . . . The Headquarters responded favorably. . . . The Group Directories were compiled starting in 1940." See Wally P., But, For the Grace of God. . . : How Intergroups & Central Offices Carried the Message of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1940’s (Wheeling, WV: The Bishop of Books, 1995), 76.
[Source for the quotation and footnotes 1 and 2 above is: Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2010), 72. That page number is at least valid on 3/3/10 (Dick B.'s son, Ken), as I am editing it and preparing it for publication shortly.]
Share the positive, power and love of God with people—especially the suffering newcomer who may be blessed to hear that message.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com; http://mauihistorian.blogspot.com; 808 874 4876
Gloria Deo
Monday, March 01, 2010
The Freedom From Directives That All AAs Enjoy
The Freedom From Directives That All AAs Enjoy
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
What Bill Wilson Told Those Who Followed
"It [Alcoholics Anonymous] does not at any point conform to the pattern of a government. Neither its General Service Conference, its General Service Board, nor the humblest group committee can issue a single directive to an A.A. member and make it stick, let alone hand out any punishment. . . . Groups have tried to expel members, but the banished have come back to sit in the meeting place, saying, 'This is life for us; you can't keep us out.' . . . An A.A. may take advice or suggestions from more experienced members, but he surely will not take orders. . . . One would think that A.A.'s Headquarters and General Service Conference would be exceptions. Surely the people there would have to have some authority. But long ago Trustees and staff members alike found they could do no more than make suggestions, and very mild ones at that." Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, 118-19.
The Woods Are Full of Those Who Try to Direct or “Govern”
Almost all of the criticisms of Alcoholics Anonymous that abound today are based on one or more erroneous assumptions: (1) That AAs are all of one mind. (2) That AAs are all of one type. Thus one of the recent critics asserts that A.A. is not “Bible pure.” Of course it isn’t! Most of the incoming crowd have strayed so far from Bible purity that they wonder how they could have
become so crazy and could have been such trouble makers. And don’t think that they all are changed into angels just because they go to meetings or read the Big Book or “take” the Twelve Steps. Same thing for those Christians in A.A. (3) That all AAs are hell-bound and will taint and tarnish and condemn anyone—anyone one at all--who fellowships with these “evil” souls. (4) That the prophecy of Isaiah 53:5-6 is untrue. It says of the one who was to come: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed “And that’s the Savior so many early AAs and AAs today needed and accepted. (5) That the A.A. hierarchy (of which there is none) somehow says, “Jump;” and the docile sheep ask, “How high?” (6) But 1 Peter 2:24-25 declared of Jesus’ accomplishments, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep gone astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” That’s the word for those who become children of the living and true God.
Some may just want to go to meetings. Some may want to believe in nothing at all. And some may even hold with those who think we have a mandatory program which, in the words of two critics, constitute “12 Steps to Destruction.” But if you receive a directive or an order from A.A. World Headquarters or some staff member, or from some local Central Office, or even from a “delegate,” or DCM, or GSR, or speaker, or sponsor, you are free to ignore the directive, pursue your Christian walk, improve that walk, tell others exactly how and why you are doing it. And tell anyone what God has done for you. For A.A. is about as unorganized and ungoverned and undirected as it is possible to be—whatever you may see or hear today. Nobody. Just nobody
can direct you as to anything you should or must or are not free to do.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com
Gloria Deo
Dick B.
© 2010 Anonymous. All rights reserved
What Bill Wilson Told Those Who Followed
"It [Alcoholics Anonymous] does not at any point conform to the pattern of a government. Neither its General Service Conference, its General Service Board, nor the humblest group committee can issue a single directive to an A.A. member and make it stick, let alone hand out any punishment. . . . Groups have tried to expel members, but the banished have come back to sit in the meeting place, saying, 'This is life for us; you can't keep us out.' . . . An A.A. may take advice or suggestions from more experienced members, but he surely will not take orders. . . . One would think that A.A.'s Headquarters and General Service Conference would be exceptions. Surely the people there would have to have some authority. But long ago Trustees and staff members alike found they could do no more than make suggestions, and very mild ones at that." Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, 118-19.
The Woods Are Full of Those Who Try to Direct or “Govern”
Almost all of the criticisms of Alcoholics Anonymous that abound today are based on one or more erroneous assumptions: (1) That AAs are all of one mind. (2) That AAs are all of one type. Thus one of the recent critics asserts that A.A. is not “Bible pure.” Of course it isn’t! Most of the incoming crowd have strayed so far from Bible purity that they wonder how they could have
become so crazy and could have been such trouble makers. And don’t think that they all are changed into angels just because they go to meetings or read the Big Book or “take” the Twelve Steps. Same thing for those Christians in A.A. (3) That all AAs are hell-bound and will taint and tarnish and condemn anyone—anyone one at all--who fellowships with these “evil” souls. (4) That the prophecy of Isaiah 53:5-6 is untrue. It says of the one who was to come: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed “And that’s the Savior so many early AAs and AAs today needed and accepted. (5) That the A.A. hierarchy (of which there is none) somehow says, “Jump;” and the docile sheep ask, “How high?” (6) But 1 Peter 2:24-25 declared of Jesus’ accomplishments, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep gone astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” That’s the word for those who become children of the living and true God.
Some may just want to go to meetings. Some may want to believe in nothing at all. And some may even hold with those who think we have a mandatory program which, in the words of two critics, constitute “12 Steps to Destruction.” But if you receive a directive or an order from A.A. World Headquarters or some staff member, or from some local Central Office, or even from a “delegate,” or DCM, or GSR, or speaker, or sponsor, you are free to ignore the directive, pursue your Christian walk, improve that walk, tell others exactly how and why you are doing it. And tell anyone what God has done for you. For A.A. is about as unorganized and ungoverned and undirected as it is possible to be—whatever you may see or hear today. Nobody. Just nobody
can direct you as to anything you should or must or are not free to do.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com
Gloria Deo
A.A. Sketch # 2 on Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. (Cofounder of A.A.)
A.A. Sketch # 2 on Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. (Cofounder of A.A.)
Dick B.
This year (2010) is a year to learn about Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York, a personal friend of Bill Wilson, a well-spring of A.A. ideas, and a cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
And now, what about Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.? Where did his A.A. role begin? What did his activity do to further the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, founding, program, Big Book and Twelve Steps, and A.A. fellowship itself?
We will take these Shoemaker items—piece by piece. And you can find specific documentation in my book New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A., Pittsburgh ed. (www.dickb.com/newligh.shtml); in Sam’s many books and articles; and in my own extensive articles on the web that deal with Sam.
Some Major Shoemaker Language A.A. Big Book Students Will Recognize
Page references are to those in my title, New Light on Alcoholism, which footnote the Shoemaker book and Big Book parallels of the Shoemaker quotes (www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml):
[Re Step Two:]
“A vast Power outside of themselves,” p. 153
“A Force outside himself, greater than himself,” p. 153
“God,” p. 153
“A personal God,” p. 153
“God is,” p. 153
“God is, or He isn’t,” p. 153
“Almighty God,” p. 154
“Heavenly Father,” p. 154
“Father of Lights,” p. 154
“The living God,” p. 154
If you are wondering what Bill Wilson and his friend Ebby Thacher heard or learned from Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., stay tuned for more. And you will soon see why Bill Wilson asked Sam to write the Twelve Steps, and why he declared years later that the substance of Steps Three through Twelve came directly from the teachings of Reverend Sam Shoemaker. Also that Sam was the well-spring from which all the ideas flowed.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com; www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml
Gloria Deo
Dick B.
This year (2010) is a year to learn about Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York, a personal friend of Bill Wilson, a well-spring of A.A. ideas, and a cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
And now, what about Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.? Where did his A.A. role begin? What did his activity do to further the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, founding, program, Big Book and Twelve Steps, and A.A. fellowship itself?
We will take these Shoemaker items—piece by piece. And you can find specific documentation in my book New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A., Pittsburgh ed. (www.dickb.com/newligh.shtml); in Sam’s many books and articles; and in my own extensive articles on the web that deal with Sam.
Some Major Shoemaker Language A.A. Big Book Students Will Recognize
Page references are to those in my title, New Light on Alcoholism, which footnote the Shoemaker book and Big Book parallels of the Shoemaker quotes (www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml):
[Re Step Two:]
“A vast Power outside of themselves,” p. 153
“A Force outside himself, greater than himself,” p. 153
“God,” p. 153
“A personal God,” p. 153
“God is,” p. 153
“God is, or He isn’t,” p. 153
“Almighty God,” p. 154
“Heavenly Father,” p. 154
“Father of Lights,” p. 154
“The living God,” p. 154
If you are wondering what Bill Wilson and his friend Ebby Thacher heard or learned from Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., stay tuned for more. And you will soon see why Bill Wilson asked Sam to write the Twelve Steps, and why he declared years later that the substance of Steps Three through Twelve came directly from the teachings of Reverend Sam Shoemaker. Also that Sam was the well-spring from which all the ideas flowed.
dickb@dickb.com; www.dickb.com; www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml
Gloria Deo
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