Quotations from the Original Journal
kept by Anne R. Smith—“Mother of A.A.,” “A.A. Founder," and Wife of Dr.
Bob
Pioneer A.A.’s Most Ignored, Forgotten, yet Critically Important
Resource
Dick B.
© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved
I said, in the series on Anne Smith, it is virtually
impossible today for AAs to see, enjoy, and utilize the original journal that
Dr. Bob’s wife assembled and used from 1933 to 1939. We have set out many
portions of it in our title Anne Smith’s
Journal, 1933-1939, 3rd ed. See www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml. Those
quotes were used to illustrate how much of Anne’s language can still be found
in A.A. itself.
Here we want to introduce you to some specific segments that
illustrate the diversity, practicality, and love that can be found in the
comments of this wonderful woman of early A.A.–a non-alcoholic, yet perhaps its
most articulate teacher. For it was Bill Wilson himself who said that during
his stay at the Smith home in the summer of 1935, it was Anne Smith and Henrietta
Seiberling who gave him and Dr. Bob a much needed spiritual infusion.
"GENERAL PRINCIPLES [From page
2 as numbered by GSO]
1. A general experience of God is the first essential, the
beginning. We can’t give away what we haven’t got. We must have a genuine
contact with God in our present experience. Not an experience of the past, but
an experience in the present - - - actually genuine.
When we have that, witnessing to it is natural, just as we
wish to share a beautiful sunset. We must be in such close touch with God that
the whole sharing is guided. The person with a genuine experience of God and
with no technique will make fewer mistakes than one with lots of technique, and
no sense of God. Under guidance, you are almost a spectator of what is happening.
Your sharing is not strained, it is not tense.
We must clearly see and understand our own experience and
carefully articulate it, so as to be ready to know what to say or use parts of
it, when the need comes to share with others, in order to help them.
Act only on prayer and under guidance. Prayer is real, and
prepares the way for people.
Share with people - don’t preach, don’t argue. Don’t talk up
nor down to people. Talk to them, and share in terms of their own experiences,
speak on their level.
Proceed with imagination and real faith - expect things to
happen. If you EXPECT things to happen, they DO happen. This is based on FAITH
IN GOD, not on our own strength. A negative attitude toward ourselves or others
cuts off God’s power; it is evidence of lack of faith in His power. If you go
into a situation admitting defeat, of course you lose."
[Comment: Those who are familiar with A.A.’s Big Book will
quickly recognize the large number of ideas in the foregoing half-page of
quotes that correspond to language Bill Wilson used in A.A.’s basic text. Thus
on pages 18-19 of the Third Edition of A.A.’s Big Book, Bill talks about presenting
no "Holier Than Thou" attitude, nor lectures, but rather a sharing of
experience. Bill even refers to a Bible expression in saying, "many take
up their beds and walk again" See John 5:8: "Jesus saith unto him,
Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and
took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath."). See
also, the Big Book’s comments about being "beyond human aid" (p. 24).
About "the loving and powerful hand of God" (p. 18). About contact
with "that Power, which is God" (p. 46). About "consciousness of
the Presence of God" (pp. 51, 63). About "All men of faith have
courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God" (p. 68). About
"we ask God what we should do about each specific matter" (p. 69)
About "God can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from
Him." And there are many more examples.]
"THE FIVE C’S”
(From page 4, as numbered by GSO) . . . .
Conviction.
Try to bring a person to a decision to "surrender as
much of himself as he knows to as
much of God as he knows. Stay with him until he makes a
decision and says it aloud.
Conversion.
This is the turning to God, the decision, the
surrender."
"WHAT SURRENDER
MEANS” (From page 42, as numbered by GSO)
Surrender is a complete handing over of our wills to God, a reckless
abandon of ourselves, all that we have, all that we think, that we are,
everything we held dear, to God to do what he likes with. . ."
[Comment: Again, just look at the Big Book Third Edition:
"We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with
complete abandon" (p. 59). "3. Made a decision to turn our will and
our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." (p. 59)]
"(a) What are the conditions of receiving God’s
guidance?” (From page 38, as numbered by GSO)
We must be in such relationship with God that He can guide
us; He will not force Himself on us. The Sons of God are those who are guided
by the Spirit of God. If we are wholly surrendered we can absolutely count on
guidance. Constant renewal of consecration is necessary. Surrender is not an
attitude attained; it is an attitude maintained. The major condition is being
absolutely willing and looking for God’s direction in all things. We cannot
receive guidance if we hold back an area, an habit, a plan. We must be alert to
His direction in Everything; little things, as well as big ones such as career
and marriage"
[Comment: Anne had her eye on passages in the Good Book that
were familiar to our pioneer AAs. See 1 Corinthians 1:17-24; 2:9-16; 3:11, 16;
12:3-13; 2 Timothy 1:14; James 1:5-8; 1 John 2:27, 4:1-6, 13; 5:1-5].
"8. LET ALL YOUR
READING BE GUIDED” (From page 16, as numbered by GSO)
What does God want me to read? A newly surrendered person is
like a convalescent after an operation. He needs a carefully balanced diet of
nourishing and easily assimilated food. Reading is an essential part of the
Christian’s diet. It is important that he read that which can be assimilated
and will be nourishing. If you do not know what books to read see someone who
is surrendered and who is mature in the Groups. Biographies, or stories of
changed lives are very helpful for the young Christian. "Life Changers
" by Begbie; "Children of the Second Birth" Shoemaker; "New
Lives for Old," Reynolds; "For Sinners Only," Russell;
"Twice Born Men," by Begbie, story of the Salvation Army in London
Slums; "Twice Born Ministers," Shoemaker; and others.
Books like, "He That Cometh," Allen;
"Conversion of the Church," Shoemaker; all of E. Stanley Jones’ books
are very good. Some have found Fosdick’s little books, "The Meaning of
Prayer," and "The Manhood of the Master" helpful. One should by
all means read at least one book on the life of Christ a year for a while. More
would be better. "The Life of Christ," Stalker; "Jesus of
Nazareth," Barton; "The Jesus of History," Glover; "The Man
Christ Jesus," Speer, are all good. See your ministers for others if you
desire. But get those biographies of the Master which bring out his humanity.
An understanding of the Cross and its meaning for life is absolutely essential.
The best popular interpretation I know is, "If I be lifted Up," by
Shoemaker. It is a group of lenten sermons. Christ ought to be as real to us as
our nearest and best friend.
Of course the Bible ought to be the main Source Book of all.
No day ought to pass without reading in it. Read until some passage comes that
"hits" you. Then pause and meditate over its meaning for your life.
Begin reading the Bible with the Book of Acts and follow up with the Gospels
and then the Epistles of Paul. Let "Revelation" alone for a while. The
Psalms ought also be read and the Prophets.
[Comment: Early AAs read all these items. I found them in
Dr. Bob’s library (See Dick B., Dr. Bob
and His Library, 3rd ed. www.dickb.com.drbob.shtml). I found
them in Henrietta Seiberling’s reading (See Dick B., The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous and The Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth, 7th ed.). I found
them in Clarence Snyder’s library as shown to me by his wife Grace in Florida
(See Dick B., That Amazing Grace and The Books Early AAs Read, supra). And I found many mentioned in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers and in
early A.A. pamphlets and articles. Anne was the Bible student, the teacher, and
the one who conducted the Morning Watch at the Smith home. It is therefore not
surprising to see the language on page 87 of the Big Book, 3rd ed.: "There
are many helpful books also. Suggestions about these may be obtained from one’s
priest, minister, or rabbi. Be quick to see where religious people are right.
Make use of what they offer." And when I see communications from people
that say "A.A. is not for Christians only" or Lois Wilson’s remark
that "not all drunks are Christians," or hear someone in a meeting
talk about excluding all but Conference Approved books from meetings and
discussions, I bemoan the lack of knowledge of our own history and of the Big Book
itself that exists today. There is no index of forbidden books in Alcoholics
Anonymous, and there never was one. Dr. Bob was an avowed Bible student,
Christian, and member of Protestant churches. But he read, recommended,
circulated, and studied the works of Roman Catholic writers, of Protestant
writers, of Confucius, of "new thought" writers like Trine and Fox,
and of the Bible itself. He went to Roman Catholic retreats, Bible and tooth
brush in hand. And he seems never to have spoken ill of any religion or
denomination–an example today’s AAs would do well to observe.]
"Barriers to a
full surrender.” (From page 18, as numbered by GSO)
Is there anything I won’t give up?
Is there an apology I won’t make?
Is there any defeat in my whole life, I refuse to count as
sin?
Any person I don’t like to meet?
Any restitution I won’t make?
Is there any guidance I have had but refused to follow?
Is there anything I won’t share? Let my surrender be
wholesale.
Narrow vision, rigidity, a staleness in your relationship
with Christ.
Telling a lie.
If you are sore in yourself, do you work it off on somebody
else.
Intellectual doubts arise out of an attitude of mind.
You can’t ask forgiveness from someone you don’t believe in.
Ideas about self - holding on to my own judgment of things,
people, common sense and reason.
"You can’t use a fine needle to do rough darning"–
Are you willing to take any amount of trouble to win others that Christ has
taken to win you?
Each confession a fresh humiliation breaks down another
barrier. You can get to the place where you have nothing left to defend - that
is release. You can go naked to God.
[Comment: There are dozens and dozens of similar phrases, guides,
observations, challenges, and ideas in Anne’s 64 pages, plus those we still
need to find. You can see many discussed in my title, Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939, 3rd ed. You will be surprised, as
so many are each day, to see just how much of Anne’s thinking and teaching
underlies our fellowship ideas. And do you see any mention of "higher
power," or of "acceptance," or of "things happen for a
reason," or "there are no coincidences in A.A." Whatever you
think of such expressions, they should certainly balanced against an
understanding of what some of us now "old school A.A."
Let’s learn what we were and how successful we were before
we start inventing new gods, nonsense gods, higher powers, new philosophies,
and new interpretations of "reality." The Big Book and the chatter in
meetings, if not accompanied by our history, could be likened to a conversation
with Thomas Jefferson without a knowledge of the Declaration of Independence.]
Our Great Opportunity Today
What a great and unusual day it could be in Twelve Step
Fellowships if we actually saw a copy of Anne Smith’s Journal –mine or hers–on
the literature table at a meeting.
What a great and unusual day if someone read just one page
from the real, the original, the un-edited Anne Smith’s Journal at an A.A.
meeting on the 4th week of every month.
What a great and unusual day if A. A. World Services started
publishing the real history of early A.A. instead of the diverse opinions and
conjecture by those who haven’t the resources, the understanding, or even a
clue as to where we came from.
What an opportunity to change the failing “wisdom of the
rooms,” the psychological treatment
ideas, and the secularized “spirituality. And abandoned these in favor of the
early "Program" of Akron Number One that Bill and Bob founded in
1935. Doing this by simply reading at a treatment program what that early
program was, as exemplified by Anne’s Journal.
What a great and unusual day if speakers and International
Conventions and other Conferences began talking about something other than
their own experience, strength, and hope. These talks may be and often are
humorous, inspiring, and attracting. But they seldom deal with the role that
God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in A.A. and can play today. See
www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com.
By contrast, you can read the Book of Acts, as Anne
suggested, and see plenty of victorious experience, strength, and hope that was
based on “effectual, fervent prayer” by righteous people who were children of
God, part of the body of Christ, and shared belief in, and reliance upon, the
power of God. These First Century
Christians shared this kind of experience: They lived together, prayed
together, broke bread together, healed together, and witnessed. The lame walked. The dead were raised. The
sick were healed. And that’s what early A.A. was really about. That is why so
many characterized it as “First Century Christianity in action.”
Take a moment and look at the 12 times the word
"Creator" is used in our Big Book today. If you also learn that the
word "God" with a capital "G" is set forth–by description
or specific language or explicit reference–over 400 times in today’s Big Book,
you might be hesitant about questioning the literature that gave rise to the
"Power" (the power of Almighty God, our Creator). The Almighty God—Creator,
Maker, Heavenly Father, Father of Lights--Whose kindness, healing, and
forgiveness put Alcoholics Anonymous on the map as a viable life-changing
society that really had an answer to the alcohol and drug problem from which
our founders suffered.
For further information, contact Dick B. at dickb@dickb.com
or 808 874 4876. And make a copy of Anne
Smith’s Journal 1933-1939 an integral part of your knowledge of the
principles and practices of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Gloria Deo
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