Alcoholics Anonymous History Blog and Its Content

Dick B. is a writer, historian, retired attorney, Bible student, CDAAC, and an active recovered member of the Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship with over 25 years of continuous sobriety. He has published 42 titles and over 675 articles on Alcoholics Anonymous History as well as the Christian Recovery Movement. He is Executive Director of the International Christian Recovery Coalition.

Several websites incorporate various aspects of Alcoholics Anonymous History, the biblical roots of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Christian Recovery Movement today, These include www.dickb.com; www.dickb-blog.com; http://drbob.info; www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition; and http://freedomranchmaui.org.

This blog will supplement the materials posted on Alcoholics Anonymous History.com. It will present materials primarily devoted to Alcoholics Anonymous. It will cover titles, articles, blogs, forums, facebook, twitter, digg, in the rooms, tumbler, stumble upon, and several social network forums. But the materials covered here will be those pertaining to Alcoholics Anonymous History.

Probably the beginning work is the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous just published by Dover Publications. It contains the original First Edition reprint with all the personal stories--most of which have since been removed from later editions. It also covers the original solution---a "spiritual experience"--not just a spiritual awakening or personality change sufficient to overcome alcoholism. Of great importance is the lengthy introduction by author Dick B. explaining the origins of the Big Book, its sources, the changes in the manuscript, the purpose of the personal stories, and the way in which the personal stories were included to provide evidentiary testimony as to how the program in the edition worked.

Any Alcoholics Anonymous History presentation with integrity does not merely start with some writer's conception of a "higher power," a fellowship that it "spiritual, but not religious," a theory that claims you can choose your own conception of "a" god, or an assertion that you do not need to believe anything at all in order to recover from alcoholism by the path outlined in the A.A. Big Book.

To me, accurate and truthful Alcoholics Anonymous History includes the origins, history, founding, original A.A. Christian Fellowship founded in Akron in June, 1935. It also includes Bill Wilson's claim that there were "six" word-of-mouth ideas that were commonly used to "work" the program, but also were varied in wording, varied in their reference to God, and varied in acceptance by different groups of AAs. It includes the original seven point summary of the original Akron Christian Fellowship program and the 16 principles and practices of the Akron pioneers. It includes the shift in program promulgated by Bill Wilson and his partner Henry Parkhurst as they formed a corporation and sought to write a book primarily emanating from the 28 Oxford Group life-changing ideas which were ultimately codified into the Big Book and Steps. www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml. It includes the Christian and Bible materials tossed out before the Big Book was printed. It includes the sources of the Steps named by Bill Wilson as Dr. William D. Silkworth, Professor William James, and the Oxford Group teachings of Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. It includes the last minute changes in the Big Book manusript just prior to its going to the printer. It includes full details as to how and why a committee of four changed the word "God" in the Steps and substituted "Power greater than ourselves" and "God as we understood Him" in God's place. It explains how Bill Wilson resisted these changes, but finally relented in order to appease atheists and agnostics who might try to get sober by the Steps. It includes the change of the solution from "spiritual experience" to "spiritual awakening" and "personality change." It includes the person by person stories removed from Big Book editions and the vacancy their removal left in testimonies about either the Akron Christian Fellowship program or the original Big Book program.

There is much more to Alcoholics Anonymous History. And the items have theirit place in any effort to answer such questions as to whether Alcoholics Anonymous History proves that A.A. is a "cult." Or that Alcoholics Anonymous History has no Christian origins. Or that Alcoholics Anonymous History does not prove that all three of the first AAs--Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob Smith, and Bill Dotson believed in God, were born again Christians, had studied the Bible extensively, and had been cured by simply turning to God. Or that Alcoholics Anonymous History proves that A.A. is not religious or a religion. Or that Alcoholics Anonymous History establishes A.A. as a program whose recovery comes from "Someone" or "Something" or "not-god-ness," but not and never from reliance on "the God of the Scriptures" as Bill Wilson himself referred to Yahweh, the Creator, Maker, Heavenly Father, God of our fathers, and Father of Light.

Each year of our 21 years of research has brought before the fellowship and historians mountains of manuscripts, books, correspondence, news articles, church records, creed and confession statements, historical accounts, and obscured writings by A.A. founders and pioneers as well as virtually ignored news accounts across America. This blog will be reporting them as found, analyzed, verified, and published.
God Bless, Dick B. dickb@dickb.com

Dover Publications Just Released the new Alcoholics Anonymous 1st ed reprint with Dick B. Introduction

Dover Publications has just released a very reasonably priced complete reprint of the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous. It has a replica of the original circus cover. It has an extensive introduction by Dick B. explaining the importance of the First Edition, the personal stories (most of which have long been removed), the changes between this edition and later editions, and the things to look for and study in the original stories and original edition.

We will have many more comments after our return from the Christian counselors conference in Palm Springs on October 2nd.

This new First Edition was displayed, presented, and discussed at the two International Christian REcovery Coalition conferences on September 17 and 24 at Costa Mesa and Brentwood, California respectfully

21 Dick B. Titles Now Listed in Hollis Classic Full Catalog at Harvard University

Thanks to a distinguished psychiatrist at Beth Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, a set of my 29 reference titles has been placed in the Harvard Library System. And now, thanks to him, 21 of my titles are listed in Hollis Classic Full Catalog at Harvard, with miscellaneous titles also listed in World Catalog under Harvard.

Oxford Group and A.A. - Answers to Two Recent Inquiries

The first inquiry had to do with Oxford Group "pamphlets" and how many were used in early A.A.
Here is my reply:

Dear R: Thank you very much for writing and for the question. There are several answers that could help you.

First, the answer about many “Oxford Group” pamphlets before the Big Book publication is not even close to accurate.

Second, Dr. Bob pointed out in Pamphlet P-53 that the early pioneers felt the answers to their questions were in the “Good Book” and that the parts they considered absolutely essential were The Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13. DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers pointed out that every meeting opened with a reading from the Bible and that Bible study was stressed. See The Good Book and the Big Book www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml, and The James Club, www.dickb.com/JamesClub.shtml.

Third, there was only one Oxford Group meeting each week on Wednesday; and often the AAs were in a separate room from the Oxford People. There were seldom more than 6 of them including Henrietta Seiberling and her three kids, T. Henry and Clarace Williams, and at most two or three others. By contrast, there were daily meetings – fellowships of likeminded Believers in the alcoholics’ own homes- particularly that of Dr. Bob. These are mentioned in Pamphlet P-53 – conference approved biographical sketches of Bob and Bill.

Fourth, every morning, Anne Smith held a quiet time on the porch of their home, and AAs, their families and kids attended – no particular mention of Oxford Group people.

Anne read from the Bible and from her own journal www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml; and the group often studied The Upper Room which was NOT an Oxford Group pamphlet, but a quarterly from the Southern Methodist church that was distributed by Mother G. (mother of Sue’s first husband Ernie G.)

Fifth, at the meetings, several devotionals where used by the group for discussion and also by the individuals in their homes. None was an Oxford Group pamphlet.

These included The Runner’s Bible (written in 1915 long before there was an Oxford Group), the Upper Room, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (and not An Oxford Group pamphlet), and Daily Strength for Daily Needs by Mary Wileston (and not an Oxford Group pamphlet).

Sixth, the “Books Early AAs Read for Spiritual Growth” and “Dr. Bob and His Library” (www.dickb.com/titles.shtml) tell you precisely what was read; and these included books and pamphlets on healing, prayer, guidance, the Bible, the Father’s of the Church, life-changing stories, and many others by Henry Drummond, Toyohiko Kagawa, and Sam Shoemaker.

Seventh, such Oxford Group books and pamphlets as there were, were used primarily on the New York scene; and Bill Wilson and his wife left the Oxford Group in August of 1937. There were more than 500 Oxford Group books and pamphlets, and the best source material is my own book “The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous” www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml.

Finally, so much of the gossip about the Oxford Group has been written by “historians” or lay people who don’t know the difference between the Akron Christian Fellowship and the Big Book program obtained largely through Rev. Sam Shoemaker of the Oxford Group when he worked with Bill in 1938 and early l939. Also by critics who try to paint A.A. with an Oxford Group tilt and ignore The major influence of the Bible and the substantial material and evidence about it Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml.

I hope you will pursue your interest, and you may find all that you need in my books above, plus one or two others.

The second question was about the supposed Oxford Group's (but non-existent) 6th Step.

Here is my answer:

Dear K:

Thank you very much for writing. Several comments:

1. You need to obtain and read Pamphlet P53—the Cofounders last major speeches and biographies. Dr. Bob tells you explicitly what they did and didn’t have. The had no Steps, no Traditions, no Big Book, no drunkalogs, and no meetings as we know them today.
2. They used the Bible and particularly studied and stressed the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13.

 

3.  The Oxford Group had no steps – ever. Not six, not twelve, none! You can find that in Pass It On. To find out what the Oxford Group’s 28 principles were (reviewed and endorsed by many Oxford Group people who read my work, read Dick B. “The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous, 2d ed. See www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml.. Buy it there or on Amazon.

4. Dr. Bob explicitly said that all the basic ideas for the Steps came from the Bible. See Dick B., The Good Book and The Big Book www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml and The James Club: The Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials. www.dickb.com/JamesClub.shtml.
5. A.A. never had any six steps, nor did the Oxford Group – no matter what you may read. Bill’s own invention was that there were six word-of-mouth ideas from which he expanded to the Twelve Steps. Different folks, he said, differed about what they were and how they were used. See Dick B. The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Akron.shtml

6. The original Akron Christian Fellowship program founded by Bill W. and Dr. Bob in Akron in June, 1935, was summarized by Frank Amos as having 7 points – five required and two Recommended. See DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 13. And we have identified fourteen practices they used to implement the 7 principles. It is all laid out in The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3^rd ed., 2010. See order form on first page of my main website..

7. Many A.A. critics—a few Christian and many others in and out of A.A.—violently oppose the Oxford Group, not realizing that Bill and Lois left it in August of 1937; and Bill began work on his Big Book in 1938 obtaining the Step and Big Book ideas largely from 3 sources: William James, Dr. Silkworth, and Rev. Sam Shoemaker of Calvary Church in New York. Akron’s onl significant connection with the Oxford Group there was in holding a Wednesday nite meeting at the home of T. Henry Williams. Even there, the alkies often held their group meeting in a different room from the Oxford Group’s meeting.

8. Students of the Big Book and those who read my book Turning Point (www.dickb.com/turning.shtml) can learn that Bill was informed of all twelve step ideas by his friend Ebby Thacher.

You can find the summary on pages 12-14 of the 4^th edition Big Book; and you can find the full details of what Bill related about Ebby and the Steps in Turning Point.

9. I hasten to point out that A.A. has drifted so far from God and the Bible and also from the Oxford Group that you will hear more phony stories about these subjects than you will the truth.

Please favor me with your name, mail address, phone, and email. And do keep in touch. Thanks again. You are the second in a day or so to raise Oxford Group questions, and this is healthy!

In conclusion, readers looking for proper and complete information on the Oxford Group and A.A. as differing from the Bible and A.A. can do no better than obtain and read three of my books: (1) The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml, (2) The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous  www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml. (3) The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010 See/the front page of my main website

AAHistory: Where to find the documents and see them

In the 21 years since I first began traveling, interviewing, visiting archives and libraries, and reading the books really involved in A.A. history, things have changed.

Today, both histories and historians abound. Yet access to the materials which can verify the writings is seldom sought. Nor are the locations very much discussed or known. Nor do writers meticulously document their historical statements with footnotes, bibliographies, indices, and endorsements. Many just write. And with the internet providing so many outlets, it is not hard to find what they write.

But suppose you wanted to verify their work. Suppose you wanted to investigate for yourself. Suppose you wanted copies of the real materials that would support or disprove their writings. Could you succeed?

Well here's what I know from having visited so many of the places where a wide variety of historical materials lie awaiting the searcher.

The Griffith Library at the Wilson House in East Dorset, Vermont. Before Ozzie Lepper died, he devoted years to building a library, collecting books, and even cataloguing them. The library is across the green from the Wilson House in the Griffith House where Bill Wilson was raised as a youngster. You can stay at the Wilson House and visit. You can stop and visit. And you can have your fill. My own collection of some 23,900 items was, thanks to benefactors, donated to the Griffith Library; and it will keep you busy for months on end. Books and items are still being donated and/or collected.

The Dr. Bob Core Library at the North Congregational Church of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. My son Ken and I made two separate visits to this charming village where Dr. Bob was born and raised. We tried to leave no repository untouched. We visited Dr. Bob's boyhood home, but there was little to see or collect. We visited the St. Johnsbury Academy which was attended by Dr. Bob, where Bob's mother had been a student and a teacher and a historian, and where Bob's father had been an examiner. The archivist there opened the doors to scads of history about the Smiths. We visited the Athenaeum, the town library where Dr. Bob studied and visited. It is filled with good library materials and the resources to find and study them. We spent hours in the North Congregational Church where there are many records about the Smiths, their activities in the church, the sermons, the Sunday School teachings, the Year Books, and much much more about the members and their service. We obtained materials from the Fairbanks Museum across the street. And we marched into the Town Hall and obtained a copy of Dr. Bob's birth certificate. And we procured many books about this community, its famous families, and its Great Awakening of 1875. We lodged over 3000 items in the church thanks to its Pastor Jay Sprout. And you can go there, visit, read, study, and learn.

The Shoemaker Room at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh. From the Episcopal Church Archives in Texas; from the Princeton archives; from Hartford Seminary Archives; from Shoemaker's church in New York; from the Shoemaker daughters; from the widow of Shoemaker's assistant minister; and from many who knew Shoemaker and wrote about him, we gathered as many Shoemaker books and papers as we could find. And, thanks to the rector, Dr. Harold Lewis, they are now lodged in the church. And Professor Karen A. Plavan is the contact person, and there is also an archivist who knew Shoemaker.

These three places, plus a visit to the Akron Intergroup Archives, the Annex at Dr. Bob's Home in Akron, to the former archivist Ray G., to the Bierce Library, to the Summit Library, to the Akron Beacon Journal, to the Seiberling Gate Lodge, and to historian Gail L. should provide ample additional material on Akron--even though most of the materials there are under glass and lock and key and not that easy either to study or to copy. Not so as to the materials Ray G. has collected over many years. He is a gracious host and a learned "teacher."

In the next article, I will list the books I have written which describe all these materials and make them come alive when you read about them and the place they have in A.A. History.

AA-How to Study, Understand, and Take the 12 Steps

A.A.: How to Study, Understand, & Take the 12 Steps

by Dick B.
© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

The Bible;
Dr. William D. Silkworth (“The little doctor who loved drunks”);
William James (The Varieties of Religious Experience);
Anne Smith (and her personal journal which she kept between 1933 and 1939);
The Oxford Group (also known as “A First Century Christian Fellowship”); and
Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.

KEEP IT SIMPLE:

To learn about those key sources for material in the 12 Steps, I suggest you study:

Dick B., Twelve Steps for You: Let Our Creator, A.A. History, and the Big Book Be Your Guide (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006):

The sources of the 12 Steps and the “taking” of the Steps to completion

Dick B., By the Power of God: A Guide to Early A.A. Groups & Forming Similar Groups Today (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2000):

Details for study and for study groups

Dick B., The James Club and the Original A.A. Program's Absolute Essentials (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006):

Relating Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the Book of James, and 1 Cor 13 to the Big Book

Three Clarence Snyder Sponsee Old-timers and Their Wives, 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)

A 12 Step Guide for Retreats, Groups, and Individuals that also includes A.A. history

FOR: AAs, 12 Steppers, Sponsors, Speakers, Writers, Bible students, Christian recovery groups

TO ORDER:

You may read more about and order Dick B.'s titles here: http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml

You may order the Our A.A. Legacy book here: http://www.cametobelieve.org/