Thursday, February 28, 2013

Synopsis of the all but buried Christian upbringing of A.A. cofounder Bill Wilson

What we now know is that historians completely missed the boat when it came to reciting and making known Bill Wilson's extensive Christian upbringing in Vermont. Shortly we will have our new book (Bill W. and Dr. Bob: The Green Mountain Men of Vermont) released where you can see the whole picture in detail. For now, these points are important:  Bill's parents and grandparents attended East Dorset Congregational Church on the lawn between Griffith House and Wilson House. The Wilsons helped found the church, contributed to it financially, and owned Pew 15 in that church. We have also seen the Congregational Confession and Creed of that church as well as some of its literature. Bill Wilson attended the church and its Sunday school. His parents were married in that church. And, as a youngster, Bill studied the Bible with his grandfather Griffith and his friend Mark Whalon. He attended conversion, revival, and temperance meetings and even reminisced about the sermons he had heard in East Dorset. Next, Bill was enrolled in Burr and Burton Seminary in Manchester, Vermont and attended there for four years. He took a four year Bible study course there. He attended daily chapel there where there were Sermons, reading of Scripture, hymns, and prayer meetings. Students also frequently attended Manchester Congregational Church where the Burr and Burton Seminary owned a pew in which the students sat. Bill was President of the Seminary YMCA. His lady love Bertha Bamford was President of the Seminary YWCA; and both attended YMCA activities together. From there, Bill soon attended Norwich Military Academy in Northfield where there was also required a similar daily chapel and church attendance routine. Bill's friend Ebby Thacher boarded with the Manchester Congregational Church pastor while Ebby also attended Burr and Burton as well as Norwich with Bill

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