Aa history Lovers 2006 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page
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NW - New Wine PIO - Pass It On RAA - The Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous (formerly AA the Way It Began)
to her brother-in-law Dr Leonard V Strong, who arranged, and paid for, Bill W's first admission to Towns Hospital. Bill was subjected to the "belladonna cure." The regimen primarily involved "purging and puking" aided by, among other things, castor oil. Belladonna, a hallucinogen, was used to ease the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. (PIO 98-101, LR 85, BW-40 104, NG 14-15, 310, BW-FH 50, BW-RT 174) 1934 Jul (?), Bill W's second admission to Towns Hospital (again paid by Dr Leonard V Strong). Bill met Dr Silkworth for the first time. Silkworth explained the obsession and allergy of alcoholism but Bill started drinking again almost immediately upon discharge. Bill was unemployable, $50,000 in debt ($675,000 today) suicidal and drinking around the clock. (AACOA 52, PIO 106-108, BW-40 114-117, NG 15, 310, BW-FH 50-55)
copy of the Towns Hospital admission record). This was Bill W's third admission to Towns Hospital (again paid by Dr Leonard V Strong). Dr Silkworth pronounced Bill a hopeless drunk and informed Lois that Bill would likely have to be committed. Bill left the hospital a deeply frightened man and sheer terror kept him sober. He found a little work on Wall St, which began to restore his badly shattered confidence. (PIO 106-109, LR 87, AACOA vii, 56, BW-RT 176-177, NG 15, 310, BW-FH 4-5, 54-55)
injured. Lois began investigating sanitariums in which to place Bill. (AACOA 56-58, BW-FH 56)
decided to go back to Towns Hospital and had his last drink (four bottles of beer purchased on the way). He got financial help from his mother, Emily, for the hospital bill. (AACOA 61-62, LOH 197, RAA 152, NG 19, 311, NW 23, PIO 119-120, GB 31).
Arthur
Original Message: I understand that Bill W.'s first three trips to Towns Hospital were paid for by his brother-in-law, Dr. Strong.
George
++++Message 3331. . . . . . . . . . . . The Stools and Bottles Talk From: Tommy . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/13/2006 6:37:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII While reading the book "Stools and Bottles" I found out it is written
from a old series of talks given by AA members using a 3 legged stool and bottles to demostrate character defects. The book mentions it is only using the highlights. Is there anywhere I can get a copy of the whole transcript on paper or the talk on tape. I have searched this board and the net with no luck. Thanks for your time. Tommy H in NC IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 3332. . . . . . . . . . . . New York Metro Meeting Lists From: rrecovery2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/14/2006 10:48:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII In our research for the history of groups in Suffolk County (Long Island, New York, we have found the New York metro meeting lists invaluable. These covered Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. It is just so difficult tracking them down. General Services Archives has just a few, as is the case with the other New York area Archives. Is anyone aware of stash of these some place? Maybe a private collector? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 3333. . . . . . . . . . . . AA in Kansas City From: michael oates . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/13/2006 6:49:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I am a member of the first AA group in Kansas City, that had Black members. It started out as Kansas City inter-racial or the inter-racial group of Kansas City it is now called the Paseo AA group. I was hoping to find someone who came through Kansas City between 1947 and 1951 that rememebers the old inter-racial group. It would go a long way in helping us prepare for our 60th anniversary. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 3334. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Early A.A. Success Rate From: Tom Hickcox . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/12/2006 7:58:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII The Hazelden book "Bill W. My First 40 Years," has a quote from Bill in its Afterword on p. 167, "While the overall A.A. program moved toward stability and maturity, Bill still seemed obsessed with those who somehow weren't weren't able to make A.A. work for them. Warning of the dangers of pride and complacency, he challenged A.A. members at A.A.'s thirtieth anniversary meeting with a question: 'What happened to the 600,000 who approached A.A. and left?'" The quote is not attributed in any foot note. I assume he means 600k came to A.A. during its first thirty years and didn't stay sober.
Book, published in March, I believe, of 1965 states in a footnote on p. xv, "As of 1965, there are over 11,000 groups in over 90 countries with an estimated membership of more than 350,000." A quick and dirty calculation gives a success rate of around 40%, actually 36.8%, but this doesn't include those who came to A.A. and died sober during the first thirty years. We also aren't told where Bill got the 600k number. My problem with all this is in line with what Glenn C. says. Before one starts making statements, one needs to define what one is stating and where the numbers are coming from. Tommy in Baton Rouge. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 3335. . . . . . . . . . . . History and Archives Gathering June 24 (Flyer) From: jlobdell54 . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/14/2006 1:47:00 PM
Gathering, Lebanon PA. This is the planned program, assuming no changes or withdrawals.
HISTORY and ARCHIVES GATHERING Saturday June 24th 2006 REGISTRATION, COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS 8 A.M. - 9 A.M. LIVING AA HISTORY: OLDTIMERS PANEL LEAD SPEAKER CHET H, HUMMELSTOWN PA DLD 4/4/49 EXPERIENCING AA HISTORY: DOING THE STEPS WITH CLARENCE S MITCH K, WASHINGTONVILLE NY PANEL ON WRITING A.A. HISTORY LEAD SPEAKER GLENN C, SOUTH BEND IN LUNCH PANEL ON THE PROPOSED (GSO) AA HISTORY 1955-2000 PANEL ON WRITING AA LOCAL HISTORY: THE FOUNDERS IN EASTERN PA ARCHIVES EXHIBITS FROM EASTERN PA, MARYLAND, NORTH JERSEY, AND THE CLARENCE S. ARCHIVES ST CECILIA'S PARISH HALL 750 STATE DRIVE LEBANON PA 17042
Route 72 North into Lebanon (about 6 miles plus). In Lebanon turn right on Route 422 East at traffic light. Continue to Lincoln Avenue (about half a mile or less). Turn right on Lincoln to Y in road where you take the left fork onto State Drive. St Cecilia's Parish Hall is on the left about a quarter-mile up. From Lancaster take Route 72 (Manheim Pike) North to Lebanon and then as above. From the Northwest, take Route 322 East to I-81 North just outside of Harrisburg. Take I-81 N to Route 934 and go south on Route 934 (away from Fort Indiantown Gap) a short distance to Route 22. Take Route 22 East to Route 72 South. Follow Route 72 South through center of Lebanon to Route 422 East and then as above.
East and then as above. From the East on Route 78 Exit at Route 343. Follow Route 343 (a couple of miles) into Lebanon (N. 7th Street). Turn left on Maple Street. Go about three-fifths of a mile to Lincoln Avenue. Turn right on Lincoln to Y in road and continue left on State Drive as above.
From: Jon Markle . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/16/2006 10:02:00 AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII When/where I got sober (as they say being
suggested as essential reading (as well as the standard AA literature) Big Book and the 12x12, etc, the little Black Book, Red Book and Green Book, and Living Sober. By sponsors and my home group.
suggestions that newcomers read the literature. We always gave out a copy of "Living Sober" to all newcomers, whether or not they came back. And
sponsors always made sure their sponsees had the Big Book and a copy of the 12x12, at the very least. Jon Markle Raleigh
wrote:
> to the early members being readers or listeners of > Emmet Fox. I have been reading his writings for > about a year and find the spirit of the message > strong there. > > I had someone tell me that there was "AA History" > where there was no Emmet and then "revised history" > with Emmet. I'm more curious from a historical > standpoint. Wether they read it or not has not > kept it from helping me grow spiritually! > ________________________________ > > From the moderator, Glenn C. -- Yes, Emmet Fox's > book was widely read and greatly admired in early > A.A., see for example: > > The Old-Time Akron Reading List: > Books for A.A. Beginners > > (http://hindsfoot.org/kML3rc1.html) > > A Manual for Alcoholics Anonymous (THE AKRON MANUAL), > published by the Akron group in late 1939 or early > 1940, with Dr. Bob's approval we must assume, and > handed out to alcoholics when they were admitted to > the hospital for detoxing, gives a list at the end > of ten recommended readings for newcomers to A.A., > so that they might better understand the spiritual > aspects of the program. > > "The following literature," the pamphlet says, "has > helped many members of Alcoholics Anonymous": > > (1) Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book). > > (2) The Holy Bible (especially the Sermon on the Mount > in Matthew 5-7, the letter of James, 1 Corinthians > 13, and Psalms 23 and 91). > > (3) The Greatest Thing in the World, Henry Drummond. > > (4) The Unchanging Friend, a series (Bruce Publishing > Co., Milwaukee). > > (5) As a Man Thinketh, James Allen. > > (6) The Sermon on the Mount, Emmet Fox (Harper Bros.). > > (7) The Self You Have to Live With, Winfred Rhoades. > > (8) Psychology of Christian Personality, Ernest M. > Ligon (Macmillan Co.). > > (9) Abundant Living, E. Stanley Jones. > > (10) The Man Nobody Knows, Bruce Barton. > ________________________________ > > As you can see, Emmet Fox's book was number six on > the early Akron AA recommended reading list. It is > easy to obtain copies of this book. > > There is a new edition of Allen's and Drummond's > books which Mel B. published in 2004 (see > http://hindsfoot.org/kML3rc1.html). > > Allen's book in particular hits many of the same > themes which appear in Emmet Fox. This early > twentieth century approach to spirituality was > called New Thought. Many early AA members were > strongly influenced by New Thought in their > interpretation of the AA program. The Unity > Church of Peace is one group which still teaches > a New Thought approach to spirituality. > > (This is NOT the same as "New Age," which means > magic crystals and channeling and all that sort of > thiing.) > > The Detroit Pamphlet (the Detroit version of the > Table Leader's Guide, a widely used set of early > A.A. beginners lessons) had a long passage from > Emmet Fox at the end, called "Staying on the > Beam." *** > ________________________________ > > Can any members of the group give us other references > to Emmet Fox's Sermon on the Mount in early AA > literature? > > There was one weekly meeting in early AA in South > Bend, Indiana, where I live, which read Emmet Fox's > book during their meetings, and insisted that > everybody in the AA group be thoroughly familiar > with that book. > ________________________________ > > *** STAYING ON THE BEAM, by Emmet Fox > > (http://hindsfoot.org/Detr4.html) > > Today most commercial flying is done on a radio beam. A directional beam > is produced to guide the pilot to his destination, and as long as he keeps on > this beam he knows that he is safe, even if he cannot see around him for fog, > or get his bearings in any other way. > As soon as he gets off the beam in any direction he is in danger, and he > immediately tries to get back on to the beam once more. > Those who believe in the All-ness of God, have a spiritual beam upon which
> to navigate on the voyage of life. As long as you have peace of mind and some
> sense of the Presence of God you are on the beam, and you are safe, even if
> outer things seem to be confused or even very dark; but as soon as you get off
> the beam you are in danger. > You are off the beam the moment you are angry or resentful or jealous or > frightened or depressed; and when such a condition arises you should > immediately get back on the beam by turning quietly to God in thought, > claiming His Presence, claiming that His Love and Intelligence are with you, > and that the promises in the Bible are true today. > If you do this you are back on the beam, even if outer conditions and your
> own feelings do not change immediately. You are back on the beam and you will
> reach port in safety. > Keep on the beam and nothing shall by any means hurt you. > >
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >
++++Message 3337. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Emmet Fox From: ArtSheehan . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/16/2006 10:53:00 AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII The Sermon On The Mount by Emmet Fox was published in 1934. Both Fox and the book were quite popular among early AA members in both NY and Akron. NY members would also attend Fox's lectures. Dr Bob recommended it for reading for Akron, OH members. Please refer to "New Wine" by Mel B, pages 111-112 and 114 and "Dr Bob
and the Good Oldtimers" pages 310-311) The following is from the February 1996 Grapevine Emmet Fox and Alcoholics Anonymous One of the very early recovering alcoholics who worked with co-founder Bill W. was a man named Al, whose mother was secretary to Emmet Fox, a popular lecturer on New Thought philosophy. When the early groups were meeting in New York, members would frequently adjourn after a meeting and go to Steinway Hall to listen to Fox's lecture. To this day there are AA groups that distribute Fox's pamphlets along with Conference-approved AA literature.
of the
influence of Emmet Fox and his classic work, "Sermon on the Mount." An AA old-timer recollected: "The first thing he (Dr. Bob) did was to get Emmet Fox's ‘Sermon on the Mount'....Once when I was working on a woman in Cleveland, I called and asked him what to do for someone who is going into DT's. He told me to give her the medication and he said, ‘When she comes out of it and she decides she wants to be a different woman, get her Drummond's ‘The Greatest Thing in the World.' Tell her to read it through every day for thirty days and she'll be a different woman.' Those were the three main books at the time; that and ‘The Upper Room' and ‘The Sermon on the Mount.'" Perhaps the fundamental contribution of Emmet Fox to Alcoholics Anonymous was the simplicity and power of "The Sermon on the Mount." This book sets forth the basic principles of the New Thought philosophy that "God is the only power, and that evil is insubstantial; that we form our own destiny by our thoughts and our beliefs; that conditions do not matter when we pray; that time and space and matter are human illusions; that there is a solution to every problem; that man is the child of God, and God is perfect good."
love and personal forgiveness were the keys to fundamental transformation: "Love is by far the most important thing of all. It is the Golden Gate of Paradise. Pray for the understanding of love, and meditate upon it daily. It casts out fear. It is the fulfilling of the Law. It covers a multitude of sins. Love is absolutely invincible." Fox went on to say that forgiveness was an integral part of the Pathway of Love, "which is open to everyone in all circumstances, and upon which you may step at any moment - at this moment if you like - requires no formal introduction, has no conditions whatever. It calls for no expensive laboratory in which to work, because your own daily life, and your ordinary daily surroundings are your laboratory. It needs no reference library, no professional training, no external apparatus of any kind. All it does need is that you should begin steadfastly to expel from your mentality every thought of personal condemnation (you must condemn a wrong action, but not the actor), of resentment for old injuries, and of everything which is contrary to the law of Love. You must not allow yourself to hate either person, or group, or nation, or anything whatever.
Love-consciousness, and then all the rest of spiritual development will follow upon that. Love will heal you. Love will illumine you." One of the cornerstones of Fox's philosophy was to live but one day at a time, to be responsible for one's own thoughts and to clear up resentments, just as AA was to teach that "resentments are our number one cause of slips." For Fox, one of the most important rules for growth was to live in the present: "Live in today, and do not allow yourself to live in the past under any pretense. Living the past means thinking about the past, rehearsing past events, especially if you do this with feeling...train yourself to be a man or woman who lives one day at a time. You'll be surprised how rapidly conditions will change for the better when you approach this ideal."
one cannot have one kind of mind and another kind of life. According to Fox, if we want to change our lives, then we must change our thoughts first. Many of his simply stated profundities have contributed to an AA philosophy that has transformed the lives of literally two million recovering alcoholics. Igor S., Hartford, Conn. February 1996 AA Grapevine. (c) AA Grapevine, Inc. Cheers Arthur
From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Matthugh Bennett Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 12:55 PM To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] Emmet Fox
to the early members being readers or listeners of Emmet Fox. I have been reading his writings for about a year and find the spirit of the message strong there.
where there was no Emmet and then "revised history" with Emmet. I'm more curious from a historical standpoint. Wether they read it or not has not kept it from helping me grow spiritually! ________________________________ From the moderator, Glenn C. -- Yes, Emmet Fox's book was widely read and greatly admired in early A.A., see for example:
Books for A.A. Beginners (http://hindsfoot.org/kML3rc1.html) A Manual for Alcoholics Anonymous (THE AKRON MANUAL), published by the Akron group in late 1939 or early 1940, with Dr. Bob's approval we must assume, and handed out to alcoholics when they were admitted to the hospital for detoxing, gives a list at the end of ten recommended readings for newcomers to A.A., so that they might better understand the spiritual aspects of the program. "The following literature," the pamphlet says, "has helped many members of Alcoholics Anonymous": (1) Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book). (2) The Holy Bible (especially the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, the letter of James, 1 Corinthians 13, and Psalms 23 and 91).
Co., Milwaukee). (5) As a Man Thinketh, James Allen. (6) The Sermon on the Mount, Emmet Fox (Harper Bros.). (7) The Self You Have to Live With, Winfred Rhoades. (8) Psychology of Christian Personality, Ernest M. Ligon (Macmillan Co.). (9) Abundant Living, E. Stanley Jones. (10) The Man Nobody Knows, Bruce Barton. ________________________________ As you can see, Emmet Fox's book was number six on the early Akron AA recommended reading list. It is Download 13.83 Mb. Share with your friends:
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