A.A.’s Christian Origins History Segments

A.A.’s Christian Origins and Landmarks (1850 - 1939) and Their Importance in Recovery Efforts Today

By Dick B.

© 2009 Anonymous. All rights reserved

Introduction for Christian Trainers and Leaders, and for Those Still Suffering

Questions:

Today can we fairly characterize as Christian the Alcoholics Anonymous Society as a whole (consisting of some two million members), Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., the Big Book, the Twelve Steps, A.A. General Services Conference-approved literature, or the individual groups or meetings? The answer is “No.”

Are there today tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of participants in the worldwide A.A. fellowship, who are or consider themselves to be Christians? The answer is “Yes.”

Is it important for these Christians, others in recovery, and the public at large to learn about and  (if they choose to do so) apply the Christian roots, principles, program, and practices of the Original A.A. program founded in 1935? (That is the early Akron "Christian Fellowship" program for which early A.A. claimed an overall 75% success rate among the "seemingly-hopeless," "medically-incurable," "last gasp cases" pioneers--those who went to any lengths to find or rediscover God through that program, and who were the same A.A. pioneers who proclaimed themselves cured by the power of God.) I believe the answer is, “Yes.”

How A.A.’s Four Major Christian Influences Help Answer These Questions

To help answer these questions, we have set forth a synopsis of the four major roots of early A.A. We have taken specific note of, and discussed, the key principles and practices of the early Akron “Program.” These were the principles and practices employed with such great success in the 1930’s. And we believe the facts make clear that these can still be used today by Christian leaders and workers in the recovery arena, and by those still suffering.

A.A.’s Own Literature Sets Forth a Major Bridge between the Original, Highly-Successful, Akron Christian Program and the Program Actually Published in the Big Book in April 1939 and Thereafter

Christians in recovery fellowships today may very much want to follow the early five-point program summarized by Frank Amos and published in A.A. General Services Conference-approved literature. They may also desire to harmonize the Original program ideas with the later  Big Book writings and the suggested practical program of action. This later Big Book program consists in part of the suggested Twelve Steps; and these Steps are primarily introduced by the key Big Book Chapter V—"How It Works." Today, we know that biblical passages and Christian materials used in Akron were intentionally discarded from the Big Book manuscript just prior to its publication. But the question for all in recovery today—certainly for Christians (recovered and in recovery)—remains: Does the chapter V language still allow for, encourage, and make a place for Christians today to practice the Original program and work with the Big Book and its Steps as well. Note that Bill Wilson himself asserted, that anyone—regardless of his religious persuasion—could stand on and use the Big Book principles, as they are dramatically summarized in the following “abc’s" found even today on page 60 of the Fourth Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous:

(a)    That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.

(b)   That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.

(c)    That God could and would if He were sought.

There are several reasons why these three “pertinent ideas” clearly justify any person in the Alcoholics Anonymous fellowship today in standing on and applying the principles and practices of the early A.A. program in Akron. The first reason is that all three of A.A.’s first pioneers applied those very "abc" ideas, sought God’s help, and were healed by the power of God. The second reason is that A.A. has never prohibited the historical practices that put A.A. on the map. The third reason is that the argument for the changes made in the Original program just prior to publication of the Big Book was to provide a “Broad Highway” for  people of all faiths and no faith (p. 55). Bill described these suffering and seeking souls as “being wrecked in the same vessel, being restored and united under one God, with hearts and minds attuned to the welfare of others.” (page 161).  Finally, while A.A.’s Twelve Traditions are not laws and do not bind anyone, Tradition 10 (long form) suggests the freedom to choose to resort to Almighty God—the Creator of the heaven sand the earth—for recovery, healing, and cure. It says:

10. No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues—particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.

Moreover, we believe that the Original A.A. program—summarized in A.A.’s own Conference-approved literature and written by its trustee-to-be Frank Amos—is not, and should not be described as, either an “outside issue” or a “controversial issue.”

In the Big Book itself, Bill wrote:

We think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members identify themselves with as individuals. This should be an entirely personal affair which each one decides for himself in the light of past associations or his present choice. Not all of us join religious bodies, but most of us favor such memberships (p. 18).

Bill also wrote:

Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make us of what they offer. (p. 87)

Four Groups of Major Christian Influences on the A.A. Program

I.) Two Major Pre-A.A. Christian Tributaries That Affected the Shape of Akron A.A.

First, the Pre-A.A. Christian Organizations or Leaders

At least seven pre-A.A. Christian organizations or leaders successfully helped alcoholics (and addicts) find or rediscover God by coming to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. These seven advocated salvation for the afflicted; and then, either directly or indirectly, impacted on early A.A. and the basic ideas which came from the A.A. pioneers’ study of the Bible. The following are the seven:

1. Evangelists and revivalists [beginning at least as early as 1846 with John B. Gough (“an apostle of Temperance”), preceded by Charles G. Finney (1792-(1792-08-29)–1875); and followed later by evangelists Dwight L. Moody, Allen Folger, Ira Sankey, Henry Moorhouse, and others like Ethel Willitts (whose book Dr. Bob owned)]; 
2. The Young Men’s Christian Association [In U.S., Boston, 1851]; 
3. The Gospel rescue missions [In U.S., Jerry McAuley mission, 1872]; 
4. The Salvation Army [In U.S., Philadelphia, 1879; officially, 1880]; 
5. The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavour [In U.S., 1881]; 
6. A First Century Christian Fellowship (aka: the Oxford Group) [1922/1921]; and 
7. Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. [Realizing Religion (1921)]

Second, the Christian religious training and experiences of A.A. cofounders Bill W. and Dr. Bob, particularly as youngsters in Vermont 

The conversion of Bill Wilson’s grandfather, William C. ("Willie") Wilson, and the accompanying immediate cure of his (Willie's) alcoholism. The "Great Awakening" of 1875 in St. Johnsbury. The Christian upbringing of Dr. Bob and Bill W. by their grandparents and parents; the Congregational churches; the Sunday schools; their Bible study; their experiences with conversions and revivals; their familiarity with prayer meetings; their connections with the YMCA; Dr. Bob’s activity in Christian Endeavor; and the extensive Christian activity at St. Johnsbury Academy (which Dr. Bob attended), and Burr and Burton Academy (which Bill W. attended), where Dr. Bob and Bill W. each attended required daily chapel, listened to sermons and Scripture reading, and attended required church service and Bible study every Sunday.

II.) The Events Involving Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob, and A.A.’s Founding

First, the initial events that led directly to the founding of the Original Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship on June 10, 1935

In Bill Wilson’s case, the story began with Dr. William D. Silkworth’s advice given to Bill on Bill’s third Towns Hospital treatment, where Silkworth told Bill that Jesus Christ could cure Bill of alcoholism. Then came Ebby Thacher’s visit to Bill announcing that he had been changed at Calvary Mission and explaining what had happened to Rowland Hazard: Dr. Carl Jung had suggested to Rowland that a conversion experience was an option for curing Rowland's alcoholism. Next came Bill’s observation that Ebby had been reborn at Calvary Mission. This precipitated Bill’s own trip to Calvary Rescue Mission, his decision for Christ at the altar, and his subsequent statement that he too had been born again for sure. Then came Bill’s decision to call on the Great Physician for help; Bill’s white light experience at Towns Hospital; his conviction that he had been in the presence of God—“the God of the Scriptures” as he once put it; and Bill’s conviction after reading the William James book and consulting with Dr. Silkworth that he (Bill Wilson) had a valid religious experience. Finally, Bill’s declaration that he never again doubted the existence of God. Nor did he ever drink again. And still more, Bill’s persistent witnessing with a Bible under his arm, talking to any and every drunk he could find; Bill’s participation in Calvary Church witnessing processionals to Madison Square; and Bill’s stating the Lord had cured him of his terrible disease, and that he just wanted to keep talking about it and telling people. In fact, Bill is quoted in his talk to Roman Catholic clergy in 1960: “For a time I really thought I had been appointed by God to fix up all the drunks in the world!”

In Dr. Bob’s case, the story began in 1931 with Russell Firestone's conversion to Christ through the witness of Rev. Samuel Shoemaker, and the accompanying immediate healing of Russell's alcoholism. Next, in 1933, after Russell had remained sober for more than a year, Harvey Firestone, Sr., invited Oxford Group founder, Dr. Frank N. D. Buchman, to bring an Oxford Group "team" to Akron. And the 10 days of meetings the "team" put on were widely attended—including by Henrietta Seiberling and Dr. Bob’s wife, Anne. Then Dr. Bob’s spiritual renewal began when he joined a tiny Oxford Group circle, read the Bible three times from cover to cover, joined a church, and read immense amounts of literature--much of it Christian in nature. Next, the little group of which Dr. Bob was a part prayed with Dr. Bob on the rug at T. Henry Williams’ home in Akron that he might be delivered from his alcoholism. Finally, Bill Wilson miraculously appeared—the “rum hound from New York” and “member of the Oxford Group” --who was in need of a drunk to talk to and help. And Bill’s diligent efforts led him to Henrietta Seiberling, an Oxford Group member, and her exclamation that Bill’s phone call was “Manna from heaven.” The stage was set for Bill Wilson to meet with Dr. Bob at Henrietta’s home.

Second, The persistent effort of Bill W. to contact a drunk in Akron; the meeting of Bill W. and Dr. Bob; Dr. Bob’s grasp of the importance of “service;” the Bible studies and discussions of the two men and Dr. Bob’s wife at the Smith Home in Akron during the summer of 1935; the founding of A.A. itself in June 1935, which was followed almost immediately by the founding of the first group in July 1935 when A.A. Number Three turned to God for help in Akron City Hospital, was cured, and never drank again.

There is an account which underlines that central role that God played in the cure of A.A.’s first three members. It tells how each of the first three A.A. pioneers got sober with God’s help and without any Big Book, Twelve Steps, Traditions, meetings like those of today's A.A., or drunkalogs. A.A.’s founders turned from attempted medical cures to the simple ideas long espoused by A.A.’s Christian predecessors—abstinence; belief in God; acceptance of Christ; relying on God; obeying His will; growing in understanding and fellowship through Bible study, prayer, Quiet Time, and reading: and concentrating on helping others to get well by the same means. They believed that the Bible contained the answer to their problems. And the “absolutely essential” answers, the early pioneers said, were to be found in the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13. To underline these specific points, Dr. Bob said that he didn’t write the Twelve Steps and had nothing to do with the writing of them. The basic ideas for the Twelve Steps, Dr. Bob said, came from their study of the Bible. Furthermore, Both Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob declared that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount contained the underlying spiritual philosophy of A.A.

III) The Three Foundational Elements of the Original Akron Christian Fellowship Program

First, the 14 principles and practices that were “musts” in the practical activities of the Akron pioneers. These included:

1.      Qualifying newcomers;

2.      Hospitalizing newcomers;

3.      Offering newcomers the opportunity to believe in God and surrender to Jesus Christ at their Lord and Savior before leaving the hospital;

4.      Providing newcomers with a Bible when they were discharged from the hospital and giving them an injunction to help others to recover;

5.      Offering newcomers just discharged from the hospital the opportunity to live in the Akron homes of people like Dr. Bob and Anne Smith, Wally Gillam, and Tom Lucas;

6.      Making available to newcomers daily Quiet Time with Dr. Bob’s wife, Anne, each morning;

7.      Holding daily fellowships which newcomers were encouraged to attend;

8.      Encouraging newcomers to have personal Quiet Times using devotionals like The Upper Room, My Utmost for His Highest, and The Runner’s Bible;

9.      Promoting the reading by newcomers of Christian literature Dr. Bob and Anne recommended;

10.  Recommending that newcomers attend the regular Wednesday night meeting at the home of T. Henry and Clarace Williams. These meetings were called “old fashioned prayer meetings.” And they began with prayer, reading from the Bible, group prayer, group seeking of guidance, discussion of Bible and religious topics and literature, going upstairs for a “real surrender”--which meant acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, prayer to have alcohol taken out of the newcomer’s life, and guidance to live by cardinal Christian teachings;

11.  Encouraging newcomers to listen to Anne Smith’s reading from her personal journal and to participate with her in studying the Book of James, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13;

12.  Having older "members" take newcomers along with them to visit brand-new candidates in the hospital;

13.  Inviting newcomers to participate in Saturday social and religious comradeship; and

14.  Encouraging frequent visits and phone calls among the members during the rest of the week.

Second, the five requirements and two optional points of the Original Akron "Program" as summarized by Frank Amos in his report to John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

These points are reprinted verbatim on page 131 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. The Frank Amos report is an authoritative statement of the heart of the Original Akron program, its astonishing successes, and its foundational reliance on God and the Bible.

The Seven Original Program Ingredients Summarized in the Frank Amos Report

The Frank Amos report to John D. Rockefeller, Jr., dated February 23, 1938, described the Akron “Program” founded in 1935. Amos said it was being carried out faithfully by the Akron group. The men in the group, he said, all looked to Dr. Bob for leadership. And these were the specifics Amos set forth about the “Program” [DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), 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.  
• Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.

Third, the astonishing success rates early A.A. claimed—75% overall and 93% documented with records in Cleveland—among the "seemingly-hopeless," "medically-incurable," "last gasp case" alcoholics who went to any lengths thoroughly to follow the program and find or rediscover God. These amazing successes were accompanied by frequent statements from pioneer AAs to newspapers and magazines across the country that they (the pioneers) had been cured by the power of God.

IV) The Biblical Roots of the Big Book and Twelve Steps, and How They Were Actually Presented in the Big Book When It Was Published in April 1939

Here is a brief outline of some of the key points involved in the fourth root—the elements involved in the publication of A.A.’s basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous (the "Big Book"), in April 1939:

1. The records of Bill Wilson’s actual discussion of the ideas that would become the Twelve Steps with his friend Ebby Thacher at least as early as his last hospitalization at Towns Hospital in 1934.
2. The parallels in many Oxford Group and Rev. Sam Shoemaker writings (including their biblical references) to the language employed in the Big Book and Twelve Steps. 
3. The parallels in Anne Smith’s personal journal (including her biblical references) to the language employed in the Big Book and Twelve Steps. 
4. The specific references in the Big Book to ideas that were studied by the pioneers in the Book of James, the Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13. 
5. Outlines of proposed Big Book approaches that were prepared by Bill’s partner, Henry Parkhurst, prepared by Bill himself, and also were presented in the Works Publishing Company prospectus. 
6. The documented conferences between Bill Wilson and Rev. Sam Shoemaker regarding the Big Book ideas, the manuscripts, and the Steps, and Bill’s acknowledgement of Shoemaker as the teacher of the last ten Step ideas and as a “cofounder” of A.A. 
7. The varied forms of the six “word-of-mouth” ideas which Bill said were being used by fellowship members before Bill wrote the Twelve Steps. 
8. The various accounts and manuscripts written by Bill Wilson before he fashioned the Big Book chapters. 
9. The “Original” manuscript said to have been lost. 
10. The 400 pages (consisting primarily of Christian and biblical materials) that were removed from the manuscript prior to publication. 
11. The major hand-written changes made by the “committee of four” in the "Printers Manuscript"--called the “Holy Grail” by Ken R.--just prior to the Big Book’s going to the printer. 
12. The specific statements by Bill Wilson and his wife Lois Wilson documenting the decision made by Bill and his New York cohorts to make the Big Book “universal” because all AAs were not Christians. 
13. The residual Christian expressions that still abound in today’s Big Book editions.

The issues identified above--together with some others we are working on--will enable researchers, students, and counselors to get a solid handle on the differences between the Original Akron Program of 1935 and the final version A.A. program presented in the First Edition of the Big Book published in April 1939. 

The report and program summary are available at the Rockefeller Archives, from which we obtained them.

“About the YMCA: History: Boston—America’s First YMCA”; accessed 7/31/09.

“America’s Oldest Rescue Mission founded by Jerry McAuley in 1872”; accessed 7/31/09.

“The Salvation Army: History” accessed 7/31/09.

“Religion: Christian Endeavor,” in Time (July 20, 1925); accessed 7/31/09.

Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous (Kihei, HI: Paradise

 Research Publications, Inc., 1998), 83.