The topic of "AA History & Early 12th Stepping Techniques" at the Spiritual Awakenings Group in Bernardsville, NJ

and the idea came to me that what we wanted to do
what would be a good thing to do would be to
put together a presentation using different people for different topics
and the idea of the presentation will be how do you how do you transmit the information in it the the the information that's necessary for someone to be able to move through a staff or to understand the principle how do you best do that at so a lot of one of the big record shops you go to their about showing you how to get a spiritual experience or spiritual awakening working the steps what we wanted to do was we wanted to to go a little bit further
and show you how you can translate that information to others or how certain individuals approached transmitting that information to others so that they may have an experience of their own by applying
the information the principles in their life
so surrender to service was the idea of surrender the service was born
yeah it was the first thing that happens without horses there needs to be a surrender of sorts we need to get to a place where our illness or alcoholism has softened us up to the point where we're gonna stop we're gonna listen to somebody else we're going to consider that there may be a way out of this the we don't know about we're going to be open to information and hopefully we're even going to be willing to do things that we don't want to
we're not even sure is are are gonna work because we're at a point of surrender we usually tried a lot of different things by the time we get to Alcoholics Anonymous usually Alcoholics Anonymous is the last stage you know you've tried therapy you've tried the you've you could have tried drugs you could have tried just you know going cold Turkey you could have tried going on the wagon you could've tried doing
geographically you probably tried a lot of things you get in here finally surrendered to the process well
you have to surrender there's a number of things that we're gonna talk about in the next three months and at the end of this if you've done all this right
the logical progression is from surrender to service after you've gone through the steps after you've had a spiritual awakening the whole book Alcoholics Anonymous leads you to a point where you are more interested in in others hopefully then you are yourself your view more are you more of the tunes to giving then you are receiving and that's that's ultimately where we want to get to
a new thing that came to me as I was thinking about how to set up this this workshop was
I knew a little bit of history in the beginning would probably be very helpful to people because if you're anything like me you came in and you got fellowship when you came to yeah you got it and you were told just don't drink no matter what even if you're S. falls off and keep going to meetings and you know you could rob the bank today but if you did it so were you a winner okay so you probably got fellowship and you probably need a little bit of softening up to to to consider some of the things that we're going to present now there's news twelve prisoners some people the the first one is going to be a big deal here
and I'm not exaggerating when I'm saying this if there if there is if there is a top five in the world Hey historians
bill was one of them so it's it's it's really really a privilege to have him start off this this seminar talking about early twelve step in history what did they do in the early days what are some of the things that work where some of the things that didn't work well some of the crazy things that they did because I know him he's going to make it interesting
and without further to do what I'm gonna do I'm gonna turn tonight's meeting over to my friend barefoot bill and he's going to talk a little bit about some of the interesting history
it's a point of Alcoholics Anonymous
the Christmas season as the top three history and I I can't
no I'm just going
as I was sitting here listening to him as governments I was thinking
top fifty it doesn't matter none of us get any money for it
there's two things that I want to get into it so my notes in the stories and I'm not a traditional a store our history history person
yeah I can hear much about the first five or ten people can hear about the
water flows and that sort of a traditional talking I'm not in the least bit traditional so that's that doesn't really show much interest me I could rattle it off from the top of my head but it's not interesting I like
interesting this feedback in or something
good I like
interesting human interest stories so hopefully I share some of those with you Chris said yes we did this back in March to also talk about
really sponsorship of twelve step techniques and I've found really pamphlets basically exclusively on sponsorship what to do and how to do it so I'm sure some of those also that
when I first got into history
it was sort of
indirectly basically I've been around the house fellowship thing which is in the right I've never heard was being fellowship between a half years and
also
wanting to kill myself or my existing because this was gonna be like the socks that was my experience
I went to a lot of meetings on and around coffee at the took a lot of stories I I put away a lot of chairs went to a lot of times I went to a lot of conferences in which a lot of chances
and
I was still dying from the mental psychological emotional and spiritual aspects of alcoholism because I hadn't even touched it yet
I had physically stop drinking but that was as far as it had gone also lying cheating and scanning and doing whatever I wanted to do and manipulating all of that
and
how slowly dying on the inside and I got into a big book through a series of circumstances
none of which I think are coincidences but
as I went to the big advantage of the process and my inner life started changing in reading the stories in the book I heard about these mystical cartoon characters that are mentioned Paul throughout is far as I knew they were made up imaginary cartoon creatures
no A. B. build Bob I mean
no idea what you're talking about couldn't totally made up by it actually no idea and a bunch of people from my home to celebrate the stepping stones in Bedford hills
New York and once a year they have a picnic
and now when I arrived at the house
and I went upstairs to the second floor of the house where they had pictures of everybody
I was just it just came alive for me because I'm here I am on this guy's house you're looking at this person's face these people have been here about an hour of a sudden became very real and became very
interesting to me that in making it the history it's really obvious that these people are not capable of doing what they did because and so on some level some of them were
where you know bigger manipulators and I had ever been
and they were capable of doing what they did without the X. factor called god so that was one of a kind of again for me
in getting involved in history
now I was like starting and ending with my two favorite story so let me start with the the client's name or story
clients or clients S.
Clarence is one of my favorite early eight characters if not the favorite really a character
I nearly days of age the cortex and drunks
literally some wires in people's families would put somebody on a train and say I hear this guy dropped a bomb in Akron is fixing drugs so here's a one way ticket back and go see if you can fix you and if it doesn't don't come back I mean they literally give you a one way ticket and figure it out you know this is your last chance or not deal with you anymore I don't come back if it doesn't work and kind of just put on a train he arrived in Akron he walked up to the hospital that he was told to go to he went to the office of doctor grabbed after Robert Holbrook Smith
but the door was closed and and after that isn't there yet so Alex paced back and forth in front of a packed Abad Santos he kept looking at the door and the door said Dr Robert Holbrook Smith and Jones he thought to himself Mexico and try again
and two men he tells the story it seems like a lot of people that experience that you know what is this happening to do to me you know he's the you know pop tarts assumes a rectal surgeon
what is this all about
this is a new form of recovery from alcoholism but
there is a very different
what's interesting is that be collected experience that went into the writing of the big rock the average person in those four years in a did more twelve step work than the average person table do in their lifetime I mean these people are go getters these people were desperately seeking people to help in no uncertain terms
V. Z. as in the the stories and they stick to it ness that they had then you know a lot of us have it today still but you know it it's just an amazing story listening to the to the going to any lengths that they're willing to go to back in those days
as I was looking at my notes today
a certain Washingtonians you know we we hear about the Washingtonians Washingtonians Rosa at temperance movement that
it's sort of one of the earliest
or or the earliest successful group of people on dealing with alcoholics Washingtonians began nineteen forty by the six gentleman who were drinking at a bar
and
they started talking amongst themselves saying you know we have to do something about this well perhaps we don't have a problem back over so many people that need help we need to band together and and help ourselves and maybe help some other people and
I know that these people alcoholics was that the first meeting that they had which was in the bar with these to me that
D. six originating members of the six original members only five showed up at night and when they took a vote to decide who's going to be president of the society the one gentleman who didn't show up that day was voted in as the president of the society and for me that proves that they are alcoholics because that's the kind of things that we do so you know we volunteer people in order to defend themselves or tonight
what's also interesting is that
the Washingtonian or Washington temperance society was selected in honor of George Washington and that strangely enough they continue to meet for a number of weeks at their custom place which was chase's tavern until the tavern owner's wife objected to the increased loss of the best customers basically the Washingtonians was a temperance movement
a part of the down there was that there was nothing to support us and there was no exclusivity of we only deal with alcoholics anybody that would sign a piece of paper saying that I'm not going to drink was allowed into their society so there was no thing and there's a purpose and there was no exclusivity of membership
some of the similarities
rather their success rate was kind of interesting because within five years from nineteen from eighteen forty to eighteen forty five they had an estimated five hundred thousand members now again remember that percentage of that was not alcoholics but those are some pretty significant numbers and what's interesting is if you look at our history the book was written for years after after also started we only had a hundred so these people were significantly
I want to say attacking them significantly you know racing across the country getting people to sign pledges a sandwich wrap a whole excellently prepared it's time that you know in five years they were highly incredibly successful to the point where even in Lincoln told a campaign speech for the presidency at one of their meetings they were so big and so influential that president Lincoln came over it with him when he came and spoke in front of them as part of his campaign to become president and within five years after that Washingtonians will basically unheard of some of the similarities with a is that with the Washingtonians alcohol except each other
with the Washingtonians there was seven the needs in the interest of the operatic work essential even though there was mixed membership by the proponents of member controlled the enthusiasm of the movement okay they had weekly meetings
okay they said experiences at those meetings
the first of a group or its members and we're constantly available for happen anybody that needed it when there was a meeting going on at the time or not there was a reliance upon a pair of pants and they were encouraged to participate in total abstinence from alcohol so there's some of the similarities that they had with a and here's some of the reasons why Washingtonians fell apart
the major causes for the decline of the Washingtonian movement which is locked in opposition to religion
the second thing that closes down follows there was no exclusive alcoholic membership again if you sign a pledge of you were never gonna do it again with you and I hope you can join
there is no single there's a purpose and they got involved with that said issues like you know religion was mentioned before the slavery issue they got involved in and meet with Dr controversy of whether people should be allowed to drink or not so they they kind of have an opinion on a few outside issues
they require a total accidents from non alcoholics unlike a a we don't really care what non alcoholics to really
as long as they got Allen no I'm just going to
there was no immediate keep the public from being aware of broken pledges to keep individuals from exploiting the movement of prestige and fame there was no and anybody involved
they had not understanding about clothes and other than the possibility of recovery to eleven seventy
the approach to the problem of alcoholism and alcohol was more realistic rabid psychological therapeutic and they possess no programa personality change they just kind of basically they just want you know sign a pledge and they really didn't do much more beyond that except I have weekly meetings and talk amongst themselves there is far too great a reliance upon pledge to not drink and appreciation of the era of the elements of the program
working capital which was not required news of therapeutic value of this work explicitly recognized the discount sort of take it or leave it
there was no understanding of their own program to formulate it and mess up the new groups to establish themselves on a sounded somewhat uniform basis so all kinds of different theories kind of broke out throughout the country of you know what was actually Washingtonian group
and there's just some similarities and and things that happen with the Washingtonians
what ended up happening was in early nineteen forties the Wilson was given a book about the Washingtonians
and it was at that time that he started seeing a lot of similarities of the down feather Washingtonian starting to happen in a day and that was what drove him to the point of coming up with its operations which actually saved us in regard to some of the practices that were going on some of which I'm a touch upon tonight
now
to begin with the twelve step work in the early days
so I was like twenty undergrad to the big book
is that
he didn't ask for help well said
C. Brett and ship shipping codes and helping them
there W. didn't ask for help well listen maybe showed up instead of helping him thank the band didn't ask for help well the same bill show that concern happen
the ability a number three didn't ask for help or to send them back so that would set up an
as far as I've seen in the history and how I practice the twelve steps today is that I don't have people because they're safe and happy because I'm sick and I need to be helping people because that's part of my recovery
that's sort of a little bit of a different angle on what happens at meetings because in those days again you need to be working with people so you pursued them so to speak and then if if they didn't really want to do process if they want to do the work then you would just find somebody else to work with but it's very different than how sort of lose today where you know you just give me you give somebody a phone number and you expect them to call and you expect them to kind of pursue your back in those days
testing it today and have some people your practice it is that we pursue them let them know that going in anyone's isn't that that point of the metal to getting leads then perhaps we can leave the door open in case they want help for later on and that we can then find somebody else was going to go to you it's because they're certainly plenty of those people out there
well
one of the touch upon the hills actually it was that
this is kind of interesting
I had a few years ago
been sent back to the big block
in one case it's a very early draft of bill story and then there's sort of a second early draft that was there is a solution follow Bible story which was the original idea of having wanted to be formatted in the book instead of letting it ended up in the back with the story and then there's a solution and
in the first really extracted those stories actually it's about twenty eight pages long
as opposed to the sixteen pages they ended up in a big looking at significantly different than the way it ended up in the big book and in this first draft when we call it because I don't know if it's a close to that but it's a really streptavidin find he mentioned specifically we did a four stop and remember this was still the absolute days so basically he did sort of ad inventory that the absolutely so do you notice the difference
aspects of the force that bill actually did in practice so the following is a portion of an early draft of the story in the book that describes the explain to both W. in nineteen thirty four that's already a searching and fearless moral inventory we now cross that for which later became the twelve step program most of the family I should mix prepare myself for god's company by taking a photo ID with a cemetery of my moral defense intelligence this has to do without any reference to other people and they're really fancy point of my shortcomings should be rigorously excluded
well that is the prime question I was to go over my life from the beginning and ascertained in the light of my own present understanding where it stands as a complete moral person about things in making this appraisal I must be entirely honest with myself as an aide to furnace and that's something to look at when I go to
when I go through I might use a pencil and paper
first take the question of honesty where and how and with whom that I've ever been dishonest and I think it's kind of just think is insane go back to the date of your birth and and started mentoring
well with respect to anything without ever been dishonest with respect anything what attitudes and actions but I still have which were not completely honest with god with my sample with another person
I was once that I was one that no one can say that he is a completely honest person that would be super human and people aren't that way nor should I be misled that's right and honestly I am in some in some particulars thanks to what I was to ruthlessly tear out of the past my dishonesty and list them in writing next I was to explore the member area somewhere related to the first and cut and commonly very defective one and most people are used to examine my sex conduct since infancy
the start of the
since infancy and rigorously compare with what I have that kind of should have been my friend explained to me that people's ideas throughout the world and what constitutes public sex conduct varies greatly consequently I was not to mention my defects in this particular file dropping any standard of easy virtue as a measuring stick I was merely to ask god to show me the difference between right and wrong in this regard and ask for help and strength and honesty in cataloguing my defects according to the two dictates of my own conscience
then I may take that the related questions of greed selfishness and thoughtlessness have a connection and I stayed in was I was staying in these particulars
I was assured I can make a good long list if I get honest enough in vigorous enough
then there was the question we'll let you know one of my photos including my family my friends and my enemies
having completely leading to all of these at all times and places with not found in the book it must go and of course anyone could put plenty down along that line
my friend pointed out that resentment self pity fear inferiority pride and ego TISM gratitude which distorted one's perspective and usefulness to entertain such sentiments and attitudes with the ship one staff often bad and people about us this would be necessary for me to examine myself critically in this respect and write down my conclusions so wrapped
there's some things from the big book in there but this is actually have a referendum that doing the work the first time you do it
it was interesting I just recently can't promise and
to me this is kind of shocking even though it's strange because it wasn't that surprising to me but that was kind of shocking consider these facts with the big book study to be written there are only forty eight pioneers
there were sixty eight to seventy two people who attended the meeting and twelve to eighteen people with less than one year when the big book came out now the rationale was that at the rate the rate the newcomers are coming in there would be a hundred by the time that the big book was published also there any two meetings with the big looking down as Akron Ohio and New York City and a couple months later a third meeting started in Cleveland Ohio
for me this can interesting because I mean
when reading the big but he had a little over three years and and think about it if you yourself with three years which I haven't read a bit
in this lesson of course you have a mass of people that you know for me again that just shows you know the hand of god being involved in this because again these people are not capable of doing what they did
yes I am
he's a little change that story
there was a man named bad
who's going to the program just as he was about to do himself in a few days later rather than a twelve step program to see the prospect they went to visit listen to them and said would you have to say is very interesting but I think it's for me however I have a friend whose brother could really use your help who is the S. bad
his name but his sister's name is Edith M. well that's my sister said Bob who had just been advised me to test the concept
to give you some idea of the dangers involved working with women in the early days OSK W. requires the first man to win a transsexual
it says that he claims email
after her husband had left her works is asking the neighbor Sanderson told it has been one that has been made in the weeds outside the house waiting for the bad and when the cameraman to take them into a meeting the husband shot him with a shotgun this is in upstate New York and was saying that they need to clean up after the red planet
I I hope it never happens to me
this is this is the second half but this actually was sort of a sponsorship is Kevin manual rapids enormous it's sort of a sponsorship that came in nineteen forty and after missing to give you some of the things that happened to me whether they're tired but I was going to make some of the more interesting things that apply to just sort of general information and sponsorship in twelve step work and stuff like that
they said this is a call the manufacturer to manifest the Akron manual nineteen forty this book was written to being distributed within one year of the publication of the book book which would date back to nineteen forty we must assume that talked about himself and Pam incredibly sister nations to give their approval to the statements made in this little book
this would be some of the highlights of the path of this powerful resumes hospitalization at Saint Thomas hospital under the care system that makes it and the overall supervision about the band as a normal step in recovery
because again you know we deal with no bottom transmission in the beginning so detoxification was really mandatory because two types of a case of American you could die from
detoxification from drugs a little bit different well you could maybe if you're twitching and hit your head on a pole or something that the detoxification jobs as man and wife threatening issue at the top of the case of map it is a life threatening issue somebody that Chris and I listened to occasionally
I have to have the fact that
fifteen percent of the alcoholics have the duties and fifteen percent of the apple hopes to get the D. T. star
so it's a significant factor to keep in mind in dealing with that someone who's perhaps the drinking
so again it was assumed that we would go to the hospital so is this booklet is intended to be a practical guide for new members inspectors in new members of Alcoholics Anonymous to this matter if you have never before anyone into this book with a chance to tell you what your duties are you a baby the second movies
how you should conduct yourself representing patients in order to add bits of information some of which may be new to you
what's interesting about the parents of the baby agents started soon after that was that it never wears a demeaning expression there was a release said with affection for someone who is new so it means that it was never meant to be sort of a put down it was just that description that have exception was socially with it says hospital in a private agenda
that has not accepted applications in the past it may be profitable because then the official site of the institution and explain Alcoholics Anonymous to them now this is interesting explain that we are not in the business of sobering up talks merely to have and then another vendor explained that I mean is total and permanent sobriety
definition of an Alcoholics Anonymous in Alcoholics Anonymous is an alcoholic with two application I have been in humans to rules laid down every organization that's completely for someone the use of any and all alcoholic beverages I notice that the moment he routinely drank so much as a drop of beer wine spirits or any other alcoholic drinks he automatically loses all status as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous
he's not interested in serving up drinks were not sincere in their desire to remain completely separate
he is not interested in the hopes were to separate me merely to go on another Bender separate because of fear for their jobs their wives their social standing
to clear up some trouble either real or imagined in other words if a person is genuinely sincere in his desire for continued sobriety for his own good is convinced in his own heart that apple two and its parent is willing to admit that he is an apple members of Alcoholics with to that in there
spend days good time to guide him to a new and happy and contented with that experience has proven in hundreds of cases that unless an alcoholic is sobering up to a purely personal and selfish motive you will never mean seven twenty great length of time you may remain sober for three weeks or a few minutes but the moment that the motivating element usually feel some sort disappears so disappear sobriety
over to the Spencer who is putting his first name come up into the hospital number is introducing them to this way of life
you must be made to him either tangible intangible if you cannot promise to not make it
it is definitely your job to see that he has visitors and you must visit infrequently yourself in the hospital if you hospital as a man and then the corrective hearing that's whose confidence in you this is a very critical time is that
he looks to you for courage hope and comfort and guidance he feels the best he was uncertain of the future and he is a friend of mine the police Nicoletta Newport with him with his eminence activity you have in your hands the most valuable property in the world the future of the phone and then
please consider that today as well
please you would your own you are literally responsible for is that
you should make it a point to support your patient with proper literature the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous this password rather than the passwords Bible and anything else that has happened to the principal him the reason the subsidy of reading and re reading this literature the morning those reading anything you see is the road to recovery
this was cool remember you depend on a newcomer to keep you sober as much as he depends on you so never lose touch the responsibility
and then the paper goes on to talk about that new members getting involved visiting hospitals helping people in the rhythm section to give some information about meetings so that's the Akron pathway
speaking of acronyms out the bad news a couple interesting facts about the act of bad
him and his wife were engaged for eighteen years before they got married
that
I don't know you will never ever see a picture of back to back when he wasn't wearing a long sleeve shirt
a something that he wasn't exactly proud of is that that the band had two tattoos
he had a huge thirty two point campus and one of his arms as well as a really managed to happen so it was a long sleeve shirt because he just never want anybody see that it's interesting because I want to talk to a Saint because I'd like to get some specifics on it but I haven't got a chance to so I want to do that sometime soon then we get into the Cleveland path but that just affect about Cleveland a
the first few years
after the big book came out
I wish you
Cleveland and and that the claimants contingent had a
hi everybody then dropped the ball in Burlison combines
I have some statistics here from nineteen forty one
and it sucks so bad
it's too bad in math Feb twenty first nineteen forty there were a hundred fifty members in New York City there was two hundred members in Akron and four hundred fifty members in Cleveland Ohio
for the first ten years
the amount of people that were in our fellowship and half of them were in Cleveland and because of that many people including ones that that that that there is a way actually started the very first meeting that credit staff members did occur and happen or did occur in Cleveland but you know certainly I didn't begin there you know going Bob it started years before all that so it's kinda interesting well the Cleveland people as you can see we're very successful but they took it very seriously in this story reflects that
in Cleveland will cover the technique used by contrast was so successful in the early nineteen forties they had a high recovery rate the bill about the bad companions I would still have certain things were handled at the scrap have serious they were about twelve step work and have a protected offense that sometimes if many women rising or what serious about doing what was necessary to recover from apples and more and more disturbing the meetings they were put into a car which even twenty five miles out of town chapter not to return until they were serious about it coming out
the
good times and I want to do that today and yesterday
okay
the the client slash Cleveland
snatches the paper that came out in nineteen forty four just a couple trips to the mentions in there so this is a potential sponsor and a new member and should clearly recognize the obligations and duties of such responsibility the acceptance of an opportunity to take the plan to a separate
baptism it is very real and critical important responsibilities each member undertaking the sponsorship of the offender must remember that he is offering what is frequently the last chance at rehabilitation Saturday maybe life itself again they took it very seriously and I like to suggest that we should today also
happiness security sanity and life have you moved beings are the things we hold the balance will be sponsoring alcoholic
that is a disposable personal gains in being a sponsor no need to pay benefits from a fellowship he is connected with unless he wholeheartedly engages in it's important activities and he was not experience the joys and satisfactions of hoping that we get in this place and that has not yet fully realize the complete benefits of our culture on the other hand it must be clearly kept in mind that the only possible reason for bringing up into a rate is for that person's game until an individual has assumed the responsibility of setting a shaking hapless human being back on the path toward becoming a helpful useful happy members of our society
he has not enjoyed the complete
tweet thread of being in a
this call hang up a hammock similarly pamphlets that talk about that again and again even the big the talks about that
it says
the tension members to be contacted as soon as we have a fax such as marital status to make the mistake relations financial status taking habits deployment status notice maybe obtained all right hands much time and effort can be saved by running as soon as possible
and these things who's the man really have a drinking problem does he know that he has a problem does he want to do something about his drinking and does he want help those are the four questions in qualifying someone
sometimes the question to the sometimes the answers to these questions cannot be made into the prospect has had some instruction and the opportunity to thank
often we are given names which upon investigation so the prospect is in no sense an alcoholic very satisfied with with these present plan for living
you should not hesitate to drop these names from my list you should never let the men know where you can reach us at a later date in some instances an individual might believe himself to be a social drinker when he definitely is an alcoholic
we're seeing such a man before he is ready Mike Munoz chances of ever becoming a successful way throughout the region my future help by pushing too hard in the beginning that's some good advice for today also experience has shown that each intelligence education background with the amount of record that they drank has little if any bearing on whether or not a person is an alcoholic
suggested steps
the suggested procedures for presenting the plan for the prospect at home or in the hospital again well qualified as an alcoholic increase the prospect it is good fantastic well okay one same as an ordinary person was found happiness contentment and peace of mind to AA immediately make it clear to the prospect that you as a person engaged in routine business of earning a living
tell
you have you any reason for believing yourself able to happen is because you yourself have experiences and problems that might be similar to his
so that's the first point the second point is tell your story many members are found liable to launch immediately into the personal taking story as a means of getting the confidence and wholehearted cooperation the prospect again your mentions and the big because well is important in telling the story of you taking that to tell it in a manner that will describe an alcohol rather than a serious but a series of you was drunken parties this will enable the man to get a clear picture of an alcoholic which should have been more definitely decide whether he is one all weather here's one either whether he was went to the first point is inspired confidence in a in many instances the prospects will try various means of controlling his drinking including hobbies churches changes of residence changes of associations in various control plans
similar to that
these will of course have been unsuccessful and your series of unsuccessful efforts to control your taking the absolute foolishness
absolute fullest results and yet that you were able to stop thinking through application of a principles this will include the prospect look forward with confidence the sobriety in a it's one of the many past failures he might have had with other plans
the fourth point is taken that plastic bag use
so the prospect likely that he cannot quickly understand all the benefits that are to come in him through a tentative happiness peace of mind help in many cases material benefits which are possible through understanding and application of the a way of life the fifth point so the importance of reading the big book
explaining the sesame reading and re reading the book this is a detailed description of the a way to us the suggested method of application of these tools to build a foundation of rehabilitation for a living this is a good time to emphasize the importance of the twelve steps and the four options
the six point is qualities required for success in a way consider the prospect that the objectives of a leg or to provide the reason means for an alcoholic to remain to regain his meditation right desire patience faith study and application are most important in determining each individual's plan of action in gaining full benefits of a
and perhaps that's a statement that we can ask if if workers meeting that currently
then number seventeen is introduced me since I believe in oneself is the heart of the plan and since this idea is very often difficult for a new person dispatcher should attempt to introduce the beginnings of an understanding of this all important feature frequently this can be done by the sponsor relating his own difficulty in grasping a spiritual understanding and the methods used to overcome its difficulties
the point is to listen to a story that talking to the new camera
take time to listen and studied his reactions in order that you can present your information in a more effective manner let him talk to remember easy does it
you'll notice as we go through this
again it's a little bit different where the describing here is that the sponsor adapts himself to the sponsor me not the other way around that is sometimes suggested nothing ship today
the maybe just take them seven meetings
to give the member a politically picture of it dispatches to taken to various meetings within convenient distance of his home attending several meetings gives
a new person a chance to select a group in which will be most happy and comfortable it is extremely important to let the past but make its own decision as to which group he would join the press upon him that he is always welcome at any meeting you can change this one rupee wishes to do so
the point is it's been kinda last point is explaining to the prospects family
successor sponsor takes pains to makes any required effort to make certain that those people closest them with the greatest interest in the prospect of a member of the family
absolutely in front of a its principles in its objectives dispatcher sees these people and invited to meetings it keeps them in touch with the current situation regarding the prospect at all times and then closes the Pakistani consult with members and a few suggestions for sponsoring a new man a teacher teachings are by no means complete they are intended only for a frame framework and general bad each individual case is different and should be treated as such
additional information for sponsoring a new person can be obtained from the expanse of older people who have done the work a co sponsor with the with the experience and remember working on a prospect has proven very satisfactory before taking responsibility of sponsoring the members should make certain that he is able and prepared to give the time effort and thought such an obligation entails you might be that he will want to select the co sponsor to show responsibility we might feel it necessary to ask anyone to assume responsibility for the men he has located in at the end it says if you are going to be a spot to be a good one
now there's a three pack of semantics upon
and how many if anybody noticed the one single most important thing that was never mentioned in either one of those passwords the working of the steps
now where do you think that is this next what explains why
before I get into it when we tell you the story about sister nature which for me was kind of funny sister nationwide without the bad and many years after that the bad and she had a real love for helping out the whole works
she had been working in the academic world that day and and kind of having a good day because that also kind of acting up at the end she really just wasn't a very good mood and that she was walking by one of the beds one of the script and the script and kind of
and said sister please pray for me and she turned around and it's not going to say previous problems you can strangers
she wrote she wrote this in nineteen fifty
it's called the kidnapping a hoax that sister M. Egnatia
here's a couple points of this paper points out
the patient was very cautiously admitted with a diagnosis of acute gastritis under the care of doctor Bob
well as maybe some of you don't know how close was recognized as a disease at this time so you couldn't
thanks somebody into a hospital under the guise of
that just wasn't accepted kind of thing back then just came to the admitting medicine very timidly requested the petition the bread to a room where men could come and visit with the new man and talk privately it was then that he received his first visitors the man who came to visit him with such respect without appearing men that we could hardly believe that they'd ever been addicted to alcohol yeah good
there's not a great panel important point is that a new man is helped out of the speakers at the hospital
a sense of the word the advantage of the new patient is that from the first using the camera standing friends the advantage for the other patients who perform this duty is at their best able to see themselves again as though we were on a mission so it keeps their their memory greener just you know they want to be helpful because I remember what it was that because they placed on the hospital in the stated rate and economy is affected by eliminating the need for her to get employees who you know very often going to do what people have done well we have had some very willing to help out in those cases then mine's
news of the apple is a person who is six minutes away as well as physically the ready access he is given to a source of spiritual healing is a powerful factor in his recovery
it could be stated that the mechanical operation of the world his name is holy separating the cleaning of ashtrays the making of coffee which is in operation twenty four hours a day and somethings never change the Polk County thank the washing of crafty crap service is done by the patients themselves usually they welcome the snap to these the busy themselves must keep their marriage after Pam's activity eliminates brooding and the value of such workers never great at any one time
so this is the kind of cells in the work
the function of the manages to provide a place where the patient could chat with visitors and listen to informal talks the secondary value but the most important one to the other status a members is that by listening to patients the other members have to actually the rooms are badly
the visitors perform a multitude of choice
for the current patients sometimes a secure job protected family right we conciliation pacified a kind of a pressing for payments on the bed these services are done that is with the purpose of showing to spiritual brotherhood and as a means of measuring and ensuring their own sobriety so again talk about gun anyone's hospital procedure we begin with reality begins for the apple that we everybody is drinking
it was most important that the approach we need to remember that perhaps a Spencer Spencer speaks the language of the alcoholic he knows could include a check to the trades because of personal experience those of us who have anything to do with the meeting these patients would do well to have the ability to rely upon the judgment of a sponsor let him decide when the patient is ready for the program we do not accept repeaters
a little bit on the higher side
hello insurances turning that way now
Spencer's notice hence they're very careful to qualify the person before bringing it to the hospital he must have a sincere desire to stop drinking the way the sponsor's name using one he tries to appease and exacerbated
exasperated wife takes to employ women workers and others he explains the program tells them that this is not simply another sobering up process this Tammy is being treated not only physically but morally and mentally as well dispensation
Democrats praised the cooperation and help and his family is his charge will be given a real opportunity to make a complete recovery and then she gets into what happens in each day
well the process back then was that you were in the hospital for five days this is day one the patient is admitted to the hospital after registration the sponsor escorts patients of the world
again the world is virtually self governing two or three of the senior patients in the world take over and welcome the new patient the check is closer to him for bad many these patients are in such good condition but they said no lounge and join in conversation
nothing is that's been done to make the new man feel at home this reception inspires hope in his heart it also gives the game members a splendid opportunity of doing twelve step work namely helping others so that's the one
the second day skews me the second day of recognition
yeah is it in body mind set hence we begin with the physical care
the physical condition of the patient is usually much improved by the second day
in mind his mind begins to clear he feels encouraged because everyone seems interested in him any members called him seven this is headline news some of the visitors maybe men with whom he used to take the path of examples a great incentive to this patient he begins to save himself if they can do it so can I but I gonna make it at this point
double check with a Spencer he manages his or her parents Mr
misli admits that he is trying to move the times to drink normally it has always been that
he is finally ready honestly and humbly to admit defeat the sponsor is delighted to note that this patient is really honest about his drinking the sponsor says we can help you since you are humble and honest this is the grace of god at work in the center of the patient to admit hopelessness and seek help outside of himself
this may be the first time the patient has admitted the fact that he is powerless to help them so
the next step is simply to turn to god yes can you shall receive
patients seven said this is the first time they sincerely pray the our father takes on a new meaning at this point they feel that they really belong this is the three the data more inventory so you can see the prices the steps being processed just days into it before they even get out of the hospital
they believe they're going to charge the patient makes a searching and fearless moral inventory he faces the past modestly admits to god to seven to another human being the exact nature of his wrongs he is finished with all the bells and reservations I am an alcoholic with a jury to be honest the truth will make him free
now he is sincerely asking god's help and the help of Hispanic man
that's a resolution
give us this day our daily bread this is interpreted by the alcoholics to mean I should consider a server today this is usually followed by an act of complete surrender to god the past is finished I am totally sorry try to make amends this means confession repentance and firm purpose of amendment
many men would turn to their religious practices after years of negligence now with the help of his father he is with his quick thinking he can control his feelings and emotions a whole lot better
reason now go with is that same conviction or given him as to why you cannot take the first thing he has learned from his phone wrapped hopes that it is more blessed to give than to receive and that is a privilege to help others
again ask yourself if you have an opinion today
would you like to use kept so busy helping others that he doesn't have time to even think about drinking water treatment water transformation takes place in the lives of these men and women his plans for the future as well so as you leave the hospital now faces patterns
the rate has been paved by the sponsor the future is in god's hands he was going to say bad lately so I need to accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference he has to guard against private sector
again his urge to guard against Brad separately was I'm an intolerance of criticism
this isn't a matter as to who to attend meetings to do twelve step work and to visit the hospital before leaving the hospital the patient is given the book
by Thomas a Kempis
during his stay in the hospital alone to significance but the little Sacred Heart beds your quest one with the standing of conditions in Platte city it must be returned before he ever takes a drink these people are seeking to another words that posted for god to concede
also the steps being bombed the hospital and then when they get that return codes with the temperature that is happening to people going to meetings and learn to deepen and broaden their spiritual life that they've now established when they were in the hospital in the first place
yeah just remove the burden that's the end of the space this is the first thirteen step
which always picks my interest
there was a man we shop Victor
in two times with a band that is named as a Victor was met
who is a former mayor of Akron which actually is a chip in the leading soccer live and lose names actually Ashley who was the first woman to ever see Cabernet
together in a lady known as well stay with thirteen step maybe for the twelve step
when they say that it begins up the band's actress
and his examination table
well he was at the city club engage in his Monday night bridge card game in any case to decide it was time for him to go home that news limited
so he could explain his predicament when
he said grabbing him for that little pens from Baghdad's cabinet
we started examination table and she was trying to get the president
when she made the window I could yet she still in use of profanity that never before or since
all I can say that
we told her we took her to a man who just went back to bed with
in the basement she stayed there for two or three days
she stayed to
and then the people to go home because they were not too concerned about it okay we had him in the right we said we have done that we could
when she was in her seventies
they say that the band was really have anything to do with women at the time after that will be still tried to help as best he could with anyone who had a drinking problem interesting speaking to Sir windows was that the best way to in the nineteen fifties we could
scandalised by this episode
as we should have been said but we felt that the performance of some of the early people coming in were distracting us and Tyler
this was actually the first woman that we had everything
what to do what to do
tuition
membership is a desire to stop drinking now here's two examples about rivals tradition came to place
this is dated December nineteen forty one from the executive committee of the Los Angeles group of Alcoholics Anonymous
did Mrs Arnett
at a meeting of the executive committee of lessons with reference number seven December nineteen forty one it was decided that you attendance at group meetings is no longer desired
it's a certain explanations and plans for the future with me to the satisfaction of this committee
this action has been taken for reasons which should be most courteous staff
it was decided that should you desire you may appear before the members of the committee to state your attitude
this opportunity may be afforded you between now and December fifteenth nineteen forty one you may communicate with us at the above address by that date in case you do not wish to appear we shall consider the matter closed and that your membership is terminated so they literally this woman out of a and this letter represented in a little bit more of a hardware this is December eleventh nineteen forty six
dear Mr Burton all which was a member and basically this letter was written to somebody about something that happened that one of the meetings
and Mr bush was a member of AA in Colorado Colorado springs Colorado my dear friend this is to advise you that one bad W. who claimed to be a very good a member has asked to peer before the December Group One committee to defend charges on becoming a member
yeah
yeah
the committee found him guilty all seven members voted for expansion he claimed to the committee and asked to be heard before the entire group request granted the final vote was thirty one through expansion into against
since
since you're having with this we look forward to next fiction and
this is the best that Mr W. to join him for a social drink we are very sorry that that occurred sure you
so that's one of the reasons why we all you know similar to this is going to places because you know things start happening there were there were very much out of the control of who is generally accepted as a and
no rules and regulations start coming out
this is making a great credit to to to good Spencer as Minneapolis Minnesota season
and this
nineteen points with only twenty seven with a touch upon
this is kind of interesting it says must have a friendly attitude
many groups have used to good advantage of the sponsor system one of which is available at any message
which will be added in subsequent issues and what's interesting is that there were no subsequent issues
they would go back to the cemex mentorship in regard to this particular issue
all rights is the most friendly attitude toward the new member if that is not possible do not accept sponsorship
keep
to see that the new member comes to many meetings and be there also
see that he needs people have other members talk to him do not encourage discussion of personalities
when the train goes to another sponsor retains a persecution if the second sponsor doesn't check in with the first answer the issue becomes one of personalities in the second spots will find that the slipper has outsmarted him
so it's
it is with Spencer's top of the first ones with fancy and use the try to do the same Stephanie did with the first one that perhaps had a point in the first place
that they listen to a lot of basketball slippers
the circumstances of the switches monitors again the second sponsor and the same member should get in touch with the office manager and find out what has been done
what will be the actions of the slipper so that he can't pull the same step the second Spencer so it's going to stick
but if the new members coming to meetings
and that they should have a sponsorship impressing him the importance of attendance at these meetings at both the husband and wife if you can't get him to come then he has put you in a position where you cannot happen as he would not let you so drop him
the seed has been planted rejected any results where somewhere along the line
back when he was a so some tips on that
it gets into the a beginner classes but I had a kind of skip that this kind of quickly the beginning classes were basically
after the Jack Adams in article came out
members candidate to the point where men and women women sponsorships or to become impossible especially in Cleveland and some of the the you know the bigger towns where would I can't just put it in and more than one sponsorship was basically impossible so that they start at a beginner classes where before he said he would show up at a meeting for the first time you identify yourself as new so people can talk to you they wrote
thanks to a series of questions have you been alcoholism the firm you understanding and from there and I'm standing ready when I call so you know like you mentioned earlier they would verify with you and I hope not to information from the big book in their understanding of alcoholism and stuff like that do you want satisfaction as well as theirs and then basically you want to put any more meetings you would go to these beginner classes which was a series of four classes once a week for one hour
well the first class we step one the second class was six two three five six seven eleven weeks in Minnesota that's where was the respect for eight nine and ten
in the past as beds that's where
in many areas they did it in order with these that kind of time with the admission dismantle the restitution inventory and then working in the message and after you went to the school classes were tentative steps you have changed and you were not allowed to go to meetings because then that's when the **** meetings up until that point you haven't read meetings because you never know do you think about the solution yet even expensive yet so to do the influx of so many people coming in the studies classes because it was so important to work the steps and you really did have a message to carry out meetings anyway because you have no solution but we shouldn't have any solution for apples and so you went through the steps in four weeks by showing up once a week by doing the beginner classes and now you're kind of a full fledged member and then go to regular meetings with you had a message to carry
it was a series when they did it in Cleveland they did it there are many areas that
so these beginner classes and I was read earlier the taxman beginner classes that are gonna be interoperable starting next Wednesday
and it states that we're looking for help from people with experience by doing the the work out of the back taxes as temporary step sponsors with these five classes that will be doing a very often the last two classes we did the one hundred eighty people that showed up in the classes would seventy people that showed up most of which went through the work and need help with people who have experience with the big Bucks to a shop back as a temporary six months or so we can use some help until after this fight is back on the coffee pot
and it is with that
which story in a this is called the Springfield seven
this is a moment to remember was a police raid on the Springfield Missouri
on August twenty fifth nineteen forty eight here are some of the sordid details of this dastardly deed
at this place but the women or meetings with the staff in a semi bad with it the staff is athletic association
because the local members knew that that stood for a an hour's apples none of us but they didn't want to expose themselves so they would kind of
it was it was this hidden fellowship yeah I mean people in management and then you know these people showing up at a minimum the secret meetings and then leaving like you know just
people in the area just did not address
they probably thought it was the Russians or something you know
yeah this is what happened in that Springfield Missouri
the Springfield police department members tip about commission vice
at the A. class could you see
the meetings but then
she would have to schedule meetings or anything like that basically they were just meetings where people can bring new people they would have it once a week
and they would sit around waiting for a new person to set the records they would they would just talk amongst themselves they would hang out
it would just be a place to bring a new person when a new person came again they would qualify and see if they're in a call to their satisfaction as well as the ace so this was just kind of a place that they were hanging out waiting for new people to come and clean for people to bring the people that you know the sponsor them in
it says the spring police man arrested about commercial as well as quote unquote at the A. class so please stage an early morning raid complete with seven officers and
the next
newspaper headline stated have six policemen
we captured seven X. anonymous poker
this is after the police got through them because it ended up putting their full name and address and reputation was
it's a little embarrassing
if they needed to possibly twenty eight thousand cash and chips from a ten cent limit poker game
the game is played with chips many many other table seven batters in change that just been given to players who had purchased chips the remainder of the money was in a basket beside the playing table
what is this all witness account of the raid
three seventy three officers entered the room first touch that many anything
the first
playing poker one officer exclaimed that said one player is obvious the big game look at those checks
I tried to explain that there were ten cent chips but the officers were responding
thank you at the service charge into the room and the six policemen escorted the seven men out
east coast we do accept that
we need to support each class and given to the station where they were but they were released only after posting a three hundred fifty dental cash balance we knew they were tried and convicted of betting on games the incident was described as the most is that the incident was described as a ludicrous display with
these days on the front page the editorial page of the page in letters to the editor
reporter Bennett this editorial comment
speaking frankly we think that was a mistake on the part of the arresting officers we think that it is not known whether they were going in the first place
that when they arrived they did not know the meaning of a that when they went into the game they did not recognize the players are conclude from their surroundings or the dress that they were persons of importance therefore they were not disposed to listen to the efforts of the plan is to try to explain
when it was even more emphatic about is that installation of the police action I can't think of any pics which causes less embarrassment to the pink cheese and most of the pictures in this dazzling episode in the history of Springfield mo Forsman as a brand new it was brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed she genius working in reverse with incredible skill
the names ages addresses and occupations of the criminals were published in the paper
the Springfield seven Brady who is a
later he was thirty eight years old William was thirty eight he was a member of an abstract company only in S. was forty three who is a restaurant operator James H. was thirty one
he was a salesman
he was thirty seven was a meat cutter was thirty four was a septic tank cleaner
Chelsea was forty six rooms musician what's interesting is that they have jobs which you know
that's kind of where
an interesting statistic
James H. and ready and and do you remember that this is what James D. had said
I'm sorry James H. since I am one of the notorious cameras capture was dealing with considering the widespread interest so in this case I have decided that my eye witness account history may be of some interest to you
as I try to reconstruct the scene I think I'll just grab a ten set bed made by one of the more recruits planners
when I was about two feet behind his touch a thing I really want to see a cop with a flashlight in hand aimed directly at us it was windows eight says last night's
I guess it was important to mention that stat the fact he had a seven M. S. at bay with his deadly weapon into a two minute answer is moved into position and had us completely surrounded
such pain since pain might have given the matter considerate and I put my own conclusions the real masterpiece of police efficiency was not only in order to raise the time but I write stupid
read the newspaper and head of the family
this is kind of funny and then it closes with one of the most incredible pieces I've ever read about
two people's passion for AA that but I really love this is where the rain and that this is sort of tendency except keep that in mind it says speaking for ourselves and believe we express the sentiment of many others include members of Alcoholics Anonymous we'd like to say thanks to president Clinton for most kindly and good natured understanding of asking me for the whole group and unfortunate tangle with the city police
and then he goes on to say yes
we know there was a poker game tonight
and no
the suit against the city but I
and yes we are supposed to be ridiculous
we don't think any of the fans and the fans and girls are so just let me to take advantage and we don't think that the reputation of the club has been damaged and no no synthetic we live we do not think that we personally have been embarrassed by the parents and listen to this is so beautiful it says the C.
we we we try to live since we are hardly likely to a team that will close and then the next time they will use a Bradley but these are also set for CPAP and respect respect and understanding of matters in the restoration of the friendships and the formation of moons and the construction of the S. with a move for the eventual re adding it is a purpose to be worked with the assurance that they will be friendly in adequate help along the way
if you understand it some small measure what is meant to S. U. C.
that would be extremely grateful with the membership and every opportunity to add to that that says with the organization to those who may need to tap to anyone who has any who are interested in it for any standpoint whatsoever and to the general public when the occasion indicates that in the present case has been eliminated by the city police but that is certainly a minor matter and you can see that the police will be provided to Springfield anyways within up to ninety to demonstrate less tolerance of others is a code
incredible piece of passion for the level of a and trying to practice and principles in regard to something that perhaps they thought was kind of silly and a little bit on the extreme side an unnecessary
that's been a history but I'd like to close by saying that
well that's been helpful for me in looking at a history is that local history
when we see our test and learn from it we will repeat the mistakes that they made in the beginning
so that we don't have to re learn that we can learn from the mistakes of the past to keep us posted strong and keep it moving in the direction that it's always been moving in
as you saw when I talk about some of the passwords and as you say when I talk about some of the early practices and comments that
things were somewhat different in some ways back then and my only hope in
passing along this kind of information
is to get people to think about some of the things they do and maybe take for granted in their meetings today
that can perhaps you look at the help people to be more effective in sponsoring other people and to be more effective in
walking their spiritual path toward more freedom and more happiness and more
true contentment no matter what the circumstances are
thanks for letting me share