Preview of Dick B. Radio Interview of Recovered Christian Attorney

Preview of Friday’s Dick B. Radio Interview of Christian Recovery Leader, Attorney Russell S. of Miami, Florida
Dick B.
Russell S. is a long-recovered Christian attorney who lives and practices law in the Miami, Florida area. His office is located at 14707 South Dixie Highway, Suite 302, Miami, FL 33176.
Russell is a Christian recovery leader, a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition, and one of its very forceful and instructive speakers. He brings to many A.A. meetings his message about A.A., the Big Book, the Twelve Steps, God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible. He is also a strong proponent of the importance of early A.A.'s Christian origins, history, founding, and Akron AA Christian fellowship begun by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron in June of 1935.
He first attracted our attention long distance from Miami to Maui (by phone, letter, email, and websites)--as we learned he had distributed to others many of Dick B.'s A.A. History and Christian recovery books. He had spoken, given, and recorded a large number of talks on how to bring God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible into A.A. and its meetings in an effective and well-received way. And he still does so widely. In addition, he traveled from Miami to Southern California for two of our International Christian Recovery Coalition Conferences--the first at The Crossing Church in Costa Mesa, California; and the second as a featured speaker at our workshop--personal meetings--conference at His Place Church in Westminster, California.
Russell is active in and devoted to his faith, his church, his law practice, his sponsorship in A.A. of many men, his vibrant talks about A.A.'s Big Book, Twelve Step, and Fellowship relationship and reliance on God and coming to Him through His Son Jesus Christ.
He will tell us a little about his family, education, church work, law practice, Twelfth-Step Work, his alcoholism, his sponsees, and his very effective speaking approaches as he addresses others. He will also give us a view of what he is doing and will be doing to further Christian recovery today.
dickb@dickb.com
Gloria Deo

Dick B. Tuesday Christian Recovery Radio Interview

Listening to Today’s Dick B. Radio Interview of Christian Recovery Author and Leader Carl “Tuchy” Palmieri of Bridgeport, Connecticut
Dick B.
Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved
You may listen to Dick B.'s interview of Carl "Tuchy" Palmieri here:
Dick B. interviews Christian Recovery leader Carl “Tuchy” Palmieri, June 12, 2012
http://goo.gl/5djyT
or here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-recovery-radio-with-dickb/2012/06/12/dick-b-interviews-christian-recovery-leader-tuchy-palmieri

Listening to past and forthcoming Dick B. Interviews on Christian Recovery Radio
By going to www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com. And all of these interviews are
archived at and can be accessed and heard at your leisure on www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com – interviews page
dickb@dickb.com
Gloria Deo

The Agape Circle

The Agape Circle
By Dick B.
© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

An event of great significance occurred recently with regard to our work of unearthing, collating, reporting, and disseminating the history of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Christian Recovery Movement.
We devoted 20-plus years to travel, interviews, examination of books and records, visits to archives, acquisition of massive historical documents and books, and then analyzing them and reporting them—one by one—as the truth appeared.
The cost was quite large. It would have been far beyond my reach, resources, and retirement income financially. It involved the cost of printing, shipping, and storing more than 40 titles, a number of which have gone through several editions and/or reprintings. It involved the large cost of traveling with attendant air fare, transportation, meals, lodging, and incidentals. It involved the expenditure of an immense amount of time and effort by my son Ken B. and many others. And, of course, it involved acquisition, maintenance, and replacement of office equipment, supplies, and incidentals. Finally, one of the most expensive—yet productive—aspects was traveling to meetings with scores of AAs, NAs, treatment people, significant people in A.A.’s history, historians, curators, clergy, physicians, and large numbers of Christian recovery leaders, workers, newcomers, and the concerned public—travel which in some cases involved staying a week or more in a given area.
For the past six months, we have worked hard to scale back all the typical past expenses of books, travel, printing, computers, storage, Internet presentations, conferences, and meetings.
In doing so, we have made known to a growing body of churches, clergy, recovery pastors, care pastors, and Christian recovery leaders our plan to continue our work of making the application of time-honored Christian recovery tools available to a host of people and institutions in the recovery arena, including those who want God’s help, and may be receptive to Christian fellowship of the kind manifested in First Century Christianity, the early Akron A.A. Christian fellowship, and in the hearts and minds of hungry recovered, recovering, and new alcoholics and addicts and those with life-controlling problems.
The need exists because of the secularization of our society and our recovery fellowships, programs, and movements. It exists because of the dearth of information today about the effectiveness of Christian recovery organizations, leaders, and societies long before and at the founding of the modern-day Twelve Step and Anonymous groups. And it exists because of the incredible lack of knowledge among those who treat alcoholics and addicts and their families, those who counsel them, those who speak about them, those who lead them, those who sponsor them, and those who serve them. Not to mention the lack of knowledge among those who are new to recovery from the ravages of alcoholism and addiction.
The Plan for the Agape Circle
Several churches have already recognized the modest need and are contributing $50.00 per month each to Dick B. to support the continued research, writing, expansion, counsel, and growth of the application of “old-school” A.A. and its Christian principles and practices in Alcoholics Anonymous, other 12-Step programs, and other recovery work today.
For large cost items, we still invite and do receive tax deductible donations that enable the remaining work. And we still define the needs and invite the gifts.
But for the day-in-day-out work right here on Maui, our dream is to have a circle—an “Agape Circle”—of at least 20 Christian churches or recovery groups and leaders who will graciously provide a monthly stipend payable to Dick B. in amount of $50.00 each month to further work in the Christian Recovery arena.
As stated, several are doing, or are about to do, just that. We believe the amount is reasonable. We have specific plans to live within the Agape Circle contributions. And we will deeply appreciate your becoming part of the Agape Circle with your church or recovery program, or Christian fellowship.
The answer desired?
Yes, Dick. Our group will help your work by sending to Dick B., PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753 a donation of $50.00 per month as our contribution to the Agape Circle.
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Address:  _____________________________________________________________________
Phone and email:  _______________________________________________________________
Amount we will send each month: $  ________________________________________________

For more information, please contact me:
Dick B.
PO Box 837
Kihei, HI 96753-0837
Email: DickB@DickB.com
Main Web site: www.DickB.com
H/O tel.: (808) 874-4876

Calvary Church Los Gatos CA Christian Recovery Groups Growing

Hi Dick and Ken,
   We had our first God and the Big Book AA meeting at Calvary Church and it was a huge success. We had close to 40 people at the first meeting and Jesus was in the house. It was a powerful meeting and the meeting after the meeting was filled with talks of Christ, testimonies and love. We sold 5 or 6 of the , what I would call the Christian literature and only one of AA literature. I believe because many people already had much of the AA literature, but longed for a deeper connection with a Higher Power and were open minded. We sold several of the Runners Bible and Sermon on the Mount. I also picked up two sponcees. We also kicked off are 28th MIRROR 12 step faith based mens group this week with 63 new members. We go through the first edition "Old School" and we do step three in the church inviting the men to surrender to Jesus Christ. Many of the men who finish in the past have decieded to get baptized. Praise the Lord for the 12 steps and the outlined program of action. We have our first 12 Steps "Women of Wisdom" group starting this Thursday at 6PM with 28 women already signed up. We have a Christian Recovery Service and barbeque planned for September and I hope at some point you can come out and speak. The Lord is doing exciting things and moving in the ministry. I wanted to thank you for your dedication to keeping the history of AA alive and Christ centered! Don't really know you , but I love ya! Thanks again and may they Lord continue to bless your ministry!
Doug Nunes
Director of Recovery Ministries
Calvary Church of Los Gatos

Los Gatos Christian Recovery Pastor Reports Great Progress with Groups

Hi Dick and Ken,
   We had our first God and the Big Book AA meeting at Calvary Church and it was a huge success. We had close to 40 people at the first meeting and Jesus was in the house. It was a powerful meeting and the meeting after the meeting was filled with talks of Christ, testimonies and love. We sold 5 or 6 of the , what I would call the Christian literature and only one of AA literature. I believe because many people already had much of the AA literature, but longed for a deeper connection with a Higher Power and were open minded. We sold several of the Runners Bible and Sermon on the Mount. I also picked up two sponcees. We also kicked off are 28th MIRROR 12 step faith based mens group this week with 63 new members. We go through the first edition "Old School" and we do step three in the church inviting the men to surrender to Jesus Christ. Many of the men who finish in the past have decieded to get baptized. Praise the Lord for the 12 steps and the outlined program of action. We have our first 12 Steps "Women of Wisdom" group starting this Thursday at 6PM with 28 women already signed up. We have a Christian Recovery Service and barbeque planned for September and I hope at some point you can come out and speak. The Lord is doing exciting things and moving in the ministry. I wanted to thank you for your dedication to keeping the history of AA alive and Christ centered! Don't really know you , but I love ya! Thanks again and may they Lord continue to bless your ministry!
Doug Nunes
Director of Recovery Ministries
Calvary Church of Los Gatos

Let's Make Our Historical AA Roots Applicable Today

A.A. and AA.’s Own Talent
Let’s Get Our Speakers, Sponsors, Historians, and Archivists Producing
By Dick B.
Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Put A.A. and 12 Step Speakers, Sponsors, and Historians to Work! Now.
Look at the Talent Before You Right Now!
Right now, take a look at the speakers, sponsors, historians, archivists, and secretaries you know or have known in your Alcoholics Anonymous (“A.A.”) or other 12-Step Fellowship. I’ve been involved with hundreds of them, and you may have been too. Many are talented, experienced, and articulate speakers and, in fact, good instructors. They are also caring, loving, giving people. But what are you hearing from them today?
There are hundreds, probably thousands, of women and men in the recovery movement who have never studied A.A.’s basic text or learned how to take people through the Twelve Steps in accordance with the instructions in Alcoholics Anonymous (also known as “the Big Book”). There are far more who haven’t a clue about A.A.’s history and roots, and haven’t any idea where the recovery program got its ideas. And many of these have never opened an A.A. history book, been to an A.A. history conference, or even cared to learn our history.
Why?
Generally speaking, it’s because many have previously had no resources to work with or with which they cared to work. Sometimes because they just don’t care. Or because they think their hearers won’t laugh, cry, applaud, or want to listen if they use those resources to help others. Or often because most resources will not serve the required purpose.
What are their resources? The Big Book contains virtually no history. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions contains virtually no history. A.A. General Service Conference-approved pamphlets by the dozen tell you nothing significant about history. And the two or three significant A.A. history books either omit the details, omit entire segments of history, or focus on what the writers think or thought AAs should hear, rather than on what actually occurred. And are treatment programs, conferences, and workshops any different?
Ask yourself how much you heard about history in a treatment program or rehab. Are sponsors any different? Ask yourself how much your sponsor talked to you about A.A. history. Are certification courses and facilities teaching even the rudiments of history or the techniques by which the early pioneers sought God and were healed? Ask someone who is certified. Ask them about history, and watch them go blank.
Then there are the “history” books currently proliferating outside the fellowships. Do they talk about God? Do they talk about the Bible? Do they mention Jesus Christ? Do they talk about the literature early AAs read? Do they detail the contributions of such major A.A. influences as Anne Ripley Smith and her journal, the books and teachings of Rev. Sam Shoemaker, the life-changing program of “A First Century Christian Fellowship” (also known as “the Oxford Group”) which underlies the Steps, the devotionals which were a major part of Quiet Time, and even the Bible itself? For it was quite clear that the Book of James, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and 1 Corinthians 13 were considered absolutely essential to the early program. But how often have you ever heard them read, discussed, or studied in your program or by your conferences or by your sponsor or by any counselor you’ve encountered?
Would talented speakers, sponsors, and counselors revolt if challenged?
Dr. Bob never let a pigeon loose from the hospital without asking him if he believed in God. Then he insisted they get out of bed and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In the little-known interview of Dr. Bob on pages 84-88 of the September 1939 issue of Your Faith magazine titled “I Saw Religion Remake A Drunkard” by D.J. Defoe, Dr. Bob told how he read the Bible with each hospitalized newcomer. Have you ever put that historical set of facts to, and asked about them to, a potential speaker, sponsor, or treatment facilitator?
According to page 144 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), when asked a question about the program, Dr. Bob usually replied: “What does it say in the Good Book?” Have you ever called that fact to the attention of those we mention?
Page 53 of the current (fourth) edition of the Big Book (2001) states clearly that “God either is, or He isn’t.” Have you ever asked a speaker or instructor if he agrees?
According to the “‘Get Honest with Yourself, Pray,’ Alcoholics Anonymous Advise” article found on page 17 of the Friday, March 26, 1948, issue of The Tidings, Bill W. and Dr. Bob spoke at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles before thousands of AAs and their families. Bill commented on the “religious element” of A.A. and the need for “Divine Aid.” Have you ever inquired about these?
Page 29 of the fourth edition of the Big Book states: “Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God.” Have you ever asked a speaker or instructor to do likewise?
According to the March 26, 1948, article in The Tidings cited above, when it was A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob’s turn to speak at the Shrine Auditorium, the entire audience rose in tribute to him. And he succinctly suggested that all “cultivate the habit of prayer” and “study the Bible.” Have you ever asked your teachers about that one? Or if they have ever even heard or talked about the fact?
We now know that A.A.’s many roots included the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor, the great Evangelists like Moody and Sankey, the Salvation Army, the Rescue Missions, “A First Century Christian Fellowship” (the Oxford Group), and the Young Men’s Christian Association. Have you ever asked that these be explained to you? The 12 Step roots included Dr. Carl Jung’s views on “conversion,” and Professor William James’s views on the variety of conversion experiences he’d studied. Do your instructors talk about these? Dr. William D. Silkworth told A.A. cofounder Bill W. on his third visit to Towns Hospital in September 1934—as well as his other patients—that Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, could cure them of their alcoholism? Have you ever heard that? Have you ever had the Four Absolutes, the Five C’s, Quiet Time, and Conversion explained to you in terms of their A.A. significance? They represent the heart of what Bill codified in the Big Book and Steps from the Oxford Group.
What a Speaker Can Be and Do
The so-called Conference and “circuit” speakers that are entertaining and dynamic attract crowds. How many people have rushed to hear Clancy I., Gene Duffy, June G., Eve, Poor Richard, Geraldine D., Frank Mauser, Earl Husband, Joe McQ., Charlie P., Father Martin, and dozens of others—because these men and women are entertaining and dynamic. I’ve heard them all, and I’ve been entertained. They’ve made me laugh, and laughter is either “the best medicine” or a great help. They’ve made me cry, and emotion is part of needed enthusiasm. They’ve made me admire what they’ve done and what they’ve become. But how many times have you or I heard them talk about the early A.A. fellowship and what worked?
Can they? Could they? Will they? Would you have the courage to ask them?
We’re big in A.A. on “love and service.” We claim our “code” is “love and tolerance.” We even insist that our “leaders” are but trusted servants. And in fact, all speakers, sponsors, and counselors are “but trusted servants.” And what do trusted servants do? I’d like to think they do what they are told! But nobody tells these speakers or the “staff” at World Services or the editors of the AA Grapevine what to say—at least not you or me. Why?
The “servants” are beyond the reach of the masters, and their instructors are long dead and gone. They are peopled or persuaded by professionals, universalists, revisionists, and timid unbelievers. The servants clearly dote on pleasing everyone. If they write a piece of literature like a Daily Reflections, they’d rather get 365 different views from 365 alcoholics, one for each day, than to select from the hundreds of pieces of biblical, prayer, meditation, Quiet Time, and Christian literature which were part and parcel of early A.A.
How Long Will You Wait?
We’ve reached the point in Twelve Step history where there are few, if any, who have ever met, talked to, or learned directly from Bill W., Dr. Bob, Anne Smith, Henrietta Seiberling, Sam Shoemaker, Dr. Silkworth, or even A.A. Number Three—Bill D. Speakers cannot speak from experience about these people. But they can learn! And why not tell them you are concerned!
Speakers could, if they cared to, spend the same amount of time looking into A.A. history resources that Joe McQ. and Charlie P. spent in studying the Big Book so that they could explain it and teach it to our members all over the world. And now even these servants are gone or are playing “the last quarter of the game,” as Charlie P. put it to me before he died.
Instead of bemoaning the absence of “old timers” or “elder statesmen” or “people who knew or were sponsored by Dr. Bob or Clarence S.” or those archivists who have studied and know the archives, why not bring up a new crop? Would you rather listen to Eli Whitney tell you how he invented the cotton gin, or would you find it more instructive if a football star told you how he and his team won the Super Bowl?
Look at the Early Teachers
Our founders were humble. Our founders were students. Our founders were ever on a quest to learn more. Our founders believed in God. Our founders read the Bible. Our founders read all kinds of religious literature. Our founders put their learning to use in directly working to help others with what they had found. Dr. Bob read the Bible three times to refresh his memory before helping others with Bible materials. He circulated the Christian literature he read. Anne Smith was in the trenches, reading her Bible, suggesting literature, and teaching from her personal journal. So was Henrietta Seiberling. So were Mr. and Mrs. T. Henry Williams. And so was Bill until he got hung up with depressions shortly after he published the Big Book. Bill’s spiritual mentor, Rev. Sam Shoemaker, never stopped writing, preaching, and teaching. And these, plus Dr. Silkworth, were the people who handed us the most information.
And What about You!
Are you willing to look for speakers, sponsors, and programs that will provide you and others who need help with a full platter of information? Are you willing to read whatever you need to read to learn what you’ve been missing? Are you willing to organize meetings, fellowships, seminars, and conferences that will tell others our history? Are you willing to pass along what you learn? Are you willing to stand up and be counted when someone asks if you believe in God, if you believe in the importance of the Bible to AAs, if Jesus Christ has any place in your heart, and if you attend a church or Bible fellowship or Christian study group?
Are you willing to be a student, a researcher, a learner, a speaker, a teacher, an organizer, and a supporter of the quest to learn the truth and carry it to others in order to help them recover, get well, and be cured?
Wouldn’t you rather promote and pass on information about the program Frank Amos described when he told of the seven-point program in Akron that had produced such astonishing results? It’s all right there for you to see in A.A.’s own DR. BOB and the Oldtimers on page 131. You don’t even have to go to the bookstore or library. Surprise! You can study the Book of James, the Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13 by buying a used Bible and reading it as you can see the early AAs did in A.A.’s own pamphlet, The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. You don’t even have to go to church or to your rabbi, minister, or priest. Although it could be very helpful!
If you don’t want to be one who does or leads, are you willing to support those who do? Do you realize that in the World Services offices of A.A. itself there are scrap books that contain hundreds of newspaper clippings and articles that tell of the cures early AAs claimed they had received at the hands of their Creator? Have you thought of ordering, reading, or donating one where it will actually help someone? Are you circulating The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous pamphlet where Bill W. and Dr. Bob told bits of our history in their last major talks?
And, if you found great joy in learning what the Big Book was all about and how to take the Twelve Steps properly, are you willing to start or join a group that does this and studies history as well?
The Bottom Line
Have you helped a drunk today? Do you belong to a group that really carries out its primary purpose of helping the alcoholic who still suffers? Do you vote with your feet when you hear a speaker, a sponsor, or a counselor who talks about “higher powers,” about that strange “spirituality,” about the meetings he attends, about how much he drank, about how much trouble he had, and yet who never mentions whether or not he established a relationship with God and has had something more than a dry drunk or a passive sedentary position in his life?
Think about it. Think how much you can help others if you are able to tell them what God has done for you, what God did for the pioneers, and how they learned about Him from the Good Book!
Dick B., PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837; DickB@DickB.com; www.DickB.com; http://drbob.info; (808) 874-4876

Gloria Deo

 

Dr. Bob's Home in Akron--Revisiting This A.A. History Story

Revisiting the Plans to Enhance Memorialization of Dr. Bob’s Akron Home
By Dick B.
Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved
[I’d like to think that, as I began my historical research of A.A.’s origins, history, founding, original Christian Fellowship, and successes, I was among those most thrilled at making my early trips to Akron, Ohio.
On those trips, I: (a) attended Founders Day events. (b) attended a meeting of Akron Number One--the King School Group, and in the company of  Dr. Bob’s daughter Sue Smith Windows. (c) saw Dr. Bob’s Bible at that meeting–inscribed by Bill W., Dr. Bob, and Bill Doston—brought to the podium at the beginning of the meeting. (d)  visited Dr. Bob’s Home. (e) attended, as a guest of Dr. Bob’s daughter, a board meeting of the founders foundation. (f) visited St. Thomas Hospital. (g) interviewed Dr. Bob’s daughter in her Akron home. (h) interviewed Congressman John Seiberling at the Akron University Peace Center where he was teaching. (g) visited the Bierce Library at the University of Akron where Akron newspapers and other memorabilia were housed. (h) visited the grounds of  Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (70 acres) is a notable country estate, with gardens, located at 714 North Portage Path in Akron,  Ohio, where the Seiberling Gate Lodge was located and where Henrietta Seiberling lived and introduced Bob and Bill to each other. (i) visited the King School itself where the early A.A. meetings were held. (j) drove by the home of T. Henry and Clarace Williams where the “regular’ A.A. meetings were held on Wednesday  nights. (k) visited the Summit County Library in Akron to do further research. (l) visited the Akron Beacon Journal offices to be interviewed and to find further records. (k) met with the gracious Chairman of the trustees for Dr. Bob’s Home. (l) stayed in the home of Ray and Ginny Grumney in Newton Falls, interviewed Ray who was the archivist of and a member of the managing directors of Dr. Bob’s Home. (m) went to an A.A. meeting with Ray. (n) had lunch with Sue Smith Windows, Ray and Ginny Grumney, and Gail LaCroix—then the Founders Day archivist. (o) visited the home of Gail La Croix to gather further historical facts. (p) was given leave to copy and did copy some of Gail’s archives containing a note to Lois Wilson by Bob E. about the First Century Christian Fellowship, and the use of The Runner’s Bible by the old-timers. (q) was apparently the first to see a portion of the books which were in “Dr. Bob’s Library” and then located in the attic of Sue Smith Windows’ Home. (r) believe I met with John R. who knew Sue and knew of Anne Smith’s morning quiet times. (s) interviewed A.A. historian Dennis Cassidy and learned that John R. had both written and stated to him that Dr. Bob’s wife had shared from her journal with early AAs and their families each morning at the Smith Home. (t) learned from Sue Smith Windows that her mother had kept and shared from her journal from 1933-1939 and that Sue had typed portions of it for her mother. (u) learned from Sue Smith Windows that it was “Mother G.” who brought copies of The Upper Room to Anne’s morning meetings where they were used for Quiet Time discussions. (v) learned from Sue Smith Windows that, even though some of the pages were missing, the original “Anne Smith’s Journal” manuscripts were located at A.A. General Service Archives in New York, and that she would help me obtain a copy—which she did. (w) went to the Akron Intergroup Office and found the four AA of Akron Pamphlets commissioned by Dr. Bob for use by early AAs. (x) visited the Akron Intergroup Office, saw some of the missing pages from the Anne Smith Journal. (y) at the Akron Intergroup Office, saw some of the early A.A. books. (z) saw the entire Founders’ Day archive collection at the Founders Day events on the University of Akron campus. (aa) visited St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church in Akron where Dr. Bob became a communicant shortly before his death. (bb) interviewed the Rector Dr. Mc Candless who showed me the church record of Dr. Bob’s “membership.” (cc) with Dr. Mc Candless’s help contacted the West Side Presbyterian Church and found that Dr. Bob and his wife had been charter members of that church from 1936 to 1942, and had joined by letter of transfer from the earlier Presbyterian Church in Akron. (dd) visited the St. Paul’s Church archives and was able to see extensive newspaper articles and church records of the 1933 Akron Oxford Group events celebrating the continued sobriety of Russell Firestone as an Oxford Group member, Christian, and student of the Bible. (ee) found records of the role that Russell’s friend, James Draper Newton, played in the design and erection of the new Episcopal church. (ff) established a library of AA historical books at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in its own library.
My Former Article Revisited and Expanded Here
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Let's See the Real Akron A.A. Story Come Alive.
It is very important to highlight not only the significance of Dr. Bob's Home, but also the entire Akron history. My contribution to that began with The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Akron.shtml. It was and is supplemented with my titles Dr. Bob and His Library, 3rd ed., www.dickb.com/drbob.shtml and Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939, 3rd ed. www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml.
Further progress was made when I persuaded Dr. Bob's son Robert Smith (“Smitty”) to donate his approximately one-half of Dr. Bob's actual library to Dr. Bob's Home, and it is now there and can at least be seen. I also was later asked to speak at the dedication of the Gate Lodge on the Seiberling Estate and then published Henrietta B. Seiberling: Ohio's Lady with a Cause. I addressed some in attendance, was recorded, and turned over some A.A. history materials to the Gate Lodge curator. These are just a few of the A.A. History treasures that are related to the Akron story and are now being featured on the Akron scene after all these years.
My point is this: Several of us have honed in on the importance of the Akron story; and a good example of the still existing lacuna is the new movie Bill W. which eulogizes Wilson, dotes on his adulterous relationship with Helen, but just plain ignores almost all the facts at Akron.
I would hope as part of the new Akron memorialization project and presentation that its promoters would point out that the Akron story is enciente. Thus, it needs the contribution of Mary Darrah on Ignatia, Mitchell Klein on Clarence Snyder, The Our Legacy book by the three oldtimer Clarence Snyder Sponsees, Children of the Healer by Dr. Bob’s two children, The Good Book and The Big Book, and several of my books that are mentioned above, along with New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous, The James Club and the Original A.A. Program’s Absolute Essentials, and Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A.; When Early AAs Were Cured and Why;  and The Golden Text of A.A.. See www.dickb.com/titles.
You may not know it but some of these books were rejected and then banned from Dr., Bob's Home for about ten years. This by action of the Board of Trustees; and, but for the efforts of the archivist Ray Grumney (who was finally and abruptly “retired” after years and of service—all as a volunteer), they never would have been seen.
It has always been important to present the whole Akron story because the whole truth shows how and why the Akron Fellowship founded in June of 1935 established the simple program set forth on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. Especially because, as the last twenty years have passed, more and more people have added pieces to the picture.
The same situation is true with reference to Dr. Bob's birthplace and boyhood Vermont house and the whole St. Johnsbury Story where we have there established the Dr. Bob Core Library at North Congregational Church of St. Johnsbury (the Smith family church) and written the book: Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous.  www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml.
Today’s Akronite activists have my best wishes for whatever historical facts their memorial project brings to light. They also have my suggestion that it is a time long overdue for a coordinated historical emphasis on each aspect of the Dr. Bob--Anne Smith--Bill Wilson--Henrietta Seiberling--Clarence Snyder--Sister Ignatia picture. And I hope their efforts will point up history and not just an historical monument.
Such a broadened effort would bless the thousands of drunks who come to Akron each year hoping for a real understanding of the depth and variety of A.A.'s beginning principles, practices, and successes in Akron.
Sincerely, Richard G. Burns, J.D., Writer, Historian, Retired attorney, Bible student, long-recovered and active fellowship member, author of 44 titles and over  1000 articles on A.A. History
dickb@dickb.com