Dick B.’s “For Your Information” (FYI) Messages

November 9, 2008

By Dick B. (dickb@dickb.com)

Four Important Announcements

1.  “A Nationwide Recovery Conference with Dick B.” In late April/May 2009, we will be presenting another major conference in the Southern California area. Theme: “A New Way Out for Christians in the Recovery Arena. Stay tuned for details!

2.  New Dick B. Audios “Live”: Dick has just completed two major audio talks that are posted on his audio page at http://dickb.com/audio-talks8.shtml. The first is the “Heart of A.A.,” and you will not want to miss it. The second is “Dick B.’s A.A. Story.” Ditto!

3.  Please consider posting one or more Dick B. banners on your web site: You have probably noticed that we have substantially upgraded the Dick B. web site over the last six months. We are thankful for the many people who have put our banners on their site. If you have not already done so, please consider adding Dick B. banners to your web site. Our banners may be found here: http://www.dickb.com/bannerpage.shtml

4.  How you can help! Please see the details at the end of “Message Two” on Sam Shoemaker about how you can assist in letting others learn free of charge about the role of Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., whom Bill W. called a “cofounder of A.A.,” in the Twelve Steps, Big Book language, and history of A.A.

Help Folks Learn and Pass Along

the Major Source of A.A.'s 12 Steps as Detailed in New Light on Alcoholism

Message Two: About A.A.'s "Cofounder," Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.

Point No. 1: In an A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, Bill Wilson is quoted as follows:

Having now accounted for AA's Steps One and Twelve, it is natural that we should ask, "Where did the early AAs find the material for the remaining ten Steps? Where did we learn about moral inventory, amends for harm done, turning wills and lives over to God? Where did we learn about meditation and prayer and all the rest of it?"

The spiritual substance of our remaining ten Steps came straight from Dr. Bob's and my own earlier association with the Oxford Groups, as they were then led in America by that Episcopal rector, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker.

Point No. 2: So You Would Like to Know What Rev. Shoemaker's Personal Journals Said about Bill W.

One of the most delightful historical finds that came to me was the material in the personal journals that Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., kept throughout his life as part of his Quiet Time journaling each day. Sam's daughter, Nickie Shoemaker Haggart, allowed my son and me to examine portions of Sam's journals for the 1934-36 period--a key time in the Shoemaker/Wilson work together. Each of the relevant journal entries is quoted in my massive Shoemaker study New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A. (http://dickb.com/newlight.shtml).

With respect to Shoemaker's success in converting Russell Firestone to Christ on the train back from Denver to Akron in 1931, we had the further delight of sitting with Shoemaker's friend (and also Russell Firestone's friend) James Draper Newton, having Jim read his journal entries for that period, and then of having Nickie read her father's journal entries. And the two fit like a hand in a glove--after all those years. The Shoemaker-Firestone-Newton-Akron story is covered in my title, The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://dickb.com/Akron.shtml).

Shoemaker's journal entries about Bill Wilson in the 1935-36 period are most revealing. I quote them completely in New Light on Alcoholism. And Sam mentioned such well-known A.A. historical figures as Rowland Hazard, Victor Kitchen, Shep Cornell, and five times specifically referred to Bill Wilson. One entry asked if Bill had yet been confirmed in Sam's church. Another covered Bill's role in the huge political gathering when the president of the League of Nations came to New York. There were also five other references which seemed to involve Bill. And the importance of all these is their demonstration of the close relationship of Bill Wilson with Sam Shoemaker at the time of the founding and early days of A.A.

Point No. 3: To introduce you and others to the very important role Sam Shoemaker played in the development of Alcoholics Anonymous, we would like to make available the following special offer good through November 15, 2008: You may purchase a box of 16 new copies of New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A. for the price of only $10.00 per book, plus $25.00 for Shipping and Handling: Total = $185.00. You could distribute these books yourself to friends and acquaintances or let us distribute them on your behalf (with recognition or anonymously) to people who would benefit from having one or more copies of this important book.

If you would like to take advantage of this special offer, by November 15, 2008, please send your check or money order payable to "Dick B.", along with your name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address--or your credit card information [account number, expiration date, billing address and telephone number associated with the card, shipping address (if different from the billing address), and email address]--to Dick B., PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837. We'll send you this box by U.S. Postal Service Media Mail immediately.