Alcoholics Anonymous Essay example -- essays research papers

The phrase â€Å"early A.A.† refers to the early fellowships and meetings held in Akron, Ohio. These meetings took place between 1935 and 1939 when Alcoholics Anonymous was an integral part of â€Å"A First Century Christian Fellowship† (Pitman 56). A.A. was the outcome of a meeting between Bill W., a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob S., an Akron surgeon. Both had been hopeless alcoholics (Fingarette 14).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before this time, Bill and Dr. Bob had each been in contact with the Oxford Group, a mostly nonalcoholic fellowship that emphasized universal spiritual values in daily living(Fingarette 15). During this period, the noted episcopal clergyman, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, headed the group. Under this spiritual influence, and with the help of an old time friend, Ebby T., Bill had gotten sober and had then maintained his recovery by working with other alcoholics, though none of there had actually recovered (Wekesser 23) . Meanwhile, Dr. Bob’s Oxford Group membership at Akron had not helped him enough to achieve sobriety. When the doctor met Bill, he found himself face to face with a fellow sufferer who had made good (Pitman 62). Bill emphasized that alcoholism was a malady of mind, emotions and body. Though a physician, Dr. Bob had not known alcoholism to be a disease. Due to Bill’s convincing ideas, he soon got sober, never to drink again. The founding spark o f A.A. had been struck (Wekesser 26).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both men immediately set to work with alcoholics at Akron’s City Hospital, where one patient quickly achieved complete sobriety (Pitman 69). In the fall of 1935, a second group of alcoholics slowly took shape in New York. A third appeared at Cleveland in 1939. It had taken over four years to produce 100 sober alcoholics in the three founding groups. That same year, the Fellowship published it’s basic textbook, Alcoholics Anonymous. The text, written by Bill, explained A.A.’s philosophy and methods, the core of which was the now well-known Twelve Steps to Recovery (Pitman 75 & 76). The book was reinforced by case histories of around thirty recovered members. From this point on, A.A’s development was rapidly growing (Wekesser 36).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One milestone in A.A’s history was in 1939. The Cleveland Plain Dealer carried a series of articles about A.A. supported by warm editorials. The Cleveland Group,... ...d without its host of well wishers who have since given their time and effort A.A. could never have grown and prospered. The Fellowship records its constant gratitude (Fingarette 72).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was on January 24, 1971, that Bill, a victim of pneumonia, died in Miami Beach, Florida, where he had delivered at the 35th Anniversary International Convention what proved to be his last words to fellow A.A.s: â€Å"God bless you and Alcoholics Anonymous forever† (Pitman 120). Since then, A.A. has become truly global. This has revealed that A.A.’s way of life can today transcend most barriers of race, creed and language (Wekesser 87). A World Service Meeting, started in 1969, has been held biennially since 1972. Its locations alternate between New York and overseas. It has met in London, England; Helsinki, Finland; San Juan del Rio, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Munich, Germany and Cartagena, Colombia. These meetings and their locations have gone to show the global impact A.A. has achieved. The Akron A.A. team of Dr. Bob, Bill, and Anne has never been equaled in personal, spiritual recovery outreach. It was truly the heart of A.A.’s s piritual beginnings (Pitman 124).