A Short History of the Spirituality and the
Discipline of Healing
Anthony Dekker DO
2013 OMED AOAAM Conference LV, NV
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Anthony Dekker, DO has presented numerous
programs on Chronic Pain Management and
Addiction Medicine. The opinions of Dr
Dekker are not necessarily the opinions of the
DoD, the Indian Health Service or the USPHS.
Dr Dekker has no conflicts to report.
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Benjamin Rush MD, Temperance Movement
Emily Griffith Wilson DO
Oxford Group Frank Buckman
Richard Peabody
Leonard V Strong, Jr., DO
Father Ed Dowling
Carl Jung, MD
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Rush pioneered the therapeutic approach to
addiction. Prior to his work, drunkenness was
viewed as being sinful and a matter of choice.
Rush believed that the alcoholic loses control
over himself and identified the properties of
alcohol, rather than the alcoholic's choice, as
the causal agent. He developed the
conception of alcoholism as a form of
medical disease and proposed that alcoholics
should be weaned from their addiction via
less potent substances.
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These groups believed that alcohol
consumption led to corruption, prostitution,
spousal abuse and other criminal activities.
The reform movement met with resistance by
brewers and distillers. Business owners were
also fearful of women having the right to
vote, because it was expected that they would
tend to vote for temperance.
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The American Temperance Society was
formed in 1826 and benefited from a
renewed interest in religion and morality.
Within 12 years it claimed more than 8,000
local groups and over 1,500,000 members.
By 1839, 18 temperance journals were being
published. Simultaneously, many Protestant
churches were beginning to promote
temperance.
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"Fifteen Years of a Drunkard's Life", written by
Douglas Jerrold in 1841. As the movement began
to grow and prosper, these dramas became more
popular among the general public. "The
Drunkard" by W.H.Smith premiered in 1841 in
Boston, running for 144 performances before
being produced at P.T. Barnum's American
Museum on lower Broadway. The play was wildly
popular and is often credited with the entrance of
the temperance narrative into mainstream
American theatre.
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Rev. Abram Still was an abolitionist and active
in the Temperance Movement
James Still MD graduated from Rush Medical
College and was a member of the TM
Mary Still was faculty at Baker University in
Baldwin Kansas and was also a member of the
TM
AT Still addressed issues of drunkenness in
his autobiography
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In 1873 the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union (WCTU) established a Department of
Scientific Temperance Instruction in Schools and
Colleges, with Mary Hunt as National
Superintendent. The WCTU was an influential
organization with a membership of 120,000 by
1879. Frances Willard led the group under the
motto "Do Everything" to protect women and
children. Some of the changes the WCTU sought
included property and custody rights for women,
women's suffrage, raising the age of consensual
sex, peace arbitration, women's education, and
advocacy for working rights of women.[
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Public drinking fountains
emerged throughout the
United States following the
Civil War and the National
Woman's Christian
Temperance Union (NWCTU)'s
organizing convention of
1874 strongly encouraged its
attendees to erect the
fountains in the places that
could discourage males from
using drinking
establishments
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Bill Wilson’s father, an alcoholic and
philanderer abandons the family when Bill
was 8.
His mother leaves to attend the Boston School
of Osteopathy
She becomes an Therapist under Dr Adler.
Bill’s sister, Dorothy marries Leonard Strong
DO
Bill and Dorothy’s mother, Emily
decided that she did not want to
become a left-behind single mother,
so she obtained a divorce and made
plans to go to the Boston School of
Osteopathy where she earned a
degree in Osteopathy leaving her
children with her parents. She later
trained as a psychoanalyst with Dr.
Alfred Adler. She was remarried to
Dr. Charles Strobel.
Describing their relationship with
their mother, Bill wrote “neither
Dorothy nor I have ever stood in
quite the right relation to mother in
spite of our efforts to do so.”
Left to right: Bill’s sister Dorothy, their
mother Emily, Bill, his paternal
grandparents William and Helen and
his great-grandmother (center).
His grandfather’s drinking had led him
to take a series of temperance pledges.
“One Sunday morning in despair he
climbed to the top of Mount Aeolus
and beseeched God to help him.”
Similar to Bill’s experience at Town’s
Hospital, his grandfather found relief
from alcoholism through a profound
spiritual experience and remained
sober for the remaining 8 years of his
life.
Born Robert Holbrook Smith on August 8,
1879 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He was
the son of Judge and Mrs. Walter Perrin
Smith.
Dr. Bob described his upbringing as strict
and religious to which he rebelled against.
He is expelled from the University of
Michigan Medical School for drunken
behaviors. He is admitted to Rush
Medical College and graduates with an
MD.
Dr. Bob’s Prescription Pad
Bill on his wedding day
January 24, 1918
In April of 1925, Bill and Lois began
traveling on a Harley-Davidson for the
purposes of market research, a concept
that Wall Street friends, such as Frank
Shaw, were unwilling to advance Bill
money for. They traveled for 24
months as far south as Florida and as
far west as Pennsylvania.
Bill’s promises to stop
drinking written in Lois’s
Bible
Towns Hospital
Bill’s final discharge slip from Town’s Hospital
December 18, 1934. Note the fee was $125.00.
Leonard V. Strong, Jr., DO
Bill’s brother-in-law
(married to Bill’s sister
Dorothy) stuck with Bill
during his lowest times
and convinced Bill to
check into Town’s
Hospital in 1933. He
would pay the $125.00
hospitalization bill. Dr.
Strong was one of the first
trustees when the
Alcoholic Foundation was
first formed in May 1938.
He remained on the board
of trustees until 1954.
Served as secretary.
“The little doctor who loved drunks,” and
author of “The Doctor’s Opinion,” Dr.
Silkworth treated Bill during each of his four
admissions to Towns Hospital between 1933
and 1934.
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Dr. Silkworth made three crucial contributions to the
development of AA.
◦ First, during Bill’s second hospitalization at Towns, he
shared with Bill his theory that he believed certain
people had an allergy to alcohol that resulted in the
“phenomenon of craving” whenever they took a drink.
◦ Next, following Bill’s “spiritual experience.” that
occurred during his fourth and final hospitalization at
Towns, Dr. Silkworth reassured Bill that he was not
going insane.
 He said, “you have been the subject of some great psychic
occurrence, something that I don’t understand. I’ve read
of these things in books, but I’ve never seen one myself
before…you are already a different individual…so, my
boy, whatever you’ve got now, you’d better hold on to.
It’s so much better that what had you only a couple hours
ago.”
◦ Finally, when Bill returned to Dr. Silkworth,
discouraged by his lack of success sobering up
alcoholics, Dr. Silkworth shared with him what would
set the stage for when he met Dr. Bob.
 Dr. Silkworth told Bill to “stop preaching to them,”
suggesting that Bill was driving away prospects by
talking too much about Oxford Group principles and his
own spiritual experience. He told Bill to talk “drunk” to
them. One drunk to another drunk.
The “original”
Doctor’s Opinion
After the bank foreclosed
on their home on 182
Clinton Street in Brooklyn
on April 26, 1939, members
of the meeting that was
held there started the “Bill
and Lois Improvement
Fund” in an effort to raise
money for them. They
were only able to come up
with enough for a month’s
rent for storage.
Stepping Stones Sign
In May 1938, Bill began dictating chapters of the Big Book to her. By 1939, Ruth
had been working for months in exchange for worthless shares of Works
Publishing stock. On February 2, 1942 Bill W. paid tribute to “AA’s first paid
secretary” when Ruth resigned to get married to a member of the Fellowship.
Further Excerpts from the Prospectus for the Big Book
Charles B. Towns
Owner of Towns
Hospital where Bill
sobered up on four
occasions. He provided
financial support for the
Big Book, including
money that Bill, Lois,
Ruth and Hank P. were
able to use for groceries
and office expenses
during the writing of the
Big Book. Charlie Towns
also worked hard on
getting publicity for the
new movement
convinced Morris
Markey to write a story
on AA for Liberty
Magazine.
The “Original” AA
Steps, hand written
by Bill in 1953.
Frank Buckman
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1878 – Lutheran background
Ordained as minister in 1905
Serious resentment and rebuff at orphanage
where he was director
1908 – Keswick Convention
Keswick, England – where he had a rapture
experience of Jesus while listening to a
sermon by a little-known minister, Jessie
Penn-Lewis
(spiritual awakening of the sudden “light
experience”) vs (educational experience)
Dr. Frank Buchman
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He talked of sin and acceptance of Christ
Alcoholics Anonymous, 27 years later, talked
of resentment and a spiritual awakening as
the result of these steps
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He spent 6 years at Penn State as a YMCA
secretary where he developed his philosophy
of the Oxford Group, which was primarily the
“Key Man and Abstinence” position
(alcohol and smoking)
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Initially, from 1920 to 1928, the group was
called “First Century Christian Fellowship”
From 1928 to 1938 it was known as the
“Oxford Group” - (first called by South African
press when a group from Oxford came there
to preach)
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Attempts to refer to the 6 steps of the Oxford
Group (as precursors of the 12 Steps of AA)
were only loosely connected since the Oxford
Group referred to the “four absolutes”, not
the 6 steps:
Honesty
Unselfishness
Love
Purity
Derived from Robert Speer in his 1902 book
“The Principles of Jesus”
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The Oxford Group did have some critical
points that were emphasized
Men are sinners
Men can be changed
Confession is prerequisite to change
The changed soul has direct access to God
The age of miracles has returned
Those who have been changed must change
others
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These absolutes and 6 points were the
foundation of anecdotal communication prior
to the writing of the book “Alcoholics
Anonymous” with its Twelve Step Program
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5.
6.
Bill Wilson related that the steps, in essence,
which came from these 6 points were:
We admitted we were licked, that we were
powerless over alcohol
We made a moral inventory of our defects
We confessed or shared our shortcomings
with another person in confidence
We made restitution to all those we had
harmed by our drinking
We tried to help other alcoholics with no
thought of reward in money or prestige
We prayed to whatever God we thought there
was for power to practice these precepts
Rev. Samuel Shoemaker
Episcopal minister of the Calvary Church, an American leader of the Oxford Group
movement, and Rowland Hazard’s pastor. Rev. Shoemaker is the source, claims Bill, of
most of AA’s spiritual principles. “It is what Ebby learned from Sam, and then told me,
that makes the connection between Sam, a man of religion, and ourselves.”
Reverend Walter F. Tunks
The Episcopalian minister provided Bill
with a list of 10 people, some who were
members of the Oxford Group. It was the
10th person on this list, Norman Sheppard,
who put Bill in touch with Henrietta
Seiberling who had been trying to help
another Oxford Group member get sober.
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In 1936, a huge June meeting (10,000)
occurred of the Oxford Group in Stockbridge,
Mass.
It was international in attendance and flags
from countries represented were flown.
This procedure exists today in AA’s
international conferences, which began in
Cleveland in 1950 and occur every 5 years in
various locations
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Bill and Lois Wilson were in attendance at this
conference.
Bill and New York withdrew from the Oxford
Group in 1937.
Dr. Bob and Akron would later withdraw in
1939.
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History has told us that Bill had great
reservation about the “public” awareness of
Buckman and the entire Oxford Group.
He also had noted that public opinion had
deteriorated about Buckman due to what was
seen as Nazi support (not true, but reported)
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In 1938, the Oxford Group became known as
MRA – Moral Rearmament
It still exists with its headquarters in Caux,
Switzerland
Its membership and support declined greatly
after Buckman’s death in 1961
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In 1935-1936, Peabody was treating
alcoholics one block away from Calvary
Episcopal Church where Bill and Lois were
attending Oxford Group meetings
Peabody had written a book, “The Common
Sense of Drinking”. Bill did not know this
man, but would have read this book since it
was high profile at that time
Richard Peabody
The Common Sense of Drinking, written by Richard Peabody and published
in 1931, was used by the Oxford Group and read by the founders of AA.
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Peabody believed completely in abstinence
and powerlessness over alcohol.
He believed deeply in honesty.
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Contents of the book referred to “halfway
measures are of no avail”.
This book also contained a story of a man
who, after years of abstinence and getting his
business in order, picked up again and died
within 3 years
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His primary focus was in the belief that
therapy and cognitive behavioral adjustment
of self-knowledge, retraining, discipline, and
cultivation of new habits were enough to
establish and maintain sobriety
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A Jesuit priest from St. Louis who befriended
Bill Wilson in 1940
He was Bill’s most cherished and spiritual
confidant from 1940 until 1960 when
Dowling died
Father Edward Dowling
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His contribution was huge as he reminded
Wilson of his “divine dissatisfaction” as Bill’s
great gift from God
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Dowling also noted the significant similarity
of the Jesuits “Ignatian spiritual exercises”
and the twelve steps
“The common property of all mankind”
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He helped Bill see the “divine guidance” that
Dr. Bob, his wife Anne, and Bill had received
when they were led in the summer of 1935 to
read the Bible books of James and Paul’s
letter to the Corinthians on love.
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Finally Dowling interjected the Jesuit
discipline of daily spiritual preparation,
execution, and closure to the AA miracle
Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, Jung had
a profound influence on the development of AA when after
working with the Rowland Hazard for some time, and achieving
no significant progress, Jung told Rowland that his alcoholic
condition was near to hopeless, save only the possibility of a
spiritual experience. Rowland protested that he already believed
in God. Jung said that belief was not enough and that in order to
have this vital spiritual experience that Rowland should align
himself with a religious Rowland took Jung's advice seriously and
set about seeking a personal spiritual experience, which he found
through the Oxford Group movement. It was through Rowland’s
involvement with the Oxford Group that he came to help Ebby
Thacher. And it was Ebby’s subsequent involvement with the
Oxford Group that led him to carry the message to Bill.
Letter from Carl Jung
to Bill Wilson dated
January 30, 1961
C)
Spiritual answer – self sacrifice
Step 1: “We admitted we were powerless over
alcohol, that our lives had become
unmanageable”
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Powerless over alcohol (compulsivity)
Life is unmanageable (planning necessary –
control outcome deadly)
Step 2: “Came to believe that a power greater
than ourselves could restore us to sanity”
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Lack of power is our dilemma
Believe or be willing to believe in power
greater than self (abandon survival skills – all
based on self power)
Own concept of greater power
Step 3: “Made a decision to turn our will and
our lives over to the care of God as we
understood him”
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This is only the beginning.
Note Third Step Prayer – And it’s lead into the
program of action.
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With these 3 steps we have admitted the
chaos, solidified our conviction, and made
the commitment to our limitations and
therefore our humility.
D)
Program of Action
Step 4: “We made a searching and fearless
moral inventory of ourselves”
Character Defects
 Resentment
 Fear
 Harms to others
 Sex conduct
 Dishonesty
 Self-centered – source of power
We have identified and swallowed huge chunks
of truth about ourselves
Step 5: “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to
another human being the exact nature of our
wrongs”
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We are only as sick as our secrets.
We must be honest with somebody.
“Confession”
Step 6: “Were entirely ready to have God
remove all these defects of character”
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Willing, Work, Want
Step 7: “Humbly ask him to remove our
shortcomings”
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A prayer for unconditional love and a spiritual
condition dedicated to helping others.
Step 8: “Made a list of all persons we had
harmed, and became willing to make amends
to them all”
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This list came from our inventory Step 4 and
was spiritually dedicated in Step 6 and Step 7
Step 9: “Made direct amends to such people
wherever possible, except when to do so
would injure them or others”
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This step is delivered only following
completion of the first 8 steps, consultation
with a sponsor, and much prayer.
Step 10: “Continued to take personal inventory
and when we were wrong promptly admitted it”
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An insight into progress rather than perfection,
the staples of prayer, share, inventory, and
service, and finally the 6th sense or God
awareness. “How can I best serve thee.”
This step is clear in its promise of a daily
reprieve and the admonition for a life-time
discipline of the step process
How to live each day
Step 11: “Sought through prayer and
meditation to improve our conscious contact
with God, as we understood him, praying only
for knowledge of his will for us and the power
to carry that out”
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How to begin each day and how to end each
day. – Discipline
Step 12:
A)
B)
C)
“Having had a spiritual awakening as the
result of these steps”
We tried to carry this message to alcoholics
(experience, strength, hope)
Practice these principles in all our affairs”
(Design for living)
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“Those of us who have spent much time in
the world of spiritual make-believe have
eventually seen the childishness of it. This
dream world has been replaced by a great
sense of purpose, accompanied by a growing
consciousness of the power of God in our
lives.”
“Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of
maximum service to God and the people
about us”
Bill’s Footstone
5th International
Convention of Alcoholics
Anonymous Miami, FL
July 3 – 5, 1970
Bill’s last public
appearance