1955 International presented by Kesting C – 2025-01-07

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Unknown Tuesday Night History Workshop • 2025

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Unknown ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP

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Unknown Kesting C speaking on "1955 International" in Tuesday Night History Workshop (January 07, 2025). This recording is preserved in high-fidelity with interactive scrolling transcripts.

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Unknown Interactive Transcript

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[00 00:02.980 – 00:00:07.059] Welcome to the Tuesday Night Recovery Speakers History Workshop.

0:17

[00 00:07.059 – 00:00:09.859] Thank you everyone for joining us tonight.

0:20

[00 00:09.859 – 00:00:15.480] My name is Tim, and tonight we have a great presentation led by Kesting C.

0:26

[00 00:15.480 – 00:00:24.239] And Kesting is presenting on the international conventions, AA Comes of Age 1955.

0:31

[00 00:24.239 – 00:00:25.839] And this is part two.

0:33

[00 00:25.839 – 00:00:29.320] Part one, Kesting presented in December for us.

0:37

[00 00:29.320 – 00:00:32.490] Um, so thank you everyone for being here for this.

0:41

[00 00:32.490 – 00:00:39.719] And, um, we meet every Tuesday night at the same time and at the same Zoom ID number.

0:48

[00 00:39.719 – 00:00:46.259] And, um, let's see.

0:50

[00 00:46.259 – 00:00:56.700] This meeting is being recorded, and the audio from tonight's presentation as well as all of our past presentations can be found at recoveryspeakers.com.

1:00

[00 00:56.700 – 00:01:06.900] This meeting is not affiliated with any 12-step organization, although our goal is to focus on the history of AA and other 12-step fellowships.

1:10

[00 01:06.900 – 00:01:16.959] Recoveryspeakers.com is dedicated to preserving and making the audio history of AA and the 12-step

1:16

[00 01:16.959 – 00:01:20.780] movement available for everyone today and in the future.

1:20

[00 01:20.780 – 00:01:30.859] We share a daily email that features a different speaker talk from the Recovery Speakers audio library, and included in the daily emails

1:29

[00 01:30.859 – 00:01:37.000] are links to the recordings of this meeting as well as, uh, flyers for upcoming presentations.

1:36

[00 01:37.000 – 00:01:47.280] And also, one of the things that, um, we're sharing in our daily email right now is the History Roundup in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,

1:46

[00 01:47.280 – 00:01:49.480] February 21st to the 23rd.

1:48

[00 01:49.480 – 00:01:59.680] Um, go to thehistoryroundup.com and register, and, uh, you can check out the flyer with all of the scheduled presentations.

1:57

[00 01:59.680 – 00:02:05.980] And, uh, I'm looking forward to being there and, uh, seeing as many of you there as possible.

2:04

[00 02:05.980 – 00:02:15.259] And, um, another announcement is I shared the flyer in the chat.

2:09

[00 02:15.259 – 00:02:25.319] I am going to try to find it and pull it up on the screen, but a new book is being released about the, uh, marriage that changed the world, Lois and Bill Wilson

2:22

[00 02:25.319 – 00:02:31.740] and The Addiction Recovery Movement, and that is written by Tom Adams and Joy Jones.

2:29

[00 02:31.740 – 00:02:41.819] And, uh, on January 24th, um, there will be a, uh, free virtual event celebrating, uh, Bill and Lois's,

2:36

[00 02:41.819 – 00:02:51.840] uh, anniversary as well as the launch of this book, and I am going to share the flyer in the chat again just for anyone that is joining us late, and you can save all

2:50

[00 02:51.840 – 00:02:52.939] of that information.

2:52

[00 02:52.939 – 00:03:01.009] Um, Recovery Speakers is a 501[c][3], uh, public charity.

2:56

[00 03:01.009 – 00:03:11.039] If you are able to, we accept contributions which allow us to continue our work, and I am going to share the different ways that contributions can be made, and I will

3:08

[00 03:11.039 – 00:03:12.699] share that in the chat in a moment.

3:12

[00 03:12.699 – 00:03:22.719] And, um, tonight we should have some time for Q&A after Kesting's presentation, so if you have any questions, please write

3:21

[00 03:22.719 – 00:03:28.000] them down and be prepared to ask questions at the end of the meeting, and that is time permitting.

3:28

[00 03:28.000 – 00:03:31.819] If we go, uh, 90 minutes long, I know Kesting's on the East Coast.

3:34

[00 03:31.819 – 00:03:39.000] So if you do have questions, you may need to get Kesting's email address and send it, send the questions directly to him.

3:43

[00 03:39.000 – 00:03:43.449] Uh, but we will try to, uh, see how long this goes.

3:48

[00 03:43.449 – 00:03:45.939] Um, so now that is it for me.

3:51

[00 03:45.939 – 00:03:49.000] I am going to go ahead and turn it over to Kesting.

3:56

[00 03:49.000 – 00:03:50.500] And, uh, Kesting, thank you.

3:59

[00 03:50.500 – 00:04:00.580] I know, uh, you are so involved in so many different projects, and, uh, we appreciate you taking the time to come here and present all of this

4:10

[00 04:00.580 – 00:04:03.539] research that you've done on the international conventions.

4:13

[00 04:03.539 – 00:04:06.020] Thank you.

4:14

[00 04:06.020 – 00:04:08.840] And therefore, I don't do any of the projects very well.

4:19

[00 04:08.840 – 00:04:12.180] But I think I did pretty, pretty well on this one.

4:24

[00 04:12.180 – 00:04:16.579] This is my favorite of, um, the several that I've done.

4:28

[00 04:16.579 – 00:04:23.980] And give me a moment to share my screen, and we will get started together.

4:34

[00 04:23.980 – 00:04:26.740] Okay.

4:35

[00 04:26.740 – 00:04:27.560] Are we good?

4:37

[00 04:27.560 – 00:04:32.680] Oh, no.

4:38

[00 04:32.680 – 00:04:37.720] Play from beginning.

4:39

[00 04:37.720 – 00:04:38.300] Okay.

4:40

[00 04:38.300 – 00:04:40.339] All right.

4:41

[00 04:40.339 – 00:04:41.300] So hey, everyone.

4:43

[00 04:41.300 – 00:04:42.199] My name's Kesting.

4:44

[00 04:42.199 – 00:04:52.199] I'm calling in from New York City, and for some of you who may have seen this the first time I did it about a year ago, I promise you may

4:57

[00 04:52.199 – 00:05:02.040] hear something different just because there is so much information in this that when I reviewed this over the last couple of days, I was like, "Boy, I didn't, I didn't know that," right?

5:10

[00 05:02.040 – 00:05:03.569] There's just so much information.

5:12

[00 05:03.569 – 00:05:07.040] So hopefully you'll, you'll, you'll glean something that you didn't glean before.

5:17

[00 05:07.040 – 00:05:17.089] Um, but right off the bat, I would like to provide a little bit of, a little bit of context, and I got this question the last time

5:29

[00 05:17.089 – 00:05:27.370] that I did this presentation, which is, "What's the difference between a convention and a conference?" And it's a little bit confusing because the 1950 international convention

5:39

[00 05:27.370 – 00:05:33.500] was called The International Conference, and '55 and onward, um, they're called conventions.

5:44

[00 05:33.500 – 00:05:38.339] And then we have our general service conference, right, the GSC.

5:49

[00 05:38.339 – 00:05:48.410] And then you may go to events in your area or your region or that are part of, you know, perhaps a sponsorship lineage, and they call them conferences,

6:00

[00 05:48.410 – 00:05:48.579] right?

6:01

[00 05:48.579 – 00:05:49.800] So it gets kinda confusing.

6:03

[00 05:49.800 – 00:05:54.319] So when I refer to conference, that's the business.

6:07

[00 05:54.319 – 00:06:02.000] Um, and so the general service conference is the business meeting for the collective conscience of Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole.

6:16

[00 06:02.000 – 00:06:07.519] And when I talk about the international conventions, that's kind of like the party, right?

6:22

[00 06:07.519 – 00:06:08.420] That's the fun.

6:23

[00 06:08.420 – 00:06:12.339] That's where you go to hear a solid AA pitch from somebody.

6:28

[00 06:12.339 – 00:06:14.480] What makes ...

6:30

[00 06:14.480 – 00:06:21.500] And the reason why I wanted to clarify this is we have a combination of both in this, at the 1955 international convention.

6:38

[00 06:21.500 – 00:06:25.680] It's the only time that we had a combination of both.

6:43

[00 06:25.680 – 00:06:35.740] For a little bit of context of what was happening at this time, we just had our 12 Tr- Traditions adopted in 1950, um, at that international

6:53

[00 06:35.740 – 00:06:45.879] convention, and here we are embarking kinda in, in the next historical milestone of Alcoholics Anonymous in a lot of ways, where

7:02

[00 06:45.879 – 00:06:56.449] we have the official adoption of our third legacy, which is our legacy of service, and that is established through,

7:10

[00 06:56.449 – 00:07:01.339] um, us officially adopting the general service conference at this international convention.

7:15

[00 07:01.339 – 00:07:11.410] And these early international conventions really function as a venue for some of these historical changes which take place in,

7:23

[00 07:11.410 – 00:07:11.550] uh, in-

7:24

[00 07:11.708 – 00:07:12.748] Alcoholics Anonymous.

7:25

[00 07:12.748 – 00:07:16.608] And the next one is in Vancouver this July.

7:29

[00 07:16.608 – 00:07:21.828] So give a special thanks to my friends.

7:33

[00 07:21.828 – 00:07:32.348] Like, I didn't do anything other than put together information that was provided to me, and that I tried to make sense and, uh, order in a somewhat comprehensive

7:44

[00 07:32.348 – 00:07:32.828] way.

7:45

[00 07:32.828 – 00:07:39.988] So this is our second international convention, which took place July the 1st through the 3rd in St.

7:52

[00 07:39.988 – 00:07:43.308] Louis, Missouri, at Kiel Auditorium.

7:55

[00 07:43.308 – 00:07:45.048] The attendance was...

7:56

[00 07:45.048 – 00:07:48.008] There are different numbers, maybe it was thirty-five to thirty-eight hundred.

8:01

[00 07:48.008 – 00:07:51.548] Um, five thousand were registered for this three-day event.

8:05

[00 07:51.548 – 00:07:59.788] And the theme, again, as it was in nineteen fifty, was AA Comes of Age.

8:11

[00 07:59.788 – 00:08:09.998] And, and very much at this convention I would say this is even more, uh, more fitting because this is where the responsibility of Alcoholics

8:21

[00 08:09.998 – 00:08:20.008] Anonymous is really given to Alcoholics Anonymous, and it no longer rests with the trustees, like who, you know, your average AA member didn't know

8:31

[00 08:20.008 – 00:08:23.148] who that wa- was, and it didn't rest with Bill, and of course Dr.

8:36

[00 08:23.148 – 00:08:24.968] Bob has already passed away at this point.

8:40

[00 08:24.968 – 00:08:28.188] Registration was five whole dollars.

8:42

[00 08:28.188 – 00:08:31.178] Hotel stays range from, like, two fifty to six bucks.

8:46

[00 08:31.178 – 00:08:33.788] You know, if you wanted two rooms, it's twelve or more.

8:51

[00 08:33.788 – 00:08:35.688] We had some Spanish-speaking countries.

8:53

[00 08:35.688 – 00:08:37.868] Canada, Marshall Islands were represented.

8:56

[00 08:37.868 – 00:08:40.828] There was some international representation here.

8:58

[00 08:40.828 – 00:08:43.508] Um, here are the financials of it.

9:01

[00 08:43.508 – 00:08:45.988] It cost around thirty-one thousand dollars.

9:04

[00 08:45.988 – 00:08:54.088] I believe I got this from GSO before the last time I did this, uh, convention, so this is verifiable.

9:12

[00 08:54.088 – 00:08:59.608] Arguably the most important international convention in AA's history.

9:16

[00 08:59.608 – 00:09:04.208] As I mentioned, responsibility of AA is given over to the groups officially.

9:21

[00 09:04.208 – 00:09:08.598] This is our General Service Conference, um, is, is finalized.

9:26

[00 09:08.598 – 00:09:14.388] It's in a trial period from 1951 to 1955.

9:29

[00 09:14.388 – 00:09:18.648] We have the publication of the second edition of the Big Book.

9:34

[00 09:18.648 – 00:09:22.708] That is our first official souvenir book is at this international convention.

9:39

[00 09:22.708 – 00:09:27.928] It's a real coming of age for Al-Anon family groups, and introduction of their first book.

9:45

[00 09:27.928 – 00:09:30.608] The third legacy manual is introduced.

9:48

[00 09:30.608 – 00:09:32.068] It's a draft publication.

9:50

[00 09:32.068 – 00:09:33.588] It's the first iteration.

9:52

[00 09:33.588 – 00:09:35.528] That came out in June 1955.

9:54

[00 09:35.528 – 00:09:46.058] So that's introduced, and we have our circle and triangle symbol is introduced, although we don't use it, uh, in an official capacity as far as our publishing

10:05

[00 09:46.058 – 00:09:50.007] anymore, for reasons I won't get into in this, but it is still our symbol.

10:11

[00 09:50.007 – 00:10:00.068] Our third legacy is adopted, which is legacy of service, specifically world service, as it takes form in the

10:19

[00 10:00.068 – 00:10:01.068] General Service Conference.

10:21

[00 10:01.068 – 00:10:03.408] Our conference charter is approved.

10:23

[00 10:03.408 – 00:10:05.878] Don't worry if you don't know what a conference charter is.

10:28

[00 10:05.878 – 00:10:09.228] I'll, I'll try to provide some clarity on that as well.

10:32

[00 10:09.228 – 00:10:16.088] And we have an even more distinctive focus on extending AA's gratitude toward non-AA friends in religion, medicine, and other fields.

10:41

[00 10:16.088 – 00:10:20.368] I will, um, explain what the bulletins are.

10:44

[00 10:20.368 – 00:10:28.648] There were three, but this comes from bulletin number one that states that the convention was two years in the making and says that it was suggested by the General Service Conference.

10:57

[00 10:28.648 – 00:10:38.648] I couldn't confirm that it was two years in the making, but I did find the year before, the 1954 General Service Conference, that it was approved to have our

11:08

[00 10:38.648 – 00:10:40.348] twentieth anniversary meeting.

11:10

[00 10:40.348 – 00:10:41.598] That's our convention.

11:11

[00 10:41.598 – 00:10:42.408] That's our birthday.

11:13

[00 10:42.408 – 00:10:48.488] And they, uh, they being the Ge- 1954 General Service Conference specified a committee.

11:18

[00 10:48.488 – 00:10:53.308] And here's who is on the committee.

11:21

[00 10:53.308 – 00:10:57.008] I won't read through all of the names, but they're here for reference.

11:27

[00 10:57.008 – 00:11:00.328] Um, and they selected St.

11:29

[00 11:00.328 – 00:11:05.808] Louis and the Kiel Auditorium in large part because it was air-conditioned.

11:34

[00 11:05.808 – 00:11:08.208] This was a problem at the 1950.

11:37

[00 11:08.208 – 00:11:13.708] It was very hot, and I think in the future they would have an international convention that was far too cold.

11:45

[00 11:13.708 – 00:11:16.548] So Kiel was a famous contractor in St.

11:49

[00 11:16.548 – 00:11:21.308] Louis noted for his civic work and was a three-term mayor of Mound City.

11:54

[00 11:21.308 – 00:11:25.608] So that's what that auditorium, that's who that auditorium is named after.

11:59

[00 11:25.608 – 00:11:32.727] And the dates of this convention, unlike the previous convention, were selected to have it over a long weekend.

12:07

[00 11:32.727 – 00:11:35.648] So a little bit of recap.

12:10

[00 11:35.648 – 00:11:45.398] The 1950, five years ago, international convention adopted our traditions and was the official announcement to the fellowship of the trial period for the General Service Conference.

12:20

[00 11:45.398 – 00:11:48.558] As far as I know, that's the announcement that I'm aware of.

12:25

[00 11:48.558 – 00:11:51.228] I'm sure it might have been published elsewhere.

12:29

[00 11:51.228 – 00:12:01.268] But Bill says that in one of his talks in the 1950, that 1951 we're doing this trial period, five-year trial period, for the General Service Conference.

12:39

[00 12:01.268 – 00:12:09.948] Five years later, the General Service Conference would take place right before this international convention, right?

12:45

[00 12:09.948 – 00:12:13.388] Convention being the birthday, the fun, the speakers, all of that.

12:50

[00 12:13.388 – 00:12:19.428] And this would be the only General Service Conference to coincide with the international convention.

12:56

[00 12:19.428 – 00:12:29.328] This would also be the only General Service Conference to have an open session, which means it was open to all AAs, which would take place on the final day of the convention.

13:09

[00 12:29.328 – 00:12:32.528] The other sessions were, were not open.

13:12

[00 12:32.528 – 00:12:38.948] I believe Nell Wing acted as a spiritual bouncer once, probably during one of the trial period ones.

13:19

[00 12:38.948 – 00:12:40.288] She, she talks about that.

13:22

[00 12:40.288 – 00:12:41.788] Uh, it's really, it's really funny.

13:24

[00 12:41.788 – 00:12:44.908] Uh, the General Service Conference in St.

13:27

[00 12:44.908 – 00:12:51.668] Louis, Missouri, was held June 26th to the 29th, and again on the last day of the convention, July 3rd.

13:35

[00 12:51.668 – 00:13:02.198] So convention, uh, is July 1st through 3rd, and the conference, the business of AA, takes place a little bit before then, and then openly and jointly

13:46

[00 13:02.198 – 00:13:04.588] at that last session on the last day.

13:50

[00 13:04.588 – 00:13:05.838] It's our double ending.

13:52

[00 13:05.838 – 00:13:10.008] And it's the only conference that was held outside of New York State.

13:57

[00 13:10.008 – 00:13:17.968] General Service Conference is now in April annually, New York City, and our international conventions are only once every five years.

14:05

[00 13:17.968 – 00:13:28.608] So seventy-five delegates in the General Service Conference unanimously recommended adoption of a permanent conference charter subject

14:12

[00 13:28.608 – 00:13:30.747] to approval at the international convention.

14:15

[00 13:30.747 – 00:13:40.468] So the conference is saying, "Hey, we believe this service structure, this charter, uh, this third legacy should be approved, and we're, we're gonna recommend it.

14:25

[00 13:40.468 – 00:13:43.728] But we really want the fellowship," right?

14:29

[00 13:43.728 – 00:13:48.468] Just grand old members, grand old groups, they're the top of the triangle.

14:34

[00 13:48.468 – 00:13:57.908] We want them to, um, to, to basically have their voice in it as well and give it approval so it's not happening unilaterally.

14:44

[00 13:57.908 – 00:14:03.028] So that's the spirit of what's happening here with this sort of joint session and double ending.

14:50

[00 14:03.028 – 00:14:12.228] The conference also recommended that future conferences not be combined with the conventions, and, uh, they're a lot of work, and that's a lot to do in a week.

15:02

[00 14:12.228 – 00:14:18.398] They adjourned, and the final conference session was held on the last day of the convention, July 3rd, and open to all AA members.

15:12

[00 14:18.398 – 00:14:23.248] Additionally, the trustees had their quarterly meeting June 30th at the Hotel Ki-

15:17

[00 14:23.343 – 00:14:26.643] Jefferson, and that was not on a day of the conference session.

15:22

[00 14:26.643 – 00:14:28.833] That happened actually in addition to all of this.

15:26

[00 14:28.833 – 00:14:31.783] There are still quarterly meetings.

15:28

[00 14:31.783 – 00:14:39.223] Maybe there were seventy-six representatives from, you know, instead of seventy-five, but you, you see different numbers for different things.

15:36

[00 14:39.223 – 00:14:42.803] Hard to know exactly, uh, the right answers.

15:40

[00 14:42.803 – 00:14:50.903] So what are the reasons for the, this recommended official adoption of the general service conference?

15:46

[00 14:50.903 – 00:14:57.283] Well, it's, it's summed up here in a draft report of the nineteen fifty-four general service conference report.

15:53

[00 14:57.283 – 00:15:07.043] The six basic reasons underlying the cofounders' nineteen fifty proposal for a general service conference were reviewed by conference secretary Helen B.

16:02

[00 15:07.043 – 00:15:10.603] in a comprehensive summary of conference history to date.

16:06

[00 15:10.603 – 00:15:14.063] They were, one, realization that Dr.

16:09

[00 15:14.063 – 00:15:16.143] Bob and Bill could not last forever.

16:12

[00 15:16.143 – 00:15:21.363] Two, the fact that the trustees were generally unknown to the movement.

16:17

[00 15:21.363 – 00:15:26.343] Three, recognition that the trustees would need future guidance from the movement itself.

16:22

[00 15:26.343 – 00:15:34.383] Four, appreciation that AA was growing up and was able to assume rightful responsibility for its headquarters and services.

16:30

[00 15:34.383 – 00:15:39.203] Five, the importance of bringing the trustees into closer contact with the movement.

16:35

[00 15:39.203 – 00:15:49.143] Six, the need to be as completely prepared as possible to face some potentially grave crisis with action in the best interest of all AAs.

16:45

[00 15:49.143 – 00:15:53.193] So in nineteen fifty there were a couple printings of this.

16:50

[00 15:53.193 – 00:15:56.903] This is the first printing from November of nineteen fifty, and Dr.

16:55

[00 15:56.903 – 00:15:58.743] Bob's name o- is on it as well.

16:58

[00 15:58.743 – 00:16:02.243] This is a pamphlet called "Your Third Legacy.

17:02

[00 16:02.243 – 00:16:11.463] Will You Accept It?" And it has, um, like a draft version of, um, the general service conference charter.

17:10

[00 16:11.463 – 00:16:14.143] They're called Twelve Suggested Principles.

17:12

[00 16:14.143 – 00:16:22.723] They're not, they're not the Twelve Concepts, though there's overlap with the twelfth article of the charter.

17:19

[00 16:22.723 – 00:16:26.123] I know that may seem a little bit confusing.

17:23

[00 16:26.123 – 00:16:27.543] Hoping to clarify by the end.

17:25

[00 16:27.543 – 00:16:36.533] Okay, so here's a nice picture of Bill with some others at nineteen fifty-two general service conference in New York, New York.

17:34

[00 16:36.533 – 00:16:43.583] Again, this is during that trial period, and Bill is hiding behind that person with glasses.

17:41

[00 16:43.583 – 00:16:47.243] And here is a picture at the Hotel Jefferson in St.

17:45

[00 16:47.243 – 00:16:51.063] Louis of the nineteen fifty-five general service conference.

17:49

[00 16:51.063 – 00:16:55.903] So this is, you know, leading right up to the nineteen fifty-five international convention.

17:55

[00 16:55.903 – 00:16:58.743] And you can see Burn Smith and Bill W.

17:58

[00 16:58.743 – 00:16:59.863] up there at the front.

18:01

[00 16:59.863 – 00:17:02.983] So those were the delegates.

18:03

[00 17:02.983 – 00:17:05.883] Those were, um, staff as well.

18:06

[00 17:05.883 – 00:17:08.103] All right.

18:07

[00 17:08.103 – 00:17:10.783] We also have these things called conference highlights.

18:10

[00 17:10.783 – 00:17:21.043] So they would give kind of like a digest of what happened at the conference, and they printed one for attendees of the convention to

18:20

[00 17:21.043 – 00:17:22.383] kinda catch up on what was going on.

18:24

[00 17:22.383 – 00:17:24.543] Some scans of that.

18:26

[00 17:24.543 – 00:17:26.083] All right.

18:27

[00 17:26.083 – 00:17:34.003] You also got name badges, and if you were a part of that conference, um, Third Legacy delegate, you got a little pin.

18:36

[00 17:34.003 – 00:17:38.863] So this would be a person to talk to about, "Hey, I don't understand all this conference stuff.

18:43

[00 17:38.863 – 00:17:40.443] What is this potential vote?

18:46

[00 17:40.443 – 00:17:50.103] What is this Third Legacy resolution?" This would be someone who you could go to, ask questions, get clarification, and offer your grievances if your spirit so moved you.

18:57

[00 17:50.103 – 00:17:55.043] Here's another example of one of those convention badges.

19:01

[00 17:55.043 – 00:17:57.983] All right.

19:02

[00 17:57.983 – 00:18:04.503] Announcement to the fellowship in January nineteen fifty-five article, uh, was called Easy Do It to St.

19:09

[00 18:04.503 – 00:18:04.983] Louis.

19:10

[00 18:04.983 – 00:18:13.423] So this was an announcement about, "Hey, we're gonna do this twentieth anniversary convention." That's one of the announcements that I've found.

19:19

[00 18:13.423 – 00:18:20.823] And then on July first, second, and third, nineteen fifty-five, the twentieth anniversary convention of AA will be held in St.

19:27

[00 18:20.823 – 00:18:21.523] Louis, Missouri.

19:28

[00 18:21.523 – 00:18:22.823] It was very short.

19:30

[00 18:22.823 – 00:18:28.383] But they gave them more lead time it seems this time around compared to five years previously.

19:37

[00 18:28.383 – 00:18:34.843] And here is a letter, um, of Bill inviting, I believe, non-alcoholics.

19:42

[00 18:34.843 – 00:18:38.243] So he actually sent out personal invitations as well.

19:46

[00 18:38.243 – 00:18:46.643] Okay, here's the June nineteen fifty-five Grapevine Convention program, right?

19:50

[00 18:46.643 – 00:18:52.703] So by this point in June, they had a pretty good idea of what this convention is gonna look like in July.

19:59

[00 18:52.703 – 00:18:56.603] I believe that this Grapevine would've probably come out like early June.

20:04

[00 18:56.603 – 00:18:59.923] So some pictures of that.

20:06

[00 18:59.923 – 00:19:05.603] And a version of like what that program will look like.

20:11

[00 19:05.603 – 00:19:15.623] It's not the final program, but they are doing the advertising for, "Hey, this is what's, who's gonna be there, and what's gonna be happen- happening." This is the

20:23

[00 19:15.623 – 00:19:17.803] official program, and it's kinda interesting.

20:25

[00 19:17.803 – 00:19:19.583] This, it, it, it folds up.

20:28

[00 19:19.583 – 00:19:29.683] Like there are different panels in this program that fold up, so it's not a pamphlet that folds out laterally, um, and really a pain

20:38

[00 19:29.683 – 00:19:34.503] in the butt for me to take pictures of, but someone lent one to me that I could do that with.

20:46

[00 19:34.503 – 00:19:41.663] So we have some themes and workshops from the first international which reappear.

20:52

[00 19:41.663 – 00:19:44.123] There's a list here.

20:54

[00 19:44.123 – 00:19:45.643] I'm not gonna go through them.

20:56

[00 19:45.643 – 00:19:54.943] Uh, but there, um, but yeah, there is some, some overlap, and you also will recognize themes that continue today, right?

21:05

[00 19:54.943 – 00:20:02.443] These, these early conventions really set precedent for what these conventions would look like going forward.

21:11

[00 20:02.443 – 00:20:07.203] This is, um...

21:13

[00 20:07.203 – 00:20:17.942] Bill talked more than just these three, but these are the three major talks that he gives, which is the first one is on our first legacy

21:24

[00 20:17.943 – 00:20:20.843] titled How We Learned to Recover, and that was on day one.

21:29

[00 20:20.843 – 00:20:30.843] On day two, on our second legacy, How We Learn to Stay Together, and day three, the last one, was How We Learn to Serve, which is our third

21:40

[00 20:30.843 – 00:20:31.343] legacy.

21:41

[00 20:31.343 – 00:20:32.953] So what are the three legacies?

21:44

[00 20:32.953 – 00:20:36.113] Um, recovery, unity, and service.

21:46

[00 20:36.113 – 00:20:46.143] So recovery being twelve steps, uh, unity being twelve traditions, and the third legacy essentially being like our service structure and our legacy of world

21:56

[00 20:46.143 – 00:20:46.583] service.

21:57

[00 20:46.583 – 00:20:52.663] You could also say twelve concepts, but the twelve concepts weren't around here.

22:02

[00 20:52.663 – 00:20:55.283] Come a little bit later.

22:04

[00 20:55.283 – 00:20:57.283] But they're, they're percolating.

22:06

[00 20:57.283 – 00:20:59.403] There was also an advanced program.

22:09

[00 20:59.403 – 00:21:02.903] I don't know where it fits into all of this, right, but I have three programs.

22:16

[00 21:02.903 – 00:21:11.263] I have that one from the nineteen fif-fifty-five June Grapevine and this advanced program and then the official program as I mentioned.

22:24

[00 21:11.263 – 00:21:15.663] As part of your registration, you got materials.

22:28

[00 21:15.663 – 00:21:16.783] Here's one of them.

22:30

[00 21:16.783 – 00:21:19.123] That's a picture of Kiel Auditorium.

22:32

[00 21:19.123 – 00:21:21.623] This is how you would sign up.

22:36

[00 21:21.623 – 00:21:22.523] You have a map.

22:37

[00 21:22.523 – 00:21:24.583] You could get hotel reservation.

22:40

[00 21:24.583 – 00:21:29.153] Here are the forms for registration for the convention, for the hotels.

22:45

[00 21:29.153 – 00:21:32.183] Ah, and here's a better picture of Kiel Auditorium.

22:49

[00 21:35.199 – 00:21:36.699] There was also a Q&A pamphlet.

22:52

[00 21:36.699 – 00:21:39.719] I don't know if this is part, uh, given out as part of the registration.

22:58

[00 21:39.719 – 00:21:41.389] Likely was.

22:59

[00 21:41.389 – 00:21:45.579] Some scans of that.

23:01

[00 21:45.579 – 00:21:46.939] Keep moving forward.

23:02

[00 21:46.939 – 00:21:50.259] And you also received a welcome letter from Lois and Bill.

23:07

[00 21:50.259 – 00:21:57.179] It wasn't personally signed to each person, that would be thousands of people, but they did give out these copies.

23:15

[00 21:57.179 – 00:22:02.939] In addition, each day, they would publish a bulletin.

23:19

[00 22:02.939 – 00:22:05.079] You can see the three bulletins here, right?

23:22

[00 22:05.079 – 00:22:14.559] July 1st, July 2nd, and July 3rd for each corresponding day, and they would essentially be digests of the day before and what was upcoming.

23:32

[00 22:14.559 – 00:22:19.919] And I got a ton of information out of these.

23:37

[00 22:19.919 – 00:22:24.699] They were just full of, of wonderful context and information.

23:41

[00 22:24.699 – 00:22:28.979] You can see some scans of it here.

23:44

[00 22:28.979 – 00:22:39.059] All right, so to cover some of what's detailed in bulletin number one, um, this bulletin is

23:51

[00 22:39.059 – 00:22:43.799] published each morning during the convention by your general service headquarters staff.

23:56

[00 22:43.799 – 00:22:53.859] It is designed to give you a concise digest of the many simultaneous activities, to bring you special announcements, and to provide a modest souvenir of your participation

24:07

[00 22:53.859 – 00:22:55.379] in a historic weekend.

24:09

[00 22:55.379 – 00:22:59.699] And I'm glad some people kept it as a souvenir so that we could read it later.

24:16

[00 22:59.699 – 00:23:03.239] Um, there were multiple headquarters.

24:19

[00 23:03.239 – 00:23:09.839] I would assume these are just sort of booths or, like, little as, uh, side rooms, but there was convention headquarters.

24:27

[00 23:09.839 – 00:23:15.899] AA Grapevine had their own headquarters, information for the press, and then Al-Anon family groups did as well.

24:34

[00 23:15.899 – 00:23:22.579] So covered in this bulletin, it refers to the new and very first, as I mentioned, Al-Anon book.

24:42

[00 23:22.579 – 00:23:28.219] The July 1955 Grapevine is hot off the press.

24:45

[00 23:28.219 – 00:23:34.219] Remember, this is, you know, July 1st through 3rd, so they have the July 1955 Grapevine for people to get as well.

24:53

[00 23:34.219 – 00:23:44.379] Mentions that Bill will ask the movement to endorse the third legacy plan, whereby he and other early members and friends of the society

25:03

[00 23:44.379 – 00:23:53.359] can yield their responsibilities to the General Service Conference, which has been functioning under a temporary charter for the past five years.

25:12

[00 23:53.359 – 00:23:56.339] As I mentioned, our new symbol is introduced.

25:15

[00 23:56.339 – 00:24:02.779] The bulletin talks about that, and world services have lighted displays on services they provide.

25:22

[00 24:02.779 – 00:24:04.339] It's very strategic, right?

25:23

[00 24:04.339 – 00:24:05.559] They're trying to...

25:25

[00 24:05.559 – 00:24:15.599] You know, there's, there's controversy around Alcoholics Anonymous organizing, and I know it may seem odd when we have this ninth

25:33

[00 24:15.599 – 00:24:18.519] tradition that AA ought never be organized, right?

25:37

[00 24:18.519 – 00:24:20.679] But we may create service boards or committees, right?

25:41

[00 24:20.679 – 00:24:23.179] Responsible to those they serve, right, that kind of thing.

25:45

[00 24:23.179 – 00:24:33.459] And, and our, our, our everyday AA, how we take someone through the steps, right, the, um, you know, the groups, like there's, there's no, there's no authority

25:56

[00 24:33.459 – 00:24:35.059] to dictate that, right?

25:58

[00 24:35.059 – 00:24:41.849] The, um, AA in the trenches is not, is not organized in that, in that way.

26:05

[00 24:41.849 – 00:24:51.939] Um, but we can organize the services that we need in order to, um, make twelve-step work, um, available,

26:12

[00 24:51.939 – 00:24:52.539] right?

26:13

[00 24:52.539 – 00:24:53.839] It helps facilitate it.

26:15

[00 24:53.839 – 00:24:58.759] It's not necessarily the twelve-step work itself, but it facilitates twelve-step work.

26:20

[00 24:58.759 – 00:25:06.179] Think of, um, when you're connected to someone who's incarcerated, you know, and you're part of that committee at GSO.

26:28

[00 25:06.179 – 00:25:16.379] Or not committee, but, um, you, you s- have that job at GSO, right, and you're helping like an AA member practice their twelve-step work, you know, to connect someone to a meeting who

26:42

[00 25:16.379 – 00:25:17.559] is being released.

26:43

[00 25:17.559 – 00:25:21.119] So they're very strategic about it.

26:46

[00 25:21.119 – 00:25:24.019] Oh, here's a list of trustees.

26:48

[00 25:24.019 – 00:25:27.079] We can move on from this, but there are some notable names.

26:53

[00 25:27.079 – 00:25:37.499] And here is the July 1955 Grapevine, which is available, like close to thirty-two thousand magazines in circulation,

27:00

[00 25:37.499 – 00:25:42.219] and three out of ten groups received a Grapevine at this point, and they still showed a profit.

27:08

[00 25:42.219 – 00:25:45.139] All right.

27:09

[00 25:45.139 – 00:25:47.159] Again, more bulletin number one stuff.

27:11

[00 25:47.159 – 00:25:47.959] You need a badge.

27:13

[00 25:47.959 – 00:25:54.309] It had a summary of activities from the fifth General Service Conference, which just took place.

27:20

[00 25:54.309 – 00:25:57.119] That could have been the conference highlights.

27:23

[00 25:57.119 – 00:26:03.759] That's probably something that was given out, and that would also later be mailed out to groups.

27:30

[00 26:03.759 – 00:26:08.959] So I-- So that could have been the conference digest maybe.

27:35

[00 26:08.959 – 00:26:11.519] There could have been highlights and a digest.

27:38

[00 26:11.519 – 00:26:21.719] I don't know why we're making things complicated, but they're trying to communicate, and communication is one of the most vital things that keeps AA

27:48

[00 26:21.719 – 00:26:22.119] going.

27:49

[00 26:22.119 – 00:26:24.959] So can't fault them for trying to communicate.

27:52

[00 26:24.959 – 00:26:30.759] Um, we have a draft of Bill's proposed third legacy manual.

27:57

[00 26:30.759 – 00:26:33.599] We're gonna talk more about that later.

28:00

[00 26:33.599 – 00:26:34.239] A map of St.

28:02

[00 26:34.239 – 00:26:36.559] Louis, a welcome letter, as was mentioned.

28:05

[00 26:36.559 – 00:26:39.379] Some sort of ode to Bill D., AA number three.

28:09

[00 26:39.379 – 00:26:40.219] I've never seen this.

28:11

[00 26:40.219 – 00:26:43.219] And also a reprint of the Serenity Prayer.

28:15

[00 26:43.219 – 00:26:44.159] I've never seen this either.

28:17

[00 26:44.159 – 00:26:45.578] I can't give you pictures, I'm sorry.

28:20

[00 26:45.578 – 00:26:53.499] But here are some, perhaps not all of the things, but some of the items that you would be given as part of your registration.

28:30

[00 26:53.499 – 00:27:00.679] Note on the recordings.

28:32

[00 27:00.679 – 00:27:07.789] Um, apparently multiple people asked to record at this convention, and they were denied.

28:38

[00 27:07.789 – 00:27:18.199] At the previous convention in Cleveland in 1950, the Cleveland Committee was in charge of those recordings, and we don't-- Uh, either we're missing a bunch or not everything was recorded.

28:49

[00 27:18.199 – 00:27:19.399] Um, we're not sure.

28:51

[00 27:19.399 – 00:27:25.659] But in this case, it was, you know, AA's headquarters that was in charge of putting this on, I suppose.

28:59

[00 27:25.659 – 00:27:32.359] Or really the committee that was designated by the 1954 General Service, uh, Conference.

29:05

[00 27:32.359 – 00:27:34.459] There were anonymity statements.

29:07

[00 27:34.459 – 00:27:38.279] This may sound familiar if you've been to conventions and stuff.

29:11

[00 27:38.279 – 00:27:44.839] Um, they were frequent throughout the speaker tapes when I would listen to it, though they were not always observed.

29:19

[00 27:44.839 – 00:27:51.319] Um, there was a custom of introducing yourself as alcoholic, you know, fairly common throughout the convention.

29:26

[00 27:51.319 – 00:27:57.959] Stated that recordings would be made available, and that individuals could leave orders at convention headquarters.

29:33

[00 27:57.959 – 00:28:07.879] I think they also had a red light at some of the sessions, um, where there might be a red light at the lectern where someone would speak from that would go off.

29:46

[00 28:07.879 – 00:28:16.299] You know, it would light up and it would be like, "Hey, time to wrap it up." Um, I had to be very selective with time constraints because this is a long presentation.

29:59

[00 28:16.299 – 00:28:17.439] There's a lot of information.

30:01

[00 28:17.439 – 00:28:27.459] I couldn't cover everything I wanted to cover, so I did sacrifice, um, a lot of Al-Anon stuff, which is, which is great and is in here, but other people do

30:14

[00 28:27.459 – 00:28:28.659] presentations on them.

30:15

[00 28:28.659 – 00:28:30.899] Uh, would be much better than what I could do.

30:19

[00 28:30.899 – 00:28:32.599] All right.

30:21

[00 28:32.599 – 00:28:37.359] Here is day one from the official program.

30:24

[00 28:37.359 – 00:28:45.319] The, um, the Young Alcoholic workshop, there is a recording of it available on recovery speakers.

30:31

[00 28:45.319 – 00:28:46.549] It's very difficult-

30:32

[00 28:46.640 – 00:28:50.440] To listen to, so I don't have anything from it just because of the audio quality.

30:39

[00 28:50.440 – 00:28:55.280] But day one mostly consists of workshops and open AA meetings.

30:43

[00 28:55.280 – 00:29:03.680] The majority of day one talks were either not recorded or I'm unaware of their existence, and no, I did not co- cross-reference with GSO.

30:53

[00 29:03.680 – 00:29:13.860] But there are so many recordings that, um, that recovery speakers had and, and that I was, that I was given that it's,

31:02

[00 29:13.860 – 00:29:15.090] it's gotta be close to all of them.

31:06

[00 29:15.090 – 00:29:16.420] All right.

31:07

[00 29:16.420 – 00:29:22.020] The only soundbite I selected from day one is Bill's main evening talk.

31:12

[00 29:22.020 – 00:29:27.620] But we can note who some of the speakers were.

31:17

[00 29:27.620 – 00:29:31.260] So we had Searcy, that was a Texas AA member.

31:21

[00 29:31.260 – 00:29:38.840] He sponsored Ebby T., uh, later on when Ebby was giving another go at sobriety.

31:27

[00 29:38.840 – 00:29:40.200] We have Leonard V.

31:29

[00 29:40.200 – 00:29:42.760] Harrison, non-alcoholic, um, chaired a meeting.

31:32

[00 29:42.760 – 00:29:43.120] We have Dr.

31:33

[00 29:43.120 – 00:29:44.260] Jim S.

31:34

[00 29:44.260 – 00:29:47.800] Um, we have Lois.

31:36

[00 29:47.800 – 00:29:49.640] There's a nice young picture of her.

31:39

[00 29:49.640 – 00:29:55.600] She chairs the family group meeting, and to meet the staff members from Al-Anon and Family Group Headquarters, right?

31:47

[00 29:55.600 – 00:30:05.820] They're really trying to invite the attendees of this convention to get to know what these services are, who are the people behind them that

31:57

[00 30:05.820 – 00:30:14.120] deliver these services, and help facilitate twelve-step work for other people, and carry a message.

32:03

[00 30:14.120 – 00:30:19.080] One of my favorite pictures from the convention, uh, this is at St.

32:09

[00 30:19.080 – 00:30:21.000] Louis Convention in 1955.

32:10

[00 30:21.000 – 00:30:22.500] You have Lois on the right.

32:13

[00 30:22.500 – 00:30:28.700] You have Nell Wing on the left, who was a surrogate daughter of them, a non-alcoholic.

32:19

[00 30:28.700 – 00:30:33.570] And, um, well, she did a, a l- a lot of work for AA.

32:25

[00 30:33.570 – 00:30:35.020] They just loved her like a daughter.

32:28

[00 30:35.020 – 00:30:36.200] And you have Bill in the background.

32:31

[00 30:36.200 – 00:30:43.500] Jack Norris, um, a non-alcoholic trustee from around this time period, is a picture of him.

32:38

[00 30:43.500 – 00:30:48.540] He speaks at AA and Industry on day one.

32:42

[00 30:48.540 – 00:30:58.620] And also on day one, there is a telegram from President Eisenhower that is read, and it's read at the beginning of the evening session of Bill's

32:52

[00 30:58.620 – 00:30:58.980] talk.

32:53

[00 30:58.980 – 00:31:05.840] This might have been Hank from the committee, I believe, reading this, or some-- or the chair.

33:00

[00 31:05.840 – 00:31:07.840] I'm not sure who's reading it, but here's the audio.

33:04

[00 31:07.840 – 00:31:16.340] Now, a most significant message.

33:07

[00 31:16.340 – 00:31:26.500] Please convey to all who participate in your twentieth anniversary gathering my good wishes for a successful

33:14

[00 31:26.500 – 00:31:26.920] meeting.

33:14

[00 31:26.920 – 00:31:38.439] Your society's record of growth and service is an inspiration to those who through research, perseverance, and faith

33:22

[00 31:38.439 – 00:31:43.560] move forward to the solution of many serious personal and public health problems.

33:27

[00 31:43.560 – 00:31:47.900] From President Dwight D.

33:29

[00 31:47.900 – 00:31:54.920] Eisenhower.

33:30

[00 31:54.920 – 00:31:58.080] And that telegram was dated that day, July first.

33:34

[00 31:58.080 – 00:32:08.260] Although there is a, the same telegram dated June twenty-second that went to Stepping Stones, but my understanding is that, uh,

33:42

[00 32:08.260 – 00:32:09.900] Bill didn't know about it.

33:44

[00 32:09.900 – 00:32:10.820] So I don't know.

33:46

[00 32:10.820 – 00:32:12.360] But here it is.

33:48

[00 32:12.360 – 00:32:15.140] Here's the other telegram, the earlier one from June twenty-second.

33:52

[00 32:15.140 – 00:32:25.480] And this is, um, the telegram just superimposed on day three of the convention,

33:58

[00 32:25.480 – 00:32:26.780] and, uh, it's the end.

34:00

[00 32:26.780 – 00:32:27.800] It's the double ending.

34:02

[00 32:27.800 – 00:32:29.740] The general service conference is up there.

34:05

[00 32:29.740 – 00:32:31.680] All right.

34:07

[00 32:31.680 – 00:32:37.020] So the end of day one, the evening talk is Bill speaking on our first legacy of recovery.

34:14

[00 32:37.020 – 00:32:41.420] He is introduced by Cliff W., trustee from California.

34:18

[00 32:41.420 – 00:32:47.280] And Bill mentions in this talk that the first portion of the talk is written.

34:24

[00 32:47.280 – 00:32:49.070] We have gathered at St.

34:26

[00 32:49.070 – 00:32:59.020] Louis for yet another purpose, which is to declare that Alcoholics Anonymous has come of age.

34:33

[00 32:59.020 – 00:33:01.140] Mind you, I'm not claiming we're grown up.

34:36

[00 33:01.140 – 00:33:11.660] We are to consider what the meaning of all this is, what our twenty years of experience has taught us, what

34:45

[00 33:11.660 – 00:33:21.680] the legacies of this experience are, and what over the long future our responsibilities are going to be for the preservation

34:53

[00 33:21.680 – 00:33:24.160] of this vital and treasured inheritance.

34:56

[00 33:24.160 – 00:33:35.240] This sum of which is the knowledge of how to recover from our illness, how to stay together in unity, and

35:04

[00 33:35.240 – 00:33:45.280] how best to serve by carrying the AA message to all those who still suffer strange and deadly

35:12

[00 33:45.280 – 00:33:47.200] malady of alcoholism.

35:13

[00 33:47.200 – 00:33:57.320] So he's speaking on our legacy of recovery, which is our twelve steps, which is the base of the new

35:21

[00 33:57.320 – 00:33:59.520] AA circle and triangle symbol.

35:23

[00 33:59.520 – 00:34:04.940] Um, so what else does Bill talk about here?

35:27

[00 34:04.940 – 00:34:09.440] He briefly sums up the three legacies as our vital and treasured inheritance.

35:33

[00 34:09.440 – 00:34:10.970] He gives tribute to Lois, Ebby, Dr.

35:36

[00 34:10.970 – 00:34:11.730] Bob, and Dr.

35:37

[00 34:11.730 – 00:34:14.360] Bob's son and daughter, uh, who were there.

35:41

[00 34:14.360 – 00:34:19.300] He also points out that AA number four, Ernie, is there.

35:45

[00 34:19.300 – 00:34:23.480] I think they're probably on the stage, um, for, for those who are still living, right?

35:52

[00 34:23.480 – 00:34:26.220] They acknowledge Bill D., um, who passed.

35:55

[00 34:26.220 – 00:34:32.320] That's AA number three, but whose story is now in the revised Big Book that's released at this convention.

36:03

[00 34:32.320 – 00:34:35.120] Um, but his wife, Henrietta.

36:05

[00 34:35.120 – 00:34:38.280] This is not Henrietta Seiberling, but the wife of Bill D.

36:10

[00 34:38.280 – 00:34:40.120] Henrietta is also at the convention.

36:12

[00 34:40.120 – 00:34:49.780] He acknowledges the non-alcoholic friends present and not present, such as Silkworth, who passed away in nineteen fifty-one, I wanna say.

36:21

[00 34:49.780 – 00:34:52.020] And he says, "We do not make speeches.

36:24

[00 34:52.020 – 00:35:01.500] We just make talks about our experiences and of the experiences of those around us." And he proceeds to tell his story and AA's origin story.

36:35

[00 35:01.500 – 00:35:03.760] Okay.

36:35

[00 35:03.760 – 00:35:10.140] We're gonna talk a little bit about Bill's writing projects, and these tie in, and we'll tie in a little bit more, right?

36:45

[00 35:10.140 – 00:35:14.440] 'Cause we're gonna talk about the second edition of the Big Book and a few other books.

36:51

[00 35:14.440 – 00:35:21.440] So this is from the nineteen fifty-two conference highlights, so this is several years before.

36:58

[00 35:21.440 – 00:35:24.920] Bill's new relationship to the society.

37:00

[00 35:24.920 – 00:35:35.380] Now that the third legacy of service has been adopted by the movement, unofficially, this is a trial period, as a whole, Bill said he felt that his greatest future usefulness

37:13

[00 35:35.380 – 00:35:44.760] to the society could be expressed in a long-range writing and research project designed to preserve and strengthen the unity of the society.

37:22

[00 35:44.760 – 00:35:50.540] The project involves, one, updating the story section in the Big Book.

37:27

[00 35:50.540 – 00:35:55.080] Two, a new series of anecdotal analyses of the Twelve Traditions.

37:31

[00 35:55.080 – 00:35:58.150] Um, that would be the Twelve and Twelve

37:35

[00 35:58.516 – 00:36:03.736] Three, a series of point-by-point essays on the twelve steps, also the twelve and twelve.

37:41

[00 36:03.736 – 00:36:08.476] Four, a kind of popular history of AA and its basic ideas.

37:46

[00 36:08.476 – 00:36:11.716] That would be AA Comes of Age, a few years later.

37:51

[00 36:11.716 – 00:36:17.236] Five, a book applying AA philosophy to the total problem of living.

37:56

[00 36:17.236 – 00:36:24.616] That would be, uh, it's called As Bill Sees It Now, and it was originally titled The AA Way of Life.

38:04

[00 36:24.616 – 00:36:29.976] Six, a reference manual on experience with the whole idea of service functions.

38:10

[00 36:29.976 – 00:36:32.816] So now you can think of our service manual as that.

38:14

[00 36:32.816 – 00:36:40.316] So Bill actually did all these, and we had-- they had this idea, they had this, uh, framework already in nineteen fifty-two, right?

38:23

[00 36:40.316 – 00:36:42.436] And he would live another nineteen years.

38:26

[00 36:42.436 – 00:36:46.056] So the second edition Big Book.

38:29

[00 36:46.056 – 00:36:56.716] Bill introduces the second edition, new and revised Big Book at the sixth session, which was a Tuesday night of the General Service Conference in nineteen fifty-five.

38:40

[00 36:56.716 – 00:37:00.196] Now, what would the date of that been?

38:43

[00 37:00.196 – 00:37:02.976] Not sure off the top of my head.

38:47

[00 37:02.976 – 00:37:07.216] My guess is that this picture is from that session.

38:51

[00 37:07.216 – 00:37:11.756] I can't guarantee that, but this is my favorite picture.

38:55

[00 37:11.756 – 00:37:16.176] So he's introducing the new and revised, uh, Big Book.

38:59

[00 37:16.176 – 00:37:24.296] And you can see that the wrapper that goes around the book is actually by the ashtray at the bottom.

39:08

[00 37:24.296 – 00:37:31.856] So Bill-- Bulletin number one talks about the second edition.

39:12

[00 37:31.856 – 00:37:35.816] Bill brings book stories up to date for people to better identify.

39:17

[00 37:35.816 – 00:37:44.896] Here is-- Uh, here are some images of the second edition, first printing, first issue.

39:23

[00 37:44.896 – 00:37:50.216] First issue meaning when it was, like, first available, and that was at this convention.

39:29

[00 37:50.216 – 00:37:53.136] So you can see the band, right?

39:32

[00 37:53.136 – 00:37:55.116] It says it has this band at the bottom.

39:36

[00 37:55.116 – 00:38:04.835] It says, "New front matter, new appendices." Um, this was only given at the, um, the, the first issue at this convention, and these bands are really hard to find.

39:48

[00 38:04.835 – 00:38:09.436] This is a signed copy that, uh, this image was lent to me.

39:53

[00 38:09.436 – 00:38:13.156] And you can see the band.

39:56

[00 38:13.156 – 00:38:15.776] It's really cool.

39:58

[00 38:15.776 – 00:38:25.956] Um, and the way to distinguish a second edition first printing from a second edition first printing first issue

40:05

[00 38:25.956 – 00:38:31.956] is on the dust jacket, there's this extra paragraph that talks about it being an examination copy.

40:12

[00 38:31.956 – 00:38:33.176] It's the right flap.

40:14

[00 38:33.176 – 00:38:36.476] Okay.

40:15

[00 38:36.476 – 00:38:39.716] We talked about second edition a little bit.

40:18

[00 38:39.716 – 00:38:47.256] Um, the one sixty-four has not been, quote, tampered with and not an iota changed, which is largely true.

40:26

[00 38:47.256 – 00:38:49.916] Uh, Bill wrote the forward to the second edition.

40:30

[00 38:49.916 – 00:38:53.016] Page numbers are changed, of course, right?

40:33

[00 38:53.016 – 00:38:59.376] The doctor's opinion is now placed in a Roman numeral section, and I think this was a good move, right?

40:41

[00 38:59.376 – 00:39:02.856] Um, Silkworth is not an AA member, right?

40:44

[00 39:02.856 – 00:39:06.736] Um, and it's really kind of a tradition ten thing, right?

40:49

[00 39:06.736 – 00:39:15.776] It's, it's Silkworth's endorsement and some of the history and, um, beautiful, beautiful, you know, statement and, and letters from Silkworth, right?

40:58

[00 39:15.776 – 00:39:17.116] But that got, that got moved.

41:01

[00 39:17.116 – 00:39:25.136] Um, Silkworth's name, right, in the publishing of the, the, the book, it wasn't signed, right?

41:07

[00 39:25.136 – 00:39:27.196] In that first edition, it didn't say William D.

41:11

[00 39:27.196 – 00:39:27.876] Silkworth.

41:12

[00 39:27.876 – 00:39:30.376] Duncan, if you're wondering what the D stands for.

41:16

[00 39:30.376 – 00:39:36.676] Um, and also added Carl Jung's name, which was also not in the first edition, right?

41:22

[00 39:36.676 – 00:39:38.136] So some minor changes there.

41:24

[00 39:38.136 – 00:39:39.086] We're adding some names.

41:26

[00 39:39.086 – 00:39:39.996] We've come of age.

41:28

[00 39:39.996 – 00:39:41.596] We're a little bit more reputable here.

41:31

[00 39:41.596 – 00:39:44.056] Um, there are other minor changes, right?

41:34

[00 39:44.056 – 00:39:46.756] So it's changed from one seventy-nine to one sixty-four.

41:38

[00 39:46.756 – 00:39:50.276] Um, it was changed to AA Publishing Inc.

41:42

[00 39:50.276 – 00:39:54.246] in the-- I think it's the fifteenth printing of the first edition.

41:47

[00 39:54.246 – 00:40:01.636] So you have fifteenth printing, sixteenth printing, and then the first three printings of the second edition are AA Publishing Inc.

41:55

[00 40:01.636 – 00:40:03.616] No Longer Works Publishing.

41:57

[00 40:03.616 – 00:40:06.896] Um, and then it would change again, the fourth printing.

42:01

[00 40:06.896 – 00:40:14.805] The biggest changes, however, are the stories and the reorganization of the text and the appendices.

42:08

[00 40:14.805 – 00:40:19.036] It was for sale at the Promenade AA Bookstore.

42:12

[00 40:19.036 – 00:40:20.235] I guess they called it a bookstore.

42:15

[00 40:20.235 – 00:40:26.185] Probably a booth or a room that had the books at the convention, and there was another location downstairs somewhere.

42:23

[00 40:26.185 – 00:40:30.396] Aha.

42:24

[00 40:30.396 – 00:40:32.476] So I mentioned the, the, the Silkworth.

42:27

[00 40:32.476 – 00:40:36.216] Uh, his name is not in the doctor's opinion in the first edition.

42:32

[00 40:36.216 – 00:40:37.796] A lot of people say that he didn't sign it.

42:36

[00 40:37.796 – 00:40:38.976] He signed it.

42:38

[00 40:38.976 – 00:40:39.576] Here it is.

42:39

[00 40:39.576 – 00:40:45.856] You can see the-- You can see the, the first statement, that letter, um, where he signed it.

42:47

[00 40:45.856 – 00:40:51.876] Pretty cool.

42:48

[00 40:51.876 – 00:40:53.436] All right.

42:49

[00 40:53.436 – 00:40:54.776] So that was new.

42:51

[00 40:54.776 – 00:40:55.856] I didn't have that the last time.

42:54

[00 40:55.856 – 00:40:57.476] All right.

42:55

[00 40:57.476 – 00:41:06.136] So these are the first major changes to the Big Book since the eleventh printing of the first edition.

43:03

[00 41:06.136 – 00:41:11.356] Pretty much twelve through sixteen, nothing changed except for the publishing company name.

43:08

[00 41:11.356 – 00:41:19.596] Um, the major appendices, uh, yeah, so I'm not gonna go through all these, so we can save some time for other things.

43:17

[00 41:19.596 – 00:41:26.396] But you have these-- We ha- we have this whole like appendices section now, um, which is really great, and we've retained that.

43:27

[00 41:26.396 – 00:41:36.896] Oh, the Herbert Spencer quotation, which is probably William Paley, that wasn't added until the third printing of the second edition

43:35

[00 41:36.896 – 00:41:40.716] in the appendix to spiritual experience part.

43:38

[00 41:40.716 – 00:41:47.606] And that ca-came from, oh, I almost said the last name, Ray C.'s story from the first edition in Artist Concepts.

43:47

[00 41:47.606 – 00:41:50.516] If you didn't follow that, don't worry about it.

43:51

[00 41:50.516 – 00:41:56.536] And also, the final wording of the twelve steps would also be in the third printing.

43:57

[00 41:56.536 – 00:41:59.936] It said it switched from these to those steps.

44:01

[00 41:59.936 – 00:42:02.006] Don't worry about it.

44:03

[00 42:02.006 – 00:42:07.576] I'm not gonna go through all the details, but it went back to these steps finally in nineteen fifty-nine in the Big Book.

44:12

[00 42:07.576 – 00:42:09.516] All right.

44:13

[00 42:09.516 – 00:42:13.076] The three, the three sections are created for the stories, right?

44:18

[00 42:13.076 – 00:42:14.216] They stopped in time.

44:20

[00 42:14.216 – 00:42:15.476] They lost nearly all.

44:22

[00 42:15.476 – 00:42:18.196] Um, sorry, the first one is Pioneers.

44:25

[00 42:18.196 – 00:42:24.776] There was a, a section called We Are Now Thousands, which was deleted from the first edition.

44:32

[00 42:24.776 – 00:42:29.236] That section was-- I thought it was really good.

44:36

[00 42:29.236 – 00:42:38.076] It didn't appear in the first printing, so the only way you can read it is to buy like a-- you can buy like a beat, a beat-up old first edition without a dust jacket.

44:50

[00 42:38.076 – 00:42:40.076] You'd spend a little bit of money, but you could read it.

44:55

[00 42:40.076 – 00:42:40.756] I think it's good.

44:57

[00 42:40.756 – 00:42:43.956] Um, or maybe it's available online somewhere.

45:00

[00 42:43.956 – 00:42:45.656] Hank's story is deleted.

45:02

[00 42:45.656 – 00:42:48.435] Hank P., The Unbeliever.

45:03

[00 42:48.435 – 00:42:56.336] And important pioneer stories are added, um, including but not limited to Sylvia K., um, that's Keys of the Kingdom.

45:12

[00 42:56.336 – 00:42:57.996] Bill D., that's A Number Three.

45:14

[00 42:57.996 – 00:43:00.516] Jimmy B., that's A Vicious Cycle.

45:17

[00 43:00.516 – 00:43:04.496] Um, Earl T., oh, God, I can't remember the name of that one.

45:22

[00 43:04.496 – 00:43:05.136] I know it.

45:24

[00 43:05.136 – 00:43:06.396] Um, and then Jim S.

45:26

[00 43:06.396 – 00:43:07.576] Okay.

45:27

[00 43:10.811 – 00:43:14.551] Not gonna go through all this, but you can see, like, the, the book is four fifty.

45:34

[00 43:14.551 – 00:43:18.551] There's, um, more information about it.

45:37

[00 43:18.551 – 00:43:25.171] And I'm not gonna go through all of this, right?

45:41

[00 43:25.171 – 00:43:32.791] But there's some increased representation, right, as far as where people are from, and a few cor- foreign countries as well.

45:49

[00 43:32.791 – 00:43:40.851] This is new because there are discrepancies in how many stories, and what was added, and what was moved around.

45:57

[00 43:40.851 – 00:43:48.951] GSO did get back to me, like, a week or two after I did this presentation the first time, and they had to work at it a little bit to get clarity.

46:10

[00 43:48.951 – 00:43:58.551] So the clarity, I'm not gonna go through the confusion, but the clarity is, uh, the first edition had 29 stories, not including Bill's.

46:19

[00 43:58.551 – 00:44:03.071] And that's if you include The Lone Endeavor, which was...

46:23

[00 44:03.071 – 00:44:06.711] That was Pat C., ghostwritten by Ruth Hock.

46:27

[00 44:06.711 – 00:44:09.051] Um, that was removed after the first printing.

46:30

[00 44:09.051 – 00:44:09.631] So 29.

46:31

[00 44:09.631 – 00:44:11.821] First printing, first edition, 29 stories.

46:33

[00 44:11.821 – 00:44:13.391] The...

46:34

[00 44:13.391 – 00:44:15.941] And also not including the Multilith story.

46:37

[00 44:15.941 – 00:44:17.091] That was not in the first printing.

46:40

[00 44:17.091 – 00:44:22.331] The second edition has 37 stories, again, not including Bill.

46:44

[00 44:22.331 – 00:44:26.091] Four stories were retitled, if you include Dr.

46:48

[00 44:26.091 – 00:44:26.991] Bob's, right?

46:49

[00 44:26.991 – 00:44:28.971] It was called The Night- The Doctor's Nightmare.

46:52

[00 44:28.971 – 00:44:29.481] Now it's Dr.

46:54

[00 44:29.481 – 00:44:30.451] Bob's Nightmare.

46:55

[00 44:30.451 – 00:44:35.131] Um, 22 stories were dropped from the first edition.

46:58

[00 44:35.131 – 00:44:36.890] There were some renamed stories.

47:01

[00 44:36.890 – 00:44:38.091] You can see them down here.

47:03

[00 44:38.091 – 00:44:40.321] I won't read them, but they're there for reference.

47:07

[00 44:40.321 – 00:44:43.531] Mostly for my reference, but if you care to look, you're welcome to.

47:13

[00 44:43.531 – 00:44:47.191] And 30 completely new stories are added.

47:15

[00 44:47.191 – 00:44:57.191] So GSL f- GSO felt really confident that this was what happened, 'cause it's actually, you can't just pull down a first edition and a second edition

47:26

[00 44:57.191 – 00:44:58.591] and figure this out easily.

47:28

[00 44:58.591 – 00:45:00.551] They moved things around.

47:30

[00 45:00.551 – 00:45:01.831] They retitled stuff.

47:32

[00 45:01.831 – 00:45:02.051] Yeah.

47:33

[00 45:02.051 – 00:45:09.891] And again, for my reference, what was removed, the list of 22, and what was added.

47:39

[00 45:09.891 – 00:45:15.211] All right.

47:40

[00 45:15.211 – 00:45:16.431] They raised the price of the book $1.

47:43

[00 45:16.431 – 00:45:18.091] All right.

47:44

[00 45:18.091 – 00:45:20.191] Uh, I'm not gonna go into that.

47:47

[00 45:20.191 – 00:45:23.331] You know, some people definitely helped with some of the editing.

47:52

[00 45:23.331 – 00:45:24.491] Maybe Tom P.

47:53

[00 45:24.491 – 00:45:24.951] did.

47:54

[00 45:24.951 – 00:45:26.421] Maybe s- um, I, I...

47:56

[00 45:26.421 – 00:45:28.091] You know, he always asked for feedback.

47:59

[00 45:28.091 – 00:45:37.840] How much feedback he actually got, you never know, but at this point, there are people who are actively interested in the message of Alcoholics Anonymous and would give Bill feedback.

48:12

[00 45:37.840 – 00:45:41.791] So I don't know what that all looked like, but I'm sure he had help.

48:18

[00 45:41.791 – 00:45:47.751] And, you know, they removed some kinda, like, uh, little bit of not vulgar language.

48:24

[00 45:47.751 – 00:45:51.951] Yeah, maybe a little bit of vul- vulgar language also in it too.

48:29

[00 45:51.951 – 00:45:52.511] Oh, no.

48:31

[00 45:52.511 – 00:45:52.891] Okay.

48:31

[00 45:52.891 – 00:45:53.811] We're going back.

48:33

[00 45:53.811 – 00:45:55.551] Here's Al-Anon's very first book.

48:35

[00 45:55.551 – 00:45:58.811] I said that this was also released at the convention.

48:39

[00 45:58.811 – 00:46:00.011] I don't know anything about it.

48:42

[00 46:00.011 – 00:46:01.051] It's really pretty.

48:44

[00 46:01.051 – 00:46:01.691] It's cool.

48:45

[00 46:01.691 – 00:46:05.391] I hope you enjoy the image of it, and I would someday like to have one of these.

48:52

[00 46:05.391 – 00:46:11.511] But, uh, a note about it briefly from bulletin number one referring to Al-Anon's book.

48:58

[00 46:11.511 – 00:46:21.611] It says, "It will mark the first time that the 700 family groups throughout the world have held an international meeting with a formal agenda, and it will go

49:09

[00 46:21.611 – 00:46:31.861] down in Al-Anon history as the time and place when the groups published their first basic textbook, the Al-Anon Family Groups: A Guide for the Families of Problem Drinkers.

49:21

[00 46:31.861 – 00:46:38.331] The attractive information handbook will be on sale for the first time in family group headquarters in Keele Auditorium.

49:29

[00 46:38.331 – 00:46:46.091] It has been in preparation for nearly two years." If you'll recall, in 1950, right, they're not A- Al-Anon Family Groups, right?

49:37

[00 46:46.091 – 00:46:47.251] They don't have, um...

49:39

[00 46:47.251 – 00:46:56.211] They're, they're not formalized in the way that they, um, you know, are, are now in 1955, and they've really grown since 1955.

49:47

[00 46:56.211 – 00:47:02.131] They Recovered Too has really good history, um, that book, They Recovered Too.

49:53

[00 47:02.131 – 00:47:03.731] I read that this, this past year.

49:56

[00 47:03.731 – 00:47:07.271] Some images of the book.

49:58

[00 47:07.271 – 00:47:11.691] Same information.

49:59

[00 47:11.691 – 00:47:16.091] Okay.

50:00

[00 47:16.091 – 00:47:19.911] We must be on to day two 'cause this is bulletin number two.

50:06

[00 47:19.911 – 00:47:21.851] Hang in there with me.

50:08

[00 47:21.851 – 00:47:23.591] I'm trying to be mindful of time.

50:11

[00 47:23.591 – 00:47:27.091] Um, they talk about the Eisenhower telegram.

50:14

[00 47:27.091 – 00:47:33.151] Um, Lois and four others are gonna speak on NBC radio broadcast, The Monitor.

50:20

[00 47:33.151 – 00:47:34.451] I have no idea if that happened.

50:23

[00 47:34.451 – 00:47:38.651] Bill Wilson's mother is actually there, Emily Strobel, but she didn't participate.

50:28

[00 47:38.651 – 00:47:48.711] She listened in on the convention by telephone, and she-- everyone thought that was, like, you know, marvelous technological advancement, uh, which is kinda

50:37

[00 47:48.711 – 00:47:50.151] funny today.

50:39

[00 47:50.151 – 00:47:53.651] Um, yeah, we can skip some of this.

50:42

[00 47:53.651 – 00:47:56.231] Here's the program for day two.

50:45

[00 47:56.231 – 00:47:59.471] Keep moving.

50:46

[00 47:59.471 – 00:48:02.971] We're gonna talk about the morning.

50:49

[00 48:02.971 – 00:48:07.271] And Bill speaks here too, um, even if he's not on the program.

50:54

[00 48:07.271 – 00:48:14.651] So this is Bill talking at AA and the Medical Profession.

50:59

[00 48:14.651 – 00:48:18.531] This is the morning session, Saturday, July 2nd at 10:00 AM.

51:03

[00 48:18.531 – 00:48:20.771] And Bill's not on the program, but he's talking here.

51:07

[00 48:20.771 – 00:48:30.811] We ought to remember that we are just the long-lost link in the chain of recovery now encircling

51:14

[00 48:30.811 – 00:48:39.081] the earth, and as link just as important are those of medicine and the religions.

51:21

[00 48:39.081 – 00:48:49.111] As excuse-makers, rationalizing, we drunks are, as I have said, champions,

51:25

[00 48:49.111 – 00:48:59.151] and it is the business of the psychiatrist to get behind our excuses and to find the

51:32

[00 48:59.151 – 00:49:01.291] deeper causes for our conduct.

51:34

[00 49:01.291 – 00:49:11.711] Even we, uninstructed in psychiatry, can, after a little time in AA, see

51:40

[00 49:11.711 – 00:49:15.611] that our motives haven't been what we thought they were.

51:44

[00 49:15.611 – 00:49:20.191] We were moved by forces unknown to us.

51:47

[00 49:20.191 – 00:49:28.621] Therefore, we ought to look with the deepest respect and interest and confidence upon the findings of psychiatry.

51:55

[00 49:28.621 – 00:49:38.791] And we should remember that up to this moment, the psychiatrists have been a damn sight more tolerant of us

52:03

[00 49:38.791 – 00:49:40.431] than we have been of them.

52:05

[00 49:40.431 – 00:49:50.811] So we thank them for their steadfast friendship and support, which we have had in nearly every quarter

52:13

[00 49:50.811 – 00:49:51.491] of the century.

52:14

[00 49:51.491 – 00:49:59.571] Yeah, so I include that because if you've been to more than one and a half AA meetings, you will hear opinions about treatment.

52:24

[00 49:59.571 – 00:50:02.011] You will hear opinions about doctors and psychiatry.

52:27

[00 50:02.011 – 00:50:08.611] And I think this is Bill saying, like, "Boy, have they been tolerant of us." So I wanted to include that.

52:36

[00 50:08.611 – 00:50:09.621] Um, Dr.

52:37

[00 50:09.621 – 00:50:10.631] Earl M.

52:38

[00 50:10.631 – 00:50:11.731] briefly speaks.

52:39

[00 50:11.731 – 00:50:14.631] Not worth, um, a soundbite.

52:42

[00 50:14.631 – 00:50:16.951] Um, and just introduces Dr.

52:44

[00 50:16.951 – 00:50:17.891] W.W.

52:45

[00 50:17.891 – 00:50:18.451] Bauer.

52:46

[00 50:18.451 – 00:50:19.341] Um, Dr.

52:47

[00 50:19.341 – 00:50:21.451] Earl M.'s story appeared in the second edition-

52:51

[00 50:21.546 – 00:50:23.106] Physician Heal Thyself.

52:52

[00 50:23.106 – 00:50:23.806] It's really good.

52:54

[00 50:23.806 – 00:50:27.526] He also wrote a book by the same title, published in nineteen eighty-nine.

52:59

[00 50:27.526 – 00:50:29.346] There's a picture of Dr.

53:02

[00 50:29.346 – 00:50:30.366] Earle.

53:02

[00 50:30.366 – 00:50:32.726] There's an older picture of Dr.

53:05

[00 50:32.726 – 00:50:33.406] Earle M.

53:06

[00 50:33.406 – 00:50:35.106] and the book he did.

53:09

[00 50:35.106 – 00:50:41.766] Here's William W.

53:10

[00 50:41.766 – 00:50:42.906] Bower.

53:11

[00 50:42.906 – 00:50:47.446] Um, so non-alcoholic director of the American Medical Association Bureau of Health.

53:16

[00 50:47.446 – 00:50:50.105] So he's speaking on the medical profession.

53:19

[00 50:50.105 – 00:50:55.726] And we have Dr.

53:21

[00 50:55.726 – 00:51:05.406] Harry Tiebout, who became medical director of Blythedwood Sanitarium in nineteen thirty-five and was an integral, uh, integral part of helping Marty M.

53:30

[00 51:05.406 – 00:51:06.006] sober up.

53:31

[00 51:06.006 – 00:51:16.966] Also a very significant person, not just in helping people in Alcoholics Anonymous and her partner, but also just in

53:39

[00 51:16.966 – 00:51:22.766] the treatment and destigmatizing alcoholism, um, in a non-AA capacity.

53:43

[00 51:22.766 – 00:51:26.746] There's another picture of Tiebout.

53:46

[00 51:26.746 – 00:51:31.986] And here's Tiebout speaking.

53:48

[00 51:31.986 – 00:51:41.126] The need to hit bottom, of the necessity for accepting a higher power, of the indispensability of humility.

53:55

[00 51:41.126 – 00:51:50.386] Ideas which had never crossed my professional horizon and certainly had never influenced my non-professional thinking or attitude.

54:02

[00 51:50.386 – 00:51:59.006] Revolutionary as they were, they nevertheless made sense, and I found myself embarked on a tour of discovery.

54:10

[00 51:59.006 – 00:52:09.306] I began to recognize more clearly what hitting bottom really implied, and I began to do what I could to induce the experience in others,

54:20

[00 52:09.306 – 00:52:15.846] always wondering what was happening inside the individual as he went through the crisis of hitting bottom.

54:27

[00 52:15.846 – 00:52:26.186] Finally- More Tiebout -fighting, admission of being licked, of admitting that he was powerless.

54:32

[00 52:26.186 – 00:52:35.406] If and when he surrendered, he quit fighting, could admit he was licked, and could accept that he was powerless and needed help.

54:42

[00 52:35.406 – 00:52:42.586] If he did not surrender, a thousand crises could hit him, and nothing would happen.

54:48

[00 52:42.586 – 00:52:47.086] The need to induce surrender became a new therapeutic goal.

54:52

[00 52:47.086 – 00:52:51.505] The miracle of AA was now a little clearer.

54:56

[00 52:51.505 – 00:53:01.546] For reasons still obscure, the program and the fellowship of AA could induce a surrender which could in turn lead to a period of

55:05

[00 53:01.546 – 00:53:02.366] no drinking.

55:07

[00 53:02.366 – 00:53:11.166] As-- As the reduced ego has marvelous recuperative powers.

55:10

[00 53:11.166 – 00:53:18.086] The second was that surrender is an essentially disciplinary function and experience.

55:15

[00 53:18.086 – 00:53:22.946] The first is merely repeating a fact known to you all.

55:20

[00 53:22.946 – 00:53:28.866] It is common knowledge that the return of the full-fledged ego can happen at any time.

55:26

[00 53:28.866 – 00:53:33.986] Years of sobriety are no insurance against its resurgence.

55:30

[00 53:33.986 – 00:53:42.726] No AA, regardless of his veteran status, can ever relax his guard against the encroachment of the reviving ego.

55:38

[00 53:42.726 – 00:53:49.526] So if you ever hear people talking about the ego growing back, this is where it came from.

55:45

[00 53:49.526 – 00:53:53.606] Actually came from non-alcoholic doctor who was, uh, a great friend of AA.

55:51

[00 53:53.606 – 00:53:58.926] Okay, we're in the afternoon session of day two, Money and its Place in AA.

55:57

[00 53:58.926 – 00:54:08.966] And I say this because the, uh, services that headquarters or, you know, today, general service office, um, or your local intergroup,

56:06

[00 54:08.966 – 00:54:11.926] you know, um, or committees, right, they need money to function.

56:10

[00 54:11.926 – 00:54:15.666] So I thought it was important to add, uh, this quickly.

56:15

[00 54:15.666 – 00:54:26.106] The fifth service is the General Service Board made your sobriety and mine possible.

56:21

[00 54:26.106 – 00:54:30.486] It makes it possible for the new member to find us.

56:25

[00 54:30.486 – 00:54:33.966] It gives us the vehicle through which we can work and help each other.

56:31

[00 54:33.966 – 00:54:44.206] All with the basic idea of attracting the person who does not yet know there is a way of solving his or her

56:40

[00 54:44.206 – 00:54:45.866] alcoholic problem.

56:41

[00 54:45.866 – 00:54:48.406] Other group.

56:43

[00 54:48.406 – 00:54:56.626] In nineteen hundred and fifty-one, the General Service Conference was set up as a link between the groups and the General Service Board.

56:52

[00 54:56.626 – 00:55:06.976] We have the responsibility as individual members through our groups to pay the expenses we delegate to an annual conference.

57:00

[00 55:06.976 – 00:55:17.006] Therefore, we have money requirements for the group, the central office, if we have one, and the General Service

57:08

[00 55:17.006 – 00:55:18.306] Office.

57:08

[00 55:18.306 – 00:55:25.726] All of this is for the purpose of attracting the person who does not yet know AA.

57:15

[00 55:25.726 – 00:55:31.646] This is actually the place of money in AA.

57:19

[00 55:31.646 – 00:55:33.946] That's- What is it?

57:21

[00 55:33.946 – 00:55:35.546] That's Chet R.

57:23

[00 55:35.546 – 00:55:39.246] from Los Angeles speaking on it, and I, and I thought that was really, really well put.

57:29

[00 55:39.246 – 00:55:41.906] Family groups also meet.

57:31

[00 55:41.906 – 00:55:43.006] We have Anne B.

57:33

[00 55:43.006 – 00:55:46.346] Um, so that's the co-founder of Al-Anon.

57:36

[00 55:46.346 – 00:55:50.106] Uh, she leads the meeting on application of twelve steps.

57:41

[00 55:50.106 – 00:55:55.526] And it's not on the program, but Bill's sister, Helen Wilson Evans also speaks.

57:46

[00 55:55.526 – 00:55:57.486] I don't know anything more about that.

57:49

[00 55:57.486 – 00:55:59.326] Here's a picture of Anne B.

57:52

[00 55:59.326 – 00:56:02.686] This talk is recorded, which you can, of course, go listen to.

57:57

[00 56:02.686 – 00:56:04.186] It's on Recovery Speakers.

57:59

[00 56:04.186 – 00:56:10.366] And here's Helen, Helen Evans, Bill W.'s sister.

58:03

[00 56:10.366 – 00:56:16.786] Uh, Pat C.

58:04

[00 56:16.786 – 00:56:18.846] also spoke that day.

58:06

[00 56:18.846 – 00:56:19.936] The talk is recorded.

58:08

[00 56:19.936 – 00:56:22.776] And Minneapolis AA.

58:10

[00 56:22.776 – 00:56:27.726] And left to right, you have Lucille S.

58:13

[00 56:27.726 – 00:56:33.666] from Oklahoma, Esther E., her story's in the Big Book, and Bill W.

58:19

[00 56:33.666 – 00:56:37.126] And this picture is from actually much earlier, nineteen forty-three, but.

58:23

[00 56:37.126 – 00:56:39.206] And Esther E.

58:25

[00 56:39.206 – 00:56:41.386] spoke, and her story is A Flower of the South.

58:29

[00 56:41.386 – 00:56:43.086] Her talk is also recorded.

58:31

[00 56:43.086 – 00:56:43.786] Very charming.

58:33

[00 56:43.786 – 00:56:46.566] Chuck C.

58:34

[00 56:46.566 – 00:56:47.206] also spoke.

58:35

[00 56:47.206 – 00:56:51.766] I think he was about nine years sober, which is what I am, and he gives a much better talk.

58:43

[00 56:51.766 – 00:56:54.246] And that was Chuck.

58:45

[00 56:54.246 – 00:57:00.526] And here is-- I-- this is in nineteen fifty-four, so this is the year before in Fort Worth, Texas.

58:53

[00 57:00.526 – 00:57:02.086] The Texas State Convention.

58:54

[00 57:02.086 – 00:57:08.386] Here is Bill and Ebby with some upscaling on the image.

58:59

[00 57:08.386 – 00:57:15.326] Okay, so the evening, uh, July second, right, the second day.

59:04

[00 57:15.326 – 00:57:20.726] This is how we learn to stay together, our second legacy of unity.

59:09

[00 57:20.726 – 00:57:23.126] So Adam C.

59:11

[00 57:23.126 – 00:57:25.986] was supposed to chair it, but instead Icky S.

59:14

[00 57:25.986 – 00:57:27.606] filled in 'cause Adam couldn't do it.

59:17

[00 57:27.606 – 00:57:32.946] And they also shared a telegram from Norway, um, which I thought was pretty cool.

59:24

[00 57:33.268 – 00:57:41.808] Here's Bill speaking about our second legacy of unity And who hasn't sinned?

59:29

[00 57:41.808 – 00:57:51.848] We confess that we have character defects as a society, which all the time lay stressed, and as individuals in

59:37

[00 57:51.848 – 00:57:52.568] a society.

59:38

[00 57:52.568 – 00:58:03.608] It is a confession of respect, implies it, and it's also a recommendation forged

59:44

[00 58:03.608 – 00:58:13.668] on the anvils of lived experience as to how we can live and work and stay together and relate

59:52

[00 58:13.668 – 00:58:21.328] ourselves to the world about it, and so in unity carry on.

59:57

[00 58:21.328 – 00:58:27.908] And here's Bill speaking on Alanon- But building on fear.

60:01

[00 58:27.908 – 00:58:30.808] And here's Bill speaking on Alanon family groups.

60:04

[00 58:30.808 – 00:58:39.848] Domestic relations is now being filled by a rock.

60:08

[00 58:39.848 – 00:58:41.768] Think of it.

60:10

[00 58:41.768 – 00:58:51.588] Three years ago, we knew of only seventy family groups, groups composed of the wives and husbands of alcoholics and their friends.

60:19

[00 58:51.588 – 00:58:58.128] And suddenly, in three years, that number has jumped to about seven hundred.

60:24

[00 58:58.128 – 00:59:01.428] Many of them are already in foreign countries.

60:27

[00 59:01.428 – 00:59:11.658] So our domestic and romantic difficulties, uh, haven't been superior after

60:32

[00 59:11.658 – 00:59:12.068] all.

60:33

[00 59:12.068 – 00:59:18.808] They gave us growing pains, but on these pains we've grown.

60:37

[00 59:18.808 – 00:59:23.528] Indeed, Alcoholics Anonymous is not a success story.

60:41

[00 59:23.528 – 00:59:31.008] It is a story of pain capitalized under the grace of God.

60:46

[00 59:31.008 – 00:59:39.528] Okay, and here's Bill talking about anonymity as the protective mantle that covers our whole society.

60:52

[00 59:39.528 – 00:59:50.048] I hope I have come to a time in my A life where I can now frequently obey these traditions.

61:01

[00 59:50.048 – 00:59:52.477] These traditions do not apply only to groups.

61:04

[00 59:52.477 – 00:59:53.988] They apply to each one of us.

61:07

[00 59:53.988 – 00:59:57.568] We share them with practice partners.

61:10

[00 59:57.568 – 01:00:02.468] I hope I can obey them now because I want them for me.

61:15

[01 00:02.468 – 01:00:12.528] In a sense, each one of these traditions is an expression of the deflation that

61:21

[01 00:12.528 – 01:00:18.488] each of us has to face, the sacrifices that we have to make in order to live and work together.

61:29

[01 00:18.488 – 01:00:28.668] All I didn't like- So if you read the November nineteen forty-eight Grapevine, which has the editorial on the twelfth tradition, I think it really

61:39

[01 00:28.668 – 01:00:38.868] gives clarity on what he's talking about here, at least the way that I interpret it, which is the spirit of sacrifice, uh, both the group

61:50

[01 00:38.868 – 01:00:41.288] and the in-individual when it comes to this.

61:53

[01 00:41.288 – 01:00:44.887] So he's not talking about, like, practice the twelve traditions, like, in your workplace.

61:59

[01 00:44.887 – 01:00:47.748] If those principles are helpful, like, absolutely.

62:02

[01 00:47.748 – 01:00:48.008] Cool.

62:03

[01 00:48.008 – 01:00:48.558] Sure, right?

62:04

[01 00:48.558 – 01:00:53.628] But they're-- But the traditions talk about group sacrifice as well as individual sacrifice, right?

62:10

[01 00:53.628 – 01:00:57.708] There's group ego as well as individual member ego.

62:14

[01 00:57.708 – 01:01:06.348] And this is also relevant to conference and deferring to others.

62:19

[01 01:06.348 – 01:01:08.668] It's just a few lines.

62:21

[01 01:08.668 – 01:01:17.718] Do you mean to say that I have to listen to these trustees of this conference?

62:27

[01 01:17.718 – 01:01:23.788] That their will is paramount to mine?

62:30

[01 01:23.788 – 01:01:30.528] Does this tell me- So I think about, like, the group conscience.

62:35

[01 01:30.528 – 01:01:31.908] What if it doesn't go your way?

62:39

[01 01:31.908 – 01:01:34.668] Am I there fighting it?

62:41

[01 01:34.668 – 01:01:38.208] You know, whether or not I'm right or wrong, right?

62:45

[01 01:38.208 – 01:01:39.488] The group has a right to be wrong.

62:49

[01 01:39.488 – 01:01:41.028] The individual has a right to be wrong.

62:52

[01 01:41.028 – 01:01:44.228] AA and its collective conscience has a right to be wrong.

62:57

[01 01:44.228 – 01:01:49.547] Um, but do I, you know, go along with it because that's what the group conscience is, right?

63:04

[01 01:49.547 – 01:01:51.977] So that would be an example of, like, one of those sacrifices.

63:09

[01 01:51.977 – 01:02:02.008] And I think about this a lot when I have friends who get really upset with what happens at the conference, and I just think of, you know, concept two and sort of saying like,

63:23

[01 02:02.008 – 01:02:03.968] "Hey, these are our trusted servants," right?

63:26

[01 02:03.968 – 01:02:05.428] We don't like what's happening.

63:28

[01 02:05.428 – 01:02:08.048] Like, let's get involved in service below the group level.

63:32

[01 02:08.048 – 01:02:14.378] That in fact, our vote is one of the most important, um, tools we have, right?

63:39

[01 02:14.378 – 01:02:18.038] Who are we voting in to serve at the general service conference?

63:44

[01 02:18.038 – 01:02:21.498] And Bill is saying like, "Yeah, we need to listen to the trustees in the conference.

63:50

[01 02:21.498 – 01:02:31.588] They represent a collective conscience." Okay, here's more on spiritual significance of anonymity.

63:56

[01 02:31.588 – 01:02:42.008] Does this mean that I really have to place principles above personality, my own personality?

64:02

[01 02:42.008 – 01:02:44.768] Yes, it means all of that to me.

64:05

[01 02:44.768 – 01:02:54.548] And I know that to nearly all of you, as you understand these traditions better, it will mean the same to you.

64:14

[01 02:54.548 – 01:03:03.088] This I will give up so that we may stand together in union.

64:20

[01 03:03.088 – 01:03:13.687] This I will gladly give up, not as a martyr, but as a willing and joyous sacrifice

64:27

[01 03:13.688 – 01:03:14.968] for the benefit of the whole.

64:29

[01 03:14.968 – 01:03:17.868] So Bill ends with the Dr.

64:32

[01 03:17.868 – 01:03:22.108] Bob story of why, why don't we get buried like other folks, right?

64:37

[01 03:22.108 – 01:03:23.748] No big monument.

64:39

[01 03:23.748 – 01:03:30.488] So gonna speak briefly about AA Comes of Age, the book from August nineteen fifty-seven.

64:45

[01 03:30.488 – 01:03:36.668] So per the-- what I mentioned earlier from the nineteen fifty-twos, you know, he talked about a history project, right?

64:53

[01 03:36.668 – 01:03:41.528] That was mentioned in the, in the general-- It was talked about in the general service conference in fifty-two.

65:01

[01 03:41.528 – 01:03:45.528] This history project would result in the book Alcoholics Anonymous Come of Age.

65:06

[01 03:45.528 – 01:03:55.948] And the reason why I'm including it here, even though it's published a few years after, is it's largely a three-day memorial diary, memorial diary of

65:16

[01 03:55.948 – 01:03:58.908] this nineteen fifty-five international convention.

65:19

[01 03:58.908 – 01:04:02.228] Um, and similar to the Twelve and Twelve, there are two versions.

65:24

[01 04:02.228 – 01:04:03.668] One is by AA Pub Inc.

65:26

[01 04:03.668 – 01:04:04.828] The other one is from Harper.

65:29

[01 04:04.828 – 01:04:06.268] So I'll show you some examples of those.

65:33

[01 04:06.268 – 01:04:08.468] And this was from...

65:35

[01 04:08.468 – 01:04:12.068] Is this from Nell Wing's book?

65:37

[01 04:12.068 – 01:04:18.548] Nineteen fifty-four, Bill formed a writing and research team consisting of Nell Wing and Ed B.

65:44

[01 04:18.548 – 01:04:21.968] The plan was for the three of them to turn out several writing projects.

65:50

[01 04:21.968 – 01:04:27.228] The second edition of The Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous Come of Age, and All Our Affairs.

65:56

[01 04:27.228 – 01:04:34.668] Assuming in All Our Affairs, it seems that this was what would later become As Bill Sees It.

66:03

[01 04:34.668 – 01:04:40.128] And Bill was traveling around taping personal stories from old-timers for an updated story section.

66:10

[01 04:40.128 – 01:04:44.168] So that's one example is, uh, Bill D, AA number three.

66:14

[01 04:44.863 – 01:04:53.823] And also a full-length history of Alcoholics Anonymous, but since Bill's depressions precluded this kind of commitment, this ended up as Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age.

66:25

[01 04:53.823 – 01:04:55.783] Um, it's titled A Brief History.

66:27

[01 04:55.783 – 01:05:02.843] It's not meant to be total and comprehensive, though that was attempted later by somebody.

66:33

[01 05:02.843 – 01:05:11.963] Okay, and here's a pre-- uh, okay, here's a first edition of A Comes of Age on the left, and then the pre-publication copy of it on the right.

66:45

[01 05:11.963 – 01:05:13.793] Those are actually hard to find.

66:48

[01 05:13.793 – 01:05:23.963] And then letter of Bill saying, "Hey, you know, here's the pre-publication copy." And

66:53

[01 05:23.963 – 01:05:24.963] here's a signed copy.

66:55

[01 05:24.963 – 01:05:27.163] So Bill was always good at giving out gifts.

66:59

[01 05:27.163 – 01:05:34.563] Identify it with the HG.

67:01

[01 05:34.563 – 01:05:35.883] That's the Harper's State code.

67:04

[01 05:35.883 – 01:05:38.103] So that's August nineteen fifty-seven.

67:06

[01 05:38.103 – 01:05:44.763] And here's a special pre-publication order form.

67:09

[01 05:44.763 – 01:05:51.103] So this one is filled out by a, a group in, uh, Minneapolis or the Alano Society.

67:16

[01 05:51.103 – 01:05:53.313] And here's the Harper's version.

67:18

[01 05:53.313 – 01:05:57.283] Don't have time to go into why there was a Harper's version, but it's different.

67:24

[01 05:57.283 – 01:05:57.763] It's cool.

67:26

[01 05:57.763 – 01:05:58.543] It's more rare.

67:27

[01 05:58.543 – 01:06:01.723] It's hard to find them without freaking library stickers on them.

67:32

[01 06:01.723 – 01:06:11.123] Oh, and this is a letter to Eugene Exman of Harper's about designating royalties, some of which Bill asked to go to Tom P.

67:41

[01 06:11.123 – 01:06:12.803] and Nell Wing.

67:43

[01 06:12.803 – 01:06:17.123] Won't quite go into that.

67:45

[01 06:17.123 – 01:06:21.383] But there was some concern over, like, how many books they initially published.

67:51

[01 06:21.383 – 01:06:25.843] There was a ten-year gap between the first printing and the second printing.

67:56

[01 06:25.843 – 01:06:32.923] And, uh, here's Bill addressing that in a letter and with some numbers saying, "Hey, we're, we're okay." Like, we didn't, you know, print too many of these.

68:07

[01 06:32.923 – 01:06:33.543] Okay.

68:08

[01 06:33.543 – 01:06:34.983] I'm gonna circle back around.

68:10

[01 06:34.983 – 01:06:38.623] This is our last day at the convention.

68:14

[01 06:38.623 – 01:06:42.343] I'm gonna try to wrap everything up here in the next twenty minutes.

68:19

[01 06:42.343 – 01:06:46.903] So here's bulletin number three, circling back here.

68:23

[01 06:46.903 – 01:06:51.603] So it talks about what would be upcoming for that day, which is the double ending.

68:29

[01 06:51.603 – 01:06:54.803] So it's the final convention meeting, right?

68:32

[01 06:54.803 – 01:06:57.883] The party, the celebration, the twentieth anniversary of AA.

68:36

[01 06:57.883 – 01:07:07.903] And it'll also include there'll be a final session of the general service conference, where attendees of the convention, just open to

68:45

[01 07:07.903 – 01:07:17.963] any AA member, can be a part of that final session, which is really more of a formality and just, you know, seeing if all of AA was like, "No, we

68:57

[01 07:17.963 – 01:07:18.513] don't want this.

68:59

[01 07:18.513 – 01:07:28.803] We don't want this general service conference." The full text of the third legacy re-resolution was to, um, to be presented, uh, presented and approved,

69:09

[01 07:28.803 – 01:07:29.743] and it's in the bulletin.

69:11

[01 07:29.743 – 01:07:33.003] There are panoramic pictures to be available after the convention.

69:15

[01 07:33.003 – 01:07:35.523] Sets this precedent for future ones.

69:18

[01 07:35.523 – 01:07:37.923] The revised Big Book is popular.

69:21

[01 07:37.923 – 01:07:46.843] Helsinki sends a wire, Canadian flag, and talks about the double ending and the third legacy resolution text.

69:28

[01 07:46.843 – 01:07:48.103] There are some images of that.

69:31

[01 07:48.103 – 01:07:57.683] But first, in the morning, we have the God as it We Understand Him talk, and that's at ten AM, Sunday, July third.

69:40

[01 07:57.683 – 01:07:58.603] And we have Dr.

69:42

[01 07:58.603 – 01:08:04.623] Jim Mass, who's the first Black person story represented in the Big Book, and appeared in the second edition.

69:49

[01 08:04.623 – 01:08:08.043] Um, he was a pioneer in Washington, DC area.

69:53

[01 08:08.043 – 01:08:18.123] We also had Father Ed Dowling, non-alcoholic spiritual advisor, and essentially, like, in, in many ways, a sponsor to Bill

70:01

[01 08:18.123 – 01:08:20.123] during one period of his life.

70:04

[01 08:20.123 – 01:08:24.743] There's some unique pictures of Ed Dowling.

70:07

[01 08:24.743 – 01:08:34.763] And, uh, Ed was introduced by Bill, and so this is Ed speaking, describing their nineteen forty meeting,

70:14

[01 08:34.763 – 01:08:36.603] which is when the two of them met.

70:18

[01 08:36.603 – 01:08:46.713] And I, I know I have a feeling that if I ever should find myself in heaven, I think it will be from backing away

70:28

[01 08:46.713 – 01:08:47.363] from hell.

70:29

[01 08:47.363 – 01:09:00.283] Now, there-- At

70:31

[01 09:00.283 – 01:09:08.643] this point, heaven seems as boring as, uh, sobriety does to an alcoholic ten minutes before he quits.

70:38

[01 09:08.643 – 01:09:15.563] However- And here's one more soundbite of Ed.

70:41

[01 09:15.563 – 01:09:28.453] Bernard Smith, chairman of the AA, uh, trustee, I think that hierarchy all mixed up,

70:47

[01 09:28.453 – 01:09:36.103] um, said something which to me was so good, and I took it down.

70:53

[01 09:36.103 – 01:09:46.263] He said, "The tragedy of our lives is how great must be our suffering

70:59

[01 09:46.323 – 01:09:55.423] before we learn the simple truths by which we can live." Sometimes- Okay.

71:04

[01 09:55.423 – 01:10:03.723] Who else spoke at this morning session of God As We Understand Him" Sam Shoemaker, non-alcoholic, Oxford Grouper.

71:12

[01 10:03.723 – 01:10:06.263] Boy, did we get a lot from him.

71:15

[01 10:06.263 – 01:10:14.133] So Bill introduces him, and here's a couple soundbites of Sam Shoemaker talking at this morning session.

71:22

[01 10:14.133 – 01:10:24.163] For the day, when I first got here, a gal and I had never met before said to me, "Are you an alcoholic?" And I said, "No." And she said, "Well, you

71:35

[01 10:24.163 – 01:10:34.223] talk like one." Another quote seems to me to be of the essence about finding the help of a higher

71:43

[01 10:34.223 – 01:10:34.643] power.

71:44

[01 10:34.643 – 01:10:42.863] We first lean on another human being who seems to be finding the answer, and then we lean on the higher power that stands behind him.

71:54

[01 10:42.863 – 01:10:53.643] William James, in the famous passage in The Varieties of Religious Experience, says this: "The crisis of self-surrender

72:01

[01 10:53.643 – 01:11:03.883] is the throwing of our conscious self on the mercy of powers which, whatever they may be, are more ideal than we are actually

72:11

[01 11:03.883 – 01:11:06.843] and make for our redemption.

72:13

[01 11:06.843 – 01:11:16.813] Self-surrender has been and always must be regarded as the vital turning point of the religious life." That is almost the turning point in my thinking, that sentence.

72:24

[01 11:16.813 – 01:11:23.003] Self-surrender- Okay.

72:25

[01 11:23.003 – 01:11:25.263] So now we're at the final afternoon session.

72:29

[01 11:25.263 – 01:11:26.243] There's no evening session.

72:31

[01 11:26.243 – 01:11:36.322] Um, and so this consists of Bernard Smith or Bern Smith, non-alcoholic, who was really Bill's partner in,

72:38

[01 11:36.322 – 01:11:45.043] in the general service conference and putting this together and structure of AA and, um, you know, lawyer mind and, you know, Bill to some extent too.

72:49

[01 11:45.043 – 01:11:48.663] Um, and so he speaks about the paradoxes of AA.

72:53

[01 11:48.663 – 01:11:49.643] Lois talks.

72:54

[01 11:49.643 – 01:11:50.503] Bill talks, right?

72:56

[01 11:50.503 – 01:11:55.603] Bill does give his talk of on the third legacy, how we learned to serve.

73:02

[01 11:57.239 – 01:12:07.179] So here's Burn Smith, who's, um, joined the Alcoholic Foundation in nineteen forty-four, and certainly helped influence and support the decision to hold the General Service Conference.

73:13

[01 12:07.179 – 01:12:16.219] He was chairman of the board and also the conference from January nineteen fifty-one, uh, April nineteen fifty-one to nineteen fifty-six.

73:21

[01 12:16.219 – 01:12:17.859] Here's a picture of the two of them.

73:25

[01 12:17.859 – 01:12:22.439] Certainly, um, not nineteen fifty-five, a little bit later than that.

73:29

[01 12:22.439 – 01:12:28.919] Here's another picture of them at a, at a different General Service Conference.

73:35

[01 12:28.919 – 01:12:39.019] And here is one soundbite, Burn Smith on his

73:38

[01 12:39.019 – 01:12:41.299] talk, The Paradoxes of AA.

73:41

[01 12:41.299 – 01:12:46.019] I don't believe this is in AA Comes of Age 'cause a lot of it is verbatim in that book.

73:49

[01 12:46.019 – 01:12:50.119] I don't think it's in here, but this is a really, really good talk, especially from a non-alcoholic.

73:56

[01 12:50.119 – 01:13:00.299] About to him we said, "We do not approach our suffering alcoholic brother from the superiority and strength of our position, but

74:05

[01 13:00.299 – 01:13:02.659] from the realization of our own weakness.

74:08

[01 13:02.659 – 01:13:09.099] We talk to him not about strength, but about weakness.

74:12

[01 13:09.099 – 01:13:14.439] We tell him of the days when we suffered even as he is suffering now.

74:18

[01 13:14.439 – 01:13:25.019] We do not boast of our strength in overcoming alcoholism, but speak of our great weakness in being unable

74:26

[01 13:25.019 – 01:13:26.869] to conquer it.

74:28

[01 13:26.869 – 01:13:33.039] We talk not of how misguided he is, but of how misguided we were.

74:33

[01 13:33.039 – 01:13:38.849] We talk not of his shortcomings, but of those which were ours.

74:38

[01 13:38.849 – 01:13:49.039] We sit not in judgment of what he is, but in judgment of what we once were."

74:45

[01 13:49.099 – 01:13:49.839] Really good talk.

74:47

[01 13:49.839 – 01:13:56.899] So, right, so that's the, the last, like, kinda convention talk, right?

74:52

[01 13:56.899 – 01:14:04.059] But what we have is they're gonna have the final conference session, the final General Service Conference session.

74:59

[01 14:04.059 – 01:14:13.109] So this is the four PM afternoon session, and this is referenced in AA Comes of Age and has a lot of things almost verbatim.

75:09

[01 14:13.109 – 01:14:21.939] So the person chairing the final session reintroduces Bernard right after he gives this talk on Paradoxes of AA, right?

75:17

[01 14:21.939 – 01:14:27.789] So he's then reintroduced, and Bernard then officially opens the final session of the General Service Conference.

75:24

[01 14:27.789 – 01:14:36.119] So to picture it, you have the, the General Service Conference members all up on stage, right?

75:31

[01 14:36.119 – 01:14:45.579] So there's the conference, and then in the audience is the op-- um, just open to, to any AA member.

75:39

[01 14:45.579 – 01:14:51.279] So the convention and conference are to adjourn simultaneously.

75:43

[01 14:51.279 – 01:14:56.599] So Burn Smith, right, is intr-reintroduced again.

75:46

[01 14:56.599 – 01:15:06.759] He then introduces Bill, who then reads the third legacy resolution to take the pulse of the convention, right, just the regular AA folks, on the adoption of this

75:58

[01 15:06.759 – 01:15:07.839] permanent structure.

75:59

[01 15:07.839 – 01:15:18.099] Again, the General Service Conference has been in a five-year trial period, so this is about permanent adoption for our third legacy and the structure that's been, um, offered

76:10

[01 15:18.099 – 01:15:23.019] and experimented with, which Bill believed to great success, success.

76:15

[01 15:23.019 – 01:15:33.139] From this point on in Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, it's almost verbatim with some slight editing, and it's the chapter on page two twenty-three that says, uh-- It's titled Four O'clock Sunday

76:28

[01 15:33.139 – 01:15:33.699] Afternoon.

76:28

[01 15:33.699 – 01:15:38.339] Okay, let's pause here.

76:30

[01 15:38.339 – 01:15:38.999] What is happening?

76:32

[01 15:38.999 – 01:15:40.339] You tell me.

76:33

[01 15:40.339 – 01:15:47.639] Okay, so from the start of AA, there was no direct connection between the trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation and the groups.

76:42

[01 15:47.639 – 01:15:58.739] At the nineteen fifty International, the Twelve Traditions are adopted, and a trial period for the General Service Conference was announced to begin in nineteen fifty-one on, um,

76:53

[01 15:58.739 – 01:16:00.419] uh, well, it's, uh, a trial basis.

76:56

[01 16:00.419 – 01:16:08.779] The General Service Conference would be the voice and representation of the groups and act as a liaison between the groups and the General Service Board.

77:07

[01 16:08.779 – 01:16:15.818] The summer of nineteen fifty-five, this is the final General Service Conference of the trial period.

77:13

[01 16:15.818 – 01:16:26.039] This final conference session, which is taking place alongside, right, this final convention session, July third in the afternoon, offers the third

77:22

[01 16:26.039 – 01:16:27.379] legacy resolution.

77:23

[01 16:27.379 – 01:16:28.239] What is this?

77:25

[01 16:28.239 – 01:16:28.839] What does this mean?

77:27

[01 16:28.839 – 01:16:32.829] And you can see it on the left, right.

77:31

[01 16:32.829 – 01:16:42.199] It was published earlier that morning for people to read ahead of time, and it's pretty long, and I'm not gonna have, you know, hear Bill read it all.

77:42

[01 16:42.199 – 01:16:44.559] That'll take quite a while.

77:44

[01 16:44.559 – 01:16:46.859] But what's being offered for it?

77:47

[01 16:46.859 – 01:16:50.339] So, so to-- I tried to summarize it in, uh, a handful of bullet points.

77:53

[01 16:50.339 – 01:16:58.349] So AA is to come of age and assume full and permanent possession of these three legacies: recovery, unity, and service.

78:02

[01 16:58.349 – 01:17:07.559] The trial period of the General Service Conference is to end and to become the permanent successor to AA's co-founders, Dr.

78:10

[01 17:07.559 – 01:17:08.449] Bob and Bill.

78:12

[01 17:08.449 – 01:17:18.779] The General Service Conference assumes guardianship of the Twelve Tradition and takes over full guidance and control of AA's World Services

78:20

[01 17:18.779 – 01:17:23.419] as the group conscience or collective conscience, as I've been referring to it.

78:26

[01 17:23.419 – 01:17:33.809] AA's World Services to be guided by the Third Legacy Manual of World Services, which includes the twelve articles of the Conference Charter,

78:35

[01 17:33.809 – 01:17:41.019] which-- and that provides the structure for the conference, how to discharge those duties, uh, the responsibilities of it.

78:42

[01 17:41.019 – 01:17:43.499] So that's kinda what the charter is.

78:46

[01 17:43.499 – 01:17:48.419] And it is in the service manual, the current version of the charter that we have.

78:52

[01 17:48.419 – 01:17:58.419] Uh, and lastly, the Twelve Traditions in article twelve of the Conference Charter cannot be changed without three-quarter written affirmative

79:00

[01 17:58.419 – 01:18:02.939] responses from registered groups, at least six months' response time.

79:04

[01 18:02.939 – 01:18:05.919] Heroin Anonymous is actually doing that right now.

79:08

[01 18:05.919 – 01:18:06.879] It's very interesting.

79:09

[01 18:06.879 – 01:18:08.379] I wish I had more time to talk about it.

79:14

[01 18:08.379 – 01:18:13.579] Time to read this.

79:16

[01 18:13.579 – 01:18:17.539] I didn't play this the last time I did it, so I'm gonna do it.

79:22

[01 18:17.539 – 01:18:27.619] That, revised in accordance with twelve of the Conference Charter, the Conference binds itself to the

79:28

[01 18:27.619 – 01:18:32.319] Society of Alcoholics Anonymous by the following means.

79:32

[01 18:32.319 – 01:18:35.139] That, conceded.

79:33

[01 18:35.139 – 01:18:41.809] We justify this conference that we vote with full and ready consent.

79:38

[01 18:41.809 – 01:18:51.819] Taking great care that the conference never becomes the seat of temperance

79:43

[01 18:51.819 – 01:18:53.559] rights authority.

79:44

[01 18:53.559 – 01:19:00.219] That the fishing operating fund, that an input reserved is a free financial principle.

79:50

[01 19:00.219 – 01:19:07.969] That none of the conference members shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified-

79:56

[01 19:08.154 – 01:19:12.734] By the society of Alcoholics Anonymous.

79:59

[01 19:12.734 – 01:19:22.844] That body took the decision to leave 12 Concepts written by 12 members of

80:04

[01 19:22.844 – 01:19:23.924] A.A.

80:05

[01 19:23.924 – 01:19:31.864] That these Concepts are fashioned out of the social community, are in contentment to public confidence.

80:11

[01 19:31.864 – 01:19:39.544] That the Conference manifests the enduring tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous.

80:15

[01 19:39.544 – 01:19:43.474] That the legacy is very, very real.

80:19

[01 19:43.474 – 01:19:48.484] That while we have been keeping up with the letter of our regulations, bonding A.A.

80:25

[01 19:48.484 – 01:19:50.854] as a whole- Mm-hmm.

80:27

[01 19:50.854 – 01:20:01.784] By becoming part

80:29

[01 20:01.784 – 01:20:07.994] of the fabric of society at large.

80:32

[01 20:07.994 – 01:20:27.234] And in this life of society of Alcoholics Anonymous it is said with confidence

80:37

[01 20:27.234 – 01:20:32.384] that we have begun to start.

80:40

[01 20:32.384 – 01:20:35.774] That- What he just read is actually the long form of Concept 12.

80:45

[01 20:35.774 – 01:20:45.774] Even though the Concepts have not been published yet, I mentioned earlier that Article 12, which is not the Concept, Article 12

80:53

[01 20:45.774 – 01:20:51.614] of the Conference Charter, um, is the same as Concept 12.

80:57

[01 20:51.614 – 01:20:57.414] So this is gonna wrap up the final conference session.

81:02

[01 20:57.414 – 01:21:02.094] And then he concludes.

81:04

[01 21:02.094 – 01:21:06.074] That's definitely it.

81:05

[01 21:06.074 – 01:21:16.134] And the members cried out, "Yes." So that's the, that's the, uh, es- essentially

81:11

[01 21:16.134 – 01:21:18.214] the convention and the members, just the A.A.

81:15

[01 21:18.214 – 01:21:28.554] members going like, "Yeah, right, you had that voice vote." And then the conference session, they made a formal motion, which was seconded,

81:24

[01 21:28.554 – 01:21:28.654] right?

81:25

[01 21:28.654 – 01:21:31.404] And that was also a voice vote.

81:28

[01 21:31.404 – 01:21:36.334] And so there was the official adoption of our Third Legacy, right?

81:33

[01 21:36.334 – 01:21:38.814] This acceptance of the Third Legacy resolution.

81:36

[01 21:38.814 – 01:21:42.674] After that, Bernard introduces Lois, who speaks.

81:39

[01 21:42.674 – 01:21:46.134] Bill then gives his closing talk on how we learn to serve.

81:44

[01 21:46.134 – 01:21:56.274] So the conference is bound to the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous, and it has a spiritual handshake with what is now called the General Service Board, right, comprised

81:55

[01 21:56.274 – 01:21:59.234] of trustees and, um, some other things.

81:58

[01 21:59.234 – 01:22:03.454] The General Service Conference is the heart of the Third Legac- Legacy.

82:03

[01 22:03.454 – 01:22:11.434] Although, you know, we can take the legacy of service and apply it in lots of different places, of course, like at your group and with others.

82:14

[01 22:11.434 – 01:22:21.494] So even though our first, um, so our first, second, and twelfth Concepts, even though they're not published yet, are really born here, in

82:23

[01 22:21.494 – 01:22:21.934] my view.

82:25

[01 22:21.934 – 01:22:26.434] I am not gonna read these.

82:27

[01 22:26.434 – 01:22:33.114] You have a service manual, you can look up Concept 1, Concept 2, and then that's a typo, but that's, uh, Conce- uh...

82:36

[01 22:33.114 – 01:22:35.134] Oh, no, it's not a typo.

82:38

[01 22:35.134 – 01:22:36.823] They're short forms and long forms.

82:41

[01 22:36.823 – 01:22:37.774] Don't get confused there.

82:43

[01 22:37.774 – 01:22:41.634] So this was the first iteration.

82:46

[01 22:41.634 – 01:22:52.064] This is a draft of the Third Legacy manual, right, which includes the Conference Charter as well as how is this all structured and how does it work, and there's some history

82:58

[01 22:52.064 – 01:22:53.184] in this book as well.

83:01

[01 22:53.184 – 01:22:54.674] Um, that's good.

83:02

[01 22:54.674 – 01:23:05.094] A lot of this has been retained and also edited, right, so there's certainly overlap with the current service manual that we have, which also includes in the second half of it the essays

83:16

[01 23:05.094 – 01:23:06.394] on the 12 Concepts.

83:17

[01 23:06.394 – 01:23:08.974] Excellent, excellent read.

83:19

[01 23:08.974 – 01:23:13.854] It can apply to groups, not just committees and conferences and things like that.

83:25

[01 23:13.854 – 01:23:16.974] Some Concepts more so than others.

83:27

[01 23:16.974 – 01:23:26.094] But this is a draft version from June 1955, and then here's an actual first printing from August 1955.

83:34

[01 23:26.094 – 01:23:28.034] That's way more beat up than the other one.

83:38

[01 23:28.034 – 01:23:31.694] Man, we're getting pretty close.

83:40

[01 23:31.694 – 01:23:34.894] This is-- I, I, I didn't want to ignore this.

83:45

[01 23:34.894 – 01:23:40.774] I mentioned that one of the other things that was introduced at this convention was our symbol.

83:52

[01 23:40.774 – 01:23:45.994] This is A.A.'s Three Legacy symbol, and this is from Bulletin Number One.

83:58

[01 23:45.994 – 01:23:55.614] "This circle represents the grace of the Higher Power through which we are all held together." And you can see the banner right here on stage.

84:08

[01 23:55.614 – 01:23:56.414] There it is.

84:10

[01 23:56.414 – 01:24:01.514] And really briefly, this is Bill talking about it.

84:13

[01 24:01.514 – 01:24:15.523] Above us is the banner, and that banner represents

84:17

[01 24:15.523 – 01:24:19.494] the service, represents the united front.

84:20

[01 24:19.494 – 01:24:30.274] And within it is a triangle, and the base of the triangle

84:25

[01 24:30.274 – 01:24:34.774] is some of the recovery on which we stand.

84:29

[01 24:34.774 – 01:24:44.954] The left of the triangle symbolizes our unity, and

84:33

[01 24:44.954 – 01:24:49.454] the right of the triangle, our arm of service.

84:36

[01 24:49.454 – 01:24:53.394] Such is the symbol of A.A.

84:40

[01 24:53.394 – 01:24:59.294] I first saw it- And he talks about a little bit where, where he first saw it.

84:46

[01 24:59.294 – 01:25:00.834] You can go back and, and listen to it.

84:50

[01 25:00.834 – 01:25:08.994] Recovery Speakers how, has the, um, you know, it's long, but it includes Bill's talk on how we learn to serve at this final session.

85:00

[01 25:08.994 – 01:25:19.254] And, um, here's that panoramic, um, where you have the General Service Conference on stage, Burne Smith leading it, and,

85:08

[01 25:19.254 – 01:25:22.554] um, yeah, and all the attendees of the convention.

85:12

[01 25:22.554 – 01:25:38.074] So I want to present you the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous.

85:18

[01 25:38.074 – 01:25:38.894] That's it for me.

85:20

[01 25:38.894 – 01:25:45.234] Thank you so much, Kesting.

85:22

[01 25:45.234 – 01:25:46.274] Great job.

85:23

[01 25:46.274 – 01:25:56.454] And, uh, we only have a couple minutes left, so I'm thinking the best route might be to have you, uh, share your email address in the chat,

85:34

[01 25:56.454 – 01:26:01.034] and for anyone that has questions, they can just reach out directly to you.

85:40

[01 26:01.034 – 01:26:11.444] Um, but now I want to just allow everyone to unmute and thank Kesting, and, uh, you guys are welcome to stick around and, uh, have some discussion.

85:51

[01 26:11.444 – 01:26:17.904] And, uh, Kesting, again, thank you so much for doing all this work and being here to present with us tonight

The following is an AI-generated transcript. Minor errors may occur. The audio is the authoritative source.

1955 International presented by Kesting C – 2025-01-07

1955 International presented by Kesting C – 2025-01-07

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