TO OUR HISTORY GROUP MEMBERS AND OTHERS.
THIS IS NOT A DUPLICATE, BUT A CORRECTED SUBJECT LINE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THE
SHRINE TALKS OCCURRED IN 1948 – not 1943. The existence of this article,
a faxed copy of it from the Tidings, a positive verification from their staff
of the date – March 26, 1948, page 17—plus several comments in Lois
Remembers have confirmed this memorable and significant address by the two
founders shortly before Anne Smith died. The correct date (1948) has been
confirmed with a calendar for 1948. Lois put the attendance at 6,000. The
Tidings reporter put it at 4,500. But we now have the copy with the blurred
date, which copy was given to me by an old-timer in the Los Angeles area at a meeting many years ago.
And at last, we have obtained a clearly dated copy – thanks to several
helpful staff members at Tidings. Again, March 26, 1948, page 17.
Many have questioned or denied the
existence of the article even though one Roman Catholic professor and substance
abuse therapist quoted a portion of it in two articles. Several have said it
couldn’t be found, Others have cited the 1943 perhaps erroneously
believing that this was the date, or more probably citing the erroneous date
that I had previously cited when I viewed and used the early, blurred,
erroneous date. The earlier date represented the combined best conclusion of
the AAs at the meeting where I saw and received a copy. But 1948 is the actual,
now legible, and correct date. 1948! We now have a clear copy from the staff
who could not, at first, locate the article or the issue at all but have now
sent my son and me a clear copy and have verified the article’s contents
and existence in the bound copies of this and other articles at the same time
period.
Here’s an exciting piece of evidence
just revived. It is the long sought Tidings article on the address of Bill
Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith (their wives were also present) to an audience of 4500
at the Shrine Auditorium in Los
Angeles on Friday, March 26, 1948. Note what Bob and
Bill said about conversion, Divine Aid, prayer, reading the Bible, reading
religious literature, religion, and the resumption of church attendance as
favored. God Bless, Dick B.
The article contents make even more clear
the findings in our two most recent books about the younger years of Bill
Wilson and of Dr. Bob—conversion, the power of God, the importance of
prayer, the required Bible reading, the suggested reading of religious
literature, and the “resumption” of church attendance (something
that Dr. Bob had certainly accomplished, while Bill never got much farther
along than presence in Sam Shoemaker’s Calvary Episcopal Church where he
met Sam and also served as a godfather.
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