January 23 in A.A. History

1933: Dr. Bob and Anne S. first encountered the Oxford Groups when Frank Buchman visited Akron, Ohio [right: photo at Union Station, 11:00 AM, from the Akron Beacon Journal, 19 January 1933, “As Oxford Group Reaches Akron,” p. 1].
    After getting sober, Dr. Bob would write in his story, “Doctor Bob’s Nightmare” in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, that

    … through high school I was more or less forced to go to church, Sunday School, and evening service, Monday night Christian Endeavor and sometimes to Wednesday evening prayer meeting. This had the effect of making me resolve that when I was free from parental domination, I would never again darken the doors of a church.

    Accordingly, Anne initially had to push her husband to attend Oxford Group meetings. However, he eventually became captivated by their message, as he would later describe in his story:

    … I was thrown in with a crowd of people who attracted me because of their seeming poise, health, and happiness. They spoke with great freedom from embarrassment, which I could never do, and they seemed very much at ease on all occasions and appeared very healthy. More than these attributes, they seemed to be happy. I was self-conscious and ill at ease most of the time, my health was at the breaking point, and I was thoroughly miserable. I sensed they had something I did not have, from which I might readily profit. I learned that it was something of a spiritual nature, which did not appeal to me very much, but I thought it could do no harm.

1961: Bill W. [far left] sent Dr. Carl Jung [near left] a letter of appreciation for his contributions to A.A., which Bill felt were long overdue. After introducing himself, Bill wrote:

    … I doubt if you are aware that a certain conversation you once had with one of your patients, a Mr. Roland [sic] Hazard, back in the early 1930’s, did play a critical role in the founding of our Fellowship.
    … Our remembrance of Roland Hazard’s statements about his experience with you is as follows:

    Bill then shared what he knew about Rowland Hazard [left], who had visited Jung and found sobriety through the Oxford Group. Rowland’s message had reached Bill at the lowest point of his alcoholism through Ebby T. [right]. This had been followed by Bill’s spiritual experience at Towns Hospital, his founding of A.A., and the spiritual experiences of many thousands of A.A. members since. Bill continued:

    This concept proved to be the foundation of such success as Alcoholics Anonymous has since achieved. This has made conversion experience… available on an almost wholesale basis.

    Bill concluded his letter graciously:

    As you will now clearly see, this astonishing chain of events actually started long ago in your consulting room, and it was directly founded upon your own humility and deep perception.
    Very many thoughtful A.A.’s are students of your writings. Because of your conviction that man is something more than intellect, emotion, and two dollars’ worth of chemicals, you have especially endeared yourself to us.…
    Please be certain that your place in the affection, and in the history, of our Fellowship is like no other’s.