Most, if not all of the ideas included in the Big Book were not new. Much was "borrowed" from the Bible and from Oxford Group and other spiritual books of that era. Here are more examples.
"This initial surrender, if it is thorough and honest, is met at once from God's side. When we hand over, God takes charge, and things begin to happen. A world of strain falls from us. The business of running life is off our hands.
We find that we get through more work, because it is ordered better. We meet people we were afraid of, and discover that fear has gone. A habit that always beat us seems to have lost its power. Someone we could not bear appears to us in a new light, and we love them. We come through the ordeal and know that it is not in our own strength." (When Man Listens).
From the chapter, First Steps in The Common Sense Of Drinking: " A man must make up his mind to do everything in his power to cooperate in such work as there is to be done. halfway measures are of no avail."
Also in First Steps: "Some years ago there lived a man who decided to give up drinking until he could make a million dollars, at which time he intended to drink in moderation. It took him five years - of sobriety -to make the million; then he began his 'moderate' drinking. In two or three years he lost all his money, and in another three he died of alcoholism."
Oxford Group Activities
The Four Practical Spiritual Activities of the Oxford Group (from What Is The Oxford Group):1.
The Sharing of our sins and temptations with another Christian life given to God, and to use Sharing as Witness to help others, still unchanged, to recognize and acknowledge their sins.
2. Surrender of our life, past, present, and future, into God's keeping and direction.
3. Restitution to all whom we have wronged directly or indirectly.
4. Listening to, accepting, relying on God's Guidance and carrying it out in everything we do or say, great or small.
The Washingtonians
Also from What Is The Oxford Group: "You cannot belong to the Oxford Group. It has no membership list, subscriptions, badge, rules, or definite location. It is a name for a group of people who, from every rank, profession, and trade, in many countries, have surrendered their lives to God and who are endeavouring to lead a spiritual quality of life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Oxford Group is not a religion; it has no hierarchy, no temples, no endowments; its workers have no salaries, no plans but God's plan..."From a book on the Washington Temperance Society (The Washingtonians): "The Washingtonians, formed in the 1840's, required a pledge of total abstinence and attendance at weekly meetings where members would relate their stories of drunkardness and recovery. As a body, they recognized no religion or creed, were politically neutral, and each member was supposed to help alcoholics who were still drinking."
From Courtenay Baylor's book: Remaking A Man- "...in the glorious certainty that he need never fail again - he finds perfect freedom and happiness." (From August to September 1934, Baylor treated Rowland H. in Mass. - Rowland brought the message of the Oxford Group to Ebby T., who in turn brought the message to Bill).
These have been but a few of the similarities between the language in the Big Book and what has been quoted above. There are hundreds of quotes from these early books which can be found, almost verbatim in the Big Book. Bill W. had a lot to choose from when he set forth in his writing.
More will be revealed...
- More A.A. History
Previous guest columns written by Mitchell K. for the Alcoholism site.