June 1991 [Excerpt]
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Bill W. in the January 1951 Grapevine. It describes Bill’s call to Henrietta Seiberling, daughter-in-law of the founder of Goodyear Tire Company. It was she who put him in touch with Dr. Bob that fateful day in May of 1935, which led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous.
–The Editors
It was a Saturday in May 1935. An ill-starred business venture had brought me to Akron where it immediately collapsed, leaving me in a precarious state of sobriety. That afternoon I paced the lobby of Akron’s Mayflower Hotel. As I peered at the gathering crowd in the bar, I became desperately frightened of a slip. It was the first severe temptation since my New York friend had laid before me what were to become the basic principles of AA, in November 1934. For the next six months I had felt utterly secure in my sobriety. But now there was no security; I felt alone, helpless. In the months before I had worked hard with other alcoholics. Or, rather, I had preached at them in a somewhat cocksure fashion. In my false assurance I felt I couldn’t fall. But this time it was different. Something had to be done at once.
Glancing at a church directory at the far end of the lobby, I selected the name of a clergyman at random. Over the phone I told him of my need to work with another alcoholic. Though I’d had no previous success with any of them I suddenly realized how such work had kept me free from desire. The clergyman gave me a list of ten names. Some of these people, he was sure, would refer me a case in need of help. Almost running to my room, I seized the phone. But my enthusiasm soon ebbed. Not a person in the first nine called could, or would, suggest anything to meet my urgency. One uncalled name still stood at the head of my list—Henrietta Seiberling. Somehow I couldn’t muster courage to lift the phone. But after one more look into the bar downstairs something said to me, “You’d better.” To my astonishment a warm Southern voice floated in over the wire. Declaring herself no alcoholic, Henrietta nonetheless insisted that she understood. Would I come to her home at once?
Because she had been enabled to face and transcend other calamities, she certainly did understand mine. She was to become a vital link to those fantastic events which were presently to gather around the birth and development of our AA Society. Of all names the obliging rector had given me, she was the only one who cared enough. I would here like to record our timeless gratitude.
Straightaway, she pictured the plight of Dr. Bob and Anne. Suiting action to her word, she called their house. As Anne answered, Henrietta described me as a sobered alcoholic from New York who, she felt sure, could help Bob. The good doctor had seemingly exhausted all medical and spiritual remedies for his condition. Then Anne replied, “What you say, Henrietta, is terribly interesting. But I am afraid we can’t do anything now. Being Mother’s Day, my dear boy has just brought in a fine potted plant. The pot is on the table but, alas, Bob is on the floor. Could we try to make it tomorrow?” Henrietta instantly issued a dinner invitation for the following day.
At five o’clock next afternoon, Anne and Dr. Bob stood at Henrietta’s door. She discreetly whisked Bob and me off to the library. His words were, “Mighty glad to meet you, Bill. But it happens I can’t stay long; five or ten minutes at the outside.” I laughed and observed, “Guess you’re pretty thirsty, aren’t you?” His rejoinder was, “Well, maybe you do understand this drinking business after all.” So began a talk which lasted hours.
Sister Mary Ignatia
November 1964
Among the first friends of AA few are so beloved as Sister Mary Ignatia, subject of this moving tribute from an AA who was helped by her years ago. November is Gratitude Month in AA: here is an occasion to remember that the vital strands of spiritual influence, information and help that went into the making of our Fellowship were woven almost entirely by non-alcoholics. Those were the old days, nearly thirty years past. Our earliest friends, young then, are older now; many of them have gone from us. Sister Mary Ignatia this year celebrated her Golden Anniversary as a nun; over 25 years of this life of service to God have been dedicated to the care and recovery of alcoholics and to the carrying of the AA message to uncounted thousands at St. Thomas Hospital, Akron, Ohio.
–Original editor's note
A startlingly large number of AAs, if asked to name the person who had been the greatest help to them in achieving sobriety, would name a non-alcoholic, Sister Mary Ignatia of the Roman Catholic order of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. How, we ask, could she, who had no experience of alcoholism itself, have had the compassion and complete understanding which she has shown for every tiny facet of the complex mess which the suffering alcoholic always is? The great spirit in her tiny earthly body has lived tirelessly, weaving golden threads of spiritual inspiration from one alcoholic to another, day after day, and year after year, whether her patient happened to be Protestant, Catholic, Jewish or of no religion at all.
Many have literally had body and soul, and early sobriety, held together by the never-ending strands of her love, concern, and dedication to the salvation of people like us. God moves in mysterious ways for all of us, but none of the wondrous mysteries of his grace could compare with the miracle of this tiny nun and her gift to our Fellowship.
Once as she stood contemplating a new alcoholic patient in miserable condition, a representative of the hospital, concerned with earthly practicalities, inquired whether adequate financial provision for the new patient had been made. The response, delivered with asperity, was, “I am interested in souls, not dollars.”
On another occasion, she stood looking reflectively out the window and said mostly to herself, “That was a big step I took from music (her early interest) to alcohol.” Indeed it was. Yet the greatest symphony of the finest master composer, in its most superb rendition, must seem small by comparison with the miracles in which her great spirit has played a vital part. Imagine a great stage on which might be assembled at one time, the thousands of recovered alcoholics whom she has helped. Then imagine a great auditorium in front of such a stage in which might be gathered the families, relatives, friends and other associates of those on the stage. That spectacle, were it possible, would surpass in beauty the greatest musical production of all time.
Our Lord told his disciples to go forth to preach the gospel and heal the sick. No servant of his has contributed more to the healing of alcoholism than she. Yet in her complete humility we can hear her saying as one of the ancient physicians did, “All I do is bind the wounds. God is the Great Physician.”
How does one express in words the gratitude and love so many of us feel toward Sister Mary Ignatia? The answer must be that it isn’t possible. Only through what we are and what we do can the reality of this gratitude and love be demonstrated to her.
“Now is eternity; this very moment is eternity.” That has been said by her to many of us, over and over again. For those of us who have learned to live one day at a time, often one minute at a time, perhaps this statement has a profound meaning which may not be shared by others. “Each moment of life is a gift from God, which when we are through with it, is deposited exactly as we left it, forever in eternity.”
Thanks to her, many of us have tried to improve the quality of deposits in God’s eternity, knowing full well that our maximum will be a pitifully small contribution.
Words, even by a master in their use, if we had one, could not express the gratitude and love we have for this great healer of our common disease. Rather, we shall, we must, try to show it through action, in our own lives and in efforts to help others.
Anonymous
What a Doctor Learned From AA (Ruth Fox)
January 1973
From AA members and other alcoholics, I have learned many lessons. Many other physicians who have listened with open minds have learned the same facts. But before I pass those lessons on to you, let me first, in the AA fashion, share my experience—and hopes—with you.
Some years