We Began to Count Noses - Silkworth.net

“After several failures to find others, a fourth turned up. He came through an
acquaintance who had heard the good news. He proved to be a devil-may-care
young fellow whose parents could not make out whether he wanted to stop
drinking or not. They were deeply religious people, much shocked by their son's
refusal to have anything to do with the church. He suffered horribly from his
sprees, but it seemed as if nothing could be done for him. He consented,
however, to go to the hospital, where he occupied the very room recently
vacated by the lawyer. He had three visitors. After a bit, he said: "The way you
fellows put this spiritual stuff makes sense. I'm ready to do business. I guess the
old folks were right after all.
So one more was added to the Fellowship.
All this time our friend of the hotel lobby incident remained in that town. He was
there, three months. He now returned home, leaving behind his first
acquaintance, the lawyer, and the devil-may-care chap.” 15
AA # NAME SOB FROM
1 Bill Wilson Dec 34 NY
2 Bob Smith May 35 Akron
3 Bill Dotson June 35 Akron
4 Ernie Galbraith July 35 Akron
In late August, 1935, Bill Wilson followed The Golden Road of Devotion back
to New York. One sure sign of a Spiritual Experience is the unyielding need to
carry the Good News. Bill could not rest on the Akron laurels. “God is real
because He produces real effects” 16 and His effect on Bill was undeniable. Wilson
instinctively knew, and would be continuously reminded by his new friends in
the Oxford Group, that in order to keep his Experience he was required to Pass It
On. 17
Not long after his return from Akron, Bill returned to Town’s Hospital
seeking to carry the Life Changing Message. His first success in New York was
Henry G. Parkhurst. Henry’s (Hank) story follows Dr. Bob’s in the Original
Manuscript draft of the book Alcoholics Anonymous and is entitled “THE
UNBELIEVER.” According to Hank’s recollection, this had been his 11 th trip to
Towns. It would appear that on this occasion, Dr. Silkworth explained to Hank,
with all honesty and humility, the hopeless nature of his illness.
“For Christ’s sake Doc! What do you mean-nothing! What! An incurable disease
Doc, you’re kidding me! You're trying to scare me into stopping! What's that you
say You wish you were What are those tears in your eyes Doc What's that
Forty years you've spent at this alcoholic business and you have yet to see a true
alcoholic cured Your life defeated and wasted Oh, come, come Doc . . . what
would some of us do without you If even to only sober up. But Doc . . . let's
have it. What is going to be my history from here on out Some vital organ will
stop or the mad house with a wet brain How soon Within two years” 18