dickb
05-03-2009, 07:52 PM
Alcoholics Anonymous and Dr. Bob’s Youth in Vermont
Dick B.
© 2009 Dick B. All rights reserved
The Vermont Chronicle Issue for June 11, 1896
The period in Dr. Bob’s youth from 1894 to 1898 was key in his Christian training and Bible study in his boyhood village of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His training came from family, from North Congregational Church, from Sunday school, from Christian Endeavor Society, from prayer meetings, conversions, the YMCA, and St. Johnsbury Academy. See Dick B. and Ken B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml).
Recently we acquired a complete copy of The Vermont Chronicle: The Religious Family Paper of Vermont. Vol. LXXI, No. 24, June 11, 1896. This will be on display at A Nationwide Recovery Conference with Dick B. at Mariners Church-Community Center, Irvine, California on May 15-16, 2009. It will be part of the historical treasure collection display at the James Club of Norco on May 14, 2009 where it will be reviewed, explained, and filmed. Its importance is that it reports as a newspaper so many of the events involved in Dr. Bob’s excellent training in the Bible.
The following articles are illustrative and important: (1) Editorial: “Children Belong to God”—emphasizing a family’s duty: “Children are entrusted to them by God to train up in the way of righteousness, so that they may be upright, rendering to their Maker a hearty reverence and obedience, and to all men the things that are just and equal.” (2) “A Veteran’s Testimony”—where Dr. Alexander MacLaren of London spoke to distinguished ministers of different denominations in the city. He concluded his talk: “Concentrate yourselves on the work of your ministry; preach the Bible and its truth; preach Christ the Redeemer; preach Him with all your heart. . .” (3) “The Congregational Home Missionary Society”—where Dr. Bob’s mother was vigorously active. The annual sermon by Rev. Daniel Merriman included this: “By birthright Congregationalists are prophets, preachers, teachers, missionaries. Let others magnify ecclesiastical machinery, we should be content with preaching. The less that comes between the soul and God the better.” (4) “Extracts from the Directors’ Report of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society”: “In the net gain in membership, it even exceeds the year before, which was the best we have had since the great revival season on 1876. . . . The conversions reported in the regular department far exceed anything in recent years.” (5) It talks about enlisting the support of the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor to strengthen weak churches and reach the destitute. (6) “Sunday School Rallies, St. Johnsbury”: Rev. Edward T. Fairbanks discussed: “What can be done to promote more thorough Bible study?” He also spoke of “the great influence the Bible exerts in the world, and the importance of keeping in close tough with its teachings” and the program included, “How to Use the Bible in Sunday School.” (7) “Y.M.C.A. Anniversary”—reported “Saturday and Sunday were red letter days in the history of the St. Johnsbury Y.M.C.A., and the celebration of its 41st anniversary.” Judge Walter Smith [Dr. Bob’s father], “as president of the association, gave the introductory address in which he expressed the hope that no one would lose their interest in Y.M.C.A. work or fail to support it.” (8) “Home Missions”—conducted by Mrs. Walter P. Smith, St. Johnsbury [Dr. Bob’s mother]. (9) “The Sunday School”—The lesson was titled “The Risen Lord.” The golden text was “The Lord is risen indeed. Luke 24:34.” It also stated: “This promise of the Father is the promise of the Holy Spirit.” (10) “Christian Endeavor”—One subject was “How can I learn to love my Bible? The answer should show how one learns to love the Bible by using it, by studying regularly according to some system, either by books, or by topics, or historically. Above all, one learns to love it by obeying it.”
As reported in Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous, the training of Dr. Bob was the intense training that flooded St. Johnsbury in the years of Bob’s youth. His parents, Judge Walter Smith and Susan Smith, were focused on his Christian training. The North Congregational Church was attended four times a week by the family. Sunday school there was superintended and taught by Bob’s parents. Christian Endeavor Society emphasized conversions, prayer meetings, Bible study, Quiet Hour, reading literature, and reaching out in love and service. The YMCA of those days was much involved in Bible study. And St. Johnsbury Academy, where Judge Smith was an examiner, Mrs. Smith was active in alumni and historical work, and young Bob was a student, had required daily chapel, required weekly Bible study and church attendance, and was heavily influenced by Congregationalism.
Hundreds and hundreds of additional pieces of historical information about Dr. Bob’s excellent training in the Bible in St. Johnsbury are now located in the growing Dr. Bob Core Library, North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, Vermont where they may be seen and accessed.
Gloria Deo
dickb@dickb.com; http://drbob.info
:smile:
Dick B.
© 2009 Dick B. All rights reserved
The Vermont Chronicle Issue for June 11, 1896
The period in Dr. Bob’s youth from 1894 to 1898 was key in his Christian training and Bible study in his boyhood village of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His training came from family, from North Congregational Church, from Sunday school, from Christian Endeavor Society, from prayer meetings, conversions, the YMCA, and St. Johnsbury Academy. See Dick B. and Ken B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml).
Recently we acquired a complete copy of The Vermont Chronicle: The Religious Family Paper of Vermont. Vol. LXXI, No. 24, June 11, 1896. This will be on display at A Nationwide Recovery Conference with Dick B. at Mariners Church-Community Center, Irvine, California on May 15-16, 2009. It will be part of the historical treasure collection display at the James Club of Norco on May 14, 2009 where it will be reviewed, explained, and filmed. Its importance is that it reports as a newspaper so many of the events involved in Dr. Bob’s excellent training in the Bible.
The following articles are illustrative and important: (1) Editorial: “Children Belong to God”—emphasizing a family’s duty: “Children are entrusted to them by God to train up in the way of righteousness, so that they may be upright, rendering to their Maker a hearty reverence and obedience, and to all men the things that are just and equal.” (2) “A Veteran’s Testimony”—where Dr. Alexander MacLaren of London spoke to distinguished ministers of different denominations in the city. He concluded his talk: “Concentrate yourselves on the work of your ministry; preach the Bible and its truth; preach Christ the Redeemer; preach Him with all your heart. . .” (3) “The Congregational Home Missionary Society”—where Dr. Bob’s mother was vigorously active. The annual sermon by Rev. Daniel Merriman included this: “By birthright Congregationalists are prophets, preachers, teachers, missionaries. Let others magnify ecclesiastical machinery, we should be content with preaching. The less that comes between the soul and God the better.” (4) “Extracts from the Directors’ Report of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society”: “In the net gain in membership, it even exceeds the year before, which was the best we have had since the great revival season on 1876. . . . The conversions reported in the regular department far exceed anything in recent years.” (5) It talks about enlisting the support of the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor to strengthen weak churches and reach the destitute. (6) “Sunday School Rallies, St. Johnsbury”: Rev. Edward T. Fairbanks discussed: “What can be done to promote more thorough Bible study?” He also spoke of “the great influence the Bible exerts in the world, and the importance of keeping in close tough with its teachings” and the program included, “How to Use the Bible in Sunday School.” (7) “Y.M.C.A. Anniversary”—reported “Saturday and Sunday were red letter days in the history of the St. Johnsbury Y.M.C.A., and the celebration of its 41st anniversary.” Judge Walter Smith [Dr. Bob’s father], “as president of the association, gave the introductory address in which he expressed the hope that no one would lose their interest in Y.M.C.A. work or fail to support it.” (8) “Home Missions”—conducted by Mrs. Walter P. Smith, St. Johnsbury [Dr. Bob’s mother]. (9) “The Sunday School”—The lesson was titled “The Risen Lord.” The golden text was “The Lord is risen indeed. Luke 24:34.” It also stated: “This promise of the Father is the promise of the Holy Spirit.” (10) “Christian Endeavor”—One subject was “How can I learn to love my Bible? The answer should show how one learns to love the Bible by using it, by studying regularly according to some system, either by books, or by topics, or historically. Above all, one learns to love it by obeying it.”
As reported in Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous, the training of Dr. Bob was the intense training that flooded St. Johnsbury in the years of Bob’s youth. His parents, Judge Walter Smith and Susan Smith, were focused on his Christian training. The North Congregational Church was attended four times a week by the family. Sunday school there was superintended and taught by Bob’s parents. Christian Endeavor Society emphasized conversions, prayer meetings, Bible study, Quiet Hour, reading literature, and reaching out in love and service. The YMCA of those days was much involved in Bible study. And St. Johnsbury Academy, where Judge Smith was an examiner, Mrs. Smith was active in alumni and historical work, and young Bob was a student, had required daily chapel, required weekly Bible study and church attendance, and was heavily influenced by Congregationalism.
Hundreds and hundreds of additional pieces of historical information about Dr. Bob’s excellent training in the Bible in St. Johnsbury are now located in the growing Dr. Bob Core Library, North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, Vermont where they may be seen and accessed.
Gloria Deo
dickb@dickb.com; http://drbob.info
:smile: