Subject: Dr. Silkworth Birthday Celebration, W.Long Branch NJ, 7/22/06
(Update)
You are cordially invited to the third annual Dr. Silkworth birthday
celebration!
Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 3:00PM (rain date July 29, 2006)
At his gravesite in Glenwood Cemetery, Route 71 (Monmouth Rd.), West
Long Branch NJ.
Speakers: Barbara Silkworth (a family member) and Mitchell K. (author of
“How It Worked - The Story of Clarence H. Snyder & the Early Days of AA
in Cleveland”)
Dr. William Duncan Silkworth is the author of the two letters in the
“Doctor’s Opinion” in the Big Book “Alcoholics Anonymous” and is known as
a friend to millions of alcoholics worldwide. He worked with Bill Wilson, AA’s
co-founder in N.Y.C., after Bill finally got sober in 1934. He gave deep
understanding and great encouragement to an infant society in the days
when a lack of understanding or a word of discouragement might easily have
killed it. He freely risked his professional reputation to champion an
unprecedented spiritual answer to the medical enigma and the human
tragedy of alcoholism. Without his blessing, our faith might well have died in
its birth. He was a luminous exception to the rule that only an alcoholic
understands an alcoholic. He knew us better than we knew ourselves,
better than we know each other. Many of us felt that his medical skill, great
as that was, was not at all the full measure of his stature. Dr. Silkworth
was something that it is difficult even to mention in these days. He was a
saintly man. He stood in an unusual relationship to truth. He was able
to see the truth of a man, when that truth was deeply hidden from the man
himself and from everyone else. He was able to save lives that were
otherwise beyond help of any kind. Such a man cannot really die. We wish
to honor this man, a gentle doctor with white hair and china blue eyes.
Dr. Silkworth lived on Chelsea Avenue in Long Branch, attended Long
Branch High School where he has been inducted in that school’s Hall of Fame,
graduated from Princeton University, and lived for a while in Little
Silver. He was born on July 22, 1873 and died on March 22, 1951.
PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING A LAWN CHAIR OR SOMETHING TO SIT ON.
If you have any questions please call Barefoot Bill at 201-232-8749
(cell).
Directions:
Take the Garden State Parkway (north or south) to Exit 105 (Route 36),
continue on Route 36 approximately 2.5 to 3 miles through 5 traffic
lights (passing Monmouth Mall, two more shopping plazas, and several automobile
dealerships). Watch for green road signs stating “Route 71 South, West
Long Branch and Asbury Park” (this is before the sixth light). Take this
Turnoff to the right, past Carriage Square and bear right onto Route 71
(Monmouth Road.) Glenwood Cemetery appears very quickly on the left. The entrance
is marked by two stone pillars and the name. Once inside the cemetery,
bear left, go up the hill and make the first right (a hard right). The
gravesite is near the first tree on the right.
(Update)
You are cordially invited to the third annual Dr. Silkworth birthday
celebration!
Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 3:00PM (rain date July 29, 2006)
At his gravesite in Glenwood Cemetery, Route 71 (Monmouth Rd.), West
Long Branch NJ.
Speakers: Barbara Silkworth (a family member) and Mitchell K. (author of
“How It Worked - The Story of Clarence H. Snyder & the Early Days of AA
in Cleveland”)
Dr. William Duncan Silkworth is the author of the two letters in the
“Doctor’s Opinion” in the Big Book “Alcoholics Anonymous” and is known as
a friend to millions of alcoholics worldwide. He worked with Bill Wilson, AA’s
co-founder in N.Y.C., after Bill finally got sober in 1934. He gave deep
understanding and great encouragement to an infant society in the days
when a lack of understanding or a word of discouragement might easily have
killed it. He freely risked his professional reputation to champion an
unprecedented spiritual answer to the medical enigma and the human
tragedy of alcoholism. Without his blessing, our faith might well have died in
its birth. He was a luminous exception to the rule that only an alcoholic
understands an alcoholic. He knew us better than we knew ourselves,
better than we know each other. Many of us felt that his medical skill, great
as that was, was not at all the full measure of his stature. Dr. Silkworth
was something that it is difficult even to mention in these days. He was a
saintly man. He stood in an unusual relationship to truth. He was able
to see the truth of a man, when that truth was deeply hidden from the man
himself and from everyone else. He was able to save lives that were
otherwise beyond help of any kind. Such a man cannot really die. We wish
to honor this man, a gentle doctor with white hair and china blue eyes.
Dr. Silkworth lived on Chelsea Avenue in Long Branch, attended Long
Branch High School where he has been inducted in that school’s Hall of Fame,
graduated from Princeton University, and lived for a while in Little
Silver. He was born on July 22, 1873 and died on March 22, 1951.
PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING A LAWN CHAIR OR SOMETHING TO SIT ON.
If you have any questions please call Barefoot Bill at 201-232-8749
(cell).
Directions:
Take the Garden State Parkway (north or south) to Exit 105 (Route 36),
continue on Route 36 approximately 2.5 to 3 miles through 5 traffic
lights (passing Monmouth Mall, two more shopping plazas, and several automobile
dealerships). Watch for green road signs stating “Route 71 South, West
Long Branch and Asbury Park” (this is before the sixth light). Take this
Turnoff to the right, past Carriage Square and bear right onto Route 71
(Monmouth Road.) Glenwood Cemetery appears very quickly on the left. The entrance
is marked by two stone pillars and the name. Once inside the cemetery,
bear left, go up the hill and make the first right (a hard right). The
gravesite is near the first tree on the right.
posted by:
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Philadelphia
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