A.A. AND THE HIGHER POWER

      God in his wisdom selected this group of men and women to be the prevailers of his goodness. In selecting them, through whom to bring about this phenomenon of recovery, he went not to the proud, the mighty, and the famous. Or the brilliant. He went to the humble, the sick, and the unfortunate. He went right to the drunkard, the so-called weakling of the world.

      What might he have said to us? Upon your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted a power beyond estimate, to you has been given that which has been denied the most learned of my fellows.

      Not to scientist, or statesman, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests or ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics, which I entrust to you. It must be used unselfishly. It carries with it grave responsibility. No day can be too long; no demand upon your time can be to great, no case to pitiful, no task to hard, and no effort to great. It must be used with tolerance, for I have restricted its application to no race, no creed, and no denomination.

      Personal criticism you must expect, lack of appreciation will be common, ridicule will be your lot, and your motives will be missed judged. You must be prepared for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use to accent the rungs to a spiritual perfection. And remember in the exercise of this power I shall not exact of you beyond your capability.

      You were not selected because of your exceptional talent. And be careful always it success attends your effort, not to ascribe to personal superiority that which you can lay claim only by virtue of my gift. If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission the power would have been given and entrusted to the physician and the scientist. If I had wanted elegant men there would have been many anxious for that assignment. For talk is the easiest used of all talents with which I have endowed mankind. If I had wanted scholarly men the world is filled with better-qualified men then you who would be available.

      But you were selected because you have been the outcasts of the world and your long experience as drunkards has made, or should make you, humbly alert to the cries of distress that come from the lonely hearts of the alcoholics everywhere. Keep ever in mind the admission you made on the day of your profession into Alcoholic Anonymous; namely that you are powerless and that it was only through your willingness to turn your will and your life to my keeping that relief can come to you.

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