God in His wisdom selected a group of men and women to be the purveyors of His goodness. In selecting them
through whom to bring about this phenomenon, He went not to the proud, the mighty, the famous or the brilliant.
He went instead to the humble, to the sick, to the unfortunate. He went right to the drunkard, the so-called weakling
of the world.
Well might He have said to us: "unto 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 your fellows. Not to scientist or statesmen, not to
wives or mothers, not even to my priest of 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 demands upon your
time can be too urgent; no case be too pitiful; no task too hard; no effort too 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; your motives will be misjudged. You must be prepared
for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection,
and remember, in the exercise of this power, I shall not exact from you beyond your capabilities.
You are not selected because of exceptional talents, and be careful always, if success attends your efforts, not to
ascribe to personal superiority that to 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 entrusted to the physician and scientist. If I had wanted
eloquent men, there would have been many anxious for the 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 than you
who would be available. You were selected because you have been the outcast of the world and your long experience
as drunkards has made or should make you humbly alert to the cries of distress that comes from the lonely hearts of
alcoholics everywhere.
Keep ever in mind the admission you made on the day of your profession in AA, namely that you are powerless
and that it was only with your willingness to turn your life and will unto my keeping that relief came to you. "
