The Law of Unselfishness (Condensed from Christian Herald)

by Fulton Oursler

I have a friend who is a famous New Instead of resentment, Bill showed a York neurologist, and many dipsomaniacs come flicker of interest. “Okay,” he said. “But don’t to him after having been pronounced incurable forget that drink when I come back.” by other specialists. When I asked how he The boy was certain that he was treated them, he told me about a man we’ll call doomed, and Bill, who considered himself an Bill Wilkins. agnostic, incredulously heard himself urging the Bill Wilkins, a Wall Street broker, woke lad to turn to some higher power. up one morning in a hospital for drunkards. “Liquor is a power outside yourself that Despondently he peered up at the house has overcome you,” he urged. “Only another physician and groaned, “Doc, how many times outside power can save you. If you don’t want to have I been in this joint?” call it God, call it truth. The name isn’t “Fifty! You’re now our half-century plant.” important.” “I suppose liquor is going to kill me?” Whatever the effect on the boy, Bill “Bill,” replied the doctor solemnly, “it greatly impressed himself. Back in his own won’t be long now.” room, he forgot his bargain with the doctor. He “Then,” said Bill, “how about a little never did collect the promised drink. Thinking of snifter to straighten me out?” someone else at long last, he had given the law “I guess that would be all right,” agreed of unselfishness a chance to work on him. It the doctor. “But I’ll make a bargain with you. worked so well that he lived to become a There’s a young fellow in the next room in a founder of a highly effective movement in pretty bad way. He’s here for the first time. healing faith–Alcoholics Anonymous. Maybe if you showed yourself as a horrible example, you might scare him into staying sober for the rest of his life.”

Source: Reader’s Digest, February 1964

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