April 1951

A sermon delivered here, none of the priggish conceit needs no proof for us. But I am of “see what I have done for my- afraid that many of u s take this by self.” The typical testimony runs: for granted in a dangerous sort of DR. CARROLL E. SlMCOX e q For many years, I was a plain way, and this is the point I want souse. I was the booziest, blear- to concentrate upon. There i s a rector of iest dipsomaniac you ever laid difference between tile way the A A s Zion Episcopal Church eyes upon. And then and then – take for granted the redemptive power of God, and the way the something happened to me!” Monchcster, Vermont Now when people stand up and average Churchman takes it for talk this way, you have got to lis- granted, and here is where the ten. Time and abain as I listen, average Churchman would do well the confession of 9. Paul leaps to go- to school to the AA. For, to my mind: ”Iam the least of the the average Churchman says, in apostles, that am not meet to be effect: “Yes, I believe that I am called an apostle, because I per- rejeemed by the power of God. So secuted the Church of God,” whatl” But the AA says: “I be- “That i s what I was,” says lieve that I am redeemed from al-

A n Experience of Redemption Paul, “A plain murderer — of coholism by the power of God, but if I am to stay tedeemed, I have Christ. I murdered Christ in the person of many of his faithful got to do something about it.” Here disciples. This is what I was — again he is talking the spiritual R ECENTLY I have attended some meetings of one of the most dynamic and constructive soredemption, and to that they are all witnesses; and of this they are all apostles. I mean this: every but, by the grace of God I am, what I am, and his ‘grace which was belanguage of the great apostle. St. Paul proclaims that we receive stowed upon me was not in vain; salvation from God. But then he cieties in the world today: Alco- last one of them I have listened to but I labored more abundantly than adds: “Wak out your own salvaholics Anonymous. I don’t mind testifies in one way or another, to they all: yet not I, but the grace tion with fear and trembling.” Yes, confessing that I, a priest, with some “Power-not-of-himself” that of God which was with me.” God does it for you; it’s his gift, some knowledge of Christian The- has lifted him from helpless alcoology, have learned –or relearn- holism, into sobriety. In the lan- Yes, I think St. Paul would un- not your own achievement. But, ed– some great central Christian truths, from the people I have met guage of Christianity, they have derstand Alcoholics Anonymous very well. He’d be right at home unless you do something about it; unless you do a certain something been redeemed. And notice how I forGod, you lose that gift. So what and listened to at these meetings. put it: They have been redeemed. with them They speak the same langrurge. They have been deliver- it comes to is this: God, and God These people represent “all s o n s and conditions of men” and They have not redeemed themselves. Many of them tried. They ed by the same power.. … But this isn’t, a s I see it, the alone, can save you; but you can unsave yourself; and you surely women: some rich, some poor; some tried to set their own will power +ole lesson that AAs have to will, unless you do something. , Catholic, some Protestant, some alone to the task of breaking the with no credal allegiance at all. teach the rest of us. You and I here To return to Alcoholics Anony- , grip that alcohol had on them. It But, they all have one thing in in this church take f o i granted the &us: They don’t say simply “I didn’t work. They were helpless. common, and this impresses me mere fact of the existence of God. believe that some power-not-of- Something from outside set them That isn’t really in question with myself has delivered me from and moves me very profoundly: they all have a great experience of free. They have been redeemed. There i s no proud pharisaism us. And b e take fa granted the drink s o what!”No, having made their affirmation of faith, they redemptive p e r of God. That

W e s to give another what he has out and do something about it. Let me tell you exactly what they do,. in c a s e you don’t know; it’s very received. The grace, the power to stay sober, i s doubled in him . by his own virtuous will power alone.. And here is another. We ,are a l l sick people, and only God first. Do you remember what an AA member does? Let’s face it, you and I. The uninstructive. An AA i s like a doctor or minister. If he i s called out to whenever he goes out t o give it . away.. And what about the man . can make u s whole.. you recieve this wholeness from God. But you converted world around us pays respectful attention to Alcoholics be with somebody who is having a t o whom the member goes? Now, must noc stop at receiving it. Now Anonymous. If it pays less respectrough time of it, out he goes. His there i s nothing that the member, the work of your salvation begins. ful attention to us, may it not be job i s to carry the power that has or d o c t a or priest, or God himself You must carry that gift t o others. because we say “I believe, s o redeemed him, t o the person who can d o for the sick man unless he If you won’t g o out and d o that, you what!” Share your God with anyneeds redempion. And the AAs i s willing t o have it done. And the will lose the gift. You will sink body you can, in every way you find that invariably twothings hap- AAs know that. They won’t argue back into the old death from which can. Work out this salvation in pen: both the helper and the with anyone about whether or not you have been raised, and your fear and trembling, and in thus helped, are helped. he ought t o quit drinking, The man last state will be worse than the blessing, you will be blessed. I was struck by the fact that one has got t o make a decision for after another got up and said “I am himself. That i s good Christianity an alcoholic,” never “I was a n too. We believe in the freedom of alcoholic.” – That i s realism. the will. And we know from our own experience that God respects They won’t fool themselves. T h e alcoholic has a problem on his that freedom of the will with which hands and he knows it, even though he endowed us. God will give you he may not have touched a drop in a l l the grace you need t o meet and 10 years. But he finds this: that if overcome evil, but nothing will he devotes himself t o helping come of it, until you s a y “Yes, others, he himself i s helped. If he be it s o unto me.” So, when an alcoholic s a y s “Yes” and he calls offers himself a s a human carrier, – why not call him an apostle? – fa help, a member goes.. … Alcoholics Anonymous i s a won- Yes, of that power-not-of-himself, t o someone else, -that power i s mul- derful society, a fellowship of the tiplied in him t o helpand strength- redeemed and the redeeming. And e n him. I say a s a Churchman that God i s You may s a y thrs i s fine applied trying t o remind us who are of h i s psychology, and it is. But why church, through AA and through stop a t that? This i s one of the other movements of the son, of I central secrets of Christianity. some truths which God has com- I T h i s i s one of the Christian ideas. mitted to us, h i s church, though “It i s in giving that we receive.” Jesus Christ, Our Lord. We seem I call this the central secret of t o need reminding. Christianity. I can think of noother Let u s just briefly sum up and that better deserves that classih- recapitualte these truths. Here i s cation. And the truth of it i s what one. No man i s able t o improve the AA member findsout when he himself, t o make himself better,