April 1 9 6 2

* ” My father, a retired clergyman, has for many years been an en- fore I discovered that here was some- cation and freedom, arts and sciences thusiastic supporter of AA. This was given some point ten years thing diflerent. This approach to a -a proud heritage-the greatest ago when I joined AA and again about fifteen months ago when my problem as old as civilization was so days were when men humbly witsister made the same decision. free from cant and dogma, argumen- nessed to truth and faith which As an expression of his appreciation he has in the past entered tation and specious reasoning, that I burned in their own lives and which into some of our open meetings as a speaker when he visited me and have given AA my full and candid they carried as a living flame from my family. support without apology. life to life. So, do you, my dear Now at eighty-one he cannot travel and the attached message is Because I have found in several friends of AA, find reality in your the first of his visits by proxy. E. M . Tacoma, Wash. instances that AA is the only thing witness to an experience within. And, that “works,” I have come to think of perhaps the greatest thing you will it as one of the most valuable ad- ever do is to answer the call of anjuncts to my personal faith in men other person who has taken the first and God. It possesses all the ele- of the Twelve Steps, admitting that THE GOLDEN RULE IN ACTION ments of true religion. Let us look back over the twenty through drink his life has become unmanageable and that he needs help. And you go with him and see him centuries of our Christian civilization. It is a perfectly legitimate ques- through the Twelve Steps to his vica clergyman friend of the Fellowship finds . tion to ask, “What were the greatest torious and complete self. periods of organized religion?” Some Now, permit me to say a few words in our Program “. . . all the elements will say, “the age of the Crusades.” to you about neighbors. These were spectacular, organized We do not choose our ncighbors, of true religion” attempts to wrest the Holy Land from we just think we do. Neighbors are the hands of the Moslems. They were chosen for us and there are many facwrongly conceived, military projects tors which shape neighborhoods. which failed because of the inner cor- Population shifts in a great city are T is unlikely that I shall have the range here in the San Juan Islands. ruption of leaders and crusaders due mainly to economic inheritances, I pleasure of visiting with you The Scotch ask the question, “Why again. I find, at my age, that the old do the bag-pipers always march when alike. Or, we may look back with a sense nearness to public schools and realestate developments. wagon begins to creak. Apparently, they play?” The answer is, “A mov- of satisfaction to the middle centuries Consequently, our neighbors are my head functions better than my ing target is harder to hit.” when the great cathedrals of Europe all kinds of persons, those who are legs, although that may be mere con- But, speaking seriously, I have were built. The common people, much like ourselves in tastes, educaceit–one of the surest signs of senil- only good things to say about AA. seeking to express their aspirations, tion and outlook, and those who are ity is that the victim does not know It was in Detroit in the early Forties lifted their spires to heaven in the unlike ourselves; good, decent, pait. that I first became acquainted with most beautiful structures ever de- triotic neighbors; indifferent neigh- However that may be, my son, Ed- the organization. A good woman, a vised by the minds of men. They re- bors who borrow our rake and lawnward, suggested that if I would write member of my church, handed me a main today, rising above the horizon, mower and forget to return them; my greetings he would read them. small pamphlet, thinking that I might like warning hands, lest we too easily neighbors who lead in community af- That is kind of Ed and also courage- be interested. This bit of random lit- forget whence we have come. fairs and neighbors who are liars, . ous. Whatever cabbages are thrown, erature lay on my desk for some But, throughout all the slow, thieves and just plain shysters, and, either actual or verbal, he will have weeks before I took occasion to read steady progress of Christian history yet, they are our neighbors. to dodge them while I remain out of it. In fact, I read it several times be- -revolutions and reformations, edu- This is the present situation which

greatly disturbs us when the Bible This means the golden rule in conadmonishes us to love our neighbors tinuous action. as ourselves. We are living in troubled times. What causes the confusion here is A world of peace is projected farther that the Greeks had two words which and farther into the future. The we translate into L-0-V-E (and the means of totally destroying civiliza- New Testament was written in tion, now measured in millions of Greek). One word is philia which megatons of TNT, are in the control means affection, sentiment, romantic of frail human beings just like you love. The other word is agape which and me. is quite different; it denotes admira- But tomorrow is not hopeless. The tion and respect, esteem born of responsibility for saving the world good will; it has to do with con- rests upon the mind, conscience and science and the law; it generates a will of the individuals who compose sense of right and fair-dealing, thus society. If we behave toward others undergirding a good government and as we want them to behave toward a free society anywhere in the world. us, this human comedy glows with When, therefore, we read in our hope. If we prove by our deeds that Bibles that you shall love your neigh- truth is stronger than lies, that goodbors as yourselves it does not mean will outlasts hatred and suspicion, that a man shall love his neighbor as life becomes interesting, strong and he loves his wife and children-that challenging. would be ridiculous if not plain silly. So love your neighbors. It is the word agape that is used. May God bless all of you.