May 25

May 25 – AM

Page xx, Foreword to Second Edition (1955)

Another reason for the wide acceptance of A.A. was the ministration of friends—friends in medicine, religion, and the press, together with innumerable others who became our able and persistent advocates.  Without such support, A.A. could have made only the slowest progress.  Some of the recommendations of A.A.’s early medical and religious friends will be found further on in this book.
Alcoholics Anonymous is not a religious organization.  Neither does A.A. take any particular medical point of view, though we cooperate widely with the men of medicine as well as with the men of religion.
Alcohol being no respecter of persons, we are an accurate cross section of America, and in distant lands, the same democratic evening-up process is now going on.  By personal religious affiliation, we include Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and a sprinkling of Moslems and Buddhists.  More than 15% of us are women.

May 25 – PM

Page 161-162, A Vision For You, Chapter 11

Under only slightly different conditions, the same thing is taking place in many eastern cities.  In one of these there is a well-known hospital for the treatment of alcoholic and drug addiction.  Six years ago one of our number was a patient there.  Many of us have felt for the first time, the Presence and Power of God within its walls.  We are greatly indebted to the doctor in attendance there, for he, although it might prejudice his own work, has told us of his belief in ours.
Every few days this doctor suggests our approach to one of his patients.  Understanding our work, he can do this with an eye to selecting those who are willing and able to recover on a spiritual basis.  Many of us, former patients, go there to help.  Then, in this eastern city, there are informal meetings such as we have described to you, where you may now see scores of members.  There are the same fast friendships, there is the same helpfulness to one another as you find among our western friends.  There is  a good bit of travel between East and West and we foresee a great increase in the helpful interchange.