Reverend Sam Shoemaker of Calvary Episcopal Church met Ebby Thatcher, a newcomer to the Oxford Group brought to him by Rowland Hazard, that "certain American business man" whose contact by the famed psychiatrist, Dr. Carl Jung is described on page 26 of the Big Book.

As a result of these serendipitous events, Reverend Sam came to know Bill Wilson, an alcoholic ex-stockbroker who became a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Reverend Shoemaker wrote several articles and this piece, an apologia – a justification - for his life.