The Night Bill W. Wrote the Twelve Steps in Thirty Minutes and the Arguments That Nearly Killed Them – Homer D.

About This Speaker Tape

In this 1981 Unity Day recording from San Jose, Homer D. presents a dramatized play that reenacts how the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous were written in late 1938. The play opens with Maude providing historical context about the founding of AA in 1935, the formation of the Alcoholic Foundation, and how Bill W. began writing what would become the Big Book. Bill had been working from six steps borrowed from the Oxford Group, but felt something more explicit was needed. After prayer and meditation, he sat down one evening and drafted twelve steps in about thirty minutes, connecting them symbolically with the Twelve Apostles.

The heart of the play unfolds as Bill reads his draft to the group of early members gathered at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn. A fierce debate erupts between three factions: the conservatives Paul K. and Fitz M., who want strict theological language and more Bible quotations; the radicals Henry P. (an agnostic promoter obsessed with book sales) and Jim B. (a self-described atheist who calls the others "holy rollers"); and the moderates led by Howard A. and Joe S., who want the steps accessible to all alcoholics. Ruth Hoff, Henry's non-alcoholic secretary, emerges as a quiet but decisive voice, suggesting critical changes that survive to this day.

Through group conscience, the original drafts are reshaped word by word. "Never have we seen a person fail" becomes "Rarely have we seen." Ruth insists on "men and women" over Bill's initial resistance to the idea of women in the program. "Defects and sins" becomes "a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." The rigid "God" is softened to "a Power greater than ourselves" and "God as we understood Him," largely because Henry and Jim refuse to accept explicit theological language. Even Lois W. appears early on, talking Bill out of quitting when exhaustion and discouragement nearly derail the entire project. This CD 1 of 2 covers the preamble to Chapter 5 ("How It Works") and the first four steps, ending mid-discussion on Step Four.

Topics

Timestamps

• 00:00 Drew introduces the play; Maude sets the historical scene of March 1938
• 04:30 Background on Works Publishing Inc. and Henry selling stock certificates
• 08:00 Bill and Lois at home — Bill wants to quit writing, Lois talks him back
• 13:00 Howard and Joe arrive to review Bill's draft of twelve steps
• 17:00 Scene Two opens — the full group gathers at Clinton Street
• 21:00 Henry announces Reader's Digest will publicize the book
• 25:00 Bill reads his draft preamble for Chapter 5 — How It Works
• 30:00 Debate erupts: Henry says too much Higher Power, Paul and Fitz want more Bible
• 35:00 Ruth suggests changing never to rarely and adding men and women
• 40:00 Step One drafted — Ruth shapes powerless and unmanageable
• 45:00 Jim the atheist arrives late, clashes with Paul and Fitz
• 50:00 Step Two — Power greater than ourselves replaces explicit Higher Power language
• 55:00 Step Three — as we understood Him is added through group conscience
• 58:00 Step Four discussion — Ruth suggests searching and fearless moral inventory