WWJD: The Story of In His Steps

By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams

My sister recently gifted me with a bunch of old books. I brought the box of books home where I put it aside until a couple of weeks ago. When I finally got around to going through them I found an old, yellowed copy of In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon. The introduction in my copy dates it as 1956. I remember hearing about this book in the past, but I wasn’t as familiar with it as I would be if I had read it. I finally got it out and began reading. One of the things that stood out to me as I read the preface was that this is the source of the phrase, what would Jesus do?

I don’t know about you, but I thought this was a twentieth-century-coined phrase. Late twentieth century. I had not heard it until my children were in youth group at our church and they all began wearing the rubber bands with the anacronym printed upon it—WWJD. I called my sister and talked to her about this book. She reminded me that Mama had a copy of it when we were girls. That’s why the title seemed familiar to me. Still, it wasn’t a book that I had read. By now, I was intrigued. I had to learn more.

Copyright, 1896 
You may be surprised, as I was, to learn that In His Steps was first written in 1896. Yes. It’s that old! In fact, the full title of the book is In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? I had no idea that that phrase was that old. Upon further research, I discovered some things I want to share with you, as the story behind the book is a fascinating one unto itself. 

In His Steps is a work of religious fiction. The main character is the Rev. Henry Maxwell, pastor of the First Church of Raymond, a railroad town likely located in the eastern United States. He challenges his congregation not to do anything for an entire year without first asking, “What would Jesus do?”

It was read one chapter at a time to the congregation of Central Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas. As it was being read, it was being published as a serial in the Chicago Advance, a religious weekly. Not understanding the copyright laws of the day, the publisher filed only one copy of the Advance with the department each week, rather than the required two. Because of this, the copyright was deemed defective, thus the story became public domain and the Advance put it out in a ten cents paper edition. Since no one had legal ownership, sixteen different publishers in the United States and fifty in Europe and Australia put out various editions of the book charging anywhere from an English penny to eight shillings. The London publisher sold over three million copies of the penny edition on the streets of London. Just a reminder here folks . . . this was 1896!

Big Sales 
Sales of In His Steps burst upon the entire world and ignited revivals in New Zealand and Wales. Millions of copies were sold in Woolworth’s stores. It was even translated into Arabic and Russian and Hindu. It is said to have changed the world in the early part of the twentieth century.

At this point in time, more than thirty million copies of the book have been sold worldwide making it one of the best-selling books of all time. Had the copyright debacle not happened, the book likely would not have been so widely available and read. Publishers Weekly reports that In His Steps has had a wider circulation that any book other than the Holy Bible.

It’s Fiction Folks
Let me remind you that this is a work of fiction. As an author of fiction, this gives me great hope that the works of our hands are doing great things to advance the Kingdom. Do not ever doubt that the words we write can have a deep impact upon the lives of our readers, non-fiction and fiction alike.

Have you read In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? Tell us how it influenced your life.

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