Charles M. Sheldon and Old Prairie Town

'In His Steps' author Charles Monroe Sheldon (February 26, 1857 ~ February 24, 1946) had a small study that has been relocated to Topeka's OLD PRAIRIE TOWN.  

We only looked through  the windows because the door was locked.

I placed my hand on the door knob and wondered 

how many times Charles must have turned the knob.

In the winter of 1896 Sheldon developed a sermon story that he read as a weekly series from the pulpit of Central Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas.  Remember the WWJD bracelets that so many wore in the 1990s?  What would Jesus do?  The unifying theme of these sermons was based on posing the question, "what would Jesus do?" when facing moral decisions.


Wikipedia states that Charles's theological outlook focused on the practicalities of the moral life, with less emphasis on the doctrinal traditions of personal redemption from sin in Christ.  He was an advocate of the late nineteenth century school of thought known as Christian Socialism.


In March 1900 he became editor for a week of the Topeka Daily Capital applying the "What Would Jesus Do?" concept.  In that short time, the newspaper's circulation exploded from just under 12,000 to 387,000, overwhelming the paper's Topeka printing plant causing it to print 120,000 copies each in Chicago, Illinois and New York City.


Charles M. Sheldon, saying that, "newspapers should be operated as Christ would operate them," sends the Capital circulation sky rocketing from 12,000 to 387,000 forcing it print papers in New York and Chicago.  ~Topeka Capital Journal~

What if in 2010 Homes were operated as Christ would operate them?

~Deanna~