The Topeka state journal., 1899-05-13
Best Selling Books In England
Those of C. III. Sheldon.
London Paper Says 100000
Copies Have Been Sold.
IDEAS IN PRACTICE.
Town Councils Apply the Au-
thor's Teachings.
Mr.. Sheldon Preparing to Visit
England Next Fall.

| Rev. Charles Sheldon contemplates
visiting Great Britain next fall, pro-
vided his church here is in such con-
| dition that he feels justified in leaving
| it. Mr.. Sheldon is daily receiving an
| immense amount of mail from England
regarding his books. In His Steps" is
arousing more attention in Great. Brit
ain than any other book heretofore
published. The New York World re-
| Gently quoted an item from the London
Mail which stated that 100000 copies
of the book had been sold in Great Brit
| in, but the World questioned the ac-
| curacy of this statement. The state
ment should have been 100000 copies
| of all of Mr.. Sheldon's books had been
| sold, and of these 100000 were In HIS
| Steps"
Among the letters which Mr.. Sheldon
receives daily from England have been
numerous ones urging him to come over
there as soon as he can. Some are
| urging him to come Immediately The
people wish to see and hear him. 10
such Mr.. Sheldon has repHed that ne
can not come at present, as his WORK
here demands his attention. HIS church
is his first care.
But if matters arrange themselves so
that he can get away, Mr.. Sheldon Will
go to Great Britain for a short time
next fall. 1t is said that town councils
and other municipal bodies in England
have passed ordinances and laws based
the English public is ready to receive
Mr.. Sheldon with open arms.
In speaking of the remarkable sale
which In His Steps" has had in Great
Britain, and in comparing it with the
sale of other noted books, an English
publication says:
I'm less than six months the circula-
tiOn of In His Steps has far surpassed
the total circulation of all of Mrs.
Woods novels in forty years. East
Lynne which had a bigger circulation
than any other English copyright novel,
has only reached 100000 copies, and it
is said that the total number sold of
VIM. Blacks novels is not more than
300, 0OO Three Men in a Boat a re-
markably popular book, reached 160, 900;
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush 90,000
"A Prisoner of Zenda,' 10000, and The
Christian the most popular book of
1897 sold to the extent of 123, 900 copies.
But how paltry these figures are be
side Mr.. SheIdOn's millions! Three of
his books, published at penny. ran
through an aggregate edition of 9OOO0O
in three weeks, and there are altogether
not less than fifty editions on the mar
ket. Twenty English firms are com
peting in publishing these volumes of
sermons preached in Kansas"
The following is from the New York
World:
-.AIl England today is talking about a
book written in Topeka, Kan, three
title of it is In His Steps, What
Would Jesus do?' The London Daily
Mail announced that 5000, 900 copies of
the book had been sold. but that. of
course. is hardly possible. 1t is fact.
nevertheless, that town councils and
other municipal bodies in English cities
have actually passed laws based on the
suggestions in this book. In that way
it has accomplished tremendous
amount of good
1t might also be added that Mr.. Shell
don neglected to take advantage of the
international copyright law and the he
receives no financial profit from the for
eign sales.