Frontispiece · Being a General Introduction
PULPitFact orFiction
Every preacher, teacher, and after-dinner speaker keeps a little mental list of anecdotes — the beggar and the emperor, the boy and the glass of milk, the bridge keeper and his son. This is an open, searchable archive devoted to a few stubborn questions: did these stories actually happen? And if they did, who told it first? Where did it first appear in print? Read a tale, follow the leads, and if you can find an earlier source than anyone else, let us know ... and your name goes into the literary sleuth hall of fame.
We are Christ followers who enjoy and appreciate a well-placed, well-told anecdote. And we honor the preachers who tell them from the pulpit. Some are grounded in fact. Some are cherished illustrations. But we do not care which is which. The truth is not the point. The illustration is. We come not as critics but as admirers — curious about the journey these stories have taken through time and across pulpits. We built this site because, like archaeologists, we want to dig down to where these stories began, who first told them, when were they first written down. And we pray — in the spirit of Philippians 1:15-18 and evangelistic intent — that some who join this adventure will find Christ along the way.
Chapter I
Featured Unresolved Stories
Widely repeated. Rarely sourced. Help us find the first appearance.
Alexander the Great and the Beggar
A beggar asks for alms; Alexander gives gold. Was this really him? Help us trace the earliest appearance.
The Boy and the Glass of Milk
A boy receives a full glass of milk; years later a life is changed. Where did you first hear this?
The Judge and the Unpaid Tickets
A judge pays a poor woman's fine from his own pocket, then declares the law satisfied. Where did this illustration first come from?
Footprints in the Sand
Two sets of footprints become one at the hardest stretch. Several authors have claimed it — which claim holds? Where did you first read or hear it?
The Cracked Pot
A leaking water pot grieves its own flaw — until it sees the flowers along the path. Where did you first hear this tale?
The Bridge Keeper and His Son
A drawbridge operator must lower the gears with his own child below. A modern atonement illustration of murky origin. Where did you first hear it told?
C.S. Lewis and the Hound of Heaven
'The Holy Spirit is after you. I doubt you'll get away!' Did Lewis really say it — and who said it first? Where did you first hear it?
Chapter II
How it works
Read a story
Each entry gathers the anecdote, its known variants, and every lead the community has tracked down.
Bring a source
Cite the earliest printed appearance you can find — sermon, tract, newspaper, or scholarly note.
Earn your place
Verified sources earn points and badges. Top contributors join the topic and country Halls of Fame.