Commentary
This broadside begins: 'WILLIAM SANKEY, BOLDLY STATES, IN MERCHANTS' HALL, That every Evangelical is a Heretic; --- "All the Ministers have no commission from God;" --- "They are accursed;" --- and "All the churches are Synagogues of Satan."' There are no publication details included on this sheet. Although William Sankey appears to have been a prominent figure in his day, little is known of him today. It is clear from this broadside that he was a controversial figure who aroused a great deal of religious debate. A large number of broadsides focused on the frictions surrounding religious differences. In a predominantly presbyterian country such as Scotland, there would have been very few people who did not have an opinion on such matters. Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.
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Probable period of publication:
1830-1840 shelfmark: L.C.1268
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