Broadside entitled 'Yankee Sermon'

Commentary

This religious text begins: 'MY Beloved Brethern - I'm an unlarnt Hardshell Baptist Preacher, of whom you've hearn afore, and I now appear here to expound the Scripters, and pint out the Narrer Way'. Decorative woodcuts have been included on the sheet.

Although it is claimed that the Brother is 'well known' no further details are included on the sheet. The misspellings and attempts to convey the accent, suggest that this character is being portrayed as dim. The references to hardshell and flint perhaps imply criticism of Baptist preachers. Certainly there was a move towards religious questioning and exploration throughout the nineteenth century.

This style of text, with its implicit political propaganda, would not only have made for compelling entertainment, but would also perhaps have stimulated political thought, reasoning and debate

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