Sept. 5, 1651: Obadiah Holmes was brutally whipped for his religious beliefs, but gave a brief sermon as he was being stripped before his whipping. Convicted with three others, Holmes refused to pay the fine levied by the courts, believing it would be an admission of guilt. Such incidents prompted a discussion of civil and religious rights that would eventually be included in the Bill of Rights. ABHS has many editorials, correspondence, and books on the topic of religious freedom.
