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Quotation from The Virginia Declaration of Rights by George Mason
“all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.”
The Virginia Declaration of Rights, Section XVI (Avalon Project transcription)
Madison's free-exercise wording, replacing the language of toleration, followed by the closing duty of mutual charity.
Citation: "all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other." — George Mason, The Virginia Declaration of Rights, Section XVI (Avalon Project transcription). (id virginia-declaration-of-rights-q5)
Portrait: George Mason, After John Hesselius, Public domain.
