To finish then the Artist's plan,
Of purest mould he form'd the man;
He gave him an immortal soul,
And bade him live to rule the whole,
While angels, from celestial shrine
Sang at his birth with strains divine:
Happy, happy mortals rise,
Taste with us immortal joys,
Blooming on yon sacred tree,
Planted by the Diety,
The hallow'd fruit is Masonry.
Far beyond the pregnant sky,
There the hopes of Masons lie,
Masons, happy choice above,
Masons every blessing prove,
Friendship, harmony, and love.
Since perfect love and power divine
First gave our science birth,
So friendship shall our hearts entwine,
And harmonize the earth;
Behold the virgin hither flies,
To crown us with her blissful joys.
Blooming as fair Eden's bower,
Friendship, goddess heavenly bright,
Dropping in a balmy shower,
Breathing concord and delight;
Each Mason feels the sacred fire
Glow with ardour in his heart;
The flame inspires him with desire
To relieve another's smart,
From Heaven since such blessings flow,
Let every Mason here below
Our noble science thus improve;
"Twill raise his soul to realms above,
And make his lodge-a lodge of love.
Hail to the Craft! at whose serene command
The gentle arts in glad obedience stand:
Hail sacred Masonry! of source divine,
Unerring sov'reign of the unerring line,
To rear vast structures from the womb of earth,
And give imperial cities glorious birth.
To works of art her merit not confin'd,
She regulates the morals, squares the mind;
Corrects with care the sallies of the soul,
And points the tide of passions where to roll;
On Virtue's tablet marks her moral rule,
And forms her lodge an universal school;
Where Nature's mystic laws unfolded stand,
And sense and science join'd, go hand in hand,
O may her social rules instructive spread,
Till Truth erect her long neglected head!
Till through deceitful night she dart her ray,
And beam full glorious in the blaze of day;
Till men by virtuous maxims learn to move,
Till all the peopled world her laws approve,
And Adam s race are bound in brother's love.
(Performed at the Grand Chapter of Harodim. Written by Bro. Noorthouck. Set to Music by
Order is Heaven's first law: thro' boundless
Unnumber'd orbs roll round their destin'd race;
On earth, as strict arrangements still appear,
Suiting the varying seasons of the year;
Beneficence divine presents to view
Its plenteous gifts to man, in order true;
But chief, a Mind, these blessings to improve,
By arts, by science, by fraternal love.
When men exalt their views to Heaven's high will
With steady aim their duty to fulfil,
The mind expands, its strength appears
Growing with their growing years,
Mounting the apex of masonic skill.
Be this the earnest purpose of our lives,
Success must crown the man who nobly strives!
Loud let us raise our swelling strains,
And Harodim proclaim,
Of excellence the name:
Good will to all, love to each other, The due of every skilful Brother, Who worthily our ancient lore maintains. Indulgence in pleasure,
By prudence we measure;
And cheerfully parting, exchange an adieu;
Till we meet with fresh vigour, our tasks to renew.
(By Bro. Dunkerley.)
Hail, universal Lord!
By Heaven and earth ador'd:
All hail, Great God!
Before thy name we bend,
To us thy grace extend,
And to our prayer attend,
All hail! Great God!
(By Bro. Dunkerley.)
Almighty Sire! our Heavenly King.
Before whose sacred name we bend,
Accept the praises which we sing,
And to our humble pray'r attend!
All hail, great Architect divine!
This universal frame is thine.
Thou who didst Persia's king command
A proclamation to extend,
That Israel's sons might quit his land,
Their holy Temple to attend.
That sacred place where Three in One,
Compris'd thy comprehensive name;
And where the bright meridian sun
Was soon thy glory to proclaim.
Thy watchful eye, a length of time,
The wondrous circle did attend;
The glory and the power be thine,
Which shall from age to age descend.
On thy Omnipotence we rest,
Secure of thy protection here; And hope hereafter to be blest,
When we have left this world of care.
Grant us, great God, thy powerful aid
To guide us through this vale of tears;
For where thy goodness is display'd,
Peace soothes the mind, and Nature cheers.
Inspire us with thy grace divine,
Thy sacred law our guide shall be?
To every good our hearts incline!
From ev'ry evil keep us free!
Genius of Masonry descend,
In mystic numbers while we sing; Enlarge our souls, the craft defend, And hither all thy influence bring; With social thoughts our bosoms All, And give thy turn to every will.
Behold the Lodge rise into view,
The work of industry and art;
'Tis grand, and regular, and true,
For so is each good Mason's heart:
Friendship cements it from the ground,
And secrecy shall fence it round.
A stately dome o'erlooks our East,
Like orient Phoebus in the morn;
And two tall pillars in the West,
At once support us and adorn:
Upholden thus, the structure stands,
Untouch'd by sacrilegious hands.
For concord form'd our souls agree,
Nor fate this union shall destroy;
Our toils and sports alike are free,
And all is harmony and joy;
So Salem's temple rose by rule.
Without the noise of metal tool.
As when Amphion tun'd his song, E'en rugged rocks the music knew; Smooth'd into form they glode along, And to a Thebes the desert grew; So at the sound of Hiram's voice, We rise, we join, and we rejoice.
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