(These are actually the words taken from Odes sung in Victorian Lodges. Our Degrees have music written to accompany them which are played by lodge organists with lodges singing along. Some lodges have a Choir Master and a smaller number actually maintain Choirs.)

 

Hail, Eternal, by Whose aid,

All created things were made;

Heav’n and earth, Thy vast design;

Hear us, Architect divine.

 

May our work, begun in Three,

Ever blest with order be,

And may we, when labours cease

Part in harmony and peace.

 

 

 

How blessed are our brethren, Lord,

How sure is their defense;

Eternal wisdom is their guide,

Their help, Omnipotence

 

 

 

Keep thy tongue from evil

And they lips that they speak no guile

 

 

 

Pure as that badge thy life may be;

If thou but to thine inmost self be true;

And, like the Master, give thy best work

To all thy hand should find to do.

 

 

 

Meek and lowly, pure and holy,

Chief among the “Blessed Three”;

Turing sadness into gladness,

Heav’n born art though, Charity.

Never weary of well-doing, never fearful of the end.

Claiming all mankind as brothers,

Though dost all alike befriend;

 

Meek and lowly, pure and holy,

Chief among the “Blessed Three”;

Turing sadness into gladness,

Heav’n born art though, Charity.

 

 

 

 

O Masons blest, Who pity shows,

And learns to feel another’s woes;

Lends to the poor man’s wants his ear,

And wipes the helpless orphans’ tear;

In ev’ry want, in ev’ry woe

Himself true pity then shall know.

 

 

 

Through many dangers, toils and snares

He has already come;

His trust has brought him safe thus far;

And faith will lead him home.

 

 

 

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper the Art, and defend us;

Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend us;

Ponder anew,

What the Almightily can do,

If in His strength he befriends us.

 

 

 

Guide us, O Thou great Jehovah

Pilgrims through this barren land;

We are weak, but Thou art mighty,

Hold us with Thy pow’rful hand;

Light of heaven, Light of heaven,

Guide us now and evermore,

Guide us now and evermore.

 

 

 

O may our highest pleasure be

To further man’s felicity;

Let none in sorrow vainly sigh,

No grief unheeded pass us by.

 

 

 

Let equity our steps attend,

And injured worth our tongues defined;

So may we all, As Brethren true.

The path of kindliness pursue.

 

 

 

The virtues that exalt mankind

Our noble tenets prove;

Engraven on each faithful mind

Are Unity and Love

 

 

 

Ascending to her native sky,

In Beauty, Strength and Grace,

A glorious pillar raised on high;

Integrity the base.

 

 

 

Peace joins with olive branch entwined,

The emblem of a dove;

Fraternal Comfort we will find

And blessings from above.

 

 

 

With your emblem now invested,

Still proceed as you began;

Prove yourself, however tested

Both a Craftsman and a man.

 

 

 

Thy want, not mine, O Lord;

However dark it be;

Lead me by Thine own hand, O Lord,

Choose Thou the path for me.

 

 

 

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want,

He makes me down to lie

In pastures green, He leadeth me

The quiet waters by.

 

 

 

Yea, though I walk in deaths dark vale,

Yet will I fear no ill,

For Thou art with me, and Thy rod

And staff me comfort still.

 

 

 

Let ev’ry Craftsman gather, with wish sincere to share;

And welcome, with hearts flowing, our Master in the Chair

God grant he rule us wisely, and to his trust be true,