Illustrations of Masonry
by
William
Preston
Anthems
Anthem I
Grant us, kind Heaven! what we
request,
In masonry let us be blest;
Direct us to that happy place
Where Friendship smiles in every
face:
Where Freedom and sweet
Innocence
Enlarge the mind and cheer the
sense.
Where sceptered Reason, from her
throne,
Surveys, the Lodge, and makes us
one;
And Harmony's delightful sway
For ever sheds ambrosial day:
Where we blest Eden's pleasures
taste,
While balmy joys are our repast.
No prying eye can view us here;
No fool or knave disturb our
cheer:
Our well-formed laws set mankind
free,
And give relief to misery:
The poor, oppressed with woe and
grief,
Gain form our bounteous hands
relief.
Our Lodges the social Virtues
grace,
And Wisdom's rules we fondly
trace;
Whole Nature open to our view,
Points out the paths we should
persue
Let us subsist in lasting peace,
And may our happiness increase!
Anthem II
By Mason's Art the aspiring dome
On stately columns shall arise,
All climates are their native
home,
Their godlike actions reach the
skies.
Heroes and kings revere their
name
While poets sing their lasting
fame.
Great, noble, generous, good,
and brave;
All virtues they must justly
claim;
Their deeds shall live beyond
the grave,
And those unborn their praise
proclaim,
Time shall their glorious acts
enrol,
While live and friendship charm
the soul.
Anthem III
Let there be light - the
Almighty spoke,
Resulgent streams from chaos
broke,
To illume the rising earth!
Well pleased the Great Johavah
stood
The Power Supreme pronounced it
good,
And gave the planets birth!
In choral numbers Masons join,
To bless and praise this light
divine.
Parent of light! accept our
praise!
Who sheddest on us thy brightest
rays,
The light that fills his mind
By choice selected, lo! we
stand.
By friendship joined, a social
band!
That love, that aid mankind!
In choral numbers Masons join,
To bless and praise this light
divine.
The widow's tear - the orphan's
cry -
All wants our ready hands
supply,
As far as power is given
The naked clothe - the prisoner
free -
These are thy works, Sweet
Charity!
Revealed to us from Heaven.
In choral numbers Masons join,
To bless and praise this light
divine.
.
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