Give ear to my song without any sneer;
And if you'll have patience you soon shall see,
What a noble Art is Masonry.
There's none but an atheist can ever deny,
But that this great Art came first from on high;
The Almighty God here I'll prove for to be,
The first great Master of Masonry.
He took up His Compass with masterly hand,
He stretched out his Rule and he measured the land;
He laid the foundation of Earth and the Sea,
By his known Rules of Masonry.
Our first Father Adam, deny it who can,
A Mason was made as soon as a Man;
And a fig-leaf Apron at first wore he,
In token of his love to Masonry,
The Principal Law our Lodge does approve,
Is that we should live in Brotherly-Love;
Thus Cain was banished by Heaven's decree,
For breaking the Rules of Masonry.
The Temple that wise King Solomon raised,
For beauty, for order, for elegance praised;
To what did it owe its elegancy?
To the just formed Rules of Masonry.
But should I pretend in this humble verse,
The merits of Freemasons' Arts to rehearse;
Years yet to come too little would be,
To sing the praises of Masonry.
Then hoping I've not detained you too long,
I here shall take leave to finish my song;
With a health to the Master and those that are free,
That live to the Rules of Masonry.
From Ahiman Rezon, 1756.