IN MASON’S LODGE WITH DARKENED EYES AND CABLETOW ABOUT ME, I SWORE TO HAIL ALL MYSTERIES THAT MASONS KEEP AND MASONS PRIZE, ALL BROTHER’S SECRETS WHISPERED LOW, ALL WORDS THEY SPEAK, ALL THINGS THEY DO, IN MYSTIC MANNER TAUGHT ME. ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER. BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (E.A. STEP, D.G. & SIGN) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
I SWORE TO ANSWER AND OBEY, ALL SUMMONS DULY SENT ME BY BROTHER’S HAND OR LODGE ARRAY, I SWORE THAT I WOULD NEVER STRAY FROM ANCIENT LAWS AND RULES THAT BOUND FREEMASONS IN THE DAYS RENOWNED BUT WOULD OBSERVE THEM TRULY. ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK, AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER. BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (F.C. STEP, D.G, & SIGN) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
1 SWORE TO LEAD WITH GENEROUS CARE ALL THOSE IN SORROW HIDDEN, A BROTHER ON THE DARKENED SQUARE, THE MOURNERS WITH DISHEVELED HAIR, THE ORPHAN DOOMED ALAS TO STRAY UPON A ROUGH AND RUGGED WAY, WHILE TEARS GUSHED FORTH UNHIDDEN. ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK, AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER. BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (M.M. STEP, D.G. & SIGN) FOREVER AND FOR EVER.
I SWORE TO DEAL IN HONESTY, WITH ALL TRUE HEARTS ABOUT ME, THAT HONOR BRIGHT, SHOULD EVER BE. UNBROKEN BONDS TWIXT ME AND THEE. NOT WRONG, NOR GUILE NOR CRUEL FRAUD SHOULD EVER BREAK, THAT SACRED CORD BY WHICH MY VOWS HAVE BOUND ME, ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK, AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER. BUT STAND BY THIS AND THIS AND THIS (E.A., F.C., & M,M. D.G.’S.) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
I SWORE TO GUARD THE SECRETS CLOSE OF TRUE MASONIC BROTHERS, TO KEEP THEM SACRED AS MY OWN AND NEVER EVER LET THEM BE KNOWN, WITH BODY UPRIGHT, A FAITHFUL HEART, AND MIND MATURE IN MORAL ART, TO STAND A JUST AND UPRIGHT MASON. ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK, AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER, BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (E.A., F.C.,. & M.M. SIGNS) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
I SWORE THE CHASTITY TO GUARD OF WOMEN TRUE AND TENDER, A BROTHER MASON’S WIFE AND CHILD, HIS MOTHER SISTER UNDEFILED. TO THEM I SWORE A BROTHER’S LOVE, BY HIM WHO RULES THE LODGE ABOVE, TO BE A TRUE DEFENDER. ON YONDER BOOK THAT OATH I TOOK, AND WILL I BREAK IT? NEVER, BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (G.H. SIGN) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
MY BROTHER THESE VOWS ARE YOUR VOWS AND BE THEY YOUR CARES; AND MAY SUCH AID BE GIVEN IN ANSWER TO YOUR EARNEST PRAYERS THAT YOU MAY EVER DO AND DARE ALL THAT GOD’S GRACIOUS LAW ALLOWS. AND WHEN THE EVENING SHADES DESCEND YOU MAY BE FOUND IN HEAVEN, ON YONDER BOOK THOSE OATHS YOU TOOK, AND WILL YOU BREAK THEM? NEVER , BUT STAND BY THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS (POINT TO G.L.) FOREVER AND FOREVER.
