THE LEVEL AND THE SQUARE

By Robert Morris

We meet upon the level, and we part upon the square,

What words of precious meaning those words Masonic are!

Come, let us contemplate them; they are worthy of a thought,

With the highest and the lowest and the rarest they are fraught.

We meet upon the level, though from every station come

The King from out his palace and the poor man from his home;

For the one must leave his diadem without the Mason's door,

And the other finds his true respect upon the checkered floor.

We part upon the square, for the world must have its due;

We mingle with its multitude, a cold, unfriendly crew;

But the influence of our gatherings in memory is green,

And we long, upon the level, to renew the happy scene.

There's a world where all are equal, we are hurrying toward it fast,

We shall meet upon the level there when the gates of death are past;

We shall stand before the Orient, and our Master will be there,

To try the blocks we offer by His own unerring square.

We shall meet upon the level there, but never thence depart;

There's a Mansion, 'tis all ready for each zealous, faithful heart;

There's a Mansion and a welcome, and a multitude is there,

Who have met upon the level and been tried upon the square.

Let us meet upon the level, then, while laboring patient here,

Let us meet and let us labor, tho' the labor seem severe.

Already in the western sky the signs bid us prepare

To gather up our working tools and part upon the square!

Hands round, ye faithful Ghiblimites, the bright, fraternal chain;

We part upon the square below to meet in Heaven again.

O what words of precious meaning those words Masonic are,