B’nai B’rith

PAUSE, O ye winds of Heaven, pause in your winged flight

To catch on your spreading bosom, on your circling pinions bright,

The voices of Heavenly joyance, the pæans of gladsome praise

That float from yon mansion of splendor, lit by eternal rays.

That float yon palace of beauty, that rears to a towering height

In proud built, massive grandeur, its gleaming walls of light,

Yea, count ye, the many stories, and mark ye the noble air

’Tis the Order B’nai B’rith—a castle wondrous fair!

Then pause, O ye fleeting winds, and hark to the pulsing swells,

The anthems of glorious hope, the peal of the Jubilee bells!

As they mount to the crystal skies, and gladden the welkin above

With their silvery voices of love, born of a golden love.

A myriad host of voices, that flood the night with glee

And grow from a muffled murmur to an outcry wild and free

As we climb from the level upward, in the wondrous palace of light,

And the bells increase in beauty, and the walls increase in might.

The sun-kissed heights at last; in pride subdued we turn

To cast a backward glance, and our souls within us burn,

Yea friends, a noble structure, framed from our hearts’ best love

With willing hands well-wrought, and blessed by Heaven above.

See from the thousand windows, the streaming rays of light

Dispelling with warmth and splendor the darkness of the night,

And guiding the weary ones, lost in the blackness without,

Straight to the Beacon of hope, away from the labyrinth of doubt.

The twilight of ignorance changing to the glorious noonday bright,

A lamp of life to the struggling, a torch to the blinded sight,

Enlightenment, fair motto engraved on our walls and souls;

Light! Light! for the night-wrapt world—yea, spread it to the poles.