Opening Chorus.

Air—"Huntsman's Chorus, from William Tell (Rossini).

They fashioned their Gods in the wilderness
Of old, and smirched the desert's face;
They wrote their faith on the drifting sand,
But ours we flaunt in the market-place.
Fill the seats of the mighty in Dives' name,
For only the purple shall win grace,
And only the poor be clay and base:
O, kneel to the King that the wise acclaim!

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Your ancient Gods from their altars hale,
And drag in the dust your pride and worth:
For the meek shall inherit the kindly earth
And the fruits thereof, who acknowledge Baal.
We have sloughed the garb of our servitude
To the churches' creeds that are lootless feud,
And have made of Honour a tinkling name:
O, kneel to the King that the wise acclaim!