The Master’s song is usually sung at the Festive Board at an installation. A soloist will sing the verses and the chorus, but each chorus will be repeated by all present. There is also a specific pattern of salutation performed against the glasses of the Senior and Junior Wardens by the soloist during the pre-chorus refrains.
The chorus is:
And here’s to his health
Here’s to his health,
And here’s to his health in a song.
After each line of the chorus those present during a pause between each chorus line will touch glasses three times with another individual, attempting to do so in the sequence of: – the top of glass A to the bottom of glass B, the bottom of glass A to the top of glass B, the side of glass A to the side of glass B.
THE MASTER’S SONG
This world is so hard and so stony,
That if a man is to get through,
He need have the courage of Nelson,
And plenty of Jobs patience too.
But a man who is kind to another
And cheerfully helps him along,
We’ll claim as a man and a brother,
And here’s to his health in a song.
And here’s to his health, here’s to his health
And here’s to his health in a song.
(Chorus:
And here’s to his health, here’s to his health
And here’s to his health in a song.)
This life is as cheerless as winter
To those who are cold in the heart,
But a man who is warm in his nature
Bids winter for ever depart
The ground that he treads on will blossom,
Till beauty around him shall throng;
God Bless such a man and a brother,
And here’s to his health in a song.
And here’s to his health; here’s to his health
And here’s to his health in a song.
(Chorus)
As clouds that in sunshine are open,
And silvered by light passing through,
So men who are generous in spirit,
Are blessed by the good deeds they do;
There’s nothing like helping another
For getting one’s own self along;
Who does this is truly a brother.
And here’s to his health in a song.
And here’s to his health; here’s to his health
And here’s to his health in a song.
(Chorus)
There’s something in other men’s sorrows
That strengthens a man who is true,
They melt him at first, and then mould him,
The manliest actions do.
There’s lots of both sorrow and trouble,
Our poor fellow-creatures among;
But God makes the blessings all double
To those who help others along.
(All, standing, sing Chorus.)