Corrections (to my ear) to the William Merit recording. Though I've bolded the corrections, to make it easier to follow I went ahead and reposted the whole thing. Still a few murky spots but (the lines for J, V and W in particular) but I'm pretty confident in the rest.

Also, a thought: Merritt's recording clearly comes from a theological background. Perhaps his is recited, rather than sung, because the church opposed non-hymn singing.


The Orange Alphabet
William Merritt, Ludlow, ME 1941
Helen Hartness Flanders Collection
D 14B 01 side A 0:46
https://archive.org/details/HHFBC_tapes_D14B

A is for the Ark which by six beasts was carried around
Till the strong walls of Jericho come dashing to the ground

B stands for Boyne where freedom won the day
And dark superstition forever's lost it's way

C is for the Covering which for the Ark was made
Of badger skins and goat hair and by cunning workmen laid

D stands for Derry in Ireland it is found
It never has been conquered; it is still an Orange town

E is for Lord Elgin his majesty upheld
A principal of honesty and righteousness as well

F is for the Faith for which which all Orangemen assay
If their trust has been well-founded and their morals not depraved

G stands for Gideon who with three hundred men
A mighty host of Midian scattered and roamed upon the plain

H stands for Horeb in which we all have stood
To teach us it was on Horeb that Moses talked with God

I stands for Israel from whence the tribes arose
They were God's chosen people and they conquered all their foes

J stands for Judas who by transgression fell
More worthy, he was replaced, or so the scriptures tell

K is for King William -- he's the champion of our cause
The founder of good morals and a maker of good laws

L is for the Ladder in Jacob's vision was seen
It reached from earth to heaven while the angels walked between

M is for the Manna on which the children fed
For forty years in the wilderness when by our Saviour led

N -- No Surrender on our banners it does appear
It's the watchword of our order, it's meaning plain and clear

O is the Obligations -- one, two, three, four and five
And they're taken on the Bible to be kept while we're alive

P is for the Plagues which on Pharaoh's people were sent
For all the prosecutions that Israel underwent

Q is for Quickness with which relief is found
If a brother he is needy and the word is passed around

R is for the Rod which bore fruit in one short night
To teach all future rebels that Jehovah's laws are right

S is for the Serpent which to Eve did first appear
But the Orangeman still meets him when least expected near

T is for Two and which if there's a half
And when I was blind and couldn't see it almost made me laugh

U is for Union; in one volley we are met
In fellowship we travel and our precepts ne'er forget

V is for the Virgin; the Saviour she did bear
In the very decree you'll find his name is written there

W is for our Warrant, on our wall it is displayed
And if you can rightly find it you need not be afraid

X, in Exodus it is plain to stand
Where Israel came from bondage and they gained the Promised Land

Y stands for Yat in the Hebrew alphabet
It has a hidden meaning and you may find it yet

Now with Z I'm sorely troubled, but I'll bid you all adieu
But if you've traveled the road that I have traveled it will be made plain to you