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
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