Rudyard Kipling's Ritual - Penned for Engineers
A sober reminder as to the duties of professionals, which advocates may learn from.
This is beautiful: a ritual penned by Rudyard Kipling, which new engineers in Canada can partake in when they graduate. It’s called ‘the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer’.
Quite a sober reminder as to the duties of professionals – advocates too may learn from this. (Read about the ritual on Wikipedia.)
“…I, ____, in the presence of these my betters and my equals in my Calling, bind myself upon my Honour and Cold Iron, that, to the best of my knowledge and power, I will not henceforward suffer or pass, or be privy to the passing of, Bad Workmanship or Faulty Material in aught that concerns my works before mankind as an Engineer, or in my dealings with my own Soul before my Maker.
My Time I will not refuse; my Thought I will not grudge; my Care I will not deny towards the honour, use, stability and perfection of any works to which I may be called to set my hand.
My Fair Wages for that work I will openly take. My Reputation in my Calling I will honourably guard; but, I will in no way go about to compass or wrest judgment or gratification from any one with whom I may deal. And further, I will early and warily strive my uttermost against professional jealousy or the belittling of my working colleagues, in any field of their labour.
For my assured failures and derelictions, I ask pardon beforehand, of my betters and my equals in my Calling here assembled; praying, that in the hour of my temptations, weakness and weariness, the memory of this my Obligation and of the company before whom it was entered into, may return to me to aid, comfort, and restrain.”