Famous Freemason - Bro. Robert Burns
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the puddin'-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o' a grace As lang's my arm.
Scotland's Bard, Robert Burns was born January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire.
He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect" of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.
He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world.
When his father died in 1784, he and his brother Gilbert, rented a farm near Mauchline; but this was never financially successful, his writings showing that he contemplated leaving the farm to move to Jamaica. In 1786, his first works were published under the title “Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect“. These included works such as ‘To a Mouse’ and ‘The Holy Fair’. The critical reception and relative success of this publication encouraged Burns to remain in Scotland and he moved to Edinburgh.
His reputation led to a commission to work on a collection of Scottish folk songs. Burns collected a rich diversity of Scottish folk songs, sometimes improving upon them and also including his own. These were published as ‘The Scots Musical Museum’ in five volumes over a period of sixteen years.
This compilation included a reworking of ‘Auld Lang Syne‘ which later became a famous global song, usually sung on New Year’s Eve.
On July 21, 1796, Burns died in Dumfries, at the age of 37. The funeral took place on Monday July 25, 1796, the same day his son Maxwell was born. He was at first buried in the far corner of St. Michael's Churchyard in Dumfries before being moved to its final location in the same cemetery, the Burns Mausoleum, in September 1817.
To this day January 25th is celebrated across the world with Burns Suppers celebrating the poetry of the Bard and the national cuisine of Scotland.
Bro Burns was initiated, passed and raised in Lodge St. David, Tarbolton, served as Deputy Master of St. James's Lodge, Tarbolton, and was made the Poet Laureate of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, Edinburgh.
Bro Burns was also exalted a companion in the Holy Royal Arch Degree at St. Ebbe's Lodge, Eyemouth.