There have been many famous Scots and many famous Freemasons but I would say without fear of contradiction that in Scottish Freemasonry Burns stands head and shoulders above them all.

He was a genius that belongs to the company of the supremely gifted, of the likes of Mozart and Shakespeare and he had one thing in common with these others, he too was a Mason.

Many of you will be more familiar than I with his well known life, history and works, so that is why in this most appropriate of places that I would like to focus on his masonry, why it gave him such strength and how the Craft contributed, in no small part, to the poetry and songs that makes him loved by all races, colours and creeds around the world.

Robert Burns was initiated an Entered Apprentice in Lodge St. David, Tarbolton on 4 July 1781, at the age of 23. His initiation fee was 12s 6d. (This would be the equivalent of £67.00 today and undermines the errant nonsense that it’s cheaper to be a Mason in this day and age than it was then) Like many other times in his life, Burns came into the Lodge amidst a controversy. Originally, there had been only one Lodge in Tarbolton, chartered in 1771 from the Lodge Mother Kilwinning, In 1773, a group broke away from the Lodge, forming Lodge St. David No. 174, and the original became St. James Tarbolton Kilwinning No. 178, only to be reunited in 1781, 9 days before Burns's first degree. However, while St. James was clearly the older of the two lodges, St. David's name was used, and the seeds were sown for further dissension. Burns in the meantime was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on 1st October 1781. The Lodge record book reads as follows:

"Robert Burns in Lochlea was passed and raised, Henry Cowan being Master, James Humphrey Snr. Warden, and Alexr. Smith Jnr. Do., Robt. Wodrow Secy. and James Manson Treasurer, and John Tannock Taylor and others of the Brethren being present"

Manson and Wodrow would later take the regalia of St. James's Lodge from the charter chest (containing the minute-books, archives and other belongings) stored at John Richard's Inn (Richard was a Steward of Lodge St. David) after tricking Richard into a false errand with a couple of "gills" of punch. While originally ordered to return the regalia and other items by the Grand Lodge, it was eventually ruled that since the union of the 2 Lodges were voluntary, then the separation was as well. The St. James Lodge met again as a separate body on 17 June 1782.

Burns went with Lodge St. James, and on 27 July 1784, he was elected "Depute Master" of the Lodge at the tender age of 25 and only 3 "seasons" after his initiation.

Sir John Witefoord was the Worshipful Master of the Lodge, but in those days it was somewhat of an honorary position, and in reality the Depute Master was in charge. Burns was faithful to the Lodge, attending regularly and 3 minutes were in his handwriting; 29 minutes were signed by him and also show when he changed his name; originally, his father spelled the last name "Burness"; before 1786, Robert spelled it the same way. On 1 March 1786, Robert's brother Gilbert received his 2nd and 3rd degrees; both Gilbert and Robert signed their last names as "Burns".

1786 was not a happy year for Robert financially or emotionally; Denied his love, Jean, Burns had sought comfort with Mary Campbell (the famous "Highland Mary"), who reportedly bore Burns a child and died later that year from Typhus. Burns, in grief over the loss of two women, as well as facing child support payments for Jean's unborn child, decided to flee to Jamaica to avoid further grief and Jean’s angry father (and Burns’ Masonic brother!) James Armour. Tradition says that Burns recited his "Farewell to the Brethren of St. James Lodge, Tarbolton" on the night of 23rd June, at the stated meeting of the Lodge, in anticipation of his voyage to the West Indies.

However, Burns decided to stay in Scotland when in July 1786, a Brother Freemason published his Kilmarnock edition of poems, and 350 Brethren of St.John's Lodge, Kilmarnock, subscribed to a copy. In October he was made an honorary member of Lodge Kilmarnock Kilwinning St. John, and wrote "Masonic Song" in honour of the Lodge and its Right Worshipful Master, Major ‘Willie’ Parker.

Burns's rise in popularity for his poems also contributed to his rise in Freemasonry. At a meeting of Lodge St. Andrew in Edinburgh in 1787, at which the R W Grand Master Mason and Grand Lodge of Scotland were present, Burns was toasted by the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Francis Chateris, with the words "Caledonia and Caledonia's bard, Bro. Robt. Burns", which was met with a terrific response from the Brethren. Burns was completely taken aback, and though trembling, returned the toast of the Grand Master, to the response of 'Very Well said Indeed' from some of the Officers of the Grand Lodge.

In February 1787, Burns was made the Poet Laureate of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, Edinburgh. I quote the minute book, which states:

"The Right Worshipful Master, having observed that Brother Burns was present in the Lodge, who is well known as a great poetic writer, and for a late publication of his works, which have been universally commended, submitted that he should be assumed a [honorary] member of this lodge, which was unanimously agreed to, and he was assumed accordingly "

Tradition has it the Burns was installed as Poet Laureate at the March meeting of the Lodge (as many paintings show), but Lodge records disprove this, although some maintain that faulty records (a thing that would never happen today given the quality of our brother secretaries) and Robert's modesty are responsible for it being left out of the Lodge minutes and Robert's letters;

When the first Edinburgh Edition of his poems was released in April 1787, many subscribers were members of Canongate, including the publisher, printer and artist who supplied the frontispiece for the edition. Like his Kilmarnock edition, Freemasons assisted their Brother and ultimately gave the world the gift of Burns' poetry.

Burns was exalted a companion in the Royal Arch Degree in May 1787 at St. Ebbe's Lodge, Eyemouth. The companions unanimously agreed to admit Burns without paying the necessary fees, as they were greatly honoured to have such a great poet and man like Burns as part of their chapter (Mackay, p.311). When Burns moved to Dumfries, he joined Lodge St. Andrew on St. John's Day, 1788, and once again, showed a great enthusiasm for his Lodge. In 1792, he was elected Senior Warden and served a one-year term. This was the last Masonic office he held before his death in 1796. He was 37 years old.

Freemasonry's influence on Burns's poetry is quite visible. Besides the aforementioned works which specifically deal with the craft, a number of poems have a strong dose of Masonic philosophy and ideals in them.

These can especially be seen in "A Man's a Man for a' that", in which Burns speaks of a day when "man to man the warld o'er, shall brothers be for a' that!" Certainly the Lodge inspired Burns in his call for the rights of man: Freemasonry not only spoke out for the ideals of "liberty, fraternity, equality", but also was responsible for the creation of nationalistic feelings and fervour. By supporting his works, Freemasons encouraged Burns in writing poetry in the Scottish dialect, and kept him in constant contact with his cultural roots, It reminds us of the words in the Charge after Initiation in the 1^st Degree "ever remembering that nature has implanted in your breast a sacred and indissoluble attachment towards that country whence you derived your birth and infant nurture"