Robert Burns’ Masonic Journey: A Legacy of Brotherhood and Inspiration
Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, was deeply influenced by Freemasonry, which played a significant role in his life, values, and literary legacy. His Masonic journey began on July 4, 1781, when he was initiated as an Entered Apprentice in Lodge St. David, Tarbolton, at the age of 23. His initiation fee of 12 shillings and 6 pence marked the beginning of an enduring relationship with the fraternity, though Burns’s entrance to Masonry, like much of his life, was surrounded by controversy.
Initially, Tarbolton had one lodge, chartered in 1771 by the famous Kilwinning Lodge—one of the world’s oldest lodges. A split in 1773 led to the formation of Lodge St. David No. 174, while the original lodge became St. James Tarbolton Kilwinning No. 178. Nine days before Burns’s initiation, the two lodges reunited under the name Lodge St. David. However, the lingering tensions foreshadowed future divisions. Burns progressed rapidly, being passed to the degree of Fellowcraft and raised to the degree of Master Mason on October 1, 1781.
The Lodge’s minute book recorded the event:
“Robert Burns in Lochly was passed and raised, Henry Cowan being Master, James Humphrey Senior Warden, Alexr. Smith Junior Warden, Robt. Woodrow Secretary, and James Manson Treasurer.”
A split in 1782 saw Lodge St. James re-establish its independence, and Burns aligned himself with this lodge. By July 27, 1784, at just 25 years old, he was elected Depute Master, effectively the active leader of the lodge under the nominal Worshipful Master, Sir John Whitefoord. Burns attended faithfully, leaving a record of three handwritten minutes and 29 signed documents. Notably, he also began spelling his surname as “Burns” instead of the original “Burness” during this time, solidifying the identity by which he is now known.
The year 1786 was tumultuous for Burns. Struggling with financial instability and heartbreak over his loves, Jean Armour and Mary Campbell (“Highland Mary”), Burns planned to escape to Jamaica. On June 23, 1786, during a lodge meeting, he delivered his heartfelt poem, “Farewell to the Brethren of St. James Lodge, Tarbolton,” bidding a sorrowful goodbye.
Before leaving, however, the publication of his Kilmarnock Edition changed the course of his life. Supported by Masonic brethren—350 of whom subscribed to the edition—Burns gained fame, prompting him to remain in Scotland. His works soon earned him honorary memberships in several lodges, including Lodge Kilmarnock Kilwinning St. John. In 1787, Burns was toasted by the Grand Lodge of Scotland at Lodge St. Andrew, Edinburgh, and named Poet Laureate of Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, further cementing his Masonic legacy.
Masonic philosophy profoundly influenced Burns’s writings. His famous song, “A Man’s a Man for A’ That,” embodies the Masonic ideals of equality and fraternity, envisioning a world where “man to man” are brothers, regardless of status. Similarly, his “Libel Summons” reminds brethren to uphold the values of brotherly love, relief, and truth beyond the lodge door.
Marie Roberts, in her study Burns and the Masonic Enlightenment, highlights how Freemasonry’s support helped Burns preserve Scotland’s cultural identity by writing in the vernacular, fostering a sense of national pride. Masonic patronage offered him freedom from aristocratic constraints, enabling him to express progressive ideas about liberty, fraternity, and equality.
In 1788, Burns joined Lodge St. Andrew, Dumfries, and was elected Senior Warden in 1792, his final Masonic office. Though his life was marked by struggles, Freemasonry provided him solace and camaraderie. Even during periods of personal despair, his Masonic brothers stood by him, inspiring some of his greatest works.
Burns’s enduring tribute to brotherhood is captured in “Auld Lang Syne,” a song celebrating friendship and shared memories. Its universal appeal reflects Burns’s Masonic ideals of unity and brotherhood. As T.G. Paterson noted, the song serves as “a concrete expression of [Burns’s] love of mankind and his ideal of international brotherhood.”
Robert Burns passed away in 1796 at the age of 37, but his Masonic legacy endures, celebrated in lodges worldwide. Freemasonry, with its principles of equality and fellowship, was not just a significant part of Burns’s life—it was the heart of his poetic vision, inspiring generations to come.
