Bro. Robert Burns, No. I.

Bro. Robert Burns, No. I. [No. 95]

BURNS! Few there be who know how much they owed
To the fine Teachings of Freemasonry!
Our ancient Craft did much to wake in thee
That love of Manhood which thou taught the Crowd
In Songs which now are sung in every Land. 5
It taught thee the wide Brotherhood of Man,
Whate’er his Creed or Clime; from it began
That feeling in thee which will ever stand
As one grand feature of thy noble Soul—
That Rank and Wealth are playthings of the hour, 10
Unless for good their owners use their power;
And if at times thou in “the Flowing Bowl”
Sought surcease of thy Sorrows,—even then
Thou often soar’d full high above thy Fellow-men!

by George Markham Tweddell 1st published c 1887