Charity Stewards.

" A donation of five guineas constitutes a life subscriber , with one vote at all elections of children . " A donation of ten guineas constitutes a life governor with tAvo votes at all elections of children , and an additional vote by virtue of the

Stewardship . " A donation of fifty guineas constitutes a vicepresident , with ten votes at all elections of children , and one additional vote by virtue of the stewardship .

" Brethren undertaking the office of steward , and wishing advice or information , are invited to communicate with the Secretary , Bro . F . Binckes , 16 A , Great Queen Street , W . C . " N . B . —By resolution of the Quarterly General

Court of April 20 th , 1863 , every brother serving the office of steward a second time and contributing the sum of ten guineas has two additional votes by virtue of such second stewardship . "

Masonic Poets Of Scotland—No. I.

MASONIC POETS OF SCOTLAND—No . I .

ROBERT BURNS . JB ?/ Hie EEV . ANDREW E . BON AH . Minister of First Charge of Cannongatc , JSdiiiburgh . The spirit of Freemasonry has not a little in common with the genuine poetic spirit . Poetry often loves to dAvell on the past , and looks with

benignant glance on friendship and love . Freernasomy , the spirit of brotherhood , does so likewise ; nor need Ave remind our readers how often the strains of the poet and the songs of the bard have contributed to the delight and harmony of

many a social meeting of the brethren . Burns , in particular , derived from meetings of the fraternity no small amount of the pleasure Avhich at intervals cheered a life originally obscure ; and Ave may be sure that he would enter Avith cordial delight into the " recreation " which appropriately succeeded labour .

In a short series of papers on " Masonic Poets of Scotland , " Ave naturally begin Avith—all things considered—the most illustrious name on the roll . Burns became an apprentice in the Lodge St . David , Tarbolton , on 4 th July , 1781 , when

twentythree years of age , and Avas raised to the highest degree on 1 st October of same year , entering with characteristic ardour into the meetings and general business of the lodge . He was elected Deputy Master in July 1784 , acting for several

years in that capacity . He was . also iu the habit of visiting a number of lodges throughout the provinces ; and Masonic meetings suggested

Masonic Poets Of Scotland—No. I.

themes for several of his songs and poetic epistles , so that he produced on one of these occasions , Avhen the pressure of misfortune induced him to think of going to Jamaica , one of the best of Masonic songs , in which he breaths the following

prayer : — " May Freedom , Harmony , and Love , Unite you in the grand design , Beneath the Omniscient Eye above , The glorious Architect divine ! That yon may keep ' th' uueiring line , Still rising by the plummet ' s law ,

Till order bright completely shine —• Shall be my prayer when far awa' . " * The name and fame of Robert Burns have been celebrated wherever Scotchmen are found . To g ive a bare outline of the facts connected with his

life would involve the repetition of a frequently told tale ; narrated by Currie in good taste , and ivith delicacy of feeling ; by Allan Cunningham ,

himself author of a feAV good Scotch songs ; by Lockhart , with keen discrimination and occasional eloquence of remark ; by Eobert Chambers , with much minuteness of detail ; and , latterly , by Alexander Smith , whose prose writings are

peeuliarly graceful and spirited . Instead of telling over again the story of Burns' life , Ave propose to speak of one or two lessons deducible from it ; after Avhich we shall advert to some peculiar characteristics of his poetiy , ending by a short notice

of his songs . In Burns , besides the possession of geniusthat gift bestowed on comparatively few of our race—we are to notice the right and proper use of such means of improvement as he could command .

These means Avere comparatively scanty , but Avere , through industry , turned to good account . A short space of initiatory education , when six years old , at a school near AlloAvay Mill—a vicinity afterwards immortalised in song ; the tuition of

Murdoch , Avhen an inmate of his father ' s house ; a training of the old-fashioned kind under parents of singular excellence ; the repetition of such scenes as he has described in the " Cotter ' s Saturday Night "—the saint and father being his

venerated sire ; perusal of such books as he found access to , or could borrow—not a few of them of them of an imaginative cast , but one or two Avell fitted to kindle the flame of a patriotic spirit , make up all the external means of Avhich Ave read .