R. W. Bro. Paterson, the founder of Victoria's
Rhetoric Lodge of Communication #831, is a noted
authority on Robert Burns. He was born in
MAUCHLINE, AYRSHME, where Auld Lang Syne
had its genesis.
This article appeared in the Autumn, 1995 issue of
the VICTORIAN FREEMASON and is reprinted as a
Short Talk Bulletin with their permission.
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak' a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup
And surely I'll be mine;
And we'll tak' a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, etc.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou,d the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld, etc.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roared',
Sin' auld lang syne,
For auld, etc.
And there's a hand, my trusty frier!
And gie's a hand o'thine!
And we'll tak' a right guide-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, etc.
Glossary
aboot about
braes hillsides
braid broad
burn stream
fit foot
fner fnend
gie's give me
gowans red berries
gude good
ha'e (hay) have
mony (moany) many
paidl'd paddled
pint-stoup tankard
pou'd pulled
sin' since
The following verses are a translation of Auld Lang
Syne into modern English:
The Days of Yore
Should we forget our former friends
By whom we set great store?
Should we forget the friends we've met
And the brave days of yore?
The days of yore. My dear
The days of yore,
We'll tilt the jug and drain the mug
to the brave days of yore.
I fancy you could sink a pint
And I'll take rather more
And we'll both get tight with all our might
For the brave days of yore.
We two have wandered on the hills
And daisies pulled galore
But we've tired our feet on many a street
Since the brave days of yore.
We two have paddled in the brook
From noon to half-past four
But seas have lain betwixt us twain
Since the brave days of yore.
So let us grasp each other's hand
And, as I said before
Our hearts we'll cheer with honest beer
For the brave days of yore.
THE STORY OF AULD LANG SYNE
Undoubtedly, millions of people throughout the
world will sing Auld Lang Syne to see out 1995.
Few will know all the words and fewer still what
they mean.
They are attributed to Robert Burns who apparently picked up the tune and some of the words
from an old man singing in the dialect of southwest Scotland. Auld Lang Syne has become the
international song of departure, and is sung by
more people than any other.
The possibility is that Bums only wrote two of the
five verses. But, as he did with numerous other
Scottish songs, he modified them and, in some
cases, purified them.
It seems likely that the song was first sung either in
Poosie Nancy's Tavem in Mauchline, or the
Bachelors Club in Tarbolton located a few miles
away.
The song was initially centred on two young men
who drifted apart after their early schooling, and
who, after re-uniting, reminisced about their earlier
times together, the happy experiences they had
together and the kindly folk they met.
When Burns became a Freemason at the age of 23
he quickly absorbed the superb symbolism of the
Craft.
Conviviality was, for Burns, one of the most
important virtues. For him, Auld Lang Syne is a
concrete expression of his love of mankind and his
ideal of Intemational Brotherhood.
The Masonic routine is to fomm a circle in which
everyone is equidistant from the centre, demonstrating they are all equal. In this regard, the practice adopted in some lodges by placing the masters
or other distinguished brethren in the centre defeats
the purpose of the ceremony associated with the
song.
At the beginning of the song the brethren stand
with hands by their sides, symbolising they are relative strangers.
The early verses should be sung (or hummed)
very softly as brethren reflect both on cherished
memories of earlier times together and on those
brethren who have since passed to the Grand
Lodge Above.
When they come to the last verse, "And there's a
hand, my trusty frier (friend)...", each brother then
extends his right hand of fellowship to the brother
on his left, then the left hand to the brother on his
right.
This symbolises two things: firstly, that they are
crossing their hearts; secondly, that they automatically fomm a smaller and more intimate circle of
friendship. Now they have an unbroken chain of
brethren who are close friends.
The tempo should then rise and, to the tapping of
feet, all enthusiastically sing the final chorus.
At non-Masonic functions the foregoing routine
should be followed as far as is practicable. If necessary, small circles can be fommed around tables.
At Scottish functions they usually wind up by
singing "O we're no' awa' tae bide awa'," form a
"snake" and move round the hall in increasingly
smaller circles. Then the leader reverses the movement and all participants revert to a large circle.
Bro. Robert Burns
Prophet of International Brotherhood
Robert Bums, poet, song writer, Freemason and
patriot died in poverty of endocarditis in Dumfries,
Scotland at the age of 37 on 21 July 1796. Some
12,000 people from all walks of life attended his
funeral.
Almost two hundred years later, his death is
moumed by thousands of devotees throughout the
world, who honour him, not only for his outstanding cultural talents, but as a doyen of democracy
and a prophet of intemational brotherhood.
Burns' timeless verses and songs of tendemess,
wit and beauty have been translated into thirtyseven languages, while his Scottish birthplace in
Alloway, near Ayr, has become a "Mecca," visited
by over 250,000 people each year.
So universally accepted has "Auld Lang Syne"
become as a song of parting, that a major Japanese
department store in Tokyo now plays it over its
public address system as a diplomatic way of
advising shoppers to conclude their purchases and
depart the premises. A further example of the
song's universality can be found in Lodge Norad
(Nation) in The Czech Republic, which I had the
pleasure of visiting in 1992. Re-established in 1990
after the fall of Communism, Norad operates under
the Scottish Constitution and closes its fortnightly
meetings with "Auld Lang Syne," sung in Czech!
The lodge meets in what was once the cellar of the
Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia, built by French
stonemasons in 1234.
Robert Burns was initiated on 4 July 1781 in St.
David's Lodge (now No. 133 Scottish
Constitution), Tarbolton, after paying an entry fee
of twelve shillings and six pence. As to his three
degree ceremonies, there has been some disagreement where these took place. The consensus is that
they were held in a local public house (also used by
the Bachelors Club), run by John Richards, a steward of the Lodge.
His wit, high intelligence, zeal and consummate
oratory, made Bums an admirable choice for promotion and, on 27 June 1784, he was elected
Depute Master (the local Squire being the nominal
Master).
"Oft, honoured with supreme command,
Presided o'er the sons of light."
With his warm and abiding love for the whole
brotherhood of mankind, Burns found in
Freemasonry a splendid vehicle for the development
of his philosophy.
In many ways the eighteenth century was strangely adapted to enable the roots of Freemasonry to be
nurtured and developed. The need to meet in fratemal fellowship was met by the foundation of
lodges.
It is well known that Bums was about to depart for
Jamaica just before his poems were published on 31
July 1786 (the famous "Kilmamock Edition"). It is
less well known that he came perilously close to
joining the stream of Scottish martyrs being deported as political prisoners to Australia.
Bums lived in troublesome times, typified by the
American Declaration of Independence in 1776
the French Revolution in 1792 and the fervent
"Refomm Movement" in Britain striving to correct
an iniquitous electoral system.
As might be expected, giving expression to calls
for liberty, equality and fratemity met with stem
opposition from the deeply entrenched "establishment" classes, with their vested interest in property, politics and religion.
What is the secret of the everlasting popularity of
this remarkable man of humble birth, who had
only three years of fommal schooling? Why is he
remembered when the two monarchs and eleven
prime ministers who dominated the scene during
his short life have been virtually forgotten? Why is
it that others of his ilk in the literary world are
respected, but Burns is loved? The answer is that
he wrote from the heart and was the voice of the
common man and woman. He was their advocate,
publicist, philosopher and friend.
Burns had not only the vision of a better world,
but the capacity to articulate that message. He was
a revolutionary refommer, a vigorous and tireless
opponent of oppression, privilege, hypocrisy and
racism.
"Then let us pray that come it may
As come it will for a' that
That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth,
May bear the gree, and a' that!
(Have the superiority)
For a' that, and a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That man to man, the warld o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that!"
Nancy McDonald encapsulated the Bumsian philosophy in three verses. She wrote of Scotland, but
the sentiments which she expressed apply equally
to other countries having an affinity with Bums.
Oh Rabbie Burns we need ye noo (now)
When shades of discord dim each broo
(brow)
And o'er this tired bewildered world,
the flags of hatred are unfurled.
We crave your wisdom and your pen,
to cleanse the pride-soiled hearts of
men
And gae o'er the nation back its proof
of steadfastness and lasting truth.
In every land, in every tongue,
Your name is loved, your songs are
sung.
You raised the common things of earth,
to gems of priceless grace and worth.
You traced the Great Almighty plan
of love and brotherhood of man.
And jaundiced now though things may be,
they canna dim your prophecy.
Oh Rabbie, gifted poet, seer,
to whom your native land was dear.
Hard times you knew and failing health,
prevented you from acquiring wealth.
But never did you tum away
from w~rks that still enthrall today.
And now the soul of Scotland tums.
to bow to you, immortal Bums.
Robert Bums is not only for Scotland, but for all
the world; he was one of that small band who
wrote for all time and for all people.
Bums left to the world teachings which must be
regarded as subtle religion--the teaching of broth-
erhood, honesty, pride, and independence of love
and friendship. He voiced the spirit of equality and
was unswerving in his devotion to liberty.
No wonder that on the anniversary of his birthday, 25 January, more than half a million people
assemble at Burns Suppers under the banners of
the Union Jack, the Stars and Stripes, the Maple
Leaf, and a plethora of others, to pay tribute to
"The Immortal Memory of Robert Burns."
If only political parties, commercial organisa-
tions and individuals would adopt his credo:
"Whatever mitigates the woes, or increases the
happiness of others, this is my criterion of goodness, and whatever injures society at large, or any
individual in it, this is my measure of iniquity!"
Further information
For brethren desirous of further pursuing the fascinating story of Robert Burns and his works, it is
recommended they contact The Robert Burns
Collection, Department of Language and
Literature, Mitchell Library, North Street,
Glasgow, GE 7DN, Scotland. It houses the finest
collection of Burns material in the world.
For a condensed version of Burnsianism, one of
the best is "Brithers--A Minute a Day with
Burns" by Peter Egglemont. First published by J.
Avery & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen, Scotland in May
1933.