Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon (Excerpt)
The Royal Society In the beginning of Speculative Fraternity under the Grand Lodge system the Freemasons avowed their devotion to the sciences more boldly, and even dramatically. The Royal Society was in the British public mind synonymous with science, and for more than a century it, and its offshoots, were the only exponents and practitioners of science in Britain. It began in 1660 and took its first organized form at a meeting of scholars in Gresham College who had assembled to hear a lecture by Bro. Sir Christopher Wren. Sir Robert Moray was elected its first president, March 6, 1661 A.D.; he was made a Freemason at Newcastle-on-Tyne on May 20, 1641. Dr. Desaguliers, who later became its secretary for a long period of years, was the "father of the Grand Lodge System." and was one of Sir Isaac Newton’s closest friends. A lodge largely composed of Royal Society members met in a room belonging to the Royal Society Club in London. At a time when preachers thundered against these scientists, when newspapers thundered against them, street crowds hooted at them, and neither Oxford nor Cambridge would admit science courses, masonic lodges invited Royal Society members in for lectures, many of which were accompanied by scientific demonstrations.
Freemasonry played an important role in the establishment of the intellectual force for reason which rapidly grew to be known as "The Enlightenment", which formed the foundation for most of the advantages, both technological and social, that we take for granted as essential to modern civilisation.
All Masons would do well to remember the part Freemasonry has played in securing the comforts we all enjoy, and to remember also those whom tyranny has robbed of those comforts. An Example. Masons have always spoken out against injustice and intolerance, I have here added my small contribution.
While Freemasonry's contribution to civilisation so far has been immense, its work is by no means over. The pace of change has accelerated hugely in the last century. People and organisations have had to adapt to ever increasing changes, both social and technological. The way society will adapt is the theme of countless science fiction novels. Some paint a picture of a high tech utopia, others depict a future of grey conformity and slavery to our technology.
Whether progress brings us freedom or bondage, the choice of our future depends on our efforts. If we do nothing, we put ourselves into the hands of opportunism and greed. If we participate in the in the development of our future, we can work toward a more fair and pleasant world. This is what the early Freemasons saw, and set up a brilliant and timeless system with which to encode the principles of civilisation building.
Being well educated, they drew from the classical world, the society of Pythagoras and the Mysteries of Eleusis. The ancient traditions had given initiation to good people, and a vision of a better world. Spiritual and social values were taught, and initiates were expected to be examples to the general population. Initiation itself was valued as a great privilege and inspired initiates to pursue a good and balanced life.