The autumn meeting of the Chorley and District Masonic Advancement Group, better known as Perfect Points, took place at Chorley Masonic Hall October 2-023.
Unbeknownst to the members, the Chorley Live event was also taking place the same evening with the hall hosting multiple acts including a ukulele group, jazz trio and a pop band. This led to the group being serenaded through their pie and pea supper and it only added to the great ambience of the evening.
After the entertaining welcome, it was then decided to move through to the quieter surroundings of the lodge room for the evenings lecture provided by renowned speaker Dr Robert Lomas. Robert is an author, physicist, and Freemason. He has written numerous books about Freemasonry, including ‘The Hiram Key’ and ‘Freemasonry and the Birth of Modern Science’ and produced numerous lectures covering historical and esoteric perspectives of Freemasonry. The topic of the lecture on this occasion was ‘Sir Robert Moray – soldier, scientist, spy, Freemason and Founder of the Royal Society’.
Born in Perthshire in 1609, Sir Robert Moray attended St Andrew’s University before joining the Scots Guards and was made a Freemason in 1641 whilst garrisoned at Newcastle. Serving Charles I during the English Civil War which led to his exile but, he returned to London in 1660 and founded the Scientific Society, which received a Royal Charter making it the Royal Society after Moray proposed that it would bring together the best minds of the time to solve issues within the British Navy.
What was most interesting was Moray’s approach to freeing scientists from the shackles of religion and politics to advance modern science and address the issues of the day, something he learnt from Freemasonry.
Dr Lomas’s lecture provided a historical perspective of how Freemasonry has had a positive impact on the world around us through Moray’s influence as a founding member of the Royal Society. Perfect Points Chairman Derek Robinson thanked Dr Lomas on behalf of the group before the evening ended with their traditional raffle, won by Rivington Lodge No 8013 member Dr Shaun Bilsborough.
Membership of Perfect Points is open to all master Masons wishing to advance their knowledge of Freemasonry with an annual membership fee of only £5. Their next meeting will be held at Brookfield Hall, Westhoughton, in April 2024. For more information, contact perfectpoints@c-l-m-g.org