The Library And Museum Of The Grand Lodge Of England.

" That for the present it will be convenient to appoint the Grand Secretaries cx-officio curators of the Library and Museum . "That to the Library and Museum , when formed and declared open , all members of the Grand Lodge , should , in the opinion of this Board , have access at all convenient

times . " That no books , manuscripts , or other objects of Masonic interest should on any occasion , or under any pretext , be removed from the Library . " Dr . George Oliver seems to have been the next contributor ,

for on the 22 nd of May , 1 S 3 S , the Vice-President , Dr . Crucelix , presented to the Board of General Purposes , on behalf of Dr . Oliver , three volumes of that distinguished writer ' s works . On the 5 th of September following , it was reported to the Grand Lodge that " Brother George William Turner ,

THK ( illAXI ) J . OIKiK l . IIIDAIiY AND MCSHUM —I . OOKIXU XOKTII .

P . M . of the Lodges Nos . 53 and 8 7 , had presented 80 volumes of books to the Library of the Grand Lodge "; whereupon it was " Resolved unanimously , that the thanks of this Grand Lodge be given to the W . Brother George William Turner for his valuable present . " As this was b y far the most numerous , as well as the most

valuable donation yet made , it may fairly be said to have formed the nucleus of the priceless collection of books now owned by the Grand Lodge of England . The abovementioned Lodges arc now Nos . 45 and 73 , the Strong Man , and the Mount Lebanon Lodges . It may interest the members of these Lodges to know ,

that included in the presentation was a large manuscript volume , chiefly relating to Royal Arch Masonry , illustrated by coloured drawings and diagrams , and that this laborious and beautifully written work is available to all such Royal Arch Masons as may wish to examine it , of course , in the

Library . An exhaustive notice of this curious volume appears in ' The Freemasons' Ouailcr / y Review for 1841 . On the 5 th of December , 18 3 8 , the Board of General Purposes reported to the Grand Lodge that " Brother Charles Puttock , P . M . of the Universal Lodge , had presented to the Library the works of Jacob Behnien and a curious

manuscript volume , for which the Board had returned him their thanks . " William Henry White , Grand Secretary , appears to have contributed liberally to the Library ; the report of the Board on the 4 th of March , 18 40 , states "That he had presented

a valuable and interesting collection of Masonic Works , consisting of sixty-three printed volumes , also an Ancient Manuscript . " It was also reported " That the Library now contains 250 printed volumes and two Ancient Manuscripts . " Several regulations have reference to the Library , in

conformity with those previously passed b y the Board were approved at this meeting . At the Quarterly Communication on the 3 rd of March , 18 4 T , the Board recommended as one of the Library Regulations , " That any member of a Lodge shall have admission to the Library by producing a Letter

from the Master of his Lodge to the Grand Secretary for that purpose . " Hitherto the use of the Library had been restricted to the members of the Grand Lodge ; but , finding that the rush was not so great as had been expected , the Board rightly and wisely determined upon opening the doors to the Craft generally .

The next mention of the Library in print , is in the report of ( he Proceedings at an Especial ( hand Lodge held 011 the 29 th of November , 18 47 , and is as follows : — " W . Brother J . R . Scarborough had lo move that / . ' 20 a year should be appropriated towards forming a Library and Museum .