The Late Bro. Dr. Oliver, D.D.

stone of the edifice—was the " Symbol of Glory , " published in 1850 , whilst he was residing at Scopwick Vicarage , an interval of thirty years having elapsed between the laying of the foundation of his comprehensive scheme in his "

Antiquities of Masonry , " and the last finish to the superstructure . It comprises twelve lectures on various topics . " Revelations of a Square " and "Institutes of Masonic Jurisprudence of the Craft , " were other works by this industrious and

distinguished ornament of this curious fraternity , and even so late as 1863 , when the author was an octogenarian . " The Freemasons' Treasury" was issued by him , a work in fifty-two short lectures , " adapted for delivery in open lodge , and in

which many passages in the ritual are explained ; errors corrected , landmarks classed , old traditions ventilated , and the whole system simplified and made easy of attainment to any industrious brother . " The Master of a lodge , who is desirous of instructing his lodge , will find this a useful book .

We have already stated that the reverend divine was initiated into this peculiar fraternity a Freemason , of which he was so distinguished an ornament , at Peterborough , in 1801 , and that he immediately began to study the science in an

earnest and industrious spirit , and it is not , therefore , surprising that on his appointment to the head mastership sof the Grammar-school at Grimsby , in 1809 , that he should seek to disseminate a knowledge fof its principles and its

benefits . He consequently set himself to introduce genuine Freemasonry into the town , and succeeded in establishing a lodge — the Apollo in the borough , and was its W . M . for the long period of fourteen years—it being at that time no uncommon thing for the same brother to be re-appointed to the office of Master for a series of consecutive

years , though at the present and for some years past , a Master cannot serve more than two consecutive years without a special dispensation . This lodge under Dr . Oliver ' s excellent management flourished so satisfactorily that on the 25 th

of August , 1812 , he had the pleasure of laying the first stone of a Masonic hall in a town in which Masonry scarcely had a single representative prior to his advent with the borough . "About this time he was exalted to the degree of R . A . M . in

the chapter attached to the Rodney Lodge , Kingston-on-Hull . He also obtained the several superior degrees in Masonic knighthood , & c , in chapters

and consistories attached to the same lodge , which- , at that time was superior in number , opulence ,, and respectability to most provincial lodges . " To his exertions are almost exclusively due the revival and present satisfactory prospects of the

Craft in the province of Lincolnshire . In 1813 he was , while a member of the Apollo Lodge ,, appointed P . G . S ., in 1816 P . G . Chaplain , in 1 S 33 D . G . Master , and it was during his tenure of the last office that he effected so much .

In 1838 Dr . Oliver became ajoining member of the Witham Lodge , Lincoln , from the Apollo Lodge , Grimsby , and he always appeared , and . indeed professed a peculiar regard for this lodge and he wrote and published a short history of

itscareer . In the month of April , 1841 , he assisted in laying the foundation stone of the new Masonic hall , Saltergate , in the city of Lincoln , on which occasion he preached a sermon in St . Peter ' s church , from the 1 st verse of the 5 fch chapter of

the 2 nd Book of the Epistles to the Corinthians : " A house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . " He also assisted at the dedication of

the new hall m , June , 1842 , and delivered an . oration thereon . [ On this occasion the deceased ' s father was present , also his son , and his son ' s sous—four generations of Masons in one family . ] . About this time it was that the learned and .

universally respected doctor was removed from , the office of D . P . G . M . of Lincolnshire by Bro .. D'Eyncourt , who was then the P . G . M ., but who it was believed acted upon orders from the G . M . of England , the Duke of Sussex , who had taken . , offence where none was intended or committed ..

Two years later he was elected an honorarymember of the William Lodge , and so continued till his decease . In that year a splendid testimonial or Masonic offering , contributed to b y Masons in all parts of the world , and consisting of

a splendid silver cup and service of plate , was presented to him . The Witham Lodge also presented him with a handsome silver salver iu 1839 ^ and the Apollo Lodge with a handsome gold jewel . His name and reputation having extended to aU

parts of the world , he received numerous testimonies of regard and esteem , besides those already mentioned .

He was elected an honorary member of the following lodges : —Bath , Newport , Isle of Wight , New York ( U . S . ) , Portsmouth , Madras , Risiag Star , Bombay , London , Worcester , Warwick ? Kidderminster , Wolverhampton , Montreal , Peters