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            GRAND LODGE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
          NAMED IN HONOR OF ALLEN EARL ROBERTS
          
          On Saturday, July 9, 1994, the Grand Lodge of Virginia named
          its Library and Museum in honor of Right Worshipful Allen Earl
          Roberts, a noted Masonic Historian and Author who is a
          Virginia Mason.
          The ceremony was held as a part of many different activities
          which were included in a Masonic Family Day held on the
          grounds of the Grand Lodge of Virginia's Home and Office
          Building.
              Most Worshipful Thomas F. May, Grand Master of Masons in
          Virginia, began the Dedication ceremony at 10:00 a.m. as the
          first activity of the day. Following a very meaningful prayer by
          Rt. Wor.  Albert Earl Richardson, Most Worshipful Donald M.
          Robey, P.G.M. of Virginia, gave a brief account of the life and
          Masonic activities of Right Worshipful Allen Earl Roberts. He
          said that Roberts' activities in fraternal circles has spanned
          more than forty years. He is noted for his writing in the field of
          Freemasonry, having written over twenty-eight books on
          Freemasonry, an untold number of articles and regular
          columns for the Philalethes Society and numerous Short Talk
          Bulletins for the Masonic Service Association.
          Robey spoke about Roberts' work as the owner of a film
          production company, "Anchor Communications" which
          specializes in audio/visual aids for business and fraternal
          organizations. He listed a series of Leadership Training films
          Roberts has produced which include 'The Pilot", "Growing the
          Leader", "Breaking the Bafflers to Communication", Planning
          Unlocks the Door", and "People Make the Difference". These
          films have been used for many years by various Grand Lodges
          to develop leadership training for Lodge officers.
              Grand Master May said that Roberts was raised a Master
          Mason in Babcock Lodge No. 322 in Highland Springs,
          Virginia on April 1, 1945, served as Worshipful Master of
          Babcock Lodge in 1959, served Virginia Research Lodge No.
          1777 as Worshipful Master in 1966 and has been Secretary of
          that Lodge since 1973. Most Worshipful Stewart W. Miner
          appointed Roberts as District Deputy Grand Master for District
          No. 15-B in Virginia in 1974. Roberts served as Deputy Grand
          Secretary under Most Worshipful Archer B. Gay. He served as
          a member of the Committee on Masonic Education in Virginia
          for fourteen years. He is a Past High Priest and Past District
          Deputy Grand High Priest in the Royal Arch Chapter in
          Virginia and is a Past President of the Philalethes Society, now
          its Executive Secretary and writes a regular column "Through
          Masonic Windows" for their monthly publication.
          The Grand Master listed the Masonic Medals awarded to
          Roberts which include the Josiah H. Drummond Medal from
          the Grand Lodge of Maine; Silver Medal of the General Grand
          Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, International; John Dove
          Distinguished Service Medal of the Grand Chapter of Royal
          Arch Masons in Virginia; the Virginia Craftsmen Distinguished
          Service Medal; Gold Medal of the Glasgow, Scotland,
          Compass Association; the James Case Medal of Excellence of
          the Masonic Lodge of Research in Connecticut and the
          George Washington Distinguished Service Medal by the
          Grand Lodge of Virginia.
          Following the many accolades heaped upon Right Worshipful
          Brother Roberts for his many accomplishments for the Grand
          Lodge of Virginia and Freemasonry in general, the Grand
          Master had Brother Roberts and his wife Dottie, cut a ribbon
          which unveiled a Bronze Plaque affixed to the door of the
          Grand Lodge Library proclaiming it officially as the "Allen E.
          Roberts Masonic Library.
          Following the unveiling, Roberts responded in his usual
          manner by speaking "off the cuff' about why he had done some
          of the things he had done in Freemasonry. A copy of his
          remarks are attached to this article. All in attendance gave
          Brother Roberts a well deserved round of applause and spent
          over an hour with him touring the Library facilities and Museum
          at the Grand Lodge office building.
          As a token of appreciation and for future Masonic researchers,
          Roberts has donated many items of Masonic significance to
          the Library and Museum which he has collected over the
          years. He has also donated the original manuscripts of his
          writings to the Library. The Library has been set up as a
          Registered Non-Profit Corporation to encourage tax-deductible
          donations for future acquisitions for the Library.
          