The Province Of Oxfordshire.—(Concluded.)

The fiftieth anniversary of the lodge was celebrated on the 19 th February , 186 9 , when the members entertained a number of Grand and Provincial Grand Officers , the W . M ., P . Ms , and brethren of the "Isaac University Lodge , " Cambridge , and other invited guests . On the 30 th April , 1872 , the lodge had the special honour

of adding the name of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., M . W . Grand Master ( with the consent of H . R . H . ) , to their roll . At the following annual meeting H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ( now his Majesty King Edward VII . ) became the W . M . of the lodge , and graciously appointed Bro . Reginald ~

Bird , M . A ., I . P . M . ( D . Prov . G . M . Oxfordshire , 1876-91 , P . G . D . ) , to be H . R . H . ' s Deputy Master . Another great honour was conferred on the lodge in 18 74 , when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., & c , intimated that H . R . H . Prince Leopold , K . G ., & c . ( afterwards Duke of

DINNER GIVEN TO VISCOUNT VALENTIA , M . P ., ON HIS RETURN FROM SOUTH AFRICA .

Albany ) , desired to become a Mason and a member of the " Apollo University . " On the 1 st of May in that year , H . R . H . was elected , and on the same clay initiated by Bro . Frederic Parker Morrell , M . A . In the following year H . R . H . served as Senior Wardenand on 23 rd February 1876 was installed

, , , as Worshipful Master by the Rev . H . A . Pickard , i * A . ( P . G . C . ) ; the Rev . R . W . M . Pope , D . D . ( P . G . C . ) , being appointed Deputy Master . The long list of members of the lodge who have served as Stewards of the Central Masonic Charitiesproves how

, heartil y the brethren respond to the dictates of that " distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart . " The total votes held by the Province number nearly 7000 , so that the other lodges in Oxfordshire cheerfully do their part as well , for our admirable Institutions .

The " Churchill Lodge" was chartered 26 th of April , 18 41 , as No . 702 , which was changed to 478 in 186 3 . It first assembled at Henley , then , in 18 = 51 , at Oxford , and in 18 = 52

at Nuneham , but in 1858 it was removed to the City , at the Masonic Hall , Alfred Street . The first Master and Wardens ( petitioners with four others ) were Bros . John Lane , D . C . L ., Rev . W . H . Cox , B . D . ( P . M . of "Apollo Univ . " ) , and the Rev . G . F . Thomas , M . A ., respectively . There was little business transacted until 1850 , when another start was

inaugurated by the election of Bro . R . J . Spiers ( P . G . S . B . Eng . and D . Prov . G . M . 18 55-75 ) , P . M . of the " Alfred" and several members of the " Apollo University" ; the Rev . Edward Moore being the W . M ., who had as his officers brethren connected with Lodges 340 and 357 . That a very

intimate friendship exists between the " Apollo University " and the " Churchill , " is evidenced by the number of brethren who join the latter lodge from No . 357 and go " through the chair . " The ' ' Cherwell , " Banbury , No . 599 ( formerly 873 ) , was

established in 1852 , its first W . M . being the Rev . C K . Paul ( P . Prov . G . Chaplain ) ; the next W . M . being Lt .-Col . H . A . Bowyer ( Prov . G . M . from 1854 ) . The " Bowyer , " Chipping Norton , No . 1036 , entered on its career at the " White Hart " in 186 4 but from 1867 has been located at the Masonic Hall .

, The " Marlborough " was formed at Woodstock in 1872 as No . 1399 ; all but one of the petitioners hailing from the " Alfred , " No . 340 ; whereas those who founded the "Bertie " in 1874 belonged to four lodges . It was consecrated at the " University " Masonic Hall , Oxford , as number 1515 , on 6 th

November by the late Bro . Richard James Spiers as D . Prov . G . M . It was the first lodge warranted during the Grand Mastership of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., & c . The other lodges on the roll of the province are the " Windrush , " No . 1703 , Witney ( A . D . 1877 ); the " St .

Mary ' s , " No . 1763 , Thame ( A . D . 1878 ) ; the " Thames , " No . 18 95 , Henley-on-Thames ( A . D . 1881 ) ; the " Jersey , " No . 2334 , Bicester ( A . D . 1890 ) ; and the " Wychwood , " No . 2414 ,