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the private lodges in this or any other Masonic jurisdiction . There may be other lodges that have exercised as wide-spread an influence on the fortunes of the Craft , but there are none that have exercised a wider or more beneficial influence on , or done

more to give tone and character to , our Knglish system . But to the story , which for convenience sake , 1 have broken up into a series of Decades , and which , for the same reason , I shall relate in mv own fashion .

FII ' . ST DKCAI > I-:. I have already suggested that , in a body corporate like the University of Oxford , which , while it is always being recruited from the youth of the country , clings with a tenacity that can hardly be realised by the outside world , to the sacred memories

of the past , there is little , if any , difficulty in connecting the present with generations that have long since gone to their rest . The suggestion certainly applies to the Apollo Lodge . Tliere is , indeed , one brother ( the Rev . Sir J . Warren Hayes ) still living who obtained his earliest insight into our mysteries in this

lodge in the year 1819 , when it could boast of an existence of a few months only , and it was but the other day that tliere was recorded in the columns of the Freemason the death of another the late Bro . the . Karl of Shaftesbury ) , who was likewise among the earliest initiates of the Apollo . The first Master of the

lodge , in whose time these distinguished Craftsmen were made Masons—if , indeed , they were not so made by him personallywas a Bro . John Ireland , who in 181 . 4 hael been founder and first W . M . of the present Alfred l . odgc , No . 1540 , Oxford—the first that was constituted by the " United " Grand Lodge of

England—and what is more to the point , had in 1780 served the office of W . M . in the "Constitution" or "Constitutional " Lodge of Oxford , which was warranted by the Duke of Beaufort , the then Grand Master , on 17 th March , 1770 , or only a few months after the same Grand Master had issued his warrant

forthe "Lodge of Alfred in the University of Oxford , " dated thc 2 nd December , 1769 . Among the contemporaries of this Bro . John Ireland was a Bro . the Rev . R . Holmes , who had preceded him in the chair of Constitution Lodge by some four years . This Rev . Bro . Holmes had been its Master in the years 177- *) and I 770 ,

and m IttS was W . M . of the old University Alfred Lodge . Both these lodges—the earlier Alfred and the Constitution—had censed working in 1792 , when the last re-numbering of the "Modern " lodges before the Union took place , but their members did not close their connection with the Craft . One of them at all

events survived to some purpose , and Bro . John Ireland , the W . M . of Constitution Lodge in 1780 , a contemporary of and in all probability a frequent visitor at the Alfreel University Lodge in Oxford of 1 709 creation , lived to become , in 1819 , the first W . M . of the present Apollo University Lodge . But this is not

all . A . s I have noted above , tbe present Bro . Kev . Sir I . Warren Hayes , Bart ., G . Chaplain of Lngland in 1841-0 , was among the initiates of 1819—Bro . Ireland's first year as W . M . of the Apollo . Here then there is established a close

connection between tho past and present Oxford University Lodges —the lodge of 17 ( 59-83 and that of 1819-85 , and ' the fact , though it docs not help to elucidate the history cl * the latter , is at least worth noting . Those who would certify themselves

more distinctly of its reality will do well to consult the brief sketch of "Freemasonry in Oxfordshire , " by Bro . K . L . Hawkins , Past G . Registrar ( present G . Sec . ) of the province . It is not difficult to imagine that a lodge which started on its

career under the auspices of a veteran P . M . like Rro . -lohn Ireland , with a second P . M . ( of the present Alfred Lodge ) inthe person of Bro . George Hitch in gs , as S . W ' ., and other brethren of position , as Bro . Daniel ( afterwards Sir Daniel ) Keyto Sand-

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ford , of Christ Church . Sir C . Macdonald Lockliart , Bart ., of Brasenose , Bro . W . J . St . Aubyn , and others , would stand a fair chance of carving out for itself a , bright and prosperous future , but the point can never have been in doubt for one moment . By the close of its first vear the roll of members was . 38 strong ,

among them being a still surviving brother—Sir J . W . Hayesthe late Bro . the Rev . J . Chaloner Ogle , P . G . M . Northumberland , 18-1-4 , the late Marquis of Cliolmondeley , the first Karl of Ellesmere , the llth -Marl of Home , the recently-deceased Earl of Shaftesbury , K . G ., and the Viscount Teinpletown .

. twenty-four names were added to the list iu 1820 , and ol these may be mentioned Sir Alexander * Malet , lately ll . B . M ' s Minister Plenipotentiary to the old German Diet at - Frankfort , and father of Sir E . B . Malet , our Ambassador at Berlin , and Sir E . R . Borough , Bart ., PastD . G . M . of Ireland , both happily

surviving ; the late Bro . John Fawcett , for three-and-fwenty years the respected chief of our brethren in Durham ; George , 8 th Duke of Leeds ; Randolph ,- 9 fh Earl of Galloway ; James Adey Ogle , W . M . in 1822-3 , Regius Professor of Medicine in 18 ol ; and the late Key . C . J . Ridley , five times W . M . of the

lodge and P . G . M . Oxfordshire , 18 11-54 , than whom it is difficult to picture a brother who rendered more sterling service to his lodge , his province , and the Craft generally , or one who was more beloved and respected . The name of Ridley is a memory

of past days , of the lodge in its infancy and in its prime , but it is one of those memories , that the older they grow , the more sacred they become , and while Freemasonry exists iu Oxfordshire , that name will ever be remembered with reverence .

Among the initiates of tho year 1821 . were included three who in after life distinguished themselves as clergymen of the Anglican Church , namely , Bro . -1 . G . Trevor Spencer , of University College , afterwards Lord Bishop of Madras ; Alexander Nicoll , of Balliol , sometime Regius Professor of Hebrew ,

ancl John Sandford , also of Balliol , afterwards Archdeacon of Coventry , and Bampton Lecturer for 1801 . In 1822 was initiated Bro . John Crichton , of Trinity , afterwards third Earl of l * h * ne , and Knight of St . Patrick , who died but a few months since , and whose successor in the Knightly Order was

invested a week or two ago at the Viceregal Lodge , Dublin , by the Marl of Carnarvon , Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , and Pro Grand Master of England . Prominent amongst the men of 1823 , we find the late Bro . John Huyshe , of Brasenose , whose name for many j-enrs , and till quite recently , was a tower

ot strength among * the Devon Masons . Rev . Bro . Huyshe was for a time Deputy , and from 1800 to 1879 , Grand Mister of that flourishing province , which owes so much of its success to his kindly government , and has done so much in the way of establishing Huyshe memorials to perpetuate the name and

lame of one who in his time , as a . Mason , played many parts and played them to perfection . The names of other worthy brethren figure on the Register for the same year . Bro . J . G . \ " enables Vernon , of Christ Church , afterwards fifth Lord Vernon ; the late Lorel Athluinnoy , at the time of his initiation

William Mercdyth Somerville , of Christ Church , and in later years Chief Secretary for Ireland under Lord John Russell ' s administration , 1847-52 ; Sir Jervoise Clerk . Jervoise , of Corpus , afterwards , in 1859 , M . P . for South Hants ; anel the lion . William Braba / . ou of Christ Church , the llth and present Karl

of Meath . In 1825 was elected as an Honorary Member Bro . W . Thompson , who was six times chosen as AV . M . of the Alfreel Lodge , No . 310 , Oxford . Among the initiates of 182 ( 5 were Lord Augustus Fit / .-Clarence , of Brasenose ; Francis Fulford , of Exeter , afterwards Bro . the Rev . F . Fulford , D . D ., Lord Bishop of Montreal ; W . Forbes Mackenzie , of Brasenose : and the Hon .

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