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and followed by the singing of the National Anthem . The Chairman again rose and said : Brethren , the next toast upon the list which I see before me is that of "The Most

Worshipful the Grand Master , the Marquis of Ripon , " who is also the President of this Institution . ( Hear , hear . ) We all know how great the merits of our Grand Master are . ( Hear , hear . ) They need be great ,

because he followed one who was , I believe , one of the most popular Grand Masters who ever sat upon the throne . ( Hear , hear . ) But I believe that our present Grand Master is not one whit less popular—( hear ,

hear)—nor less likely to discharge faithfully zealously , and ably the duties which fall to his lot to discharge . ( Hear , hear . ) We all —at least , I have no doubt , a great number of you here present—heard the remarkably

good speech he made with reference to the events of the last two months at the Grand Lodge last week . We all felt , I believe , that he expressed fully our feelings , and that , in occupying the place which he does ,

he is the fittest exponent that we possibly could have of the feelings of the Freemasons of England . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I give you " The Health of our Most Worshipful Grand Master , the Marquis of Ripon . "

After a song from Miss Banks , The Chairman rose and said : Ladies and Brethren , I approach the next toast which I have to propose to you with very different feelings from those with which I

have proposed the other healths . There is something connected with one of the two names which I have now to present to your notice which , I trust , never has been connected with it before , and which , I trust , by

God s blessing , we shall never have associated with it again . ( Hear , hear . ) I have to propose to you " The Health of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Zetland , our Most Worshipful Past Grand

Masters . " ( Cheers . ) Brethren , I expected that this toast would be cordially received by you , and I see that I shall not be disappointed in my expectation . This is the first great Masonic gathering which I

believe has occured since , I hope I may now call it , the recovery of his Royal Highness . ( Hear , hear . ) It is a very old saying that we never know how precious anything is until we lose it . Loyalty was always a

characteristic of Freemasons , I have always believed that Freemasons were amongst the most loyal subjects in the land —( hear , hear)—but yet I believe that it required that we should see our beloved Prince in

imminent danger before we felt how dearly we loved him and how great his loss would be . I remember well how cordially he was welcomed as a Freemason when he first came amongst us . I am certain that during

his future career , and most certainly in those parts of it which are in any degree chequered with sorrow or distress—and I trust they may in future be few and fatbetween —( hear , hear)—he will receive the

same sympathy , and the same cordial feelings will be extended towards him as we extended when he first came amongst us . ( Hear , hear . ) I must not allow myself to forget the other name which is connected with this toast—one which it would ill

become us to forget while we sit in this place , for I think that all wc see around us speaks of the prosperous reign of our Past Grand Master , Lord Zetland . ( Hear , hear . )

Brethren , we should never forget our old friends , least of all our benefactors , and least still Lord Zetland . I give you " The Health of the Worshipful Past Grand Masters , the Earl of Zetland and the Prince of Wales . "

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The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm , and was followed by the choir singing " God bless the Prince of Wales . " The Chairman on rising to propose the toast of the Deputy Grand Master and Grand

Officers , said : Ladies and Brethren , I have now to propose to you " The Health of the Right Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master the Earl of Carnarvon , and the Present and Past Grand Officers . " ( Cheers . ) I am sorry that the Earl of Carnarvon is not in a

condition at present to take part in our Masonic gatherings ; but , I trust , that , ere long , he will be sufficiently recovered again to come amongst us . I have lately heard that he is in a fair way towards recovery ,

and I trust that we may sec him again in Grand Lodge . We all were glad when the Most Worshipful the Grand Master ' s choice fell upon him . ( Hear , hear . ) He is an old and experienced Mason ; he has shown

himself well fitted for the highest posts both in the country and in Masonry , and , T think , wc are all agreed that he is the right man in the right place . ( Hear , hear . ) Of the present and past Grand Officers I need

say but little . You , brethren , who are , most of you , I have no doaibt , much more constant attendants in Grand Lodge than I am , are much more aware of their merits

than I can be ; but I know that it is usually reported that no Grand Lodge in the world , no Grand Master , is so well supported by his Grand Officers as the Grand Master of

England . ( " Hear , hear , and cheers . ) I shall couple with this toast the name of one who is known to you all , and who is much valued for his many merits , and particularly

for those which he exercises in Masonry—I mean Bro . Martyn . ( Cheers . ) After the toast had been honoured , Miss Alice Fairman sang , " Looking Back . "

The Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C , in reply , said : My Lord , Ladies , and Brethren , the taskwhich has been imposed upon me this evening of returning thanks for the Deputy

Grand Master of England and all the Grand Officers , past and present , is , indeed , a very arduous one , and it is a task which I am sure any man would shrink from when he c ^ imc to think of all the merits of those

who are implied and comprised in that toast . But I am supported by the remembrance that they possess so many merits that I cannot enumerate them , and that my own must fade before them . For my Lord

Carnarvon , the Deputy Grand Master , it would be in vain for me to say anything you might not anticipate ; still , I have the greatest pleasure in knowing that it is now fifteen years since I had the pleasure of

being exalted in Royal Arch Masonry along with him in the Royal Arch chapter at Oxford , and for the past fifteen years he has conducted himself , as you all know , in every position he has been placed in in

Masonry , and in every position , as Lord Percy has said , in a way that gives the greatest and highest satisfaction to all of us who have had the satisfaction of observing his conduct in that career . For the rest of

the Grand Officers , they arc , as you know , always all before you . You have had an opportunity of seeing and observing their conduct , and I am quite certain that the way in which their name is received in all

Masonic assemblies is a guarantee of the way in which they perform their duties . For the past Grand Officers , and in their name , as one of them , I return you my

very sincere thanks for the way in which you have received the mention of our names ; and for the present Grand Officers , I can but hope and trust that they will worthily fulfil , as I know they will , their

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duties during their term of office , and at the end of their year of office they will receive their badges and other honours and distinctions to show that they have done so . ( Cheers . )

The Chairman , in giving the toast of the evening , said : Ladies and Brethren , I feel very much , I can assure you , like a spoiling spirit , because I feel that I am standing in the way of an entertainment which you

would much more appreciate than my voice . ( No , no . ) Well , brethren , I trust that for the sense and credit of the mystic Order that you do so . I assure you I will not make longer speeches than I can help , but

I must ask your pardon for making one and requiring a longer hearing than I otherwise should for this toast , because it is the toast of the evening . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I am always glad to take part or to aid in

any way that lies in my power the charities of Freemasonry —( cheers ) , —because I know that in the outside world there is a great deal of misconception as to the nature of Freemasonry : and I must confess that

I am not altogether astonished that it should be so , because it is perfectly true that there is a great deal of pleasure and enjoyment in Freemasonry—that we have very convivial meetings , and also that ,

except in our Masonic Charities , it is not apparent to the world what good we do . You will not suspect me , brethren , of intending to say that there is not good which is not done in Freemasonry , which the world

docs not see ; but what I say is , the world does not see it . Now it is perfectly true on the one hand , that we ought to do good whether the world sees it or not—nay more , our left hand should not know what cur

right hand docth ; and on the other hand , I might quote you a text against that , foecause we all know that you can prove anything by texts—there is a text which prtjves ( I am saying it seriously ) , " So let your tyght

shine before men that they may see your good works . " Therefore , brethren , I am glad Freemasonry has large and extensive charities which can be seen by the world . I do not know of any body of men who take

such good care of their members as Freemasons do from their cradles to their graves . I may say there is help for the deserving , if they choose to seek it . ( Cheers . ) At the present moment I have nothing to do with

the cradle —( laughter ) , —but I have to advocate before you the claims of our aged brethren . Now , I am perfectly well aware that there is a great deal to he said about the evil of helping those in their old age who

might have provided for themselves in their youth ; but it also strikes me that people forget that there arc those who by accident or misfortune that cannot be foreseen are left in their old age destitute . We do help ,

through our Benevolent Fund , those who b y sudden misfortune are impoverished and in distress , but who in youth are of such an age that they may recover themselves . But the charity which I now have to recommend

to your notice helps those who are in the same position as those brethren , only they are arrived at an age which leaves no chance , humanly speaking , of their ever being able to do anything for themselves . Now ,

brethren , I do not think I need say more on that point , but I will place before you at once , if you will allow me , very concisel y , the state the Institution is in , and the claim it has on our notice . You are told it is a

flourishing Institution , therefore that it does not want any subscription . I do not know that I should put it in that light , but I have often heard it said that flourishing institutions have not the same claims as those that are not flourishing . I doubt this assertion .