China.

good and the destruction of evil until the glorious success of tho milleninm changes the celestial nature of our encampment to reality ! The AV . MASTER then went on to say , —For the next toast you require full glasses , for it will be coupled with the name of one who has rendered many and great benefits to us . Coming amongst us but a few years since , he has already taken that position his qualifications so fit him to feel , and I feel bound to

transfer to him the most of that kind praise which you have been pleased to lavish upon me , as it has been by his kind instruction , assistance , & c . Tlie records of the doings of our Past Masters present to us a worthy example for imitation ; and I feel sure that with the memory of the great service by our Bros . Spence , Dunlop , Underwood , ancl Gould , we cannoff fail to be inspired with a portion of their spirits . I will give youtherefore"The Health of the Past Masterscoupling

, , , with it the name of Bro . Gould , " who has just finished his successful term of office as AV . M . of the Northern Lodge of China . Air , — " Cujus Animum . " Bro . GOULD said , —That the last speech of the AVorshipful . Master had exhibited in a strong light his excessive modesty . Bro . Parker had had a most arduous period of office , ancl it must be most gratifying to leave his loclge in so flourishing a

condition , and concluded by a few observations regarding the importance of young brethren attending lodges of Instruction . The AV . MASTER , again rising said , —I will now call upon you to join in good wishes for one whose life is devoted to the propagation publicly of those principles of thought and action which we , as Freemasons , take to be the foundation ancl strength of our Masonic union . But lately come amongst us we have had but little opportunity of meeting him Masonically ,

but I have no doubt , from the interest he has expressed in our welfare , and his presence to-night , that wo shall find in him one who will boldly uphold the interests of Ereemasonry and afford to onr Masonic friends the reflection that the clergy are willing to give their endorsement to the high aims and objects we strive at . I give you " Long Life , Health , and Prosperit y to our worthy Chaplain of the evening , Rev . Bro . Butcher . " Bro . Rev . C . BUTCHER replied , — -AVorshipful Master and Brethren , I cannot express the pleasure it gives me to be

present ou tins occasion , one of the pleasantest evenings I have passed in Shanghai . There are three eras in Masonry : —The first is that connected with the remote period of which we hear so much in the ceremonies of our lodges when the great edifice of the Jewish Church was raised ; the second is in the middle ages , when wo find a strange phenomenon . Those were times of darkness and ignorance , but they produced the most splendid examples of architectural magnificence the world has ever seen .

Eor these the world has to thank the guilds of travelling Ereemasons who , going from place to place , designed those masterpieces of art , the cathedrals of England and the continental countries of Europe , which our age can only essay to imitate and cannot attempt to rival . But though the Freemasons have ceased to labour on such works as these are they an idle ancl useless body ? Though we have ceased to be " practical "

and are instead "speculative" Masons , have we not functions still ? I point to men like the honoured guest of to-night to prove the value of our institutions . The maxims of brotherly love , relief , and truth , are foundations on which the moral edifice is erected , and to build up a truly Christian character is surely as noble a work as to enrich ancl adorn a material building of stones and marbles . Thus much generally speaking . As the clergyman of this placeit is a matter of profound regret

, to myself that we are to lose " the good grey head that all men knew , the voice from which ( speaking as Masons ) , the voice , I say , from which their omens all men drew . " I regret this loss because I had hoped to see our P . Prov . G . M . Rawson lay the foundation stone of our new church with that pomp and pageantry which the Craft so well know how to display on such an occasion ; but yet I would not ask him to stay a clay ,

for I know the cause which calls him away earlier than he intended to go—I know that he hastens home to gladden the declining years of his mother . I need say no more , except that I hope , as the Chaplain of Shanghai , to labour as far as my poor powers admit for the good of all , ancl as a Mason to help the Craft in every way . I thank you for the kindness with which you have received my name . I have shown why I

believe the Church does wisely and well to connect itself with our Constitution and Order . The W . MASTER continued , —The next toast will be to those who have joined with us to-night in our banquet , and whom , we

have much pleasure in bidding welcome . I shall couple the toast with the name of Bro . Morell . Air , — "Let us be happy together . " Bro . MORELL having responded , The W . MASTER proceeded , —As we are just entering upon a new year of our lodges , let me now propose to you the health of the officers appointecl to work our respective bodies . I give good wishes ancl health to our officers for the ensuing year

you , coupling the toast with the name of the two Senior'AVardens , Bro . Holdsworth and Bro . Pearon .. They have already given us a proof of what they can do , ancl I feel sure that their presiding officers will find able and zealous supporters in them . I give you " The Officers of this Lodge and tho North Lodge of China , coupled with tho names of Bros . Holdsworth and Fearon . " Air , — " Tubal Cain . "

Bros . HOLDSWORTH and FEARON having replied , The AV . MASTER proceeded , —The last that I shall give you is one which I know every Mason will hail with full glasses and beating hearts . The Entered Apprentice is taught in his first song that—¦ " AVho can more the ladies adore , Than a Free and an Accepted Mason . " And I ive you bumpers to the health of the fair ladies of

g Shanghai . The counsellor , the sympathiser , the friend , the companion ; brethren , honour to our ladies—may their number increase ; and I will couple with this toast the names of our youngest Master Mason Bro . Morrill . Air , " Hero ' s a health to all good lasses . " Bro . MURBILL replied in the following words , —You do me too much honour , AVorshipful Master , in thus calling upon me ,

unpromising ancl unsophisticated bachelor that I am , and " youngest of the Master Masons fpresent , " to respond to that dearest ancl noblest of all sentiments , chosen ancl reserved by time-honoured custom for the crowning bumpers of tlie feast , and pledged in the oldest , purest draughts , accompanying emblems of her love , devotion , faith and virtue . If the grandest of " creation's lords" ( ?) are doubly honoured when their names and titles are coupled with one of those of gentler accent , how can an humble , undeserving mortal like myself be expected to rise and bear away the blushing load you heap upon me in thus

coupling my name with that of the whole fair sex ? The ladies , or woman ! In its broadest , grandest sense , there's melody in the sound—soft as the lullaby that hushed our infant slumbers , sweet as the voice of the playmate that prattled by our side , and pure and gentle as the loving accents that cheer our path through life . In all its phases and variations , how fond the associations its mention awakens , how dear to our hearts are the scenes it recalls ; beautiful as angel chords to which our heart

strings blend in harmony . It is to us the song of the past and the epic of the future . Yes , it is honour , indeed , to be called upon to respond to such a toast ; ancl while I thank you for the compliment so gracefully bestowed , I only regret my utter inability to do justice to the subject . But it is a duty I would not shun ; that summons I must obey as long as one drop of manly blood , courses through my veins , ancl a sense of gratitude

or the memory of a mother's love warms and inspires my soul . The gallant knights of old were ne ' er so proud to rush to battle or enter the lists as when the cause of "love and beauty" called to arms . Let us , so far from falling short of their noble example , show by word and deed that the true index of civilisation is now , as it has ever been , the standard of respect and deference due to woman ; and , to prove this factI would proudly point to our own fraternity

, , who are as deservedly famous throughout the world for their gallantry ancl devotion , as they are pre-eminent ancl distinguished for their virtues and attainments . Woman ! our protectors in childhood , our guides in youth , our companions in manhood , our solace in age , a friend that clings to us when others fail , ancl when dark clouds hang o'er our path , ancl the future looks loomy ancl desolatethat "love-lihted

watchg , g fire" shines brighter and brighter as the shadows thicken around it ; ancl when the storm is over , her cheering smile is the rainbow of promise that assures us all is not lost , and that better days and fairer skies are dawning . Poets have sung her praises ; the best , the noblest earth can boast have vied in manly strife to do her honour ancl express their admiration of her virtues ; but woman ' s love was a theme too high for mortal

tongue , ancl was never reached till God in His manhood called her " Mother . " Her sphere , though different and varied from that of man , is none the less noble or exalted , fitted as it is for the display of those lovely Christian , virtues that distinguish ,