The International Masonic Gathering.

. £ -12 , 000 a year during those two years ; that represents , in American currency , something like 210 , 000 dollars , brought in at three meetings in the course of one y-ear . Now , Sir , if that is the fact , iu respect of our Masonic Institutions , how much must we be indebted to the Craft for all that they have clone , aud to the Masonic press , for every effort they have given us in endeavouring to make luiown the claims of those three Institutions , and personally speaking , on behalf of myself , I may say the Order is very much indebted to

the press for all they have clone . We may , perhaps , differ as to the way it shotdd be cloue ; but we know , after all , that we have one heart , one soul , one spirit to work in ; we do all we possibly can to promote the good aud the prosperity of them all . I thank you very much indeed , ancl you also , Mr . Chairman , for having given me the opportunity of responding to the toast , aud congratulating our American brethren at this great hall of ours in England , and I hope and trust they may carry back to their country the kind consideration of all London Masons , and the earnest wishes for their health , wealth , and prosperity , ancl the goodwill of aU our Masonic brethren .

Bro . Kenning called upon Sir ' John Bennett " to propose the last toast . " Bro . Sir John Bennett , in proposing the toast of "The Ladies , "said : Last , indeed , unduly last ; but , nevertheless , I am greatly indebted to the grace and favour of our munificent host for the great pleasure of attending here this evening , and though it is my good fortune from time to time to address important assemblies elsewhere , I look with peculiar interest and satisfaction on the remarkable meeting that I have attended

this very ni g ht , graced as it is by men representing almost every branch of human interests , graced too with the presence , the august presence , I would almost say , of the leading spirits of our great corporation of London , " the guide , phdosopher , and friend " of the Common Council in its most profound deliberations . I feel that this is no ordinary assembly , and we are quite in a position to-night to greet the Craft from the other side of the Atlantic , and it would not be befitting that we should part to-night , having toasted brethren of our Craft , without remembering the sisters of our Craft , because , whatever the brethren mi ght be , whether of the States , abroad in Europe , or at home , the chief contributor to the " United States" or the old and the new world is

woman . Yes , whether young or old—and I happen to be in the somewhat fortunate position of being a somewhat young man , ancl therefore can dilate with heartiness on the subject of the toast—whether in the spring of life , as I suppose Byron was when bo said—¦ " In the clays of my youth , when the heart ' s in its spring , And dreams that affection can never take wing—I have loved ! who has not ? but what heart can declare

That pleasure was absent while woman was there 1 " I never knew a good thing in this world but a woman was at the bottom of it . I say hi spring she does—in our infancy—her duty to mankind ; ay , in the heyday of manhood what a joyous and blessed companion ; in our autumn she ministers to our joys , and , when we have none , elevates our sorrows : and at last , when it comes to it , she is the

very hand and support of the winter of old age . We toast them with all reverence , with all honour . We toast woman , whether on the other side of the Atlantic or here at home with us . I know how much every man is , a public man especiall y , indebted to his better , bis purer , ancl very frequently his lesser half . People who wonder among ourselves where some of us get our ori ginal thoughts from do not know we have talked them over with our wives over the breakfast table in the morning , and

our ori ginal thoughts come from that quarter . In the " light fanastic toe , " as we term it , we engage her , and in the song we have had here to-night I miss her . Li nature also I may observe that the Creator did not fancy the world complete unless he gave us the soprano and alto , and , therefore , in song I regret we did not have female voices . We have not had woman to give grace to this entertainment ; but in whatever phase of life , in whatever character she appears , we , good Masons , from the old and irom the new world , are prepared to drink this toast , with all respect , affection , ana reverence , and so in that spirit I speak to you , in that spirit I give it , and in