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THE MASONIC MIRROR . ' * # * All communications to be addressed to the EDITOR , at No . 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , W . C .

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THE NEW POSTAI AEKANGEHENT . —On the 1 st of October the new postal arrangement came into operation , by which the postage of the MAGAZINE is reduced one-half , of which our subscribers will receive the full benefit . In future , those of our subscribers who pay one year in advance will receive the MAGAZINE post-free . The price of the MAGAZINE will thus be

reduced from 17 s . 4-d . to 13 s . per annum . Under this arrangement the following he the terms of subscription : —One year , paid in advance , 13 s . ; six months , 7 s . 7 d . ; single numbers , by post , 3 id . We hope that by thus giving the advantage to our subscribers thoy will , in return , use their best endeavours to increase our circulation , by inducing their friends to become

subscribers . Anticipating a large increase in our circulation , arrangements are in progress for special new features in the MAGAZINE . SCOIIAND . —NOTICE TO SUBSCEIBEBS . —The Agency for the Freemasons' Magazine in Scotland is now conducted by Messrs

Strathern and Stirrat , 32 , Renfield Street , Glasgow ; and any Subscriber not receiving the Magazine as usual , will please notify the fact to the above Firm , or to the Company ' s Manager , directed to the Office , 19 , Salisbury Street , Strand , London , W . C-

Masonic Mems.

MASONIC MEMS .

The Royal Standard Lodge of Instruction ( No . 1298 , ) meets every Friday evening at 8 pm ., at the Marquess Tav ern , Canonbury . Bro . Wigginton , P . 31 ., 902 , W . M . 1298 , President ; Bro . It . Lee , Preceptor . On the 2 Sth ult , the noble Masonic Hall at Watford was totally

destroyed by fire , caused by overheating tho flue of tbe Corn Exchange buildings adjoining , which must have been badly of carelessly constructed , as tbe fine so closely touched the Hall , as to ignite the timbers of the latter . The conflagration commencing on tlie roof , allowed time enough for the lady proprietress to remove a great portion of tbo fittings , glass and furniture .

The Watford fire brigade was soon the spot , but in consequence of the delay caused by the loss of time in obtaining water thoy were unable to save the building . The roof of the Corn Exchange is likewise destroyed . The Hall was the Lodge property , and built some 35 years since , and was insured for £ G 00 , and tbe furniture for £ 200 , hence it is expected no great loss

• will be sustained by the Watford lodge . It is not yet decided where the lodge , chapter , and encampment will meet , until a new Hall is erected . The Clarendon Hotel is spoken of as the most likely . The next meeting of the Great Northern Lodgo , 1283 , wil take plactj-On Thursday next , January 19 th , when Bro . Edward Moody , the W . M , elect , will be installed as the W . M . for tlie i ensuing year .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

ENGLISH CONSTITUTION . METROPOLITAN .

ALBION LODGE ( NO . 9 ) . —This Lodge met on Tuesday , 3 rd inst at Freemasons' Tavern , Bro . R . Bullen , W . M ., presiding , and P . M . ' s Stevens , Young , Vallentine , S . Cooke , B . Coste , Willing , C . Lee , and T . Moring being also present . The report of the Audit Committee , which was read , showed a large balance in favour of the Lodge . The Committee reported that it had been proposed to mark tho esteem of the brethren for Bro . Burton , P . M ., Secretary , on his resigning that office through illness , after

many years' service , by presenting him with a handsome silver snuff-box . The report also expressed the regret of the Committee at losing bis services . The Committee further reported that the gift of a P . M . Jewel to Bro . Buller , W . M ., be presented in recognition of his discharge of the duties of his office during the year with so much skill and ability . The report was unanimously adopted . Bros . Walter Knight and Garter were then passed to tbe second degree , and Bro . E . ICiniber was elected

a member of the Lodge . The installation of the W . M . was then proceeded with / for which purpose Bro . S . Vallentine , P . M ., took the chair , and in the same able style in which he has conducted the same ceremony for many years past , installed Bro . William Harding Baylis , S . W ., as W . M . of the Albion Lodge for the year 1871 . The officers appointed by the W . M . were Bros . Hilary Albert , S . W .: Morton , J . W . ; Harvey , S . D . ; R . Papineau , J . D . ; Cater , I . G . ; Buller , I . P . M . ; Moring , P . M .,

Treasurer ; II . Mitchell , as locum tenens for Bro . Friend , Secretary , absent through ill health ; and George Smith , Tyler . After tbe various charges bad been delivered by the Installing Officer , the new W . M . initiated Mr . David Berwick in the mysteries of tbe Order , in a way which gave great promise for his future excellence , after which tbe Lodge was closed , and the brethren sat down to an excellent banquet . Tbe toasts which followed tbe pleasures of the table were proposed with considerable skill b y tbe W . M .. that of the Deputy Grand Master , and tbe rest of the Grand Officers , finding a representative in Bro . Conrad C . Dumas , Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies . Bro . F .

Binckes , in responding for the Masonic Charities , said that every shilling given to those institutions was as faithfully applied as it was gratefully received , although there were at the present time those who charged the managers of those institutions with misapplication of the funds . Ho wished that brethren ivould take the trouble to examine and inquire for themselves into the distribution of the sums collected . The managers demanded scrutiny and were willing to expose every book

and document to falsify the charge of mismanagement . The boys' school , ivhich he represented , collected nearly £ 13 , 000 in I 860 , and over £ 11000 in 1870 , and out of those sums £ 7 , 000 in the former year and £ 6 , 000 in tbe latter had been applied towards paying off the debt which hung over the Institution . The boys' school was not so fortunate as its sister Institutions as to have funded property , but he could safely say there was no Institution better managed . In nine it bad raised

years £ 75 , 000 out of ivhich £ 46 , 000 had been spent in the erection of a building which was capable of holding 200 hoys , £ 30 , 000 had been spent on tho education and maintenance of the inmates , and the Institution would remain a monument to the beneficence cf the Order . Bro . Binckes further stated that these large amounts bad been collected by comparatively few members of the Craft , for not more than one-fifth of the entire body of Freemasons were subscribers to the Charities , and he exhorted his

hearers to uso their utmost endeavours to obtain the support of all the brethren belonging to the great body of Freemasons . Subsequently to this appeal Bro . T . Moring , P . M ., in the kindest maimer undertook the office of Steward of the Albion Lodge for the next festival of the Boys' School on March tbe Sth . Bro . Stevens , P . M ., and Bro . Thomas contributed some capital sonSs during tho evening , and Bro . Jordan played some excellent music on the pianoforte . The visitors were Bros . S . Ayres , W . M .

95 ; J . Swcasy , 946 ; D . H . Jacobs , P . M . 27 ; W . Holland , 157 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 ; Alfred Avery , W . M . 1314- ; F . Walters , W . M . 1309 ; Conrad C . Dumas , A . G . D . C , ; and F . Binckes , G . S . Lodge .