When living at Dryden, I was very much impressed with an incident that came under my observation quite often. It was this: Just in front of my house was a lot which had been used a number of years for pasturing cattle. There was one spot near my house, where they had in the past _salted them_. But time and rain had, to all appearance, washed away every bit of salt! The place had been so thoroughly “licked,” that neither grass nor weeds grew there. A horse was pastured in that lot during the summer of my stay there. Every day that poor old horse might be seen at that old “salt-lick,” lapping the dry sand and gravel. I presume that same old horse had been pastured there when some kind hand had dispensed real _salt_ to the beast. I was led to reflect on this wise: How many that profess to be Christians, that once enjoyed the favor of God, and took great delight in meeting the saints, and hearing the words of life preached. These used to be seasons of great refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The real bread of life was broken with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, while shouts of victory and the divinely inspired amens were richly interspersed during these gatherings. Preachers once thought the Holy Ghost an indispensable in feeding the sheep--not only so, they placed the _salt_ where it could be had, and the sheep liked it. How strange it is to see those that once fed on real manna, (salt) corn, and wine, and oil, now satisfied in _licking_ dry sand and gravel--earthly pleasures; a religion that has no Holy Ghost in it; a simple skeleton, bones without meat; yea, the sensuality of a godless world. Is it not a fact, that multitudes, as specified above, feed on the _carrion_ of this poor world, and call it salvation? and then wonder why they do not see such displays of God’s power as our fathers did. Thank God-- “There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of gladness on our heads.” A great many have said to me, “I have not had a square meal in a long time. We get occasionally a few crumbs.” Bless God! our Father is rich. If you will pay the _price_ you can eat the good of the land. “Rejoicing now in earnest hope, I stand, and from the mountain top See all the land below. Rivers of milk and honey rise, And all the fruits of paradise In endless plenty grow.” XXXIV. BE POSITIVE.