I wish for thee the sweeter joys,
  Which from religion flow;
These have the power to soothe and bless,
  In hours of deepest woe.

I wish for thee the honor pure,
  Descending from on high;
To lift thy soul away from earth,
  And raise it to the sky.

I wish that peace through all thy life,
  May on each step attend;
May rapture crown its closing hour,
  And perfect bliss its end.

THE CHRISTIAN’S ANCHOR.

How oft when youthful skies are clear,
  And joy’s sweet breezes round us play,
We dream that as through life we steer,
  The morrow shall be like to-day.

We paint each scene with rainbow hues,
  And gaily sail on stormless seas,
While hope, through life’s bright future, views
  The port she thinks to make with ease.

But ah! how soon dark clouds of woe
  Spread o’er those skies a deepening shade,
And waves of sorrow overflow,
  And all the rainbow glories fade.

’Tis thus earth’s hopes, however bright,
  Expire and vanish, one by one,
E’en as the shore recedes from sight,
  When glides the free bark swiftly on.

Yet the redeemed, with anchor firm,
  Time’s swelling billows shall outride,
And far beyond the raging storm
  Shall make the port on Canaan’s side.

Oh, may this bright and blissful hope
  Fill my poor heart with joy and peace,
Bid me ’mid all life’s storms look up
  To yon blest land, where storms shall cease.

And when with life’s last gale I’ve striven,
  And all its raging waves have pass’d,
Oh, may I, in the port of heaven,
  My anchor Hope securely cast.

CALLANDER PATTERSON.

Callander Patterson was born near Perryville, Cecil county, May 6, 1820.  His education was obtained at the common schools of the neighborhood.  Many years ago he went to Philadelphia, where he studied dentistry, which he has since practiced in that city.  Mr. Patterson commenced writing poetry when quite young, but published nothing until upwards of forty years of age.  His poetry—­of which he has written much—­seems to have been of a religious character.

Owing to causes beyond our control, the following poem is the only one, adapted to this book, that we have been able to obtain.

GOD IS GREAT.

Our God is great! and to his arm
  I’ll trust my destiny;
For what in life or death can harm
  The soul that leans on thee?

Thine arm supports the universe,
  For by thy might alone
The blazing comets speed their course,
  Revolving round thy throne.

They go and come at thy command
  To do thy sovereign will;
Each one supported by thy hand,
  Its mission to fulfill.

Through boundless space, ’mid shining spheres,
  Those wingless heralds fly;
Proclaiming through the lapse of years
  That God still reigns on high.