Five sonsg (sic)/My Trusty Friend

My Trusty Friend,

⁠Tune—John Anderfon my jo,
JOHN MERCER, my dear friend, John,
⁠Your heart is ever kind,
Fu' oft a trusty friend, John,
⁠You’ve proved to me and mine,
When fortune threatened me, John,
⁠You did avert the blow,
Heaven reward your generous mind,
⁠John Mercer, friend and jo.

John Mercer, my dear friend, John
⁠Thro’ nature's greatest plan,
In all her blessings here, John,
⁠And comforts unto man,
The noblest of them all, John,
⁠I’m sure you’ll own it so,
Concentr’d in a trnity friend,
⁠John Mercer, friend and jo.

John Mercer, my dear friend, John,
⁠Then let me sing thy fame,
Its gratitude alone, John,
⁠That makes so bold a claim,
And what f(illegible text) requires of me, John,
⁠Is justly what is due,
Rewards of true fidelity,
⁠John Mercer friend and jo.

John Mercer, my dear friend,
⁠When car(illegible text)ered care and strife,
And each corroding ill, John
⁠That threatened human life
When fo(illegible text) disease and death John,
⁠Brings fast her dreadful blow,
It’s then we need a trusty friend,
⁠John Mercer, friend and jo.

⟨John⟩ Mercer. my dear friend, John,
⁠Our eyes will close in death,
Then out souls will take their flight, John,
⁠To that Him who gave us breath,
And there near Sarah’s bosom,
⁠We’ll hallelujahs sing,
And rejoice throughout eternity,
⁠With oar sin forgiving KING.