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.