Will the Righteous Be Translated?
By Jos. Clarke
Not long since, a methodist clergyman in a funeral discourse delivered here, stated that it was not true, as some held, that the righteous would be translated, but that all must and would die. Now we do not doubt but all are mortal, and we may, any of us, come under the hand of death while here; but we believe that Paul has said the truth, when he affirmed that at the coming of Christ, we which are alive and remain, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air; in other words, be translated. We do not until then, defy the arrows of death; and to represent us as saying that we do not any of us expect to die previous to that time, is a mistake, to say the least. But the preacher stated that the day of judgment would certainly come, but no one knows when. According to his own showing, as we do not know when, it may come in a year, or two, or three, or more years. Then certainly he may be alive; and if he is a man of God, he must be caught up to God, that is, translated; or left behind; for the living saints are those who are alive and remain. How will he dispose of this?