Passing out of Time

A Moravian Sister Ponders

It is not infrequent that the early Moravians referenced death as "passing out of time." Generally speaking I am not fond of euphemisms concerning death. I do, however, think the words "passing out of time" are beneficially descriptive. 

When it was not desired or appropriate to bury at God's Acre remains may be taken to a private cemetery, that is a non-Moravian cemetery. Such was the case on April 27th, 1784, when a small child, Johannes Miller was buried at the Muller plantation. 

On December 23, 1784 there is another example of a burial. We are told that many passed through the Moravian village of Bethania on December 21st. Among them was a sick man that "passed out of time". "The next day his widow took his remains on in her wagon."  The Diary of Bethania, 1784.