And old tombstone that is broken and laying on the ground in Scotch Plains Baptist Cemetery (New Jersey) reads:
“In memory of Sarah, wife of William McPhely,
who died July the 24th 1792.
Near the end of a long & very painful indisposition
she gave reasonable hope she was born again*;
and through the riches of sovereign Grace died
apparently triumphing in the prospect of Glory & immortality”
* tombstone spells it “agan”
This is a roundabout way of saying, “We hope she made it, but we’re not really sure.”
Nowadays people don’t say much on tombstones and even if they do, they are not nearly this honest. Is your salvation evident enough that no one would dream of chiseling “apparently” in your epitaph?