commands. It instructs Christians as to how they can continue to maintain their integrity: how to proceed as cautious as serpents, yet as innocent as doves, by discreetly preaching underground.​—Matt. 10:16; 2 Tim. 4:2.

What about Christians individually? An unbelieving husband may try to pressure his wife not to attend any of the congregation meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses and not to take any part at all in the Christian ministry. Will she jealously guard her liberty-giving worship, by putting God first? A schoolteacher may be pressured to engage in political activity or nationalistic exercises, or not to preach from house to house. Will she put worship of God first? At a hospital, physicians may try to pressure a Christian to accept blood transfusions. Again, will he stand firm, resisting any infringement of his liberty-giving worship? The right course is obvious.

In particular must all Christians be on guard against being intimidated by threats, so that fear of physical harm or economic loss does not keep them from engaging in their freedom-giving worship. They must remember that their suffering for righteousness is pleasing to God, and, should they lose their lives, they have hope of an early resurrection. So let all Christians follow the example of “the faithful and discreet slave” as it heeds the counsel of the apostle Paul: “For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast.”​—Gal. 5:1.

Papyrus in the First Century

Papyrus was the material upon which the Christian Greek Scriptures were written. Made from the white pith of the papyrus plant, it was tough yet relatively inexpensive. For this reason it was universally used in the days of Jesus and his apostles. Camden M. Cobern in his book The New Archeological Discoveries noted some interesting facts about papyrus at that time. He said: “The ordinary size of a papyrus sheet in the days of the apostles was about five by ten inches, and the ordinary grade was often sold in rolls of perhaps twenty sheets, the price of a sheet being little more than twenty-five cents. While the width of the cheaper papyri was only about six inches, a better quality called Charta Livia . . . reached a width of eight inches or more; and the highest grade, called Hieratica . . . , ran about nine and a half inches in width. . . . It is doubtful whether any New Testament writer had ever in his life used the higher grades of papyrus, and it can be counted as absolutely settled that every book of the New Testament was written upon the medium or poorer qualities. But in all the years since linen paper came into common use​—in the eighth or ninth century of our era—​it has never been honored as was the humble papyri of that first century which received the autographs of the apostles and evangelists as they told the story of the Man of Nazareth, ‘A poor man toiling with the poor.’”

Questions From Readers

● What should a Christian wife do if her unbelieving husband asks her to visit his family for a meal on a worldly holiday?​—B. S., U.S.A.

This puts a Christian wife in a difficult situation, because a number of factors come into play. Probably she will immediately think of two factors involving subjection. She has a Scriptural obligation to be in subjection to her husband. (Titus 2:4, 5) Yet, she also has the responsibility to be obedient to Jehovah, who exercises supreme headship over her.​—Heb. 12:9.

The Christian position on worldly holidays such as Christmas is quite clear. The only day for special observance as far as Christians are concerned is the anniversary of Christ’s death. (Luke 22:19, 20) It would be wrong to share in religious celebrations that, although associated with Scriptural events, are saturated with paganism, as with Christmas and Easter. (2 Cor. 6:14-18) But as long as we live in this old system of things we probably will have some contact with individuals who celebrate