July 31–August 3: Elmont, N.Y. (Spanish only), Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 44-17 Greenpoint Ave., Long Island City, N.Y. 11104. San Antonio, Tex. (Spanish only), Convention Center Arena, S. Alamo & Market Sts. Rooming: 3023 Monterey St., San Antonio, Tex. 78207. Springfield, Mass. Springfield Civic Center, Civic Center Plaza. Rooming: 1984 Westfield St., West Springfield, Mass. 01089. West Palm Beach, Fla. (Spanish only), West Palm Beach Auditorium, 1610 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Rooming: 6620 N. Miami Ave., Miami, Fla. 33150.

August 7-10: Elmont, N.Y., Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy. Rooming: 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201. Inglewood, Calif. (Spanish only), The Forum, Manchester & Prairie. Rooming: Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall, 4306 S. Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90008.

August 14-17: Elmont, N.Y., Belmont Park Race Track, Hempstead Tpk. at Cross Island Pkwy. Rooming: 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

An Unexpected Blessing

✔ In an African country, violence erupted on the day that a district assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses ended. On returning home, a new Witness, who had formerly belonged to the political party that started the uprising, found soldiers and the local court waiting for him. The question was, What had he been doing during the rebellion? He told them that he had attended the assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses. But that was not enough. They wanted proof. With soldiers accompanying him, the Witness was permitted to get his assembly program. After the entire program was read, the chief declared the Witness innocent and even encouraged him to continue his preaching activity. The villagers marveled at this, saying: “The God to whom you are praying is the living God!” How grateful this Witness was for having attended the assembly!

Questions From Readers

● What is meant by Paul’s words at 1 Corinthians 7:29, “Let those who have wives be as though they had none”?

The apostle Paul’s inspired admonition is part of a discussion recommending singleness as the better course, for the reason that it permits the Christian to be in “constant attendance upon the Lord without distraction.” (1 Cor. 7:32-35) The advice for husbands to be ‘as though they had no wives’ therefore must relate to serving Jehovah God with full devotion.

Many married people conduct their affairs as if their marriage were the only important thing in life. They are so concerned about pleasing their mates that spiritual things, if not ignored completely, are at least neglected. The Christian husband, though, appreciates that his relationship with God must come first in his life. He must live wholeheartedly to Jehovah. (Rom. 14:8) His love for God must be no less exclusive than that of those who are single. Regardless of what might develop, he should not permit his marriage to interfere with his rightful service to God as a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. This would be in harmony with Jesus’ words: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate [love to a lesser degree] his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple.”​—Luke 14:26; compare Matthew 10:37.

Paul’s counsel should not be understood to mean that Christian husbands are to ignore their wives, treating them as if they did not exist. To the contrary, Paul instructed Christians at Ephesus: “Husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it.” (Eph. 5:28, 29) So a Christian husband should not neglect his marital responsibilities. At all times, however, he ought to follow Paul’s counsel by building his whole life around his relationship with God. He should not make his marriage his whole life but should see to it that, as far as possible, his marriage contributes to his relationship with God.

The admonition given by the apostle Paul should also be viewed in the light of the hope entertained by those to whom he wrote. The