[ WP ] You , a religious believer , describe life under The Supreme Government , which has just banned all religion .

I looked around at all my brothers as sisters. I smiled and carried on like nothing was the matter, but I knew in my heart that I may never see them again. The Cunninghams, who always came to me when they were in need of prayer. It hurt to know that I might never have the chance to pray with them again. The Burletts, who I brought to The Lord in our freshman year in college. From then on we've walked this path of faith side by side. Not anymore, and it made me sick to think of it. But I'll miss the Andrews most of all. I always felt I could tell them anything. Any secret was safe with them. Whenever I felt crushed under temptation or hopeless in my duties I would go to their house and we would get on our knees and pray for strength. I've never kept a secret from them before in my life. Until now. 
 So there we would sit, a small but zealous congregation collected in my basement. I acted like everything was fine, but all the while my throat was choking up. 
 `` See you next Sunday, reverend?'' Paul Cunningham asked. 
 I believe in some cases, the sin of lying can be overlooked. Sometimes it's just for the best. `` See you Sunday,'' I replied. And when the sun went down we snuck them back into their homes, and we collected our Communion goblets and Bibles and hymnals all into a plastic kitchen bag and buried them under the house just like last week and every week before it, since the new bill was put into effect. 
 In all honesty, the sneaking around and the hiding of our Bibles really is n't all that hard. They know they ca n't wipe out the churches entirely; it would be impossible to enforce. They say it's all illegal, but I think all the officers know what goes on in some of our basements on Sunday nights. The only enforceable crime is public displays of faith. We can study and pray in the privacy of our own homes, to an extent, but one word to the public and we'll be made into martyrs. 
 My wife is the only one I told about my plans. She begged me not to do it, but when I'm gone she'll know that it was right for me to do. 
 `` There is no danger in it,'' I tried to remind her. `` When Daniel stood up to the king, he was spared. God's hand was over him.'' 
 `` This is different,'' she maintained. `` We have a good thing going. As long as we can pray, at least in our homes, then we have nothing else to ask for. Why ca n't you just leave well enough alone?'' 
 `` Well enough?'' I was shocked that my wife considered living like this to be well enough. Prayer in private is important, I'll admit. But seeking God is only half of our responsibility. `` We are called not only to give ourselves to God, but to go out into the nations and share the Good News. Having one without the other is just not enough.'' 
 `` But James...'' 
 `` The world needs to know that this is a cause worth dying for. I mean, the only Bibles in this town are buried under this house. How else can the gospel be told? If I do n't speak now, and show the people what The Lord has shown us, then they will never hear it otherwise. And if God finds favor with me, then I'll be kept alive. And if I'm killed, then I'll be home at last.'' 
 She'll understand in time. The sun came up soon after, and out I went, into the square, with a New Testament Bible hidden in my belt. This early in the morning the crowds would be forming but there would n't be any patrolmen nearby. I figured I had at least a few moments on my side before they arrived. 
 I climbed the stairs of my shop, up to the roof and locked the hatch behind me. I steadied myself. From out of my belt came the New Testament Bible, and raising it to the sky, I looked down on the people. They looked back up at me. I do n't remember what I had to say, only that it was n't wholly me speaking. In that moment, the Holy Spirit was speaking through me. I told them all about the beautiful gift of grace, and the ugliness of sin which can only be erased by a loving and a merciful God. I spoke clearly and I spoke the truth. And God found favor in me. 
 It was n't long before they showed up. They yelled and they yelled, but I ignored it and I kept preaching. They pounded on the roof hatch under my feet, and I could feel the force with which they came. I remember thinking that they had come just in time. By the grace of the good Lord I was given just enough time to say my peace. And I ended on an invitation. Their pounding became harder, and the hinges started to break. It would have distracted me, if not for the fact that I was doing an important work. 
 In my last moments, before they came through and knocked me to the ground, I asked the people to hear the truth and to ask God in their hearts for Him to reveal Himself. Ask and He will answer, and He will tell you great and mighty things that you do not already know. 
 When I'd finished, I looked out and saw the faces of my brothers and sisters. The Cunninghams, the Burletts, the Andrews. Their faces were filled with sadness and horror, disbelief. But beside them was a man I had never seen before. Among the crowd of people listening and watching, there appeared to be only this man who really heard. I could see it in his eyes. He never lifted a hand or took a step forward, but I knew in my heart that he had accepted Christ this morning. And for that one man it was worth it all. 
 I do n't regret my death. I'll miss those who loved me most, and I thank God that they are kept safe. But I'm glad I'm here now, in the Kingdom of Heaven. I knew the time had come when I found myself kneeling, weeping in joy, when I heard those words. `` Well done, My good and faithful servant.''
