Izikhonzi Ezithembekile Zihlanganyela llungelo Elivelele!
Umbiko Okhethekile Ovela EBrithani
UKUPHELA kukaSeptember 1983, kwaba nokumuka okungavamile endlunkulu yezwe lonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Amalungu ayishumi nantathu eNdikimba Ebusayo alenkolo ehlanganisa izwe lonke alibangisa eBritain. Yini eyayikhanga ngokukhethekile eyabawelisa iAtlantic?
Ekuqaleni kwakuwumhlangano wonyaka weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society owawuzoqhutshwa ngokokuqala engabadini yaseBritain, ngoMgqibelo, ngo-October 1. IHholo iDe Montfort elisedolobheni lamaNgisi eMidlands, eLeicester lase libhukelwe lomcimbi. Ukulangazela kwakhula kakhulu njengoba izinkumbulo zabuya ngamandla kubo bonke oFakazi ababekhona emhlanganweni lapho ngo-1941. Kungani lowonyaka wawunokubaluleka okukhetheke kakhulu?
Inkumbulo Yezikhathi Zangaphambili
IMpi Yezwe II ngalesosikhathi yayidlondlobele. Unya, nokwabiwa kokudla nokuqhunyiswa kwamabhomu okungapheli kwenza ukuphila kwaba nzima nokuhamba kwaba lukhuni. Kodwa naphezu kwaso sonke lesisiphithiphithi oFakazi BakaJehova bahlela ukuba babe nomhlangano wesizwe wezinsuku ezinhlanu eHholo iDe Montfort, ngasekuqaleni kukaSeptember 1941.
Insizwa yaseMelika, uAlbert Schroeder, wayeqondisa ihhovisi legatsha leNhlangano eLondon ngalesosikhathi. Manje kulomhlangano ngo-1983 wayekhona njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova, kanye namalungu abambisene avela emazweni angama-28! Ingqikithi yabayizi-3 671 yagcwalisa kokubili ihholo netende elikhulu elalixhunyiwe, kanye nabayi-1 504 ababehlanganisiwe eHholo loMhlangano eWest Midlands eDudley. Bonke bavuswa amadlingozi ukuzwa uMzalwane uSchroeder ekhumbula lezozinsuku zeminyaka engama-42 edlule lapho kwakunoFakazi abayizi-11 000 kuphela eBritish Isles.
Ekhuluma ngomhlangano ka-1941, uMzalwane uSchroeder wabuza: “Bangaki kithi namuhla ababekhona ngalesosikhathi?” Izandla zenyuka zaqhasha. “Mamo!” wababaza, “ngaphezulu kakhulu kwengxenye yezilaleli ezikhona! Yeka ukuhlangana futhi kwenu nonke nina abathembekile nabaqotho!”
Abaningi ababeyizilaleli basakhonza ezabelweni zezithunywa zevangeli emhlabeni kabanzi. Sebebonke ababekhona kumaKristu azelwe ngomoya babengama-700. “Cishe umhlangano omkhulukazi wabagcotshiwe eYurophu eminyakeni eminingi,” kusho uMzalwane uSchroeder. Ngokuqaphela ukuthi abaningi kangaka bayothanda ukuba khona nokuthi indawo yayilinganiselwe, isimemo sokuqala sathi, ‘Siyonikeza ithuba kuqala “asebebadala”—oFakazi abaye bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka iminyaka engaba ngama-40.’ Futhi laba babakhona ngobuningi.
UMzalwane uSchroeder waphetha ingxenye yakhe yesimiso enesihloko esithi “Hlala Uthembele KuJehova Ukuze Ungakhathali” ngokutshela izilaleli ezazinentshiseko: “OFakazi BakaJehova abaphili esikhathini esidlule, nokho, esikhathini samanje esijabulisayo nesenelisayo, bashumayela izindaba ezinhle kuze kube yilapho uJehova ethi umsebenzi usufeziwe.”
Izikhonzi Zeqiniso ZikaNkulunkulu
Ngasekuqaleni kwalolosuku, ngemva kokuqeda izimfuneko ezingokomthetho zeNhlangano, uFrederick W. Franz, umongameli weWatch Tower Society, wanikela inkulumo eyisihluthulelo yosuku. Walanda umlando woFakazi BakaJehova kusukela esikhathini sikamongameli wokuqala weNhlangano, uCharles T. Russell, ebonisa ukuthi uRussell, “ngenxa yemisebenzi yakhe ekwaluseni umhlambi kaNkulunkulu, kwakufanelekile ukuba abizwe ngokuthi ‘umfundisi,’ ngokuqondile okusho ‘umalusi.’ Kodwa igunya lezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso liye langatshazwa ngaso sonke isikhathi, futhi uMfundisi uRussell wayengahlukile.”
Ethatha njengezibonelo uMose, uJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile, uMzalwane uFranz wabonisa indlela bonke ababekhethwe ngayo uJehova kodwa benqatshwa abantu. “Bonke laba, igunya labo labekelwa inselele,” waqhubeka, “ngakho akusimangalisi ukuthi labo bezwe lenkolo ababekela uMfundisi uRussell inselele manje babekela thina inselele. Kodwa uJehova uye walungiselela isivikelo.” Ecaphuna isAmbulo 7:9 nabesi-2 Korinte 3:1-3, uMzalwane uFranz wathi: “‘Isixuku esikhulu’ phakathi kwezigidi ezimbili nengxenye zoFakazi BakaJehova ‘siyincwadi yokusincoma’ ukuthi uNkulunkulu unoFakazi bakhe abayizikhonzi zakhe ngempela.”
Ukwethembeka KuJehova
Ingxenye yesimiso santambama yavulwa ngomthandazo uLloyd Barry, kwathi ngemva kwalokho, usihlalo, uLeo K. Greenlees, wafunda izingcingo eziningana nemiyalezo evela koFakazi BakaJehova ezweni lonke. Nokho, awukho owaziswa ngaphezu kowawuvela kuNobhala nomgcini sikhwama weNhlangano, uGrant Suiter, owayelele embhedeni egula kabi engosini yeziguli eBethel yaseBro-oklyn. Wawuthi: “Kwangathi isibusiso esicebile sikaJehova singaba nani kulomcimbi omangalisayo nowakhayo ngokomoya. Kubuhlungu ukuthi angikho lapho. Qinisekani ngothando lwami nokwazisa.” Kwanqunywa ngokushesha ukuthi umyalezo wothando womunye nomunye udluliselwe kuye.
Kamuva, uJohn E. Barr, owakhonza iminyaka eminingi egatsheni leWatch Tower eLondon, waxoxa ngokuningiliziwe ngevesi lesine leHubo 27, eqokomisa isihloko esithi “Isicelo Sethu Esihlangene KuJehova.” Phakathi kwalabo axoxa nabo ngokuqondene nokuhlangenwe nakho ‘ekuhlaleni endlini kaJehova’ kwakunguEdwin Skinner oneminyaka engama-89 ubudala. UMzalwane uSkinner, owabhapathizwa ngo-1919, wangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngo-1921, walandisa indlela aye wamukela ngayo isimemo sokuya eNdiya ngo-1926 ukuze amise igatsha elisha leWatch Tower Society. “Futhi ngiye ngahlala lapho kusukela ngalesosikhathi. Kuyikhaya lami,” wavuma ngokuphelele.
Ukugcina Umbono Oqondile
Izinkulumo ezimbili zokugcina zagxila esidingweni sokubheka phambili, ukulondoloza umbono oqondile. “Nakuba kukuhle ukuzwa asebekhulile bekhuluma,” kuqalisa uDan Sydlik, “kuseyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba sigxilise ukunakekela kwethu esikhathini esizayo semisebenzi yakhe.” USydlik wakhela inkulumo yakhe emazwini kamphostoli uPawulu akweyoku-1 Korinte 15:19: “Uma singabathembela kuKristu kulokhukuphila kuphela, singabokukhalelwa kunabantu bonke.” Wagcizelela: “Ithemba lethu likuJehova; alikho kubantu. Izithembiso zakhe ziphelele futhi ziqinisekile. INhlangano kaNkulunkulu iyobe ilokhu ikhona, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bathini noma benzani,” wagcizelela. “Futhi okungcono kakhulu kuseza!”
UMilton G. Henschel ngokulandelayo wakhuthaza bonke ukuba baqhubeke “Begcina Isimo Sethu SobuKristu.” Ngokuqonda okunozwela wakhuluma ngezinkinga zempilo eziphatha izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezindala ngeminyaka. Kodwa “zibeka ubuhlungu bazo obuncane nezinhlungu eceleni futhi ziqhubekele phambili,” waphawula. “Futhi leso yisibonelo esimangalisayo sabo bonke abancane ebandleni. Nakhu nje izulu liyana; kuyabanda, kuwusuku olunomoya. Kodwa obani abasemhlanganweni? Obani abezile kuleyomvula nakulesosimo sezulu ukuze babe lapha? Ubona izimpunga, abadala, futhi yilokho sonke okumelwe sikukhumbule.”
Sebebonke, kwakunabameleli abavela emagatsheni angama-37 eWatch Tower Society kulombuthano wezizwe zonke ngempela. Ekugcineni, umthandazo oqotho wokubonga kuJehova owenzelwa isixuku esasihlangene wenziwa uMartin Poetzinger, naye oyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo.
Kuyiwa Egatsheni LaseLondon!
Ngosuku olulandelayo, ngeSonto, ngo-October 2, intathakusa yayicacile futhi ifudumele ngokungavamile kulesosikhathi sonyaka. Ngokushesha iHholo LoMbuso ekhaya laseBethel eLondon, endaweni engaphandle kwedolobha, indawo eluhlaza esenyakatho neLondon’s Mill Hill, yayigcwele. Esitezi esingaphezulu, engxenyeni yenkimbinkimbi yefektri, kwakuhlelwe izihlalo ezengeziwe. Ithelevishini eyayibonisa ngaphakathi yenza ukuba bonke babone okuqhubekayo eHholo LoMbuso. Kwakucishe kube khona abangama-400. Ngokuqhele ngamamayela amahlanu, eHholo loMhlangano eliseNyakatho London, abanye abayi-1 250 babehlanganisiwe esimisweni esasikade silindiwe kokubili ngokuzwa nangokuzibonela ngethelevishini. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili yokuhlela nomsebenzi onzima ukunwetshwa kabusha kwehhovisi legatsha eLondon kwasekuphelile futhi manje kwase kunikezelwa.
Iphiko elisha lesakhiwo linamakamelo angama-41, ngalinye lingahlalisa abantu ababili. Isakhiwo sesisonke, kuhlanganise nalamakamelo anezelwe, sinendawo yokuhlala yabantu abangama-204. Ikhishi nendlu yokudlela efulathelene nalo kuye kwakhuliswa kokubili ngokuphindwe kabili futhi kwafakwa izinto zokusebenza zesimanje. Ilondolo entsha shá nendlu yokuthunga kuye kwakhiwa emakamelweni aphansi komhlabathi kanye nekamelo elikhangayo lokuphumula. Esitezi sokuqala, kunekamelo elincane lokufundela eliye laba kakade isenezelo esithandekayo somtapo wezincwadi okhona onemiqulu eyizi-2 300.
Isimiso Sokunikezela
Ngokushesha ngo-10 ekuseni isimiso saqala ngokubukeza kafushane umlando woFakazi BakaJehova eBritish Isles phakathi neminyaka eyikhulu edlule. Okuhlangenwe nakho namahlaya kwenza indaba yaphila namalungu amasha omkhaya waseBethel azisa ngokukhethekile imininingwane yomuntu siqu yalezoziqalo ezincane.
Khona-ke uKarl Klein wakhuluma nezilaleli ezazilalelisisile ngesihloko esithi “Ukuhlangabezana Nenselele Yokwethembeka KobuKristu.” Ecaphuna izAga 2:8 ukuze abonise ukuthi ovivinyweni lokwethembeka uJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi unikeza amandla nosizo ezincekwini zakhe ezingamaKristu, waphawula: “Izinto ezingaphiliyo zingase zibe ofakazi abathembekile, kodwa izidalwa ezihlakaniphile kuphela ezingaba qotho.”
Ecaphuna emtapweni ocebile wokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe siqu, uCarey Barber ngokulandelayo wabonisa indlela uJehova aye wazithathela ngayo abantu begama lakhe ‘kulezizinsuku zokugcina.’ Kodwa, njengoba abonisa, umsebenzi wokushumayela usekithi, unomthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu. “Abantu bakaJehova kusukela ngonyaka ka-1919 kuye phambili baye bangenela lokho okuye kwaba umsebenzi omkhulu kweyake yenziwa kulomhlaba!”
Isimiso sasekuseni saphetha ngenkulumo yokunikezela kaFred Franz. Wakhumbula ukuthi uCharles T. Russell, indoda eyayimsulwa yaseScottish-Irish, wamisa ihhovisi lokuqala legatsha leWatch Tower Society, eLondon, eNgilandi. Njengoba uFranz aphawula, kusukela ngonyaka ka-1900 lapho ihhovisi livulwa, liye lakhonza ngokwethembeka nendlunkulu yezwe lonke eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngomoya wokuqhubeka ngokwethembeka kuJehova uNkulunkulu, izakhiwo ezinhle ezintsha zanikelwa kuye.
ULyman Swingle wavula isimiso santambama samahora amabili ngokukhuluma ngesidingo sokuqiniseka ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi sidumisa uJehova ngazo zonke izinto zethu ezinikezelwe. “Ingabe sisebenzisa isikhathi sethu, amandla ethu, amakhono ethu, ezintweni ezincane, ezingalethi ubukhosi nodumo kuJehova uNkulunkulu?” Wabuza izilaleli zakhe ngokuphenyisisa. Ngokulandelayo uTheodore Jaracz waqokomisa isihloko esithi “Ukwakhela Ikusasa,” eqhathanisa ngokufanelekayo ukunwetshwa okungokoqobo kwephiko elisha elinikezelwe nesidingo sokwakha ngokomoya. “Yakhani ukuze nilondoloze ubuqotho bobuKristu,” wagcizelela.
Lapho uMzalwane uFranz ephawula okokugcina, futhi uJohn Booth enikela umthandazo wokuphetha, kwaphakamisa isiphetho hhayi nje sosuku olukhethekile kodwa somhlangano ovelele wezinsuku ezimbili.
Ukuqiniselwa Umsebenzi Omkhulu
Njengoba babevakasha ezakhiweni, izivakashi zezwa ukuthi ekuqaleni isivumelwano sokwakha iphiko elisha kwakumelwe ukuba sinikezwe ifemu yezentengiselwano, njengesakhiwo sokuqala, esaqedwa ngo-1958. Kodwa ngokumangalisayo isinqumo sashintshwa. Ngemva kokuthintana neNdikimba Ebusayo, oFakazi BakaJehova eNgilandi banquma ukuthi bangawusingatha umsebenzi ngokwabo. Ngokushesha umnyango wezisebenzi wamiswa futhi cishe oFakazi abayinkulungwane abavela kulo lonke lelozwe bahlanganiselwa umsebenzi.
Izindawo zokuhlala zalungiselelwa emakamelweni esikhashana azolala abantu abaningi, futhi nezengeziwe koFakazi abaseduzane ngamakhilomitha ayi-16 ukusuka endaweni yokwakha. Lelilungiselelo lasho ukuthi kusukela ezisebenzini ezingama-70 kuya kweziyi-100 zazitholakala ngesikhathi esisodwa noma nini. Naphezu kobusika obubanda kakhulu nezimo zehlobo zemvula iminyaka engamashumi edlule, isakhiwo saqedwa ngesikhathi esifanele. Lokhu kwahlanganisa ukusebenza amasonto amaningi emsebenzini owengeziwe wokulungisa izakhiwo ezikhona.
Kanjalo, phakathi nokuvakasha ezakhiweni, yonke into yatholakala isesimweni esihle kakhulu. Amagceke ayenziwe abukeka ngokuqabulayo ngotshani obukhangayo nezimbali. Amalungu ayi-147 omkhaya waseBethel ayejabule ngempela njengoba ayehlanganyela injabulo yosuku nezivakashi zawo. Elinye lawo lakufingqa ngalendlela: “Lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho kokuphila konke!” Okwanezela ikakhulukazi kulokhu kwakuwukuba khona kwezinceku zikaJehova eziningi ezithembekile ezinesikhathi eside, kuhlanganise neningi leNdikimba Ebusayo. Ukuzwa amalungu ayi-13 eNdikimba Ebusayo ayekhona ehlanganyela esimisweni esihlangene kwakuyilungelo elivelele.
Umcimbi omuhle wezinsuku ezimbili ngempela uyokwenezela komunye umfutho ekwandeni okusheshayo komsebenzi woMbuso eBritain. Okwamanje kukhona futhi isimiso esibanzi sokwakha esiqhubekayo kulelizwe. Kakade “ukwakhiwa okusheshayo” kwelinye iHholo LoMbuso kuye kwenziwa ngezinsuku ezimbalwa, futhi kusalindelwe izakhiwo eziyi-15 zaloluhlobo. Futhi, amaHholo amabili omhlangano amasha asesimweni semidwebo. Kuye kwaba khona amanani amasha aphakeme kuzo zonke izingxenye zomsebenzi, nabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kwezi-92 000 manje abakhuthele eBritain. Ngempela kufudumeza inhliziyo ukubona indlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni kabanzi abazimisele ngayo ukuqhubeka nesabelo sabo abasinikezwe uNkulunkulu sokumemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kuze kube yilapho ukuphela kwalesimiso sezinto kufika.—Mathewu 24:14.
[Izithombe ekhasini 9]
Ngo-October 1, 1983, eDe Montfort Hall, eLeicester
Ngo-October 2, 1983. eWatch Tower House, eMill Hill, eLondon
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Indawo yayigcwele eHholo iDe Montfort, lapho abantu abangaphezu kwezi-3 000 abavela kuwo wonke amazwe ngo-October 1, 1983, behlangene emhlanganweni wonyaka weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
UAlbert Schroeder uqondisa ukunakekela kwabathile asebegugile phakathi nomhlangano wonyaka
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
IHHOVISI LEGATSHA LEWATCH TOWER SOCIETY ELONDON, ENGILANDI
Isakhiwo sokuqala, esinendlela eyisiyingi ngaphambili, saqedwa ngo-1958. Ingxenye esanda kuqedwa enophahla olunombala okhanyayo ingakwesobunxele ngasekugcineni. Yandisa indawo yokuhlala izisebenzi zegatsha ezingaba abantu abangama-204