Ukulungela Njalo Ukuphela

Njengoba ilandiswa nguHerald Toutjian

UNYAKA kwakuwu-1896. Amagagasi esidlozane esingavinjelwe ahaqa imiphakathi engenasivikelo yama-Armenia yaseAsia Minor. Lokhu kwafaka engozini ikhaya nomkhaya kamkhulu wami, uLucius V. Toutjian, edolobheni lasendulo laseMaraş, phezulu eziNtabeni zaseTaurus zasenkabeni yeningizimu Turkey.

Indlela yokubaleka yayingaseningizimu neMeditera—kodwa ukubalekela kuphi? Umkhulu wanquma ukubalekela eMelika! Ngokuphuthuma lomkhaya wabutha impahla yawo futhi wabaleka. ETarsu, indawo yokuzalwa yomphostoli uPawulu, baboshwa futhi bagqunywa ejele. Lendaba yayiyophelela lapho ukuba akungenelanga ngesikhathi esifanele isikhulu saseMelika. Ngosizo lwaso naphakathi komnyama lomkhaya wagibela emkhunjini ethekwini eliseduze leMediterra futhi waya ngasentshonalanga.

Uhambo lokuya eMelika lwalucindezela, ikakhulukazi kugogo. wayeshiya konke aye wakwazi njengekhaya—abangane, izihlobo nezinkumbulo ezithandekayo zeMaras enokuthula, enephunga lezimbali, ekhosele ngaphansi kwentaba.

Ngemva kweMarseilles neLandani umlando waqhubeka. ULwandlekazi oluthulile lwaseAtlantic lwaluthukuthele kakhulu. Amagagasi amakhulu ashaya umkhumbi okleklezayo futhi inhlekelele yaqhubeka icathamela lomkhaya. Phakathi naphakathi kohambo omncane kubantwana abayisihlanu wafa ngokuzuma futhi wangcwatshwa olwandle. Ngakho izinhliziyo zazigcwele usizi nokungaqiniseki njengoba umkhumbi ungena esikhumulweni eNew York. Lomkhaya wehla emkhunjini futhi wahlangana nesinyokotho sabantu esizula ohlangothini olungasempumalanga olusezansi neNew York, inhlanganisela yezizwe nezinhlanga.

Kungani Kwenziwa Isinqumo Esimangalisayo?

Iminyaka eyayilandela ukufika kwango-1896 eNew York yayinzima. Kwakungelula ukwenza inguquko enzima yokusuka edolobheni laseTurkey elithulile kuya eNew York eyisidididi. Lomkhaya kwakumelwe uzijwayeze ulimi olusha, indawo engajwayelekile nezimo zokuhlalisana ezididayo. Wathutha njalo kodwa hhayi ngenxa nje yokufuna izinto ezibonakalayo; umkhulu wayeziqaphela ngokujulile izidingo ezingokomoya zomkhaya. Wayenemibuzo eminingi ngokuphathelene nenjongo kaNkulunkulu yaphakade nesiphetho sokugcina sesintu. Nokho ngomkhaya oye waphila ngoshushiso olungokwenkolo nolungokobuzwe, umbuzo ovamile wawumayelana nokuvunyelwa kobubi. Kungani uNkulunkulu onothando ebuvumele? Buyoqhubeka isikhathi esingakanani? Buyophela kanjani futhi nini? Umkhulu wayezimisele ukuthola izimpendulo ezenelisayo—izimpendulo ezingokomBhalo.

Elahla ithonya elikhulu umcabango wesiko ngenkolo, wahlola izinkolo zikamoya, kodwa imibuzo yakhe yasala ingaphenduliwe. “Kwakuyisikhathi esimangalisayo, lapho umkhulu esibuthela ndawonye sonke, futhi njengomkhaya sanquma ukungasaphinde sihlanganyele namasonto okuzisholo eLobukholwa asebenzisa ubuKristu ngegama kuphela,” kwalandisa ubaba. Umkhulu waphetha ngokuthi iqiniso kumelwe libe kwenye indawo.

Iqiniso labathola ngendlela engalindelekile impela. Ngaphambili, lapho behlala eAllegheny, ePennsylvania, umkhulu wayebone isimemezelo senkulumo yeningi eyayizonikezwa uMfundisi uRussell, umongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Imibuzo eyayisesimemezelweni yashukumisa ukulangazela kukamkhulu, futhi lomkhaya waya ehholweni lenkulumo. Ngeshwa, abakwazanga ukuyithola futhi baphindela ekhaya bedumele. Kodwa umkhulu wazitshela ukuthi uzohlola izimfundiso zeWatch Tower Society.

Ukufuna kwakhe okukhuthele ukuhleleka neqiniso kwavuzwa ekupheleni kwalelokhulu leminyaka. Ngalesosikhathi abakwaToutjian babehlala eLos Angeles, eCalifornia, futhi ngelinye iSonto ngo-1901, ngenkathi bedlula esontweni isisebenzi sokuzithandela esivela eWatch Tower Society sabanikeza ipheshana leBhayibheli. (Ngalezonsuku, indlela yokufakaza yezisebenzi zeWatch Tower yayiwukuhambisa amapheshana eBhayibheli kwabasontayo ngemva kokuphuma kwesonto.) Umkhulu, ebuka ipheshana, wathi, “Lona umsebenzi kaMfundisi uRussell.” Lenkulumo yezwiwa isisebenzi sokuzithandela, futhi esikhathini esifushane kamuva sawufumana lomkhaya futhi sawumemela esifundweni sawo sokuqala seqembu seBhayibheli. Wavuma, wabakhona esifundweni, wasiqaphela njengeqiniso osekukudala ulifuna futhi wahlanganyela neBandla laseLos Angeles lamalungu angama-27.

Wayezolethani U-1914?

Lezozizukulwane ezimbili zomkhaya wakwaToutjian, abazali bami nomkhulu, zazilindele okukhulu ngonyaka ka-1914. Ngaphambili ngawo-1880, iThe Watch Tower yayimemezele lowonyaka njengophawula ukuphela ‘kwezikhathi zabezizwe ezinqunyiwe,’ noma iZikhathi zabeZizwe. (Luka 21:24; qhathanisa neAuthorized Version.) Ingabe u-1914 wayeyoletha ukuphela kokubusa kukaSathane futhi alethe ukuBusa Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane KukaKristu Jesu okwakulindelwe isikhathi eside?

Njengoba lonyaka wawusondela kwacaca ukuthi amathemba omuntu awavumelani ngazo zonke izikhathi nohlelo lwezikhathi lukaJehova. Kumagazini kaJanuary 1, 1914, iThe Watch Tower yathi: “Kungaphezu kwamandla okucabanga kwethu ukubona ukufezwa ngonyaka owodwa kwakho konke imiBhalo ebonakala ikukhomba ukuthi kumelwe kulindelwe ngaphambi kokuba ukuBusa Kokuthula kuqale.” Khona-ke, ngemva kokukhulumela okunokwenzeka ukukhuliswa okukhulu kwenkonzo yesikhathi esizayo, iThe Watch Tower yakhuthaza: “Ngakho-ke, asiqaphe ngokwengeziwe kunanini, ukuze sisetshenziswe futhi sibe nosizo enkonzweni yeNkosi yethu.”

IThe Watch Tower kanjalo yabeka umbono oqondile phambi kwabafundi bayo. Gxilani, hlalani niphapheme, lindelani uJehova futhi ningavumeli amathemba anesifiso eseqile ashintshe isimo senu ngakuNkulunkulu nenkonzo yakhe. Lona kwakuwumbono owathathwa amalungu omkhaya wakithi nabo bonke abathembekile. Kwaqashelwa masinya ukuthi lonyaka walwelwa ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho. Isizwe sasiye savukela isizwe, futhi izehlakalo zalowonyaka onzima zakuletha “ukuqala kwemihelo” phezu kwalesisimiso sezinto. (Mathewu 24:7, 8) Nokho, lokhu kwazibonakalisa kuwuvivinyo lokushukunyiswa nokuzinikela. Abanye balindela okuningi kakhulu, ngokushesha kakhulu. Ngokudabukisayo, behluleka ukuhlangabezana nenselele.

“Njengesela”

AmaKristu ayexwayiswe umphostoli uPawulu ukuthi usuku lukaJehova lokwahlulela lwaluyofika ngokuzuma. Wabhala: “Nina uqobo niyazi kahle ukuthi usuku lweNkosi luza njengesela ebusuku. . . . ngalokho-ke masingalali njengabanye, kodwa masiqwashe, siqonde.” (1 Thesalonika 5:2-6) Ngokuqondakalayo-ke, amaKristu aphapheme, aqaphile ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka aye anaka zonke izehlakalo nezikhombo zohlelo lwezikhathi zomlando ezazingase zibonise ukusondela ‘kosuku lukaJehova’—njengoba nje nomuntu olindele ukufika kwesela ebusuku engase abheke noma imuphi umsindo ongavamile njengobufakazi bokubakhona kwesela.

Unyaka ka-1925 nawo wawunamathemba athile ngezinceku zikaJehova. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi ukuhlangana kwamaJubili angokoqobo angama-70 (iminyaka engama-70 × 50) kusukela esikhathini sokungena kukaIsrayeli eZweni Lesithembiso sasiyophela ngo-1925 futhi siphawule isiqalo seJubili elikhulu elingokomfanekiso, ukuBusa KukaKristu Jesu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. Akuzange kubenjalo.

Nokho, umkhaya wakithi waqonda ukuthi amathemba angagcwaliseki awayona ingqayizivele osukwini lwethu. Abaphostoli ngokwabo baba namathemba afanayo adukile. Babheka uJesu Kristu ovusiwe njengobuyisela isizwe sakwaIsrayeli enkazimulweni yaso yakuqala njengabantu bakaJehova abakhethiweyo ngaphansi kokubusa okungokwasezulwini, ewisa ukubusa okucindezelayo kwamaRoma. Babuza uJesu: “Nkosi, usawubuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli ngalesisikhathi na?” Waphendula, “Akusikho okwenu ukwazi izikhathi noma imizuzu uBaba akumisele ngamandla akhe.” (IzEnzo 1:6, 7) Lelophuzu elifanayo elingokwesisekelo liye lasebenza ‘esigabeni senceku ethembekile’ namuhla. Kukhona ukuqapha, ukufunisisa ukwazi injongo kaNkulunkulu, ngezinye izikhathi ukushisekela ngokweqile ukubona ukuphela kwalesimiso esibi sezwe—kodwa isikhathi esiqondile sezehlakalo sisekuqondiseni kukaJehova.—Mathewu 24:34-36, 45-47.

Ukuhola Nenkonzo Kuyafuneka

Ngemva kokuphila okucebile nokugcwele, umkhulu wafa phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Kanjalo washiya isizukulwane sesibili soFakazi BakaJehova, amadodana akhe uShield noRobert (ubaba wami), bememezela ngenkuthalo isidingo ‘sokulinda, sigxile ekukholweni, sibe-ngamadoda, sibe-namandla.’—1 Korinte 16:13.

Ubab’ omkhulu, uShield Toutjian, wayengenele inkonzo yokuhambela phakathi neMpi Yezwe I futhi kuze kube ukufa kwakhe ngo-1949 wayekhonza njengommemezeli ohambelayo weWatchtower Society wesikhathi esigcwele, okufana nombonisi wesifunda wanamuhla. Ngisathola abaningi namuhla abakhumbula ubuntu bakhe obunamandla, obakhayo nenkonzo yokwethembeka ayeyenza emabandleni asemazweni angama-47 eUnited States.

UPawulu weluleka amaHeberu: “Bakhumbuleni ababenihola.” (Heberu 13:7) Ubaba wayehola njalo ngoba wayemthanda uJehova nenkonzo yakhe, ikakhulukazi inkonzo yendlu ngendlu. Kusengaphambili waqaphela isidingo ngabadala sokusebenza njengabelusi bangempela. Ngo-1926 watusa inkonzo yasensimini yangeSonto ekuseni endikimbeni yabadala yebandla laseOakland, eCalifornia, ngokuvumelana nesibonelo esihle esasibekwa umkhaya waseBethel yaseBrooklyn. Ngenkathi kufika ubizo lwezikhonzi ezingamaphayona, wasabela ngokwakha inqodlana eyindlu edonswa ngemuva kwemoto eyayizoba ikhaya lakhe iminyaka eyi-19 eyayizolandela. Ngo-1930 saya emasimini angabelwe ehlane lezintaba zaseSierra Nevada zaseNyakatho California. Walahla ngokoqobo yonke impahla yakhe yasemhlabeni futhi akazange alahlekelwe umbono wemfuneko kaJehova ‘yokuzinikezela okukhethekile.’ Wafa ngo-1961.—Duteronomi 4:24, NW.

Njengelungu lesizukulwane sesithathu eqinisweni, ngikhumbula kahle okwenzeka ekuqaleni kwawo-1940. IMpi Yezwe II yayilethe isikhathi seshwa seYurophu. Khona-ke ngenxa yokuhlaselwa kwePearl Harbor yiJapane ngo-1941, iUnited States of America yangenela impi. Impikiswano yokungathathi hlangothi kobuKristu yaletha ukushushiswa komhlaba wonke koFakazi BakaJehova. Izizwe eziningi zawuvimbela umsebenzi wethu. Lapha eUnited States sasihlaselwa njalo izichwensi ezisuswa umzwelo nokushisekela izwe lakubo. Ngalesosikhathi kithina kwabonakala sengathi impi yayiyoqalisa impi yosuku olukhulu lukaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, iArmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 16:14-16.

Umsebenzi Omkhulu Owawusazokwenziwa

Ngikhumbula kahle amathemba ethu amakhulu esehlakalo esasilindelwe kudala. Kodwa okwambulwa emehlweni ethu kwakungokunye ukugcwaliseka okumangalisayo kwesiprofetho sikaJesu esikuMathewu 24:14: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.”

Kwakusenomsebenzi womhlaba wonke okwakufanele ufezwe. Kusukela ngo-1943 izikhonzi kuwo wonke amabandla zaziqeqeshwa eSikoleni SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini samasonto onke. Futhi njalo ngezinyanga eziyisithupha iSikole seBhayibheli seWatchtower saseGilead, ngalesosikhathi esasisenhla neNew York State, sasithumela izithunywa zevangeli eziqeqeshiwe emazweni akude. Amazwi kaJesu—ngokufakaza “ezweni lonke”—enziwa ngezinga elibanzi. Futhi salungisa umbono wethu ukuba uhlanganise ububanzi bomsebenzi womhlaba kabanzi owawembuleka, sizigcine siseduze noJehova nenhlangano yakhe, ‘ngokukhuleka konke nokunxusa, sikhuleka ngezikhathi zonke ngoMoya; kulokho silinde ngesineke sonke.’—Efesu 6:18.

Amashumi eminyaka yenkonzo eyandisiwe adlula ngokushesha, futhi umbuzo manje wawuwukuthi, Iminyaka yawo-1970 iyolethani? Amadodana ami amabili, uDuane noJonathan, nendodakazi yami, uCarmel—isizukulwane sesine—base bekhulile futhi benemikhaya yabo. Sasilindele ukuthi iminyaka eyizi-6 000 yokuba khona komuntu yayiyofinyelelwa ngo-1975. Ingabe lonyaka wawuyosiletha ekuqaleni kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane? Leyonto eyayinokwenzeka yasihlaba umxhwele.

Manje singabheka emuva kulowonyaka futhi siqonde ukuthi amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 24:36 awasivumeli ukuba sibeke usuku lokuphela. Wathi: “Kepha lolosuku nalelohora akakho owazi-lutho ngalo nazingelosi zasezulwini, naNdodana, nguBaba kuphela.” Nakuba kunjalo, isizukulwane sesithathu nesesine siye sahlala siphaphamele izibonakaliso zezikhathi, futhi siye saba ‘esivame njalo emsebenzini weNkosi.’ (1 Korinte 15:58) UDuane, uJonathan, uMatthew Leondis, umkhwenyana wami, nami sikhonza njengabadala emabandleni ahlukahlukene eCalifornia. Ngaphezu kwalokho, okwesikhathi esithile uJonathan wajabulela ilungelo lenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengephayona nanjengelungu lomkhaya waseBethel endlunkulu yeWatchtower Society.

Umbono Ofanelekile Esikhathini Sokuphela

Ngisho nangamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, ngokungangabazeki uJehova uye wavumela izinceku zakhe zosuku lwanamuhla ukugcina amathemba athile nokulindela. Lokhu kuye kwasebenzela ukwambula izisusa zethu zangempela nokujula kokuzinikela kwethu. Umkhaya wakithi uye wabhekana nemibuzo, Ingabe sikhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwesisekelo sesikhathi esifushane, ngezimiso zethu? Ingabe sishukunyiswa kuphela ithemba lomvuzo osheshayo? Noma ingabe sizigcina siphapheme futhi sikhuthele, sethembela ekuthembekeni kukaJehova ezithembisweni zakhe?—Thithu 1:2.

Izizukulwane ezimbili zomkhaya wakithi, ubaba nomkhulu, ziye zafa ngemva kokujabulela ukuphila okuzuzisayo nokuthokozisayo. Kusele izizukulwane ezine: abantwana babazukulu bami, abazukulu bami, abantabami nami. Manje abazukulu bami abayisithupha bakhonza uJehova, basebenzisa amathuba futhi bamukela imithwalo yemfanelo ebandleni nasenkonzweni yasensimini njengoba futhi bebheke ukuphela nePharadesi lasemhlabeni elibuyiselwe ukuba lilandele. Sonke siyaqiniseka ukuthi ihora elinesikhathi eside lilindelwe liyofika ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele. Singasebenzisa isikhuthazo somprofethi uHabakuki, “Wulindele, ngokuba uyakufika nokufika, awuyikwephuza.”—Habakuki 2:3.

Manje, onyakeni wami wama-73, ngibheka emuva esikhathini sokuphila sezinkumbulo eziyigugu ekuhlanganyeleni nenhlangano kaJehova. Nginenkumbulo edabukisayo yobuntwana bami yoMzalwane uRussell emi emotweni evuleke phezulu yokubuka izwe, evalelisa ngesandla iBandla laseSan Francisco njengoba eseyogibela isitimela eLos Angeles ukuba anikeze inkulumo eyayizoba yinkulumo yakhe yokugcina. Ezinye izinkumbulo nazo ziyafika engqondweni—inkonzo yamaphayona emasimini angawodwa ngawo-1930; imihlangano emikhulu nemincane, ikakhulukazi owaseColumbus, eOhio, ngo-1931, ngenkathi samukela igama oFakazi BakaJehova.—Isaya 43:10.

Ngiyaqaphela ukuthi lesi isikhathi sokuhambisana ‘nesigaba senceku ethembekile’ kaJehova. Ngempela, kunanini ngaphambili sidinga ukuhlala siphapheme, siqaphile, singakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova ufanelwe inkonzo yokwethembeka nokudunyiswa ngomvuzo noma ngaphandle komvuzo wokugcina. Ngani? Ngoba uwumthombo wazo zonke izinto ezinhle—ukuba khona kwethu kanye, ithemba lethu ngekusasa. Yeka ikusasa okuyoba yilo—iPharadesi lokuthula elibuyiselwe, impilo nentokozo, uvuko (lapho abathandekayo beyovuswa futhi baphinde babendawonye), nokuphila okuphakade ebuhlotsheni obukhazimulayo noBaba wethu wasezulwini!—IsAmbulo 4:11; Luka 23:43.

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UHerald Toutjian ezintabeni zezwe laseCalifornia ngawo-1930. Phawula isikhwama sokubonisa ngokushesha izincwadi zokutadisha iBhayibheli

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Ekusabeleni obizweni lwezikhonzi ezingamaphayona, umkhaya wakithi wakha futhi wasebenzisa lenqodlana eyindlu iminyaka eminingi

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Izizukulwane ezine zomkhaya kaHerald Toutjian