Ukhonzé UJehova Ngokuthobeka
“AKUBALULEKILE kangako ukuthi ukhonzaphi kodwa ukuthi ubani omkhonzayo yikhona okubaluleke ngempela.” UJohn Booth wayekuthanda ukusho lawo mazwi, futhi ubephila ngawo. Inkambo yakhe yokuphila yasemhlabeni, eyaphela ngoMsombuluko ngo-January 8, 1996, ayishiyanga kungabaza mayelana nokuthi ubani akhetha ukumkhonza.
Emuva ngo-1921 eseyinsizwa, uJohn Booth wayefuna injongo yokuphila. Wayefundisa kuSonto-sikole eSontweni LaseDashi, kodwa wawenqaba umbono wokuba afundele ukuba umfundisi ngenxa yokuthi wayenomuzwa wokuthi abefundisi babephila ukuphila kobugovu. Lapho ebona isikhangiso senkulumo enesihloko esithi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Azisoze Zafa,” wasukumela phezulu wacela izincwadi ezazikhangiswa. Ehlatshwe umxhwele yilokho ayekufundile, ngokushesha wayesehamba ngebhayisekili amakhilomitha angu-24 eya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Wabhapathizwa ngo-1923 wabe eseqala ukushumayela endlini ngendlu endaweni yaseWallkill, eNew York, lapho umkhaya wakubo wawunepulazi lobisi khona.
UMfoweth’ uBooth wangena enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele ngo-April 1928. Washumayela ensimini yakubo nasemaphandleni angaseNingizimu, ehweba izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngokudla nendawo yokulala. Kwakudingeka abhekane nezingozi ezinjengabanikazi bezindawo zokuphisa utshwala ezingekho emthethweni ababephatha izibhamu, omunye wabo owadubula iphayona elalikanye noJohn Booth walilimaza. Ngo-1935, uMfoweth’ uBooth wamiswa njengombonisi ojikelezayo futhi waqala ukuhambela amabandla namaqembu amancane akulelozwe. Wahlela imihlangano yesifunda futhi wasiza abazalwane nodade ukuba bakhuthazele naphezu kokuphikiswa. Ukubhekana ngqó nezixuku ezithukuthele, ukuma ezinkantolo, nokuboshwa konke kwaba izinto ezivamile kuMfoweth’ uBooth. Wake wabhala: “Kungadingeka incwadi ukuze nginikeze imininingwane yalezo zikhathi ezijabulisayo.”
Ngo-1941, uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi, wabela uMfoweth’ uBooth ukuba asebenze eKingdom Farm, ngase-Ithaca, eNew York. Wakhonza lapho ngokwethembeka iminyaka engu-28. Njengoba uthando lwakhe ngenkonzo lwalunganciphile, phakathi naleyo minyaka wajabulela ukuba nobudlelwane nezinkulungwane zabafundi base-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead yokuqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli, eyayilapho eKingdom Farm kwaze kwaba ngu-1961. Ngo-1970, uMfoweth’ uBooth wacelwa ukuba akhonze eWatchtower Farms eWallkill, eNew York, futhi kanjalo wazithola esesendaweni ayeqale ukuphayona kuyo eminyakeni engaba ngu-45 ngaphambili.
Ngo-1974, uMfoweth’ uBooth wamiswa njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ukhonze ngokwethembeka kuleso sikhundla kwaze kwaba yilapho eshona eneminyaka engu-93 ubudala. UJohn Booth ubethandeka ngenxa yobuntu bakhe bobuKristu obunokuthobeka okukhulu nomusa. Ubeshumayela ngokwethembeka endlini ngendlu nasemigwaqweni yedolobha kwaze kwaba yilapho impilo namandla akhe kungasamvumeli.
Nakuba labo abebekhonza naye bedabuka ngokushona kwakhe, bathola induduzo esithembisweni seBhayibheli ngokuqondene namaKristu anjalo agcotshiwe, sokuthi avuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini futhi ‘izinto azenza zihamba nawo.’ (IsAmbulo 14:13; 1 Korinte 15:51-54) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uJohn Booth usesendaweni ehlukile, kodwa ulapho ayokwazi ukukhonza khona uJehova phakade!
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UJohn Booth 1903-1996
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HERALD-AMERICAN, ANDOVER 1234
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Chicago Herald-American