UMichael Faraday—Usosayensi Nendoda Yokholo

“UMsunguli Kagesi.” “Usosayensi ocwaningayo omkhulu kunabo bonke abake baba khona.” Lezi izindlela ezimbili achazwa ngazo uMichael Faraday, owazalwa ngo-1791 eNgilandi nowathola isimiso sokuhlobana kukagesi namandla kazibuthe esaholela ekwakhiweni kwezinjini zikagesi nasekuphehlweni kukagesi.

UFARADAY wayifundisa kakhulu isayensi yokuthakwa kwemithi neyezinto zemvelo eRoyal Institution eLondon. Izifundo ayezinikeza zokwenza isayensi ithandeke zasiza intsha ukuba iqonde imiqondo eyinkimbinkimbi. Amayunivesithi amaningana amenzela imicimbi yokumhlonipha. Kodwa wayekugwema ukudonsa amehlo abantu. Wayeyindoda eyikhonze kakhulu inkolo, ekujabulela kakhulu ukuba sesitha endlini yayo enamakamelo amathathu nokuba nomkhaya wayo nekholwa nabo. UFaraday wayeyingxenye yalokho akuchaza ngokuthi “ihlelo lamaKristu elincane kakhulu nelidelelekile, elaziwa . . . ngokuthi ama-Sandemanian.” Ayengobani? Yini ayeyikholelwa? Futhi lokhu kwamthonya kanjani uFaraday?

AmaSandemanian

“Ukuthintana kokuqala komkhaya wakwaFaraday nesonto lamaSandemanian kwagxiliswa omkhulu nogogo bakaMichael Faraday,” kuphawula uGeoffrey Cantor, umlobi wethi Michael Faraday: Sandemanian and Scientist. Bazihlanganisa nabalandeli bomfundisi owayengahambisani nasonto owayehamba izindawo ngezindawo nowayenozakwabo ababesekela izinkolelo zamaSandemanian.

URobert Sandeman (1718-71) wayengumfundi waseyunivesithi e-Edinburgh, efunda izibalo, isiGreki, nezinye izilimi lapho ngolunye usuku elalela uJohn Glass owayekade engumfundisi waseHabe eshumayela. Lokho akuzwa kwamenza washiya phansi eyunivesithi, waphindela kubo ePerth, wabe esezibandakanya noGlass nozakwabo.

Ngawo-1720, uJohn Glass wayeseqale ukungabaza izimfundiso ezithile zeChurch of Scotland. Ukutadisha kwakhe iZwi likaNkulunkulu kwamenza waphetha ngokuthi isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esiseBhayibhelini sasifanekisela isizwe esingokomoya esinezakhamuzi ezivela ezizweni eziningi. Akatholanga ndawo evumela ukuba kube khona isonto elihlukile lesizwe ngasinye.

Engasakhululekile esontweni lakhe eTealing, indawo engaphandle kweDundee, eScotland, uGlass wahoxa eChurch of Scotland wabe esehlela eyakhe imihlangano. Abantu abangaba yikhulu bazibandakanya naye, futhi zisuka nje, bezwa isidingo sokulondoloza ubunye phakathi kwabo. Banquma ukulandela iziyalezo zikaKristu, ezilotshwe kuMathewu isahluko 18, amavesi 15 kuya ku-17, zokuba baxazulule noma ikuphi ukungaboni ngaso linye ababengase babe nakho. Kamuva baqhuba imihlangano yamasonto onke lapho labo abakholwa nabo babehlangana ukuze bathandaze futhi bakhuthazane.

Lapho inani elikhudlwana labantu liqala ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yamaqembu ahlukahlukene, kwadingeka amadoda anokwethenjelwa ukuze aqondise ukukhulekela kwalo. Kodwa obani ababefaneleka? UJohn Glass nozakwabo bahlolisisa lokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhala ngalendaba. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-7; Thithu 1:5-9) Abatholanga lutho olukhuluma ngemfundo yaseyunivesithi noma ngesidingo sokuqonda isiHeberu nesiGreki. Ngakho ngemva kokucabangela iziqondiso ezingokomBhalo ngomthandazo, bamisa amadoda afanelekayo ukuba abe abadala. Labo ababeqotho eChurch of Scotland bakubheka ‘njengokufana nokuhlambalaza’ ukuba amadoda angafundile “akhule ngomshini wokweluka, ngenaliti, noma ngegeja” ashaye sengathi ayaliqonda iBhayibheli futhi ashumayele isigijimi salo. Lapho, ngo-1733, uGlass nakholwa nabo bakha ihholo labo lokuhlangana edolobhaneni lasePerth, abefundisi bendawo bazama ukucindezela izimantshi ukuba zibaxoshe kuleli dolobhana. Bahluleka, futhi lenhlangano yakhula.

URobert Sandeman washada nendodakazi endala kaGlass, kwathi lapho eneminyaka engu-26 ubudala, waba umdala ebandleni lamaGlassite ePerth. Imisebenzi yakhe njengomdala yayisinda kangangokuthi wanquma ukusebenzisa sonke isikhathi sakhe emsebenzini wokwalusa. Kamuva, ngemva kokushona komkakhe, uRobert “wavuma ngokwenama ukukhonza iNkosi noma kuphi lapho inkatho ithi makaye khona,” ngokomlando wokuphila kwakhe.

UbuSandemanian Buyasabalala

Ngentshiseko uSandeman wanweba inkonzo yakhe ukusuka eScotland kuya eNgilandi, lapho amaqembu amasha abakholwa naye anda khona. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakudlange ukuphikisana phakathi kwabenkolo kaCalvin yaseNgilandi. Abanye babo babekholelwa ukuthi babenqunyelwe kusengaphambili ukuba basindiswe. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uSandeman wayehambisana nalabo ababekholelwa ukuthi ukholo lwaluyimfuneko edingekile. Esekela lombono, wakhipha incwadi eyanyatheliswa izikhathi ezine futhi yaba khona nangezinhlelo ezimbili zaseMelika. NgokukaGeoffrey Cantor, ukunyatheliswa kwalomqulu kwaba “isenzakalo esisemqoka kakhulu esasimamisa ihlelo [lamaSandemanian] esiqalweni salo esincane eScotland.”

Ngo-1764, uSandeman, ekanye nabanye abadala abangamaGlassite, walibangisa eMelika, uhambo olwabangela ukuphikisana nokuphikiswa okukhulu. Noma kunjalo, lwaphumela ekumisweni kweqembu lamaKristu amqondo-munye eDanbury, eConnecticut.a USandeman washonela lapho, ngo-1771.

Izinkolelo ZikaFaraday Ezingokwenkolo

UMichael osemncane wamukela izimfundiso zamaSandemanian kubazali bakhe. Wathola ukuthi amaSandemanian ayezihlukanisa nalabo ababengakwenzi lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ayenqaba ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yomshado yaseSheshi, ekhetha ukwenza kuphela lokho okwakufunwa umthetho emicimbini yawo yemishado.

Ukuzithoba kohulumeni, abe engathathi hlangothi kwezombangazwe, kwaba isici esihlukanisa amaSandemanian. Nakuba ayengamalungu omphakathi ahlonishwayo, ayeqabukela amukela izikhundla emphakathini. Kodwa ezimweni ezimbalwa lapho ayezamukela khona, ayewagwema amaqembu ezombangazwe. Ukulondoloza lokhu kuma kwawabangela ukuba ahlanjalazwe. (Qhathanisa noJohane 17:14.) AmaSandemanian ayekholelwa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyilungiselelo eliphelele likahulumeni. Ayebheka ezombangazwe ‘njengomdlalo ongcolile, oyize nongenazo izimiso zokuziphatha,’ kuphawula uCantor.

Nakuba ayehlukile kwabanye abantu, awazange abe nesimo sengqondo sabaFarisi. Athi: “Sikubona kudingeke kakhulu ukugwema uMoya noMkhuba wabaFarisi basendulo, wokwenza iZono neMisebenzi engaphezu kweyenziwe umBhalo; nowokwenza iMiyalo yaphezulu ibe yize ngaMasiko abantu noma ngokuyiGega ngobuhlakani.”

Amukela umkhuba ongokomBhalo wokususa ekuhlanganyeleni noma imuphi phakathi kwawo owayeba isidakwa, umphangi, isifebe, noma owayezenza umkhuba noma iziphi ezinye izono ezingathi sína. Uma isoni sasiphenduka ngempela, ayezama ukusibuyisa. Ngalé kwalokho, ayelandela umyalo ongokomBhalo ‘wokususa umuntu omubi.’—1 Korinte 5:5, 11, 13.

AmaSandemanian ayelalela umyalo weBhayibheli wokudeda egazini. (IzEnzo 15:29) UJohn Glass wayethe abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangaphansi kwesibopho sokulalela imingcele ephathelene negazi njengoba nje uNkulunkulu ayeyale abantu bokuqala ukuba bangasidli isithelo somuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi. (Genesise 2:16, 17) Ukungawulaleli umyalo ophathelene negazi kwakufana nokwenqaba ukusetshenziswa okufanele kwegazi likaKristu, okungukuthi ukuhlawulela isono. UGlass waphetha: “Lomthetho ovimbela ukudliwa kwegazi ubulokhu ubaluleke kakhulu, futhi usenjalo namanje.”

Ukucabanga kwamaSandemanian ngemiBhalo kwawasiza ukuba agweme izingibe eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, endabeni yokuzijabulisa, ayebheka iziyalezo zikaKristu njengeziyiziqondiso. “Asinakulokotha senze iMithetho lapho uKristu engayenzanga khona,” esho, “singenakuyilahla futhi noma iyiphi asinike yona. Ngakho-ke, njengoba singatholi ndawo lapho uKuzilibazisa kunqatshelwa khona, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenziwa obala noma ngasese; sibheka noma ikuphi uKuzijabulisa njengokulungile, inqobo nje uma kungahlangene neZimo eziyisono ngempela.”

Nakuba amaSandemanian ayenemibono eminingi eyayisekelwe ngokunembile emBhalweni ngalendlela, awazange akuqonde ukubaluleka komsebenzi okuyiwona ophawula amaKristu eqiniso, okungukuthi, ngamunye kufanele ashumayele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kwabanye. (Mathewu 24:14) Nokho, wonke umuntu wayamukelekile emihlanganweni yawo, futhi kuyo ayezama ukunikeza bonke ababewabuza isizathu sethemba lawo.—1 Petru 3:15.

Lezi zinkolelo zamthonya kanjani usosayensi uMichael Faraday?

UFaraday UmSandemanian

Nakuba ayehlonishwa, enzelwa amadili, aziswa kakhulu ngezinto eziphawulekayo azithola, uMichael Faraday wayephila ukuphila okulula. Lapho abantu abadumile befa futhi osaziwayo belindeleke ukuba babe khona emingcwabeni yabo, kwakuphawuleka ukuthi uFaraday wayengabibikho, unembeza wakhe ungamvumeli ukuba abe khona abese ehileleka enkonzweni yeSonto LaseSheshi.

Njengososayensi uFaraday wayenamathela kulokho ayengase akubonise ukuthi kungamaqiniso. Ngakho wayekugwema ukusondelana kakhulu nezifundiswa ezazigqamisa imiqondo yazo ecatshangelwayo futhi zithatha uhlangothi ezimpikiswaneni. Njengoba nje ake watshela izilaleli, ‘iqiniso eliyisisekelo alisiphoxi nanini, ubufakazi balo buhlale buyiqiniso.’ Waveza isayensi njengencike ‘emaqinisweni acwaningwe ngokucophelela.’ Ephetha enye inkulumo ephathelene namandla emvelo ayisisekelo, uFaraday wakhuthaza izilaleli zakhe ukuba zicabangisise ‘ngaLowo owawadala.’ Wabe esecaphuna umphostoli uPawulu owayengumKristu: “Izinto zaKhe ezingabonakali kusukela endalweni yezwe zibonakala ngokucacile, njengoba ziqondakala ngezinto ezenziwe, ngisho namandla aKhe nobuNkulunkulu obungunaphakade.”—Roma 1:20, King James Version.

Okwenza uFaraday ahluke kakhulu kwabanye ososayensi abaningi kwakuyisifiso sakhe sokufunda eNcwadini kaNkulunkulu ephefumulelwe kanye nasencwadini yemvelo. “Ngosizo lwenkolo yakhe yobuSandemanian wathola indlela yokuphila ngokulalela umthetho wokuziphatha kaNkulunkulu nangesithembiso sokuphila okungunaphakade,” kuphawula uCantor. “Ngosizo lwesayensi yakhe wasondelana eduze nemithetho yemvelo eyakhethwa uNkulunkulu ukuba ibuse indawo yonke.” UFaraday wayekholelwa ukuthi “isayensi yayingenakuliqeda igunya eliphelele leBhayibheli, kodwa lapho isetshenziswa ngendlela engokobuKristu ngempela, isayensi ingakhanyisa enye incwadi kaNkulunkulu.”

UFaraday wazenqaba ngokuthobeka izenzo eziningi zokumdumisa abanye ababefuna ukumenzela zona. Wayelokhu ezwakalisa ukungabi nasithakazelo ekubeni isikhulu. Wayefuna ukuhlala ‘enguMnumzan’ uFaraday nje kwaphela.’ Wayesebenzisa isikhathi esiningi emisebenzini yakhe njengomdala, kuhlanganise nokuhamba njalo esuka enhloko-dolobha eya edolobhaneni laseNorfolk eyonakekela iqembu elincane lamakholwa amqondo-munye ayehlala lapho.

UMichael Faraday wafa ngo-August 25, 1867, futhi wangcwatshwa emathuneni aseHighgate enyakatho yeLondon. Umlobi wemilando yabantu uJohn Thomas usitshela ukuthi uFaraday “washiyela izizukulwane ezizayo umthamo omkhulu wentuthuko yangempela engokwesayensi kunanoma imuphi omunye usosayensi wezinto zemvelo, futhi imiphumela ewusizo yezinto azithola iye yasithinta kakhulu isimo sokuphila okuphucuzekile.” Umfelokazi kaFaraday, uSarah, wabhala: “Ngingakhomba iTestamente Elisha kuphela njengesiqondiso nomthetho wakhe; ngoba wayelibheka njengeliyiZwi likaNkulunkulu . . . elibophayo kumaKristu osukwini lwanamuhla njengasesikhathini elabhalwa ngaso”—ubufakazi obushukumisayo ngososayensi odumile owayephila ngokuzinikela ngokuvumelana nokholo lwakhe.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Emiswe njengomfundisi eRoyal Institution yaseBrithani, uMichael Faraday wafundisa isayensi ngendlela ngisho nentsha eyayingayiqonda. Iseluleko sakhe kubafundisi abakanye naye siqukethe ukusikisela okuwusizo amaKristu osuku lwanamuhla afundisa obala enza kahle ngokukucabangela.

◻ “Inkulumo akufanele isheshe futhi ijahwe, bese ngenxa yalokho ingaqondakali, kodwa kufanele ihambe kancane futhi inense.”

◻ Isikhulumi kufanele sizame ukuvusa isithakazelo sezilaleli zaso “ekuqaleni kwenkulumo bese kuthi ngendlela ehleliwe engabonakali, engaqashelwa izilaleli, sisigcine sivutha uma nje kusadingeka endabeni.”

◻ “Umfundisi uzehlisa kakhulu lapho ebeka amazwi akhe ngendlela yokuba abangele ihlombe futhi azicelele ukutuswa.”

◻ Ngokuphathelene nokusebenzisa uhlaka: “Ngaso sonke isikhathi ngizithola ngibophekile . . . ukuba ngakhe umklamo [wendaba] ephepheni bese ngigcwalisa izingxenye ngokuzikhumbula, ngokuzihlobanisa noma ngenye indlela. . . . Ngiba nohla [lwezihloko] ezinkulu nezincane ezilandelanayo, bese ngakha indaba ngisusela kuzo.”

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]

Both pictures: By courtesy of the Royal Institution