Isahluko 6

Ixesha Lokuvavanywa (1914-1918)

“Masikhumbule ukuba sikwixesha lokuvavanywa. . . . Ukuba kukho nasiphi na isizathu esinokukhokelela abanye ukuba bayilahle iNkosi neNyaniso Yayo baze bayeke ukuzincama ngenxa yeeNjongo zeNkosi, makube ke asilothando oluphum’ entliziyweni ngoThixo obelushukumise umdla eNkosini, kodwa yenye into; mhlawumbi ukucinga ukuba ixesha lifutshane; ukuzahlulela bekukokwexeshana elithile kuphela. Ukuba kunjalo, ngoku lixesha elihle lokuba siyeke.”

AYEFANELEKE ngokwenene loo mazwi awabonakala kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaNovemba 1, 1914. Ngokwenene, iminyaka esusela kowe-1914 ukusa kowe-1918, yangqineka ‘ilixesha lokuvavanywa’ kuBafundi beBhayibhile. Ezinye zeemvavanyo zazivela kwalapha phakathi kwabo; ezinye zazivela kubantu bangaphandle. Noko ke, xa zizonke zabavavanya aBafundi beBhayibhile ngeendlela ezatyhila enoba ngokwenene ‘babemthanda ngeentliziyo zabo uThixo kusini na.’ Ngaba babeza kubambelela ‘kwiNkosi neNyaniso Yayo’ okanye babeza kuyeka?

Ulindelo Olukhulu

NgoJuni 28, 1914, iTshawe Elikhulu uFrancis Ferdinand waseOstriya naseHungary wabulawa ngokudutyulwa sisigwinta. Oko kugwintwa kwabangela ukuqalisa kweMfazwe Enkulu, njengokuba ekuqaleni iMfazwe Yehlabathi I yayibizwa njalo. Umlo waqalisa ngoAgasti 1914 xa iJamani yahlasela iBelgium neFransi. Ekwindla kuloo nyaka, kwakusele kuphalale igazi elininzi.

“AmaXesha eeNtlanga aphelile; liphelile ixesha lookumkani bazo”! Wadanduluka watsho uMzalwan’ uRussell xa wayengena kwigumbi lokudlela kwikomkhulu eliseBrooklyn leWatch Tower Society ngentsasa yangoLwesihlanu, ngo-Oktobha 2, 1914. Abantu babechulumance gqitha. Inkoliso yabo babekho kwakusele kuyiminyaka bekhangele phambili kowe-1914. Kodwa yintoni eyayiza kuziswa kukuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga?

Kwakugquba iMfazwe Yehlabathi I, ibe ngelo xesha kwakucingwa ukuba imfazwe yayikhokelela kwisiphithiphithi somhlaba wonke esasiya kuphumela ekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo yezinto. Kwakhona kwakukho nezinye izinto ezazilindelekile ngowe-1914. UAlexander H. Macmillan, owayebhaptizwe ­ngoSeptemba 1900, kamva wakhumbula oku: “Imbinana yethu yayicinga ukuba sasiza kuya ezulwini ngokwenene ebudeni baloo veki yokuqala kaOktobha.”a Enyanisweni, ekhumbula intsasa uRussell awenza ngayo isaziso sokuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga, uMacmillan wavuma: “Sasichulumance gqitha yaye ngendandingothukanga ukuba ngawo loo mzuzu ngesasiqalise ukunyuka, sibe eso saziso singumqondiso wokuqalisa kokunyukela ezulwini—phofu ke akuzange kwenzeke nto injalo.”

Ukungazaliseki kolindelo lokubuya kweNkosi uYesu kwinkulungwane ye-19 kwakubangele abalandeli abaninzi bakaWilliam Miller namaqela awahlukahlukeneyo ama-Adventist aphelelwe lukholo. Kodwa kuthekani ngaBafundi beBhayibhile ababezizinxulumani zikaRussell? Ngaba abanye babetsalwe yingcamango yokusindiswa kwabo kuqala kungekhona luthando ngoThixo nomnqweno onamandla wokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe?

‘Mzalwan’ URussell, Ngaba Aniphoxekanga?’

UMzalwan’ uRussell wayebakhuthaza aBafundi beBhayibhile ukuba bahlale belindile nokuba bazimisele ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi weNkosi kwanokuba izinto azenzeki ngokukhawuleza njengokuba bebelindele.

UOktobha 1914 wadlula, kwaye uC. T. Russell namaqabane akhe babesesemhlabeni. Wandula ke wadlula no-Oktobha 1915. Ngaba uRussell wayephoxekile? KwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaFebruwari 1, 1916, wabhala: “‘Kodwa, Mzalwan’ uRussell, ucinga ntoni ngokuguqulwa kwethu? Ngaba anizange niphoxeke ekubeni kungenzekanga ngexesha ebesithembe ukuba kuya kwenzeka ngalo?’ umele ukuba uyabuza. Impendulo yethu sithi, akunjalo, asizange siphoxeke. . . . Bazalwana, abo kuthi banesimo esilungileyo ngakuThixo abaphoxeki nakweliphi na lamalungiselelo Akhe. Sasinganqweneli ukuba kwenziwe ukuthanda kwethu; ngoko ukufumanisa kwethu ukuba sasilindele into ephosakeleyo ngo-Oktobha, 1914, sakuvuyela ukuba iNkosi ingaliguqulanga iCebo Layo ukuze lilungele thina. Besinganqweneli ukuba yenjenjalo. Ekuphela kwento esiyinqwenelayo kukuqonda oko ikucebileyo neenjongo Zayo.”

Hayi, aBafundi beBhayibhile abazange ‘bathatyathelwe kowabo’ ezulwini ngo-Oktobha 1914. Sekunjalo, amaXesha eeNtlanga aphela ngaloo nyaka. Ngokucacileyo, aBafundi beBhayibhile kwakusafuneka befunde lukhulu ngentsingiselo yowe-1914. Kwangaxeshanye, Babefanele benzeni? Basebenze! Kunjengokuba IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaSeptemba 1, 1916, ikubeka: “Besicinga ukuba umsebenzi wokuVuna wokuhlanganisa iBandla [labathanjiswa] uza kugqitywa ngaphambi kokuphela kwamaXesha eeNtlanga; kodwa eBhayibhileni bekungekho nto itshoyo. . . . Ngaba silusizi kuba umsebenzi wokuVuna usaqhubeka? Ngokuqinisekileyo, akunjalo . . . Isimo sethu ngoku, bazalwana abathandekayo, sifanele sibe sesombulelo ongazenzisiyo kuThixo, sibe noxabiso olongezelelekileyo ngeNyaniso entle asinike ilungelo lokuyibona ngokuvisisana nayo, yaye sandise inzondelelo ekuncedeni abanye bayazi loo Nyaniso.”

Kodwa ngaba kwakusekho okungakumbi okwakumele kwenziwe kumsebenzi wokuvuna? Kubonakala ukuba uMzalwan’ uRussell wayecinga njalo. Oku kucaca kwincoko yakhe noMzalwan’ uMacmillan kukwindla lowe-1916. Ebizela uMacmillan kwiofisi yakhe kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, uRussell wamxelela oku: “Umsebenzi wanda ngokukhawuleza, yaye uya kuqhubeka usanda, kuba kukho umsebenzi omele wenziwe emhlabeni wonke wokushumayela ‘iindaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani’ ehlabathini lonke.” URussell wachitha iiyure ezintathu ezinesiqingatha ecacisela uMacmillan ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ngoko wayekubona kungumsebenzi omkhulu owawusamele wenziwe.

ABafundi beBhayibhile babetyhubela uvavanyo oluqatha. Kodwa ngoncedo lweMboniselo, bomelezwa ukuze baloyise udano. Noko ke, ixesha lokuvavanywa lalingekapheli konke konke.

“Kuza Kwenzeka Ntoni Ngoku?”

Ngo-Oktobha 16, 1916, uMzalwan’ uRussell nonobhala wakhe uMenta Sturgeon banduluka kukhenketho olwalucetywe kwangaphambili lokuya kunikela iintetho kummandla osentshona nokumzantsi-ntshona welaseUnited States. Noko ke, uRussell wayegula kakhulu ngelo xesha. Kukhenketho lwabo baqala eDetroit, eMichigan, bedlula eKhanada. Baza, emva kokukhe athi nqumama eIllinois, eKansas naseTexas, la madoda mabini afika eKhalifoniya, apho uRussell wanikela khona intetho yakhe yokugqibela ngeCawa, ngo-Oktobha 29, eLos Angeles. Kwiintsuku ezimbini kamva, emva kwemini ngoLwesibini, ngo-Oktobha 31, uCharles Taze Russell oneminyaka engama-64 ubudala wafela kuloliwe ePampa, eTexas. Isaziso sokufa kwakhe saphuma kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaNovemba 15, 1916.

Yavakalelwa njani intsapho yaseBheteli kusakwaziswa ngokufa kukaMzalwan’ uRussell? UA. H. Macmillan, owayesisandla sikaRussell eofisini ngoxa uRussell wayengekho, kamva wakhumbula intsasa awayifundela ngayo ucingo intsapho yaseBheteli: “Kwavakala ukugcuma kulo lonke elo gumbi lokudlela. Bambi balila ngokuvakalayo. Akukho namnye owasidlayo isidlo sakusasa ngaloo ntsasa. Bonke babebuhlungu gqitha. Ekupheleni kwethuba lokudla benza izicuku ezincinane ukuze bagqugule, ‘Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngoku?’ Akuzange kufezwe msebenzi ungako ngaloo mini. Sasingazi ukuba masenzeni. Kwakungalindelekanga, ukanti uRussell wayezamile ukusenza sikulindele oku. Sasiza kwenza ntoni? Ukothuka kwethu kokuqala ngokushiywa nguC. T. Russell kwakuyeyona ngxaki. Kwezo ntsuku zimbalwa zokuqala ikamva lethu lalibonakala limfiliba. Ngalo lonke ixesha lokuphila kwakhe uRussell ‘wayenguMbutho.’ Umsebenzi wawusekelwe kuzimiselo lwakhe olunamandla lokuqinisekisa ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kuyenziwa.”

Emva kwenkonzo yomngcwabo kwiThe Temple eNew York nakwiHolo yaseCarnegie ePittsburgh, uMzalwan’ uRussell wangcwatyelwa eAllegheny, kwisiza sentsapho yaseBheteli, ngokwesicelo sakhe. KwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaDisemba 1, 1916, nakushicilelo lwakamva lomqulu wokuqala weStudies in the Scriptures kwapapashwa ibali lobomi bukaRussell kwakunye nomyolelo wakhe.

Kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni ngoku? ABafundi beBhayibhile babengakwazi ukucinga ngomntu onokungena ezihlangwini zikaMzalwan’ uRussell. Ngaba ukuziqonda kwabo iZibhalo kwakuza kuqhubeka kuhambela phambili, okanye kwakuza kuphelela kuloo ndawo kwakukuyo? Ngaba babeza kuba lihlelo lakhe? URussell wayekwenze kwacaca ukuba wayefuna umsebenzi uqhubeke. Ngoko emva kokufa kwakhe, ngokukhawuleza kwaphakama imibuzo: Ngubani oza kongamela oko kubhalwa kwiMboniselo nezinye iimpapasho? Ngubani ofanele angene ezihlangwini zikaRussell njengomongameli?

Ukuguquka Kwendlela Yolwalathiso

Kumyolelo wakhe uMzalwan’ uRussell wachaza ilungiselelo leKomiti yabaHleli abahlanu ababeza kugqiba ngoko kubhalwa kwiMboniselo.b Ukongezelela, iqumrhu labalathisi leWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society lalungiselela ukuba kubekho iKomiti yoLawulo enamalungu amathathu—uA. I. Ritchie, W. E. Van Amburgh noJ. F. Rutherford—ukuba yongamele wonke umsebenzi woMbutho, ngaphantsi kokulawulwa liqumrhu labalathisi.c Kodwa, ngubani owayeza kuba ngumongameli omtsha? Eso sigqibo sasiza kwenziwa kwintlanganiso yonyaka elandelayo yoMbutho, kwisithuba seenyanga ezimbini kamva, ngoJanuwari 6, 1917.

Ekuqaleni, iKomiti yoLawulo yenza unako nako wokugcina izinto zilungelelene, ikhuthaza aBafundi beBhayibhile ukuba baqhubeke nomsebenzi bangatyhafi. IMboniselo yaqhubeka ipapashwa, iqulethe amanqaku uRussell awayewabhale ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe. Kodwa njengoko intlanganiso yonyaka yayisondela, abantu baqalisa ukuxhalaba. Abanye babesenza nolwabo unyulo olungephi ukuze kukhethwe loo mntu bona bamthandayo ukuba abe ngumongameli. Abanye, ngenxa yentlonelo yabo enzulu ngoMzalwan’ uRussell, kubonakala ukuba babezixakekise ngokuzama ukuxelisa iimpawu zakhe ukuze benze ihlelo elithile labalandeli bakhe. Phofu ke, inkoliso yaBafundi beBhayibhile ngokuyintloko yayinomdla wokuqhubeka nomsebenzi uRussell awayezibhokoxe kuwo.

Njengoko ixesha lonyulo lalisondela, umbuzo wawusemi, Ngubani owayeza kulandela uRussell njengomongameli? IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaJanuwari 15, 1917, yanikela ingxelo ngeziphumo zentlanganiso yonyaka, ichaza: “UMzalwan’ uPierson, emva kokuvakalisa amazwi afanelekileyo oxabiso nawothando ngoMzalwan’ uRussell, wathi izihlobo kulo lonke elo zazimcelile yena njengonelungelo lokuvota ukuba egameni lazo avotele uMzalwan’ uJ. F. Rutherford njengoMongameli, yaye waqhubeka esithi naye wayehambisana ngokupheleleyo noko.” Emva kokuba igama likaRutherford liphakanyisiwe kwaza oko kwaxhaswa, akuzange kubekho gama limbi liphakanyiswayo, ngoko “uSosiba wahlabela mgama novoto ngokomgaqo, waza ke uMzalwan’ uRutherford wamiselwa njengoMongameli okhethwe yiyo yonke iNdibano.”

Lakuba unyulo lugqityiwe, wamkelwa njani umongameli omtsha? IMboniselo ekhankanywe ngasentla yanikela le ngxelo: “Izihlobo kuyo yonke indawo bezithandazele ukhokelo nolwalathiso lweNkosi kumcimbi wonyulo; yaye lusakuba lugqityiwe, zonke bezanelisekile yaye zonwabile, zikholelwa kwelokuba yiNkosi eyayalathise okwakuqhubekile ibe nemithandazo yazo iyiphendule. Kwakukho imvisiswano epheleleyo phakathi kwabo bonke abebekho.”

Noko ke, loo “mvisiswano epheleleyo” ayizange ihlale ithuba elide. Umongameli omtsha wamkelwa ngezandla ezishushu ngabaninzi kodwa hayi ngabo bonke.

Umongameli Omtsha Uqhubela Phambili

UMzalwan’ uRutherford wayengazimiselanga kuyijika intlangano kwindlela eyayikuyo, kodwa wayezimisele ukuqhubeka atyhalele phambili kumendo owawuqaliswe nguRussell. Abameli boMbutho abahambahambayo (ababesaziwa ngokuba ngabahambi ngezonqulo) bandiswa ukusuka kuma-69 ukusa kuma-93. Ukusasazwa kwamaphecana oMbutho esisa kwakusenziwa ngamandla ngeeCawa ezithile phambi kweecawa yaye kusenziwa rhoqo kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu.

“Umsebenzi wokwalusa,” owawuqaliswe ngaphambi kokufa kukaRussell, ngoku wandiswa. Lo yayingumsebenzi wokulandela umdla, ofana nomsebenzi wokubuyela owenziwa ngoku ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukuze awuhlaziye ngakumbi umsebenzi wokushumayela, umongameli omtsha woMbutho wawandisa umsebenzi wokusasaza iincwadi zonqulo. Abasasazi beencwadi zonqulo (ababekho ngaphambi koovulindlela banamhla) bandiswa ukususela kuma-372 ukusa kuma-461.

“Unyaka we-1917 uqalise unganiki themba noko,” yatsho IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaDisemba 15, 1917. Ewe, emva kokufa kukaC. T. Russell, kwakukho ukungaqiniseki, amathandabuzo, kwanoloyiko. Kodwa, ingxelo yokuphela konyaka yayikhuthaza; umsebenzi wasentsimini wanda. Ngokucacileyo, umsebenzi wawuhambela phambili. Ngaba aBafundi beBhayibhile babedlule kolunye uvavanyo—ukufa kukaC. T. Russell—ngokunempumelelo?

Imigudu Yokuhlutha Iintambo

Asingabo bonke ababemxhasa umongameli omtsha. UC. T. Russell noJ. F. Rutherford babahluke gqitha. Ubuntu babo babahlukile yaye neemvelaphi zabo zingafani. Kwabanye kwakunzima ukuwamkela lo mahluko. Ezingqondweni zabo, kwakungekho mntu ‘unokungena ezihlangwini zikaMzalwan’ uRussell.’

Kwakukho imbinana, ingakumbi kwikomkhulu, eyayimcaphukela uMzalwan’ uRutherford. Isibakala sokuba umsebenzi wawuhambela phambili yaye esenza unako nako wokuqhubeka namalungiselelo awayeqaliswe nguRussell kubonakala ukuba sasingathethi nto kubo. Kungekudala inkcaso yakhula. Amalungu amane equmrhu labalathisi loMbutho ade azama ukuluhlutha ulawulo kuRutherford. Izinto zafikelela uvuthondaba kwihlobo lowe-1917, xa kwakhutshwa incwadi ethi The Finished Mystery, umqulu wesixhenxe weStudies in the Scriptures.

UMzalwan’ uRussell akazange akwazi ukuvelisa lo mqulu esaphila, nangona wayenethemba lokwenjenjalo. Emva kokufa kwakhe, iKomiti yoLawulo yoMbutho yalungiselela ukuba izinxulumani ezibini, uClayton J. Woodworth noGeorge H. Fisher, ziyilungiselele le ncwadi, eyayixubusha ngencwadi yeSityhilelo, INgoma yazo iiNgoma noHezekile. Ngokuyinxenye, yayisekelwe koko uRussell wayekubhalile ngezi ncwadi zeBhayibhile, kwaza kongezelelwa namanye amagqabaza nengcaciso. Umbhalo-ngqangi ogqityiweyo wanconyelwa ngamagosa oMbutho waza wakhutshwa kwintsapho yaseBheteli kwigumbi lokudlela ngoLwesibini, ngoJulayi 17, 1917. Kwangeso sihlandlo, kwenziwa isaziso esikhwankqisayo—abalathisi abane ababephikisa babesusiwe, yaye uMzalwan’ uRutherford wayemisele abanye abane ukuzalisa ezo zikhewu. Yaba njani intsabelo?

Kwakungathi kuqhushumbe ibhombu! Abalathisi abane abakhutshiweyo balixhakamfula eli thuba baza bavusa ingxwaba-ngxwaba eyathabatha iiyure ezintlanu phambi kwentsapho yaseBheteli ngokulawulwa kwemicimbi yoMbutho. Abaliqela kwintsapho yaseBheteli babevelana naba bachasi. Ukuphikisa kwaqhubeka iiveki eziliqela, abaphazamisi besongela “ukubhukuqa ubuzwilakhe obuqhubekayo,” njengokuba babesitsho. Kodwa uMzalwan’ uRutherford wayenezizathu ezivakalayo zokwenza oko wayekwenzile. Njani?

Kwathi kanti nangona aba balathisi bane baphikisayo babemiselwe nguMzalwan’ uRussell, ukumiselwa kwabo kwakungazange kuvunywe ngevoti ngamalungu equmrhu kwintlanganiso yonyaka yoMbutho. Ngoko ke, aba bane babengengomalungu asemthethweni equmrhu labalathisi konke konke! URutherford wayekwazi oku kodwa akazange akuthethe ekuqaleni. Ngoba? Wayengafuni kubonakala ephikisana neminqweno kaMzalwan’ uRussell. Noko ke, xa kwabonakala ukuba babengayi kuyeka ukuphikisa, uRutherford wenza okwakusegunyeni yaye kuyimbopheleleko yakhe njengomongameli ngokubathabathel’ indawo ngabanye abane ukumiselwa kwabo okwakuza kuqinisekiswa kwintlanganiso elandelayo yonyaka, eyayiza kuqhutywa ngoJanuwari 1918.

NgoAgasti 8, abo babefudula bengabalathisi abanganelisekanga nabaxhasi babo bayishiya intsapho yaseBheteli; babecelwe ukuba bahambe ngenxa yesaqunge ababesibangela. Ngokukhawuleza baqalisa ukusasaza ukuphikisa kwabo ngokuzibhokoxa kwiphulo lokunikela iintetho nokubhala iileta kulo lonke elaseUnited States, eKhanada, naseYurophu. Ngenxa yoku, emva kwehlobo lowe-1917, amabandla aliqela aBafundi beBhayibhile ahlukana kubini—abo babenyanisekile kuMbutho nabo babengamaxhoba kwintetho egudileyo yabachasi.

Kodwa ngaba aba balathisi bakhutshiweyo, kumgudu wokuzama ukulawula intlangano, babeza kuzama ukuphembelela abo babenenxaxheba kwintlanganiso yonyaka? Elindele ukuba oko kungenzeka, lo kaRutherford wabona kucebiseka ukuba enze uphando kuwo onke amabandla. Waba yintoni umphumo? Ngokutsho kwengxelo eyapapashwa kwiMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaDisemba 15, 1917, abo bavotayo babonisa ukumxhasa kwabo ngokupheleleyo uJ. F. Rutherford nabalathisi abasebenzisana kunye naye! Oku kwangqinwa kwintlanganiso yonyaka.d Imigudu yabaphikisi yokuhlutha iintambo yayingaphumelelanga!

Baphelela phi abo baphikisi nabaxhasi babo? Emva kwentlanganiso yonyaka yangoJanuwari 1918, abo baphikisayo bakreqa, bade bakhetha nokuzenzela esabo iSikhumbuzo, ngoMatshi 26, 1918, bebodwa. Naluphi na umanyano ababelunandipha, lwalulokomzuzwana, yaye kungekudala baqhekeka baba ngamahlelo awahlukahlukeneyo. Kwiimeko ezininzi bacutheka waza umsebenzi wabo wancipha okanye waphela ngokupheleleyo.

Kucacile ukuba emva kokufa kukaMzalwan’ uRussell, aBafundi beBhayibhile bajamelana novavanyo lokwenene lokunyaniseka. Kunjengokuba uTarissa P. Gott, owabhaptizwa ngowe-1915, wakubeka oku ngolu hlobo: “Inkoliso yabo babebonakala bomelele, bezinikele gqitha eNkosini, baqalisa ukukreqa. . . . Konke oku kwakubonakala kungafanelekanga, kodwa kwakusenzeka yaye kwakusiphazamisa. Kodwa ndazixelela oku: ‘Ngaba le asiyiyo intlangano uYehova ebeyisebenzisa ukusikhulula kumakhamandela onqulo lobuxoki? Ngaba asikubonanga ukulunga kwakhe? Ukuba siyayishiya ngoku, siza kuya phi? Ngaba asiyi kugqibela sesilandela umntu othile?’ Asizange sibone sizathu sakuhamba nabawexuki, ngoko sahlala.”—Yoh. 6:66-69; Heb. 6:4-6.

Bambi abayishiyayo intlangano kamva baguquka baza baphinda banxulumana naBafundi beBhayibhile elunqulweni kwakhona. Inkoliso, njengoDade Gott, baqhubeka besebenzisana neWatch Tower Society noMzalwan’ uRutherford. Uthando nomanyano olwalubahlanganisa lwalukhuliswe kukunxulumana kunye ezintlanganisweni nasezindibanweni ukutyhubela iminyaka. Babengayi kuvumela nto iyiqhawule loo ntambo yomanyano.—Kol. 3:14.

Ngowe-1918 aBafundi beBhayibhile babephumelele kuvavanyo olwaluvela ngaphakathi kwabo. Noko ke, kuthekani ukuba inkcaso yayivela kwabo bangaphandle?

Amaxhoba Okuhlaselwa

Ekupheleni kowe-1917 kuse kowe-1918, aBafundi beBhayibhile bayisasaza ngamandla incwadi entsha eyayisithi, The Finished Mystery. Ekupheleni kowe-1917, abashicileli babebila besoma beshicilela uhlelo olwaluneencwadi ezingama-850 000. IMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaDisemba 15, 1917, yanikela le ngxelo: “Ukuthengiswa koMqulu wesiXhenxe akunakulinganiswa nokuthengiswa kwayo nayiphi na enye incwadi eyaziwayo, kwisithuba sexesha esilinganayo, ngaphandle kweBhayibhile.”

Kodwa asinguye wonk’ ubani owayekuvuyela ukuphumelela kwencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery. Le ncwadi yayiqulethe iimbekiselo ezazitsoliswe kubefundisi beNgqobhoko nezaziqatha. Oku kwabacaphukisa gqitha abefundisi kangangokuba babongoza urhulumente ukuba azivale iimpapasho zaBafundi beBhayibhile. Ngenxa yale nkcaso eyayiphenjelelwe ngabefundisi, ekuqaleni kowe-1918, incwadi ethi The Finished Mystery yavalwa eKhanada. Kungekudala yakhula inkcaso ngakuBafundi beBhayibhile eUnited States.

Ukuze ibhence le ngcinezelo eyayiphenjelelwe ngabefundisi, ngoMatshi 15, 1918, iWatch Tower Society yakhupha iphecana elithi Kingdom News No. 1. Laliphethe siphi isigidimi? Umxholo walo owawuthabatha imihlathi emithandathu ububanzi wawusithi: “Ukunganyamezeli Ezinye Iimbono Zonqulo—Ukutshutshiswa Kwabalandeli BakaPastor Russell Ngenxa Yokuba Bexelela Abantu INyaniso.” Ngaphantsi komxholo othi “Ukuphathwa KwaBafundi BeBhayibhile Kufana Nokwakusenzeka ‘NgamaXesha Obumnyama’” kwakwandlalwe izibakala zentshutshiso nokuvalwa komsebenzi okwakuqale eKhanada. Yayingoobani abaphembeleli? Eli phecana lachaza ngokuphandle ukuba yayingabefundisi, abachazwa “njengodidi lwamadoda angoontamo lukhuni aye ngobuqhetseba azama ukubathintela abantu ekuqondeni iBhayibhile nokuthibaza zonke iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ngaphandle kokuba ziphuma kubo.”e Esinjani sona ukuba bukhali isigidimi!

Abefundisi basabela njani koku kubhencwa? Babesele beyiqhwayele inkathazo iWatch Tower Society. Kodwa ngoku baba neengcwangu! Ngentwasahlobo yowe-1918, aBafundi beBhayibhile batshutshiwa ngokunogonyamelo eMntla Merika naseYurophu. Le nkcaso iphenjelelwa ngabefundisi yafikelela uvuthondaba ngoMeyi 7, 1918, xa inkundla yaseUnited States yayalela ukuba kubanjwe uJ. F. Rutherford nezinxulumani zakhe ezisondeleyo eziliqela. Phakathi kowe-1918, uRutherford nezinxulumani zakhe ezisixhenxe bavalelwa entolongweni eAtlanta, eGeorgia.

Kodwa ekubeni uJudge Rutherford nezinxulumani zakhe babesentolongweni, yintoni eyayisenzeka ngemisebenzi eyayisenziwa kwikomkhulu?

Ukugcina Umlilo Uvutha

EBrooklyn kwamiselwa iKomiti Yolawulo ukuze inyamekele umsebenzi. Eyona nto ababeyixhalabele kakhulu abazalwana ababemiselwe yayikukuqhubeka nokupapashwa kweMboniselo. Ngokuqinisekileyo aBafundi beBhayibhile ezindaweni zonke babefuna ukukhuthazwa ngokomoya kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Enyanisweni, ebudeni balo lonke eli “xesha lokuvavanywa,” akukho nokuba ibe nye inkupho yeMboniselo engazanga iphume!f

Wawunjani umoya kwikomkhulu? UThomas (Bud) Sullivan, kamva owaba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo, uwuchaza ngolu hlobo: “Ndaba nelungelo lokutyelela iBheteli yaseBrooklyn ngasekupheleni kwehlobo lowe-1918 ebudeni bokuvalelwa kwabazalwana. Abazalwana ababenyamekela umsebenzi eBheteli babengoyiki yaye bengatyhafanga tu kwaphela. Enyanisweni, imeko yabo yayahlukile kuleyo. Babenethemba lokuba izinto ziza kulunga yaye beqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kubanika uloyiso abantu bakhe ekugqibeleni. Ndaba nelungelo lokubakho kwisidlo sakusasa ngentsasa yangoMvulo xa abazalwana ababethunywe kwiindawo ezithile ngempela-veki babenikela iingxelo zabo. Ndayibona kakuhle imeko ababekuyo. Kuzo zonke iimeko abazalwana babeqinisekile, belindele ukuba uYehova abanike ulwalathiso olungakumbi kwimisebenzi yabo.”

Noko ke, kwakukho iingxaki ezininzi. IMfazwe Yehlabathi I yayisaqhubeka. Amaphepha namalahle, awayefuneka kakhulu ukuze umsebenzi kwikomkhulu uqhubeke, ayenqongophele. Ekubeni ubuzwe babukwiqondo lokugqibela, wawuthiywe kakhulu uMbutho; aBafundi beBhayibhile babegqalwa njengabangcatshi. Ngaphantsi kwezi meko zimaxongo, kwakubonakala ngathi umsebenzi wawungenakuqhubeka eBrooklyn. Ngoko, iKomiti yoLawulo, emva kokuva izimvo zabanye abazalwana, yayithengisa iBrooklyn Tabernacle yaza yalivala iKhaya laseBheteli. NgoAgasti 26, 1918, umsebenzi wabuyiselwa ePittsburgh kwisakhiwo seeofisi kwisitrato iFederal neReliance.

Sekunjalo, kwakukho umoya omhle. UMartha Meredith wakhumbula oku: “Thina babesePittsburgh sahlanganisana saza sagqiba kwelokuba siza kuwugcina ‘umlilo uvutha’ de abazalwana baphume entolongweni. Ngelo xesha iofisi eseBrooklyn yafuduselwa ePittsburgh, ngoko abazalwana baxakeka bebhala amanqaku eMboniselo yaye beyishicilela. Xa iiMboniselo zazilungele ukuthunyelwa, thina boodade sasizisongela size sizithumele ebantwini.”

ABafundi beBhayibhile baye bajamelene neemvavanyo eziqatha ukususela ekupheleni kwamaXesha eeNtlanga ekwindla ngowe-1914. Ngaba babenokuqhubeka besinda? Ngaba babenalo ngokwenene ‘uthando lukaThixo ezintliziyweni zabo’ okanye babengenalo? Ngaba babeza kubambelela ngokuqinileyo ‘KwiNkosi neNyaniso Yayo,’ njengokuba uRussell wayelumkisile, okanye ngaba babeza kuyeka?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 68]

URutherford wacela abachasi ukuba bayishiye iBheteli

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 62]

“Bambi Kuthi Babengxame Gqitha”

Njengoko uOktobha 1914 wayesondela, bambi kubaBafundi BeBhayibhile babelindele ukuba ekupheleni kwamaXesha eeNtlanga bona, njengamaKristu athanjisiweyo, babeya kufumana umvuzo wabo wasezulwini. Okubonisa oku koko kwenzeka kwindibano yaBafundi beBhayibhile eSaratoga Springs, eNew York, ngoSeptemba 27-30, 1914. UA. H. Macmillan, owayebhaptizwe kwiminyaka eli-14 ngaphambili, wanikela intetho ngoLwesithathu, ngoSeptemba 30. Kuyo wathi: “Mhlawumbi le yintetho yesidlangalala yokugqibela endiyinikelayo kuba siza kuya ekhaya [ezulwini] kungekudala.”

Noko ke, kwiintsuku ezimbini kamva (ngoLwesihlanu, ngo-Oktobha 2), uMacmillan wahlekwa gqitha ekubuyeleni kwakhe eBrooklyn, apho babeza kuphinda bahlanganisane khona abo bebesendibanweni. Ehleli kwisihlalo sakhe etafileni, uC. T. Russell wenza esi saziso: “Siza kwenza utshintsho oluthile kucwangciso lwangeCawa [Oktobha 4]. Nge-10:30 kusasa ngeCawa uMzalwan’ uMacmillan uza kusinikela intetho.” Yaba njani intsabelo? Kamva uMzalwan’ uMacmillan wabhala oku: “Wonk’ umntu wandiwa ngentsini, bekhumbula oko bendikuthethe ngoLwesithathu eSaratoga Springs—‘intetho yam yokugqibela yesidlangalala’!”

Ehlabela mgama uMacmillan wathi, “Kaloku, kwafuneka ndixakeke ndifune into endinokuyithetha. Ndafumana INdumiso 74:9, ‘Imiqondiso yethu asiyiboni, akusekho mprofeti; kuthi akukho waziyo ukuba koda kuse phi na kunjalo.’ Nantso ke into eyayifuneka. Kuloo ntetho ndazama ukuzibonisa izihlobo ukuba mhlawumbi bambi kuthi bebengxame gqitha ngokucinga ukuba sasiza kuya ezulwini ngoko nangoko, yaye into esasifanele siyenze kukuxakeka kwinkonzo yeNkosi de yona igqibe ngexesha nawuphi na kubakhonzi bayo ekholisiweyo ngabo aya kuthatyathelwa ngalo ekhaya ezulwini.”

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 67]

Imvelaphi KaJ. F. Rutherford

UJoseph Franklin Rutherford wazalwa ngabazali abangamaBhaptizi kwifama ekwiNqila yaseMorgan, eMissouri, eU.S.A., ngoNovemba 8, 1869. Xa uJoseph wayeneminyaka eli-16 ubudala, uyise wamvumela ukuba aye kwanokholeji, ukuba nje wayeza kuzihlawulela iindleko zakhe yaye wayeza kuhlawulela umqeshwa owayeza kumthabathela indawo efama. Engumfana owayezimisele gqitha, uJoseph wafumana imali-mboleko kumhlobo wakhe waza wakwazi ukuya kwanokholeji ngoxa wayekwafunda ezomthetho.

Emva kokugqiba kwakhe imfundo enomsila, uRutherford wachitha iminyaka emibini efundiswa nguJudge E. L. Edwards. Xa wayeneminyaka engama-20 ubudala, waba ngumabhalana wenkundla ngokusemthethweni kwiinkundla zesiPhaluka seShumi Elinesine saseMissouri. NgoMeyi 5, 1892, wafumana iimpepha-mvume kwezomthetho eMissouri. Kamva uRutherford waba ngumtshutshisi eBoonville, eMissouri kangangeminyaka emine. Kanti kamva, ngamathuba athile wayesiba yijaji ekhethekileyo kwiSiphaluka seSibhozo saseMissouri. Kungenxa yoko awathi waziwa ngokuba ngu-“Judge” Rutherford.

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba ukuze ahlawulele iindleko zakhe esikolweni, uRutherford wayethengisa iintyilalwazi kwindlu ngendlu. Kwakungengomsebenzi ulula—kwakukho ukuphoxeka okuninzi. Ngesinye isihlandlo waphantsa wafa xa wawela kumfula ongumkhenkce ngoxa wayehamba ezifama. Wazixelela ukuba mhla waligqwetha, ukuba kunokuze kwenzeke kufike umntu eofisini yakhe ethengisa iincwadi, wayeya kuzithenga. Ebambelele elizwini lakhe, wamkela imiqulu emithathu eyayisithi “Millennial Dawn” kubathengisi beencwadi zonqulo ababini abafika eofisini yakhe ekuqaleni kowe-1894. Kwiiveki eziliqela kamva wazifunda wazigqiba ezi ncwadi waza kwangoko wabhalela iWatch Tower Society, esithi: “Mna nomfazi wam endimthandayo sizifunde ngomdla onyanisekileyo ezi ncwadi, yaye sizigqala njengezivela kuThixo yaye kuyintsikelelo enkulu ukuzifumana.” Ngowe-1906, uJoseph F. Rutherford wabhaptizwa, yaye emva konyaka waba ligqwetha leWatch Tower Society.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 69]

‘Akukho Bantu Emhlabeni Bababalwe Ngakumbi Kunaba’

NgoJuni 21, 1918, uJ. F. Rutherford nezinxulumani zakhe ezisondeleyo eziliqela bagwetywa iminyaka engama-20 entolongweni, ekubeni ngobuxoki babefunyaniswe benetyala lokuzama ukubhukuq’ umbuso. Babevakalelwa njani? Kwileta eyayibhalwe ngesandla yomhla kaJuni 22-23 (eboniswe ngezantsi), ekwintolongo eseRaymond Street eBrooklyn, eNew York, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wabhala: “Mhlawumbi emhlabeni namhlanje akukho bantu bababalwe nabonwabe ngaphezu kwaba bazalwana basixhenxe basentolongweni ngoku. Bazi kakuhle ukuba abanatyala lakwenza okubi ngabom, yaye bayakuvuyela ukuva ubunzima noKristu ngenxa yokukhonza Yena ngokunyaniseka.”

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 70]

Amaxhoba Entshutshiso Ephenjelelwa Ngabefundisi

Phakathi kowe-1918, uJ. F. Rutherford nezinxulumani zakhe ezisixhenxe babesentolongweni—bengamaxhoba entshutshiso ephenjelelwa ngabefundisi. Kodwa asingaloo madoda asibhozo kuphela awayengamaxhoba entiyo enjalo. Ebudeni beminyaka yangaphambili yayinguC. T. Russell ixhoba eliphambili lokuhlaselwa ngabefundisi nangamaphephandaba. Ngoku naBafundi beBhayibhile babengamaxhoba. I-“The Golden Age” (ngoku “UVukani!”) kaSeptemba 29, 1920, yapapasha ingxelo eneenkcukacha yentshutshiso enogonyamelo ababeyinyamezele eUnited States. Xa wawunokuyifunda wawungacinga ukuba ithetha ngokuNcinwa Kwamakholwa.g Kuyo kwakukho ezi ngxelo zilandelayo:

“NgoAprili 22, 1918, eWynnewood, eOklahoma, uClaud Watson wabanjwa waza ngabom wakhululelwa kwihlokondiba elalinabashumayeli, oosomashishini nabanye abambetha waf’ isiqaqa, baza babiza umntu ontsundu ukuba amtyakatye aze, xa athe wabuyela ezingqondweni, amtyakatye kwakhona. Bandula ke bamqaba itela baza bamfaka iintsiba emzimbeni wonke, behlikihla le tela ezinweleni nasentlonzeni yakhe.”

“NgoAprili 29, 1918, eWalnut Ridge, eArkansas, uW. B. Duncan, oneminyaka engama-61 ubudala, uEdward French, uCharles Franke noMnu. Griffin noNkskz. D. Van Hoesen bavalelwa entolongweni. Kule ntolongo kwaqhekeza ihlokondiba elalisebenzisa eyona ntetho yakha yangcola nengamanyundululu, labatyakatya, labafak’ itela neentsiba laza labakhuphela ngaphandle kwedolophu. UDuncan wanyanzeleka ukuba ahambe [ama-42 eekhilomitha] ukugoduka kwaye akazange aphinde abuyele empilweni. UGriffin phantse ukuba waba yimfama ngokupheleleyo yaye kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva wafa ngenxa yoku kuhlaselwa.”

“NgoAprili 30, 1918, . . . eMinerva, eOhio, uS. H. Griffin wavalelwa entolongweni kuqala waza wakhululelwa kwihlokondiba, washunyayezwa imizuzu elishumi elinesihlanu ngumfundisi, wabethwa kaninzi, wathukwa, wakhatywa, waxushwa, wasongelwa ngokuxhonywa nokurhaxwa, wagxothwa kuloo dolophu, watshicelwa, wawiswa izihlandlo eziliqela, wahlatywa ngeambrela izihlandlo eziliqela, akavunyelwa ukuba akhwele into ehambayo, walandelwa [iikholomitha ezisibhozo] ukuya eMalvern, eOhio, wabanjwa kwakhona, wavalelwa eCarrollton ukuze akhuselwe waza ekugqibeleni wagoduswa ngamagosa akhaliphileyo nathembekileyo awathi, emva kokuhlolisisa uncwadi lakhe, wathi, ‘Asifumani tyala kulo mntu.’”

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 64]

Ngo-Oktobha 31, 1916, uCharles Taze Russell owayeneminyaka engama-64 ubudala wafela kuloliwe ePampa, eTexas; amaphephandaba amaninzi achaza ngaloo mngcwabo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 66]

UJ. F. Rutherford wayekhangeleka ngqwabalala, eziimitha ezisisi-1,88 ubude yaye enobunzima obuziikhilogram ezili-102

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 69]

Intolongo eseRaymond Street, eBrooklyn, eNew York, uMzalwan’ uRutherford nezinxulumani zakhe ezisondeleyo eziliqela ababegcinwe kuyo iintsuku ezisixhenxe emva kokugwetywa kwabo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 71]

UThomas (Bud) Sullivan watyelela ikomkhulu ngowe-1918 waza kamva wakhonza kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova