Ukupapasha IMboniselo
Xa yaveliswa okokuqala, ngoJulayi 1879, yayibizwa ngokuba yiZion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. Eli phephancwadi, elalithethelela idini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu, lalipapashelwa ukuze linikele ukutya kokomoya kwabendlu yokholo. NgoJanuwari 1, 1909, umxholo walo waguqulwa wathi The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, ukuze kunikelwe ingqalelo ngokucace ngakumbi kwinjongo yeli phephancwadi. Ukususela ngoJanuwari 1, 1939, kugxininiswa ngakumbi kwisibakala sokuba uKristu wayesele elawula esezulwini njengoKumkani, umxholo waguqulwa wafundeka ngokuthi The Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Kingdom. Kwandula ke ngoMatshi 1, 1939, ngokuguqulwa komxholo uthi The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom (IMboniselo Evakalisa UBukumkani BukaYehova), kwalathiselwa ingqalelo ngokuphawulekayo ngakumbi kuYehova njengoMongami Wendalo Iphela, lowo wanika uNyana wakhe igunya lokulawula.
Xa yapapashwa okokuqala, IMboniselo yayinamaphepha asibhozo, iveliswa kanye ngenyanga. Ngowe-1891 ubukhulu bayo bandiswa yanamaphepha ali-16, yaye ngowe-1892 yaba liphephancwadi eliphuma kabini ngenyanga. Iphephancwadi elinamaphepha angama-32 laqalisa ukubakho ngowe-1950 ngeelwimi ezininzi.
Ukuguqulelwa kweMboniselo kwezinye iilwimi kwaqalisa kancinane. Inkupho enye ekwenziwa ulingelo kuyo yapapashwa ngesiSwedish ngowe-1883 ukuze isetyenziswe njengephecana. Ukususela ngowe-1886 ukusa kowe-1889, kwashicilelwa uhlelo oluncinane lweli phephancwadi ngesiJamani. Kodwa kuphela kungowe-1897 eyathi IMboniselo yaphinda yabakho ngesiJamani yaza yaqhubeka ipapashwa ngokusisigxina. Ngowe-1916 yayishicilelwa ngeelwimi ezisixhenxe—ulwimi lwaseDenmark naseNorway, isiFinnish, isiFrentshi, isiJamani, isiNgesi, isiPolish nangesiSwedish. Xa umsebenzi wokushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo wathabath’ unyawo ngowe-1922, inani leelwimi elalipapashwa ngazo eli phephancwadi landiswa lafikelela kwezili-16. Noko ke, ngowe-1993, beliveliswa rhoqo ngeelwimi ezili-112—ezo bezisetyenziswa ngabemi bomhlaba abaninzi. Oku bekuquka kungekuphela nje iilwimi ezinjengesiNgesi, isiSpanish nesiJapan, ebekushicilelwa izigidi zemibhalo zenkupho nganye, kodwa nesiPalau, isiTuvalu nezinye ebekusasazwa kuzo amakhulu ambalwa nje kuphela.
Kangangeminyaka emininzi IMboniselo yayigqalwa ngokuyintloko njengephephancwadi ‘lomhlambi omncinane’ wamaKristu azinikeleyo. Yayisasazwa ngokulinganiselweyo; ngowe-1916, kwakushicilelwa imibhalo engama-45 000 kuphela. Kodwa ukususela ngowe-1935, kwagxininiswa ngokuphindaphindiweyo ekukhuthazeni “amaYonadabhi,” okanye “isihlwele esikhulu,” ukuba sifumane size siyifunde rhoqo IMboniselo. Ngowe-1939, xa iphepha elingaphandle leli phephancwadi laqalisa ukubalaselisa uBukumkani, kwanikelwa imirhumo yeMboniselo kuwonke wonke ebudeni bephulo lokunikela umrhumo leenyanga ezine lomhlaba wonke. Ngenxa yoko, abo babefumana umrhumo banda baya kutsho kwi-120 000. Kunyaka olandelayo IMboniselo yayinikelwa rhoqo ebantwini ezitratweni. Inani eyayisasazwa ngalo landa ngokukhawuleza. Ekuqaleni kowe-1993 kwinkupho nganye bekushicilelwa amaphephancwadi azizi-16 400 000 xa kudityaniswa iilwimi zonke.