Ibali Lobomi

Ndisikelelwe Ngelifa Elikhethekileyo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUCAROL ALLEN

Ndandindodwa, ndiphethe incwadi yam entle entsha. Ndafikelwa luloyiko, yaye kwathi waxa iinyembezi. Ngapha koko, ndandiyintwazana eneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala ndilahlekile kwisixeko endingasaziyo, ndingqongwe ngabantu abangamashumi amawaka!

KUTSHANJE, phantse kwiminyaka engama-60 kamva, loo mava obuntwana aye athi thaa kwakhona engqondweni, ndichukumisekile xa mna nomyeni wam, uPaul besityelele kwiWatchtower Educational Center entle yasePatterson, eNew York. Umyeni wam ebemenyelwe kwiklasi yesibini yesikolo sabaveleli abahambahambayo abangamaNgqina kaYehova.

Njengoko sibhekabheka kwigumbi elisekungeneni elikhanyiswe lilanga, ndaphawula umfanekiso omkhulu onombhalo othi “IINDIBANO.” Phakathi kwakukho ifoto enombala omnyama nomhlophe yabantwana abaphakamisele phezulu ngemincili imibhalo yabo yalaa ncwadi endandinayo ebuntwaneni bam! Ngokukhawuleza ndafunda umbhalo owawusecaleni komfanekiso: “Ngowe-1941—ESt. Louis, eMissouri, ekuqaliseni kocwangciso lwakusasa, kwakukho abantwana abangama-15 000—abaneminyaka ephakathi kwemi-5 neli-18—ababehleli kwibala elikhulu kanye phambi kweqonga. . . . UMzalwan’ uRutherford wenza isaziso sokukhululwa kwencwadi entsha ethi Children.”

Mntwana ngamnye wanikwa umbhalo wakhe wobuqu. Emva koko abantwana babuyela kubazali babo—bonke ngaphandle kwam. Ndandilahlekile! Umlindi onobubele wandiphakamisa wandibeka phezu kwebhokisi ende yomnikelo waza wandixelela ukuba ndikhangele umntu endimaziyo. Ndinxubile ndaqwalasela izihlwele zabantu ezazisihla ngezinyuko ezivulekileyo. Ngequbuliso, ndabona ubuso endibuqhelileyo! “Tat’ uBob! Tat’ uBob!” Ndafunyanwa! UBob Rainer wandithabatha wandisa kwindawo ababelinde kuyo abazali bam ababenxunguphele.

Iziganeko Zamandulo Ezaxonxa Ubomi Bam

Ndathi ndakujonga loo mfanekiso wandikhumbuza izinto ezininzi—iziganeko ezaxonxa ubomi bam nezabangela ukuba sibe phakathi kwezakhiwo ezihle zasePatterson. Ndacinga ngeziganeko ezenzeka kwiminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu eyadlulayo, izinto endazivayo ngokukodwa ngomakhulu notatomkhulu nangabazali bam.

NgoDisemba 1894 umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo waBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko ayebizwa njalo amaNgqina kaYehova ngoko, watyelela utatomkhulu wam, uClayton J. Woodworth, ekhayeni lakhe eScranton, ePennsylvania, eUnited States. UClayton wayesandul’ ukutshata. Wabhala ileta ebhalela umongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uCharles Taze Russell, yaza yapapashwa kwiMboniselo kaJuni 15, 1895. Wachaza wenjenje:

“Sisandul’ ukutshata nomfazi wam yaye besingamarhamente enye icawa kangangeminyaka elishumi; kodwa ngoku sinethemba lokuba siyaphuma kubumnyama bayo, singena ekukhanyeni kwemini entsha eqalisayo ngoku kubantwana abangcwalisiweyo boseNyangweni. . . . Kude kudala ngaphambi kokuba sidibane yayingumnqweno wethu onyanisekileyo ukuba sikhonze iNkosi, xa ivuma, njengabavangeli basemazweni kumhlaba wasemzini.”

Kamva, ngowe-1903, abazali bakamama, uSebastian noCatherine Kresge, ngovuyo baphulaphula isigidimi seBhayibhile esasiziswe ngabameli ababini beWatch Tower kwifama enkulu ababehlala kuyo ekwiiNtaba ezintle zasePocono, ePennsylvania. Iintombi zabo, uCora noMary, nazo zazihlala apho nabayeni bazo, uWashington noEdmund Howell. Abameli beWatch Tower, uCarl Hammerle noRay Ratcliffe, bahlala nabo iveki yonke, bebafundisa izinto ezininzi. Omathandathu loo malungu entsapho aphulaphula, afundisisa aza kungekudala aba ngaBafundi beBhayibhile abanenzondelelo.

Kwangaloo nyaka we-1903, uCora noWashington Howell bazala intombi egama linguCatherine. Ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuze itshate notata, uClayton J. Woodworth, Omnci., ndiyaqonda ukuba elo libali elibangel’ umdla nelinentsingiselo ethile. Libonisa ukuqiqa okunothando nenkxalabo yobuzali awayenayo utatomkhulu uClayton J. Woodworth, Omkhulu.

UTata Ufumana Uncedo Lothando

Utata, uClayton omncinane, wazalelwa eScranton ngowe-1906, kumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-80 ukusuka kwifama yakwaHowell. Ngaloo minyaka yamandulo, uTatomkhulu uWoodworth waqhelana kakhulu nentsapho enkulu yakwaHowell, ngokufuthi wayenandipha umoya wayo wokubuk’ iindwendwe eyayisaziwa ngawo. Wayeluncedo kakhulu kwibandla laBafundi beBhayibhile ababekuloo mmandla. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uTatomkhulu, wabizwa ukuba azokutshatisa oonyana abathathu bakwaHowell, yaye ecinga ngeengenelo zonyana wakhe, wayeqiniseka ukuba uhamba naye xa esiya kuyo yonke loo mitshato.

Ngelo xesha uTata wayengakhuthalanga kubulungiseleli baBafundi beBhayibhile. Liyinyaniso elokuba, wayeqhubela uTatomkhulu xa esiya kubulungiseleli, kodwa nangona uTatomkhulu wayemkhuthaza, uTata akazange abe nanxaxheba. Ngelo xesha, utata wayenomdla kakhulu emculweni ngaphezu kwento yonke, yaye wayenosukelo lokuba lowo ibe ngumsebenzi wakhe.

UCatherine, intombi kaCora noWashington Howell, naye wayeyimvumikazi eyaziwayo, edlala ipiyano yaye efundisa nabanye abantu. Kodwa kwathi xa amathuba angakumbi aloo msebenzi wakhe evuleka, wawubekela ecaleni waza waqalisa ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Kumele ukuba uTatomkhulu wacinga ukuba akukho qabane limbi lifanele unyana wakhe—ngokokucinga kwam phofu! UTata wabhaptizwa, waza watshata noMama kwiinyanga ezintandathu emva koko, ngoJuni 1931.

UTatomkhulu wayesoloko enebhongo ngonyana wakhe owayesazi umculo. Wavuya kakhulu xa uTata wacelwa ukuba akhokele abambalwa kwiokhestra enkulu kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe yowe-1946 eCleveland, eOhio. Kwiminyaka eyalandelayo, uTata wakhokela iokhestra nakwezinye iindibano eziliqela zamaNgqina kaYehova.

Ityala LikaTatomkhulu Nobomi Bakhe Entolongweni

Kwigumbi elisekungeneni ePatterson, mna noPaul sabona lo mfanekiso ukwiphepha elilandelayo. Ngoko nangoko ndawukhumbula lo mfanekiso, ekubeni uTatomkhulu wayendithumelele kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 eyadlulayo. Nguye lo umi ekugqibeleni ngasekunene.

Ebudeni bexesha lokugquba komoya wokuthand’ izwe ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I, aba Bafundi beBhayibhile basibhozo—kuquka uJoseph F. Rutherford (ohleli embindini), umongameli weWatch Tower Society—babanjwa ngokungafanelekanga baza bavalelwa entolongweni ngaphandle kwebheyile. Izityholo ababebekwa zona zazisekelwe kwiingxelo ezifumaneka kumqulu wesixhenxe weStudies in the Scriptures, othi The Finished Mystery. Ezi ngxelo zaqondwa phosakeleyo njengezithintela iUnited States ukuba ingabi nanxaxheba kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi I.

Ukutyhubela iminyaka emininzi, uCharles Taze Russell wayebhale imiqulu emithandathu yeStudies in the Scriptures, kodwa wafa ngaphambi kokuba abhale owesixhenxe. Ngoko amanqaku awayewabhalile anikwa uTatomkhulu nomnye uMfundi weBhayibhile, yaye babhala umqulu wesixhenxe. Wakhululwa ngowe-1917, phambi kokuba imfazwe iphele. Xa kuthethwa ityala, uTatomkhulu, nabanye abaninzi bagwetywa izigwebo ezine ngaxeshanye, ngasinye siyiminyaka engama-20.

Umbhalo osecaleni komfanekiso kwigumbi elisekungeneni ePatterson uthi: “Kwiinyanga ezisithoba emva kokugwetywa kukaRutherford namaqabane akhe—nemfazwe sele idlulile—ngoMatshi 21, 1919, inkundla yezibheno yayalela ukuba bonke abamangalelwa banikwe ibheyile, yaye ngoMatshi 26, bakhululwa ngebheyile eBrooklyn ngee-$10 000 emnye. NgoMeyi 5, 1920, uJ. F. Rutherford nabanye bavakaliswa bengenatyala.”

Emva kokugwetywa kwabo, kodwa ngaphambi kokuthunyelwa kwintolongo yaseAtlanta, eGeorgia, aba basibhozo bachitha iintsuku ezimbalwa zokuqala kwintolongo eseRaymond Street eBrooklyn, eNew York. Apho uTatomkhulu wabhala echaza ngokufakwa kwisisele esiziimitha ezisisi-1,8 ububanzi nesi-2,4 ubude “esimdaka nesiyingxushungxushu ngolona hlobo.” Wathi: “Kukho le mfumba yamaphephandaba, yaye ukuba ekuqaleni uye wacinga ngokungawakhathaleli, kungekudala uyaphawula ukuba la maphepha nesepha netawuli, kuphela kwendlela yokuzigcina ucocekile yaye uzihlonela.”

Ukanti, abuzange buphele uburharha kuTatomkhulu, xa ethetha ngale ntolongo wayesithi “yiHôtel de Raymondie,” esithi “Ndakuhamba apha lakuphela ixesha lokuhlala kwam.” Wachaza nangokuhambahamba kwiintendelezo zalapho. Ngesinye isihlandlo wema okomzuzwana ukuze achaze iinwele zakhe, isela elithile laxhwila iwotshi yakhe epokothweni, kodwa njengoko watshoyo xa ebhala, “Ityathanga layo laqhawuka ndaza ndaligcina.” Xa ndandiyokutyelela kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn ngowe-1958, uGrant Suiter, owayengunobhala weWatch Tower Society ngelo xesha, wandibizela kwiofisi yakhe waza wandinika loo wotshi. Ndisayixabisile.

Indlela Okwamchaphazela Ngayo Oko UTata

Ekubanjweni kukaTatomkhulu ngokungekho sikweni ngowe-1918, utata wayeneminyaka eli-12 kuphela. UMakhulu walivala ikhaya waza wamthabatha waya kuhlala naye kumama wakhe noodade wabo abathathu. Ifani yakuloMakhulu yayinguArthur, yaye le ntsapho ngebhongo yayisithi esinye isizalwana sayo, uChester Alan Arthur, wayengumongameli wama-21 waseUnited States.

Emva kokuba uTatomkhulu uWoodworth egwetywe ixesha elide ngezityholo zolwaphulo-mthetho nxamnye nelaseUnited States, intsapho yakwa-Arthur yavakalelwa kukuba ulihlazisile igama layo. Wayekhathazekile utata ngelo xesha. Mhlawumbi yiloo mpatho eyabangela ukuba abe mathidala kuqala ekubeni nesabelo kubulungiseleli basesidlangalaleni.

Ekukhululweni kukaTatomkhulu entolongweni, wafudusela intsapho yakhe kwindlu enkulu eyayiseQuincy Street eScranton. Ndisengumntwana ndandiyazi kakuhle loo ndlu—nezitya zikaMakhulu ezihle. Sasizibiza ngokuba zizitya zakhe ezingcwele ngenxa yokuba akukho namnye owayevunyelwe ukuba azihlambe ngaphandle kukaMakhulu. Emva kokufa kukaMakhulu ngowe-1943, uMama wayezithanda yaye wayezisebenzisa ezo zitya zihle.

Ukuxakeka Kwinkonzo YoBukumkani

Ngenye imini ndisePatterson ndabona umfanekiso kaMzalwan’ uRutherford enikela intetho kwindibano eyayiseCedar Point, eOhio, ngowe-1919. Wakhuthaza bonke ukuba babe nesabelo ngenzondelelo ekuvakaliseni uBukumkani bukaThixo nokuba basebenzise iphephancwadi elitsha elalikhululwe kuloo ndibano, elibizwa ngokuba yiThe Golden Age. UTatomkhulu wamiselwa njengomhleli walo, yaye wayebhala amanqaku alo de kwangeminyaka yee-1940, ngaphambi nje kokuba afe. Ngowe-1937 igama leli phephancwadi latshintshwa labizwa ngokuba yiConsolation laza ngowe-1946 labizwa ngokuba nguVukani!

UTatomkhulu wayebhalela ekhaya eScranton nakwikomkhulu leWatch Tower eliseBrooklyn elikumgama ongama-240 eekhilomitha, echitha iiveki ezimbini kwindawo nganye. UTata uthi ukhumbula izihlandlo ezininzi awayesiva ngazo umatshini wokuchwetheza kaTatomkhulu ngentsimbi yesihlanu kusasa. Ukanti, uTatomkhulu wayeyijonga nzulu imbopheleleko yokuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela esidlangalaleni. Eneneni, wazenzela ibhatyi eyayineepokotho ezinkulu zangaphakathi ukuze afake kuzo uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Umalumekazi wam oneminyaka engama-94 ubudala, uNaomi Howell, usenayo. Wenza nengxowa yeencwadi elungiselelwe amabhinqa.

Ngesinye isihlandlo, emva kwengxubusho yeBhayibhile emnandi, omnye owayesebenza noTatomkhulu entsimini wathi: “C. J., wenze impazamo.”

“Yiyiphi loo mpazamo?” uTatomkhulu wabuza. ‵Wajonga ebhatyini yakhe. Zombini iipokotho zazingenanto.

“Ulibele ukumenzela umrhumo weThe Golden Age.” Bahleka bobabini kukuba umhleli alibale ukuhambisa iphephancwadi lakhe.

Iinkumbulo Zokukhula

Ndikhumbula ndisengumntwana ndisingathwe nguTatomkhulu, ndibambe isandla sakhe ngeso sandla sam sincinane njengoko wayendibalisela “Ibali Leminwe.” Waqala “ngoBhontsi” weza “kuNondwayiza,” yaye wachaza into ekhethekileyo ngomnwe ngamnye. Wandula ke wayidibanisa yonke iminwe waza wachaza imfundiso yeli bali: “Isebenza kakuhle xa iyonke, iyancedana.”

Emva kokuba betshatile, abazali bam bafudukela eCleveland, eOhio, baza baba ngabahlobo abasenyongweni noEd noMary Hooper. Iintsapho zakwamawabo zazingaBafundi beBhayibhile ukususela ekuqaliseni kwenkulungwane. Abazali bam, uTat’ uEd noMam’ uMary, njengoko ndandibabiza njalo, babengabahlobo abasenyongweni. Aba bakwaHooper bafelwa ngumntwana wabo ekwakukuphela kwakhe, umntwana oyintombazana, ngoko ukuzalwa kwam ngowe-1934, ndaba “yintombi” yabo abayithanda kunene. Ekubeni ndandikhuliselwe kwimeko-bume etyebileyo ngokomoya, ndazahlulela kuThixo ndaza ndabhaptizwa ingekapheli iminyaka esibhozo ndizelwe.

Ufundo lweBhayibhile ndalwenza ndiselula. Esinye sezibhalo endandizithanda seso sikuIsaya 11:6-9 esichaza ubomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. Ngowe-1944 ndenza ilinge lokuqala lokufunda iBhayibhile yonke, emva kokufumana umbhalo wam wobuqu weAmerican Standard Version, uhlelo lwayo olukhethekileyo olwakhululwa kwindibano eyayiseBuffalo, eNew York. Hayi indlela endaba nemincili ngayo xa ndifunda le nguqulelo, leyo igama likaThixo, uYehova, elabuyiselwa endaweni yalo kuyo malunga nezihlandlo ezingama-7 000 “kwiTestamente Endala”!

Iimpela-veki zazisiba zizihlandlo zolonwabo. Ndandihamba nabazali bam nabakwaHooper siye kunikela ubungqina emaphandleni. Sasiphatha isidlo sasemini size senze ipikiniki kufuphi nomlambo. Sandule ke emva koko siye kwifama ethile ekwakunikelwa kuyo intetho yeBhayibhile esasimemela kuyo bonke abamelwane. Sasiphila ubomi obulula. Sasizonwabisa njengeentsapho. Uninzi lwaba bahlobo basekhaya kamva lwaba ngabaveleli abahambahambayo, kuquka uEd Hooper, uBob Rainer, noonyana bakhe ababini. URichard Rainer usawenza lo msebenzi, ephelekwa yinkosikazi yakhe, uLinda.

Kwakusiba mnandi kakhulu ehlotyeni. Ndandiye ndihlale kwifama yakwaHowell nabaza bam ababini. Ngowe-1949 uGrace umza wam watshata noMalcolm Allen. Andizange ndiqonde ukuba ndiya kutshata nomninawa wakhe kamva. Omnye umza wam uMarion wayengumvangeli wasemazweni eUruguay. Watshata noHoward Hilborn ngowe-1966. Bobabini aba baza bam kunye nabayeni babo babekhonza kwikomkhulu laseBrooklyn kangangeminyaka emininzi.

UTatomkhulu Ngexesha Lokuphumelela Kwam Esikolweni

Xa ndandifunda kumabanga aphakamileyo, sasibhalelana noTatomkhulu. Kwezo leta zakhe wayefaka iifoto zentsapho ezinenkcazelo ngasemva, echaza ngembali yentsapho. Leyo yindlela endafumana ngayo ifoto yakhe nabanye awavalelwa nabo entolongweni ngokungafanelekanga.

Ngasekupheleni kowe-1951, ingqula kaTatomkhulu yayingasasebenzi ngenxa yomhlaza. Wayesekrelekrele, kodwa oko afuna ukukuthetha kwakufuneka akubhale kwincwadana encinane awayeyiphatha. Ndandiza kuphumelela ibanga lokugqibela ngoJanuwari 1952. Ekuqaleni kukaDisemba, ndabhalela uTatomkhulu intetho endandiza kuyinikela ngemini yokuchazwa kweziphumo. Walungisa iindawo ezithile waza kwiphepha lokugqibela wabhala amagama amabini awandichukumisa intliziyo: “Umchwayitisile uTatomkhulu.” Waligqiba ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni eneminyaka engama-81, ngoDisemba 18, 1951.a Ndisaligcinile elo phepha limbatshileyo endandibhale kulo intetho yam endayinikela ngemini yokuchazwa kweziphumo elinaloo magama mabini kwiphepha lokugqibela.

Emva kokuphumelela kwam esikolweni, ndangenela inkonzo yobuvulindlela, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ewubiza njalo umsebenzi wokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo. Ngowe-1958, ndaya kwindibano eyayinkulu kwisiXeko saseNew York, apho kwakukho abantu abangama-253 922 ababevela kumazwe ali-123 ababezalise iYankee Stadium nePolo Grounds. Ngenye imini ndilapho, ndadibana nondwendwe olwaluvela eAfrika olwalufake ibheji ebhalwe “Woodworth Mills.” Kwiminyaka engama-30 ngaphambilana, wathiywa ngegama likaTatomkhulu!

Ndiyavuyiswa Lilifa Lam

Xa ndandineminyaka eli-14, umama waqalisa ubuvulindlela kwakhona. Wafa kwiminyaka engama-40 kamva, ngowe-1988, esenguvulindlela! UTata wayesiba nesabelo kumsebenzi wobuvulindlela xa enako. Wafa kwiinyanga ezisithoba ngaphambi koMama. Abo safundisisa nabo baqhubeka bengabahlobo esibathandayo. Abanye boonyana babo bakhonza kwikomkhulu eliseBrooklyn, yaye abanye bangenela umsebenzi wobuvulindlela.

Unyaka we-1959 yaba ngunyaka okhethekileyo kum. Kulapho ndaziswa uPaul Allen. Wayemiselwe njengomveleli ohambahambayo ngowe-1946, ekuphumeleleni kwakhe kwiklasi yesixhenxe yaseGiliyadi, isikolo sokuqeqesha abavangeli basemazweni abangamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngexesha esadibana ngalo, sobabini sasingazi ukuba isabelo sikaPaul esilandelayo sasiza kuba seCleveland, eOhio, apho ndandinguvulindlela khona. UTata wayemthanda, noMama ngokunjalo. Satshata ngoJulayi 1963 kwifama yakwaHowell, kwakukho iintsapho zethu yaye uEd Hooper wayenikela intetho yomtshato. Lazaliseka iphupha.

UPaul wayengazange abe nayo inqwelo-mafutha. Ekulishiyeni kwethu elaseCleveland sisiya kwisabelo sakhe esilandelayo, impahla yethu yonke yanela kuQongqothwane wam wakwaVolkswagen wowe-1961. Ngokufuthi abahlobo bethu babesiza ngeMivulo, xa sidlulela kwelinye ibandla, baze kusibukela xa silayisha impahla. Wawuba ngathi usesekisini xa ubona iisutikheyisi, iingxowa zokufaka iincwadi, iibhokisi ezineefayile, umatshini wokuchwetheza nezinye izinto zonke zingena kuloo nqwelo-mafutha incinane.

Sobabini noPaul siye sahamba iikhilomitha ezininzi, sinandipha izihlandlo ezimnandi yaye sinyamezela amahlandinyuka obu bomi—yonke into siyenza ngamandla avela kuYehova kuphela. Bekumnandi kule minyaka, ibiphuphuma kukuthanda uYehova, ukuthandana kwethu nokuthanda abahlobo bakudala nabatsha. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, esona siganeko sibalaseleyo ebomini bethu ziinyanga ezimbini esizichithele ePatterson xa uPaul ebeye kufumana uqeqesho. Ukusondelelana ngolu hlobo nentlangano kaYehova kuye kwaluqinisa ulweyiseko endinalo olwadluliselwa kum njengelifa elixabisekileyo lokomoya: Ngokwenene le yintlangano kaThixo. Hayi indlela ekuvuyisa ngayo nkqu nokuba yinxalenye encinane nje yayo!

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ndikunye noEd Hooper ngaphambi nje kwendibano yowe-1941 yaseSt. Louis, apho ndafumana khona umbhalo wam wobuqu wencwadi ethi “Children”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UTatomkhulu ngowe-1948

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Kwifama yakwaHowell xa abazali bam (abasembindini) babetshata

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

Abafundi beBhayibhile abasibhozo abavalelwa entolongweni ngokungafanelekanga ngowe-1918 (uTatomkhulu umi ekugqibeleni ngasekunene)

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Yonke impahla yethu yayisanela kwiVolkswagen yethu

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Ndikunye nomyeni wam, uPaul