Indlela IQumrhu Elilawulayo Elahluke Ngayo Kumbutho Osemthethweni
IINTLANGANISO zonyaka zeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania zabakho ukususela ngoJanuwari 1885. Xa kwakuhlanganiswa amaKristu athanjisiweyo ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-19, abalathisi namagosa alo mbutho ayenethemba lasezulwini. Enyanisweni, phantse bekusoloko kunjalo.
Sinye kuphela isihlandlo okwenzeka okwahlukileyo ngaso. Ngowe-1940, uHayden C. Covington—owayengummeli woMbutho osemthethweni nowayengomnye ‘wezinye izimvu,’ onethemba lasemhlabeni—wanyulwa njengomalathisi woMbutho. (Yohane 10:16) Wayekhonza njengesekela mongameli woMbutho ukususela ngowe-1942 ukusa kowe-1945. Ngelo xesha, uMzalwan’ uCovington wayeka ukuba ngumalathisi ukuze avumelane noko kwakubonakala kukukuthanda kukaYehova—ukuba bonke abalathisi namagosa ombutho wasePennsylvania babe ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo. ULyman A. Swingle wangena ezihlangwini zikaHayden C. Covington kwiqumrhu labalathisi, yaye uFrederick W. Franz wanyulwa njengesekela mongameli.
Kwakutheni ukuze abakhonzi bakaYehova bakholelwe ukuba bonke abalathisi namagosa eWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania bafanele babe ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo? Kuba ngelo xesha, iqumrhu labalathisi namagosa ombutho wasePennsylvania lalinxulunyaniswa ngokusondeleyo neQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova, ebelisoloko libunjwa ngokupheleleyo ngamadoda athanjiswe ngomoya.
Intlanganiso Yonyaka Ebalulekileyo Embalini
Kwintlanganiso yonyaka eyaqhutywa ngo-Oktobha 2, 1944, ePittsburgh, amalungu ombutho wasePennsylvania amkela izigqibo ezithandathu ukuphucula umgaqo-siseko wawo. Lo mgaqo-siseko wawunelungiselelo lokuba abo babenikela ngemali kumsebenzi woMbutho banikwe ilungelo lokuvota, kodwa isigqibo sesithathu saliphelisa elo lungiselelo. Ingxelo yaloo ntlanganiso yonyaka yathi: “Inani lamalungu oMbutho alisayi kuba ngaphezu kwama-500 . . . Wonke umntu onyulwayo umele abe ngumkhonzi wexesha elizeleyo woMbutho okanye umkhonzi wokwexeshana wenkampani [ibandla] yamangqina kaYehova yaye ufanele abonakalise umoya weNkosi.”
Emva koko, abalathisi boMbutho babefanele bavotelwe ngabantu ababezinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, enoba banikela ngamalini na ekuhambiseleni phambili umsebenzi woBukumkani. Oku kwavisisana nokuphucula okuthe ngcembe njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kuIsaya 60:17, apho sifunda oku: “Esikhundleni sobhedu ndiya kuzisa igolide, esikhundleni sentsimbi ndizise isilivere, esikhundleni somthi ubhedu, esikhundleni samatye intsimbi; yaye ndiya kumisela uxolo lube ngabaveleli bakho nobulungisa bube ngabaphathi bakho.” Xa sithetha “ngabaveleli” ‘nangabaphathi,’ esi siprofeto sasisalatha kwinkqubo yentlangano ephuculiweyo yabantu bakaYehova.
Eli nyathelo libalulekileyo lokulungelelaniswa kolawulo lobuthixo labakho ekupheleni ‘kweengokuhlwa neentsasa ezingamawaka amabini anamakhulu amathathu,’ ezikhankanywe kuDaniyeli 8:14. Ngelo xesha, “indawo engcwele” yabekwa “kwimeko yayo elungileyo.”
Noko ke, emva kwentlanganiso yonyaka ebalulekileyo embalini yowe-1944, kwasala umbuzo obalulekileyo. Ekubeni iQumrhu Elilawulayo lalinxulunyaniswa ngokusondeleyo namalungu asixhenxe equmrhu labalathisi bombutho wasePennsylvania, ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba iQumrhu Elilawulayo lalingasayi kuba nawo amalungu angamaKristu athanjisiweyo angaphezulu kwesixhenxe? Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni abalathisi benyulwa ngamalungu ombutho, ngaba amalungu ombutho ayenyula amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo kwintlanganiso yonyaka minyaka le? Ngaba abalathisi namagosa eWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania namalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo ngabantu abanye okanye kwangaxeshanye bahlukile?
Enye Intlanganiso Yonyaka Engasoze Ilibaleke
Le mibuzo yaphendulwa kwintlanganiso yonyaka eyaqhutywa ngo-Oktobha 1, 1971. Ngeso sihlandlo, omnye wezithethi wabonisa ukuba iqumrhu elilawulayo ‘lekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi’ lalikho kangangamakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kubekho iWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. (Mateyu 24:45-47) Iqumrhu elilawulayo lasekwa ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezili-18 ngaphambi kokuba umbutho wasePennsylvania ubekho. Ekuqaleni, iqumrhu elilawulayo lalinabapostile abali-12, kungekhona amadoda asi-7. Kuyabonakala ukuba, inani lalo landiswa kamva, kuba kwakukhokela ‘abapostile namadoda amakhulu eYerusalem.’—IZenzo 15:2.
Ngowe-1971 esi sithethi sinye sacacisa ukuba amalungu eWatch Tower Society ayengenako ukuvotela amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo elithanjisiweyo. Ngoba? Sathi: “Ngenxa yokuba iqumrhu elilawulayo lodidi ‘lwekhoboka’ alimiselwa ngumntu. Linyulwa . . . nguYesu Kristu, iNtloko yebandla lamaKristu okwenyaniso neNkosi yodidi ‘lwekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’” Ngoko ke, kucacile ukuba amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo awanakuvotelwa kweso sikhundla ngamalungu awo nawuphi na umbutho osemthethweni.
Sihlabela mgama, isithethi sanikela le ngxelo ibalulekileyo: “Iqumrhu elilawulayo alinamagosa njengeQumrhu Labalathisi BoMbutho, oko kukuthi, umongameli, usekela-mongameli, usosiba okwangunondyebo nomncedisi kasosiba okwangunondyebo. Linosihlalo nje kuphela.” Kangangeminyaka emininzi, umongameli wombutho wasePennsylvania wayekwalilungu elibalaseleyo leQumrhu Elilawulayo. Oku akuyi kuphinda kube njalo. Nangona engalingani ngamava nobuchule, amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo aya kuba neembopheleleko ezilinganayo. Isithethi songezelela ngelithi: “Naliphi na ilungu lequmrhu elilawulayo linokuba ngusihlalo ngaphandle kokuba kwangaxeshanye libe ngumongameli . . . woMbutho . . . Konke kuxhomekeke kwinkqubo yokutshintshatshintsha usihlalo kwiqumrhu elilawulayo.”
Kuloo ntlanganiso yonyaka ingasokuze ilibaleke yowe-1971, kwaboniswa umahluko ocacileyo phakathi kwamalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo athanjiswe ngomoya nabalathisi bombutho wasePennsylvania. Sekunjalo, amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo aqhubeka ekhonza njengabalathisi namagosa oMbutho. Noko ke, namhlanje kuphakama umbuzo: Ngaba kukho isizathu esiseZibhalweni sokuba abalathisi beWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania bamele babe ngamalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo?
Impendulo nguhayi. Asingombutho wasePennsylvania kuphela oyintlangano esemthethweni esetyenziswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Zikho nezinye. Enye yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated. Yenza umsebenzi wethu ube lula eUnited States. Ngokucacileyo intsikelelo kaYehova ibikho kulo mbutho, nangona abalathisi namagosa awo ibisoloko ‘izezinye izimvu.’ EBritani kusetyenziswa i-International Bible Students Association. Eminye imibutho esemthethweni isetyenziselwa ukuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kwamanye amazwe. Yonke inceda ngokuvisisanayo yaye inendima ekwenzeni iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke. Naphi na apho ikhoyo okanye ikhonza khona njengabalathisi okanye amagosa, le mibutho ikhokelwa yaye isetyenziswa ngokobuthixo liQumrhu Elilawulayo. Ngenxa yoko, imibutho enjalo iye yabela imisebenzi enokwenziwa ukuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani.
Siyangenelwa ngokuba nemibutho esemthethweni. Ngoko ke senza ngokuvisisana nemithetho yasekuhlaleni neyazweni banzi, njengoko iLizwi likaThixo lifuna njalo. (Yeremiya 32:11; Roma 13:1) Imibutho esemthethweni yenza umsebenzi wethu wokusasaza isigidimi soBukumkani ube lula ngokushicilela iiBhayibhile, iincwadi, amaphephancwadi, iincwadana ezinemifanekiso nezinye. Imibutho enjalo ikwanceda ngokusemthethweni ukusingatha imibandela ephathelele nokufumana imihlaba, imizamo yokunikela uncedo, izivumelwano zokusebenzisa izakhiwo zendibano, njalo njalo. Siyayibulela inkonzo yemibutho esemthethweni.
Igama LikaYehova Libalasele
Ngowe-1944, Inqaku II lomgaqo-siseko weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania laphuculwa ukubalaselisa usukelo lwalo mbutho. Ngokomgaqo-siseko, iinjongo zoMbutho ziquka le njongo iyintloko: “Ukushumayela ivangeli yobukumkani bukaThixo phantsi kukaKristu Yesu kuzo zonke iintlanga njengobungqina kwigama, ilizwi nolongamo lukaThixo uSomandla uYEHOVA.”
Ukususela ngowe-1926 ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo’ labalaselisa igama likaYehova. Owona nyaka uphawuleka ngokukhethekileyo ngowe-1931, xa aBafundi BeBhayibhile bamkela igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Iimpapasho zoMbutho eziye zabalaselisa igama likaThixo ziquka incwadi ethi Jehovah (1934), “Let Your Name Be Sanctified” (1961), nethi “The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How? (1971).
Kunokuthethwa ngokukhethekileyo ngeNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele, eyapapashwa iphelele ngesiNgesi ngowe-1960. Inegama likaYehova kuyo yonke indawo evelayo kuyo iTetragrammaton kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. Le nguqulelo ikwaquka igama likaThixo kwiindawo ezingama-237 kwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike apho ukuhlolisisa ngenyameko kwabonisa ukuba oku kwakufuneka. Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo kuba, ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, uYehova uye wavumela “ikhoboka” neQumrhu lalo Elilawulayo ukuba lisebenzise ubuncwane balo bokupapasha nemibutho esemthethweni ukwenza igama lakhe laziwe emhlabeni wonke!
Ukusasazwa KweLizwi LikaThixo Kuyaxhaswa
Abantu bakaYehova baye bathi gqolo benikela ubugqina egameni lakhe yaye baye baxhasa iLizwi lakhe ngokupapasha nokusasaza izigidi zeempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni kwakunye neBhayibhile. Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yowe-1900, iWatch Tower Society yafumana ilungelo lokushicilela iThe Emphatic Diaglott, uhlelo lweinterlinear lwesiGrike nolwesiNgesi lukaBenjamin Wilson lweZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike. UMbutho wapapasha uhlelo lwaBafundi BeBhayibhile lweKing James Version, olwaluquka amaphepha angama-500 esihlomelo. Ngowe-1942 yapapasha iKing James Version eneembekiselo eziseludinini. Kwandula ke ngowe-1944 uMbutho waqalisa ukushicilela iAmerican Standard Version yowe-1901, esebenzisa igama likaThixo. Igama likaYehova nalo lalikho kwiThe Bible in Living English, kaStephen T. Byington, eyapapashwa nguMbutho ngowe-1972.
Imibutho esemthethweni esetyenziswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova iye yanceda ekushicileleni nasekusasazeni zonke ezi nguqulelo zeBhayibhile. Noko ke, eyona nto iphawulekayo kukuba kuye kwakho intsebenziswano phakathi kweWatch Tower Society neqela lamaNgqina kaYehova elithanjisiweyo eliquka iKomiti yeNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeBhayibhile. Sivuyiswa kukuba, kuye kwashicilelwa imibhalo engaphezu kwama-106 400 000 yale nguqulelo ngeelwimi ezingama-38, iphelele okanye iinxalenye zayo. Ngokwenene iWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania ngumbutho weBhayibhile!
‘Ikhoboka elithembekileyo’ liye ‘lamiselwa phezu kwempahla yendlu yenkosi yalo.’ Le mpahla iquka izakhiwo zekomkhulu eNew York State, U.S.A., namasebe ali-110 ngoku asehlabathini lonke. Amalungu odidi lwekhoboka ayazi ukuba aya kuphendula ngendlela aye akusebenzisa ngayo oko akuphathisiweyo. (Mateyu 25:14-30) Sekunjalo, oku akulithinteli ‘ikhoboka’ ukuba livumele abaveleli abafanelekileyo abaphakathi “kwezinye izimvu” ukuba banyamekele iimbopheleleko zomthetho nezolawulo. Enyanisweni, oku kuvumela amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo ukuba anikele ixesha elingakumbi “emthandazweni nakubulungiseleli belizwi.”—IZenzo 6:4.
Lo gama iimeko kweli hlabathi zisavuma, iQumrhu Elilawulayo, elimela “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,” liya kusebenzisa imibutho esemthethweni. Le mibutho iluncedo, kodwa ayingondoqo. Ukuba umbutho osemthethweni uyapheliswa ngumthetho karhulumente, umsebenzi wokushumayela uya kuqhubeka. Kwanangoku, kumazwe ekukho imiqathango nekungekho mibutho esemthethweni kuwo, kuvakaliswa isigidimi soBukumkani, kwenziwa abafundi, yaye ulwando lobuthixo luyaqhubeka. Oko kwenzeka kuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayatyala aze ankcenkceshele, yaye ‘uThixo uyakhulisa.’—1 Korinte 3:6, 7.
Njengoko sikhangele kwikamva, sinethemba lokuba uYehova uya kunyamekela iimfuno zokomoya nezokwenyama zabantu bakhe. Yena noNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, baya kuqhubeka benikela ulwalathiso oluvela ezulwini nenkxaso efunekayo ukuze umsebenzi wokushumayela uBukumkani ugqitywe. Kakade ke, nantoni na esiyifezayo njengabakhonzi bakaThixo asiyenzi ‘ngamkhosi wamajoni, kungengamandla, kodwa kungomoya kaYehova.’ (Zekariya 4:6) Ngoko ke sithandazela uncedo lukaThixo, sisazi ukuba ngamandla avela kuYehova, siya kukwazi ukuwugqiba umsebenzi asinike ukuba siwenze kweli xesha lesiphelo!