Ibali Lobomi

Ubomi Obutyebileyo Enkonzweni KaYehova

NGOKUBALISWA NGURUSSELL KURZEN

Ndalibona ilanga ngoSeptemba 22, 1907, iminyaka esixhenxe ngaphambi kwexesha eliphawulekayo embalini elaqala ngokuqhambuka kwemfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala. Intsapho yakowethu yayityebe ngeyona ndlela ibalulekileyo. Emva kokuba uve iinkcukacha ezimbalwa ngembali yethu, ndicinga ukuba uya kuvumelana nam.

ESEYINTWAZANA encinane, uMakhulu uKurzen wayesele efuna inyaniso ngoThixo. Ngaphambi kokuba abe kwishumi elivisayo, watyelela iicawa ezininzi ezahlukahlukeneyo kwidolophu yakowabo entle iSpiez, eSwitzerland. Ngowe-1887, emva kweminyaka eliqela etshatile, intsapho yakwaKurzen yathelela iqela leentsapho ezafudukela eUnited States.

Le ntsapho yahlala eOhio, apho kwathi malunga nowama-1900, uMakhulu wabufumana ubuncwane awayekade ebufuna. Bafumaneka kwincwadi kaCharles Taze Russell ethi The Time Is at Hand, ngolwimi lwesiJamani. Ngokukhawuleza waqonda ukuba oko wayekufunda kuqulethe ukukhanya kwenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Nangona uMakhulu wayesifunda nzima isiNgesi, warhumela iphephancwadi iMboniselo yesiNgesi. Ngoko wafunda iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ezingakumbi, yaye kwangaxeshanye, nolwimi lwesiNgesi. UTatomkhulu akazange abe nomdla kwizinto zokomoya njengomfazi wakhe.

Kubantwana bakaMakhulu uKurzen abali-11, oonyana bakhe aba-2, uJohn noAdolph, babuxabisa ubutyebi bokomoya abufumeneyo. UJohn ngutata ondizalayo, yaye wabhaptizwa ngowe-1904 kwindibano eyayiseSt. Louis, eMissouri, yaBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa ngaloo ndlela. Ekubeni inkoliso yaBafundi beBhayibhile yayingenazinto ziphathekayo kangako, kwacwangciswa ukuba indibano ibe ngexesha elinye neWorld’s Fair eSt. Louis ukuze baxhamle icham lamaxabiso kaloliwe ahlileyo. Kamva, ngowe-1907, utatomncinci uAdolph wabhaptizwa kwindibano eyayiseNiagara Falls, eNew York. Ngenzondelelo utata notatomncinci bashumayela oko babekufunde eBhayibhileni, yaye ekugqibeleni bobabini baba ngabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo (ngoku ababizwa ngokuba ngoovulindlela).

Ngenxa yoko, ngexesha endazalwa ngalo ngowe-1907, intsapho yakowethu yayisele ityebile, ngokomoya. (IMizekeliso 10:22) Ndandiselusana ngowe-1908 xa abazali bam, uJohn noIda, baya nam kwindibano eyayinomxholo othi ‘Phambili Kuloyiso’ ePut-in-Bay, eOhio. UJoseph F. Rutherford, owayesisicaka esihambahambayo ngoko, wayengusihlalo wale ndibano. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa ngaphambi koko, wayeseDalton, eOhio apho watyelela ikhaya lethu waza wanikela iintetho kuBafundi beBhayibhile basekuhlaleni.

Kambe ke, andizikhumbuli ngokuthe ngqo ezo zihlandlo, kodwa ndiyikhumbula kakuhle indibano eyayikwiMountain Lake Park, eMaryland, ngowe-1911. Kulapho mna nodade wethu omncinane, uEsther, sadibana noCharles Taze Russell, owayengumongameli womsebenzi wokushumayela waBafundi beBhayibhile ehlabathini lonke.

NgoJuni 28, 1914, usuku ekwaqhambuka ngalo imfazwe ehlabathini ngenxa yokuba eSarajevo kubulewe iTshawe uFerdinand nomfazi walo, ndahamba nentsapho yakowethu saya kwindibano enoxolo eColumbus, eOhio. Ukususela ngaloo minyaka yobutsha, ndiye ndanelungelo lokuya kwiindibano ezininzi zabantu bakaYehova. Kwezinye kwakuhlanganisana abantu abalikhulu okanye abasondele kwelo nani. Ezinye yayiziindibano ezinkulu kwamanye amabala amakhulu ehlabathini.

Ikhaya Lethu Kwindawo Efanelekileyo

Ukususela malunga nowe-1908 ukusa kowe-1918, iintlanganiso zebandla elincinane laBafundi beBhayibhile zaziqhutyelwa kwikhaya lethu elaliseDalton—phakathi kwePittsburgh, ePennsylvania, neCleveland, eOhio. Ikhaya lethu laba yindawo yokubuk’ iindwendwe nokwamkela izithethi ezihambahambayo. Zazidla ngokubophelela amahashe kunye neenqwelo zazo emva kweshedi yasekhaya zize zibalisele abo bahlanganiseneyo amava abangel’ imincili namanye amabali okomoya akhayo. Hayi indlela ezazikhuthaza ngayo ezo zihlandlo!

UTata wayengumfundisi-ntsapho, kodwa intliziyo yakhe yayikumsebenzi wokufundisa omkhulu kunayo yonke, ubulungiseleli bamaKristu. Wayeqiniseka ukuba uyayifundisa intsapho yakhe ngoYehova, yaye sasithandaza kunye njengentsapho busuku ngabunye. Ngentwasahlobo yowe-1919, uTata walithengisa ihashe nenqwelo yakowethu, ngeedola ezili-175, waza wathenga iFord yowe-1914 ukuze afikelele abantu abangakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngowe-1919 nowe-1922, loo nqwelo-mafutha yathwala intsapho yakowethu ukuya kwiindibano ezibalulekileyo zaBafundi beBhayibhile eCedar Point, eOhio.

Intsapho yakowethu yonke—uMama; uTata; uEsther; umninawa wam, uJohn; kunye nam—yaba nenxaxheba kumsebenzi wokushumayela esidlangalaleni. Ndisasikhumbula kakuhle isihlandlo sokuqala endabuzwa ngaso umbuzo weBhayibhile ngumnini-mzi. Ndandimalunga neminyaka esixhenxe ubudala. Enye indoda yabuza: “Kwedini, yintoni iArmagedon?” Ngoncedo lukatata oluncinane, ndakwazi ukuyiphendula ndisebenzisa iBhayibhile.

Ukungenela Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo

Ngowe-1931 intsapho yakowethu yaya kwindibano eColumbus, eOhio, apho saba nemincili yokwamkela igama elitsha elithi, amaNgqina kaYehova. UJohn wayevuya kakhulu kangangokuba wagqiba kwelokuba mna naye simele singenele inkonzo yobuvulindlela.a Senza kanye oko, wenjenjalo noMama, uTata kunye noEsther. Obunjani bona ubuncwane—intsapho emanyeneyo kumsebenzi ovuyisayo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo! Andidinwa kukubulela uYehova ngale ntsikelelo. Nangona sasonwabe kangako, sasilindelwe lulonwabo olungakumbi.

NgoFebruwari wowe-1934, ndaqalisa ukukhonza kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova (elibizwa ngokuba yiBheteli) eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ndathelelwa nguJohn emva kweeveki ezimbalwa. Sahlala sobabini de wazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato nomfazi wakhe othandekayo, uJessie, ngowe-1953.

Emva kokuba mna noJohn siye eBheteli, abazali bethu bamkela izabelo zobuvulindlela kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo zelizwe bephelekwa nguEsther nomyeni wakhe, uGeorge Read. Abazali bethu baqhubeka bengoovulindlela de baligqiba ikhondo labo lobomi basemhlabeni ngowe-1963. UEsther nomyeni wakhe bakhulisa intsapho elungileyo, yaye ndisikelelwe ngeqela labatshana endibathandayo.

Umsebenzi Nonxulumano EBheteli

UJohn wasebenzisa ubugcisa bakhe eBheteli esebenza nabanye abasebenzi baseBheteli kwimisebenzi efana nokuvelisa iigramafoni eziphathekayo. Amawaka amaNgqina kaYehova ayesebenzisa zona kubulungiseleli bendlu-ngendlu. Kwakhona uJohn wancedisa ekuyileni nasekuveliseni oomatshini bokusonga nokubhala iidilesi kumaphephancwadi awayethunyelwa kubantu abarhumelayo.

Ndaqala inkonzo yam yaseBheteli kwigumbi lokudibanisa iincwadi. Kwakukho abanye abafana ababesebenza kumzi-mveliso ngelo xesha abasakhonza eBheteli ngokuthembeka unanamhlanje. Baquka uCarey Barber noRobert Hatzfeld. Abanye babo ndibakhumbula ngothando, kodwa abasele befile ngoku, nguNathan Knorr, uKarl Klein, uLyman Swingle, uKlaus Jensen, uGrant Suiter, uGeorge Gangas, uOrin Hibbard, uJohn Sioras, uRobert Payne, uCharles Fekel, uBenno Burczyk noJohn Perry. Bahlala kuloo msebenzi unyaka nonyaka, bengakhalazi okanye belindele “ukunyuselwa.” Sekunjalo, iqela laloo maKristu anyanisekileyo nathanjisiweyo lafumana iimbopheleleko ezinkulu njengoko intlangano yayikhula. Wambi ade akhonza kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova.

Ukusebenza naba bazalwana bazincamayo kwandifundisa isifundo esibalulekileyo. Kwimisebenzi yokuziphilisa abasebenzi bahlawulwa isixa semali efanele umsebenzi lowo bawenzayo. Lowo ngumvuzo wabo. Ukukhonza eBheteli kuzisa iintsikelelo zokomoya ezininzi, yaye ngamadoda namabhinqa omeleleyo ngokomoya kuphela awuqondayo nawuxabisayo umvuzo onjalo.—1 Korinte 2:6-16.

UNathan Knorr, oweza eBheteli ekwishumi elivisayo ngowe-1923, wayengumveleli kumzi-mveliso ngeminyaka ye-1930. Wayehamba kumzi-mveliso ntsuku zonke aze abulise umsebenzi ngamnye. Thina sasisandul’ ukufika eBheteli sasiyixabisa kakhulu ingqalelo yobuqu enjalo. Ngowe-1936 safumana umatshini wokushicilela omtsha ovela eJamani, yaye bambi abazalwana abaselula abazange bakwazi ukuwudibanisa. Ngoko uMzalwan’ uKnorr wanxiba impahla yokusebenza waza wasebenza nabo ixesha elingaphezu kwenyanga de waqalisa ukusebenza.

UMzalwan’ uKnorr wayesebenza ngozimiselo kangangokuba kwakunzima kwinkoliso yethu ukusebenza naye. Kodwa wayekwazi nokuzihlaziya ngamathub’ athile. Kwanasemva kokuba evumile ukuba ngumveleli womsebenzi wokushumayela ehlabathini lonke wamaNgqina kaYehova ngoJanuwari wowe-1942, ngamathub’ athile wayekhe adlale ibaseball namalungu entsapho yaseBheteli nabafundi besikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi kwindawo ekufuphi neSouth Lansing, eNew York.

NgoAprili wowe-1950, intsapho yaseBheteli yafudukela kwisakhiwo sokuhlala esisandul’ ukwakhiwa esinemigangatho elishumi esise-124 Columbia Heights, eBrooklyn, eNew York. Igumbi lokutyela elitsha labangela ukuba sikwazi ukuhlala ndawonye ngamathuba ezidlo zethu. Ebudeni beminyaka emalunga nemithathu yokwakhiwa kwale ndawo yokuhlala, sasingakwazi ukuba nocwangciso lwethu lwengxubusho yakusasa. Hayi indlela eyaba sisihlandlo sovuyo ngayo xa olo cwangciso lwaphinda lwaqalisa! UMzalwan’ uKnorr wandabela ukuba ndihlale naye kwitafile kasihlalo ukuze ndimncede ndimkhumbuze amagama amalungu entsapho amatsha. Kangangeminyaka engama-50 ndandihlala kwisitulo esinye kwingxubusho yakusasa nangesidlo sakusasa. Kwathi ngoAgasti 4, 2000, elo gumbi lokutyela lavalwa, yaye ndabelwa ukuba ndihlale kwelinye lamagumbi okutyela alungisiweyo kwiTowers Hotel yangaphambili.

Kangangethuba elithile kwiminyaka ye-1950, ndasebenza kumzi-mveliso kumatshini iLinotype, ndilungiselela imigca yokushicilela eyayidityaniswa ibe ngamaphepha ukuze kwenziwe amacwecwe okushicilela. Ndandingawuthandi kangako loo msebenzi, kodwa uWilliam Peterson, owayephethe koomatshini, wayenobubele kakhulu kangangokuba ndalonwabela ixesha endalichitha apho. Kwathi ngowe-1960, kwafunwa abasebenzi bokuzithandela ukuze bapeyinte isakhiwo sokuhlala esasisandul’ ukwakhiwa e-107 Columbia Heights. Ndakuvuyela gqitha ukunikela ngamandla am ukuncedisa ekulungiseleleni esi sakhiwo sitsha sentsapho yethu yaseBheteli eyandayo.

Kungekudala emva kokuba isakhiwo esise-107 Columbia Heights sigqityiwe ukupeyintwa, ndajizekwa ngesabelo sokwamkela iindwendwe eBheteli. Le minyaka ingama-40 idluleyo ndikhonza njengomamkeli zindwendwe iye yaba yiminyaka echulumancisayo njengayo yonke eminye iminyaka endiyichithe eBheteli. Kwakuvuyisa ukubonakalisa imiphumo yemizamo yethu emanyeneyo yokwandisa uBukumkani kuye nabani na otyelela iBheteli, enoba ziindwendwe okanye amalungu amatsha entsapho yaseBheteli.

ABafundi BeBhayibhile Abanenzondelelo

Intsapho yethu yaseBheteli ityebile ngokomoya ngenxa yokuba amalungu ayo ayayithanda iBhayibhile. Xa ndandifika okokuqala eBheteli, ndabuza uEmma Hamilton, owayejonga iimpazamo zabaguquleli, ukuba uyifunde izihlandlo ezingaphi iBhayibhile. Waphendula wathi: “Izihlandlo ezingama-35, ndaza andakwazi ukuzibala ezilandelayo.” UAnton Koerber, omnye umKristu onenzondelelo owayekhonza eBheteli malunga nelo xesha linye wayedla ngokuthi: “IBhayibhile yakho mayisoloko ikufuphi nawe.”

Emva kokufa kukaMzalwan’ uRussell ngowe-1916, uJoseph F. Rutherford wasingatha iimbopheleleko zombutho ezazisingathwa nguRussell. URutherford wayesisithethi sasesidlangalaleni esinamandla nesasiphum’ izandla, yaye ekubeni wayeligqwetha wayethethelela amaNgqina kaYehova phambi kweNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseUnited States. Emva kokufa kukaRutherford ngowe-1942, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wathabatha isikhundla sakhe waza wasebenza nzima ukuphuhlisa ubugcisa bakhe bokuthetha esidlangalaleni. Ngenxa yokuba ndandihlala kwigumbi elikufuphi nelakhe, ndandidla ngokumva eqhelisela iintetho zakhe ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ngenxa yaloo mizamo yokukhuthala, waba sisithethi sasesidlangalaleni esiphumelelayo.

NgoFebruwari wowe-1942, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wancedisa ekuqaliseni ucwangciso lokunceda bonke abazalwana baseBheteli ukuba baphucule indlela yabo yokufundisa nokuthetha. Esi sikolo sanikel’ ingqalelo kuphando lweBhayibhile nokuthetha esidlangalaleni. Ekuqaleni, ngamnye wethu wayesabelwa ukunikela iintetho ezincinane ngabantu ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni. Intetho yam yokuqala yayimalunga nendoda enguMoses. Ngowe-1943 kwaqaliswa isikolo esifanayo kumabandla amaNgqina kaYehova, yaye sisaqhubeka unanamhlanje. EBheteli kusagxininiswa ekufumaneni ulwazi ngeBhayibhile nokuphuhlisa iindlela zokufundisa eziyingenelo.

NgoFebruwari wowe-1943 kwaqalisa iklasi yokuqala yesikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi. Ngoku kuye kwaphumelela iklasi yaseGiliyadi ye-111! Kwiminyaka yaso engaphezu kwama-58 siqhubeka, esi sikolo siye saqeqesha abantu abangaphezu kwama-7 000 ukuba bakhonze njengabavangeli basemazweni ehlabathini lonke. Okubalulekileyo kukuba, ukuqalisa kwesi sikolo ngowe-1943, kwakukho amaNgqina kaYehova angaphezulu kancinane kwe-100 000 ehlabathini lonke. Ngoku, angaphezu kwezi-6 000 000 anesabelo ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo!

Ukuxabisa Ilifa Lam Lokomoya

Ngaphambi nje kokumiselwa kweGiliyadi, singabazalwana abathathu abasuka eBheteli sabelwa ukuba sityelele amabandla kulo lonke elaseUnited States. Sasihlala usuku, iintsuku ezimbalwa okanye iveki sizama ukuqinisa loo mabandla ngokomoya. Sasibizwa ngokuba sizizicaka ezikhonza abazalwana, ndlela leyo eyathi yatshintsha sabizwa ngokuba sizizicaka zesiphaluka okanye umveleli wesiphaluka. Noko ke, kungekudala emva kokuba kuqaliswe iSikolo saseGiliyadi, ndacelwa ukuba ndibuyele ndize ndifundise izifundo ezithile. Ndakhonza njengomqeqeshi wexesha elizeleyo kwiklasi ye-2 ukusa kweye-5, yaye ndakha ndabambela omnye umqeqeshi wexesha elizeleyo ndaza ndafundisa iklasi ye-14. Ukukwazi ukuhlolisisa nabafundi iminyaka ehlab’ umxhelo yezinto ezazisenzeka kwintlangano kaYehova yale mihla—uninzi lwazo endandizibalisa ngokusuka kumava obuqu—kwandenza ndalixabisa ngakumbi ilifa lam lokomoya elityebileyo.

Elinye ilungelo endiye ndalinandipha kule minyaka idluleyo lelokuya kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe zabantu bakaYehova. Ngowe-1963, ndahamba ihlabathi lonke kunye nezinye iindwendwe ezingaphezu kwama-500 kwiindibano ‘Zeendaba Ezilungileyo Ezingunaphakade.’ Ezinye iindibano ezibalaseleyo embalini endakha ndaya kuzo yileyo yayibanjelwe eWarsaw, ePoland, ngowe-1989; eBerlin, eJamani, ngowe-1990; naseMoscow, eRashiya, ngowe-1993. Kwindibano nganye, ndandisiba nethuba lokudibana nabanye abazalwana noodade bethu abanyamezela amashumi eminyaka yentshutshiso phantsi kolawulo lwamaNazi, nolawulo lobuKomanisi, okanye zombini. Hayi indlela ayesomeleza ukholo ngayo amava anjalo!

Ngokwenene, ubomi bam enkonzweni kaYehova bebutyebile! Uvimba weentsikelelo zokomoya awuze uphele. Yaye ngokungafaniyo nobutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo, okukhona sisabelana nabanye ngezi zinto zixabisekileyo, kokukhona buya busanda ubutyebi bethu. Ngamathub’ athile ndiye ndive abathile besithi akwaba babengakhuliswanga njengamaNgqina kaYehova. Bathi bavakalelwa kukuba babeya kuyixabisa ngakumbi inyaniso yeBhayibhile ukuba bebeqale bangcamla ubomi bengaphandle kwentlangano kaThixo.

Ndisoloko ndisothuka xa ndisiva abantu abaselula bethetha izinto ezinjalo kuba bathi kubhetele ukungakhuliswa ngolwazi lweendlela zikaYehova. Ukanti, cinga ngayo yonke imikhwa neengcinga ezimbi abantu abamele bohlukane nazo xa befumana inyaniso yeBhayibhile kamva ebomini. Ndisoloko ndinombulelo ongazenzisiyo ngenxa yokuba abazali bam bekhulise abantwana babo abathathu ngeendlela zobulungisa. UJohn wahlala engumkhonzi kaYehova ngokuthembeka de wafa ngoJulayi wowe-1980, yaye uEsther useliNgqina elithembekileyo unanamhla.

Ndiye ndijonge emva ngolwaneliseko olunzulu kubuhlobo endiye ndabunandipha nabazalwana noodade abangamaKristu athembekileyo. Ngoku ndineminyaka engaphezu kwama-67 echulumancisayo eBheteli. Nangona ndingazange nditshate, ndinoonyana neentombi zokomoya ezininzi, kuquka nabazukulwana bokomoya. Yaye ndiba novuyo xa ndicinga ngamalungu amatsha entsapho yethu yokomoya yasehlabathini lonke endingekadibani nawo, ngamnye wawo uxabisekile. Hayi indlela ayinyaniso ngayo amazwi athi: “Intsikelelo kaYehova—yiyo etyebisayo”!—IMizekeliso 10:22.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Ukusuka ekhohlo ukusa ekunene: utata kunye nomntakwethu, uJohn, osingathileyo, uEsther, nam kunye nomama

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

Ndifundisa iklasi yaseGiliyadi ngowe-1945

Ekunene ngasentla: abaqeqeshi beSikolo saseGiliyadi uEduardo Keller, uFred Franz, mna kunye noAlbert Schroeder

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Ndicinga ngobomi bam obutyebileyo enkonzweni kaYehova