AmaPilgrim Kanye NamaPuritan—Ayengobani?
OGWINI oluseNyakatho Melika ePlymouth, eMassachusetts, kunegwadle elikhulu okuqoshwe kulo inombolo engu-1620. Libizwa ngokuthi iPlymouth Rock, futhi kunenkolelo eyaziwayo yokuthi liseduze nalapho kwafikela khona iqembu labantu baseYurophu eminyakeni engaba ngu-400 edlule. Kungenzeka ukuthi leli qembu ulazi ngokuthi amaPilgrim.
Abantu abaningi bayazazi izindaba zamaPilgrim anomoya wokungenisa izihambi, ayememela abangane bawo abangaboMdabu baseMelika emadilini awo amakhulu okubonga isivuno. Kodwa ayengobani amaPilgrim, futhi kungani aya eNyakatho Melika? Ukuze sithole izimpendulo, ake sihlehlele emuva esikhathini senkosi yamaNgisi uHenry VIII.
Iziyaluyalu Ezingokwenkolo ENgilandi
Eminyakeni engaphansi kweyikhulu ngaphambi kokuba amaPilgrim athathe uhambo lwawo lokuya eMelika ngomkhumbi, izwe laseNgilandi laliphethwe amaRoma Katolika futhi iNkosi uHenry VIII yayibhekwa njengoMvikeli Wokholo, okuyisikhundla eyasinikwa upapa. Kodwa-ke kwaba khona uqhekeko lapho uPapa Clement VII enqaba ukuchitha umshado kaHenry noCatherine wase-Aragon, indlovukazi yokuqala kweziyisithupha.
Njengoba uHenry ayesazindla ngezinkinga zomkhaya wakhe, iNguquko YamaProthestani yayidala isiyaluyalu eSontweni LamaRoma Katolika emazweni amaningi aseYurophu. Njengoba ayemanqikanqika ngokulahlekelwa isikhundla sakhe esiphakeme ayesinikwe yisonto, uHenry waqale wabagcina lé ngaphandle kweNgilandi abagqugquzeli beNguquko. Gwiqiqi, washintsha umqondo. Njengoba iSonto LamaKatolika lalingafuni ukuchitha umshado wakhe, wanquma ukuba alivale. Ngo-1534 waqeda igunya likapapa lokulawula amaKatolika aseNgilandi futhi yena ngokwakhe wazibeka njengenhloko ephakeme yeSonto LaseSheshi. Ngokushesha nje wayeseqale ukuvala izigodlo zezindela, edayisa nezindawo zazo ezinkulu. Lapho uHenry eshona ngo-1547, izwe laseNgilandi lase liqala ukuba elobuProthestani.
Indodana kaHenry u-Edward VI yaqhubeka nokuzehlukanisa neRoma. Ngemva kokufa kuka-Edward ngo-1553, uMary, indodakazi kaHenry engumRoma Katolika ayithola kuCatherine wase-Aragon, waba yindlovukazi futhi ngemva kwalokho wazama ukwenza isizwe sithobele igunya likapapa. Waphoqelela amaProthestani amaningi ukuba abalekele kwamanye amazwe futhi wayala ukuba kushiswe abantu abangaphezu kuka-300 esigxotsheni, okwenza waziwa ngelithi uMary Othanda Ukuchitha Igazi. Kodwa wayengenakukwazi ukunqanda igagasi lezinguquko. UMary washona ngo-1558, futhi owamlandela esikhundleni, udadewabo ngamzali munye, u-Elizabeth I, waqiniseka ukuthi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, upapa akanalo nelincane igunya ekuphileni okungokwenkolo kwabantu baseNgilandi.
Nokho amanye amaProthestani aba nomuzwa wokuthi ukuzihlukanisa neSonto LamaRoma kuphela akwanele—kwakumelwe kususwe yonke iminonjana yobuRoma Katolika. Ayefuna ukwenza ukukhulekela kwesonto kube msulwa (pure), ngakho abizwa ngokuthi amaPuritan. Amanye amaPuritan ayengasiboni isidingo sababhishobhi futhi ayecabanga ukuthi ibandla ngalinye kufanele lizilawule ngokwalo, futhi lihlukaniswe nesonto lesizwe. Abizwa ngokuthi amaSeparatist (abazihlukanisayo).
AmaPuritan agcwele izimpikiswano aphumela obala ngenkathi yokubusa kuka-Elizabeth. Indlovukazi yayicasulwa yindlela yabanye abefundisi yokugqoka ngokunganaki, ngakho ngo-1564 yayala uMbhishobhi Omkhulu waseCanterbury ukuba ashaye umthetho wokugqoka. Ebona kusengaphambili ukubuya kwezingubo ezingokomthetho zabapristi bamaKatolika, amaPuritan enqaba ukulalela. Kwagqashuka izimpikiswano ezengeziwe mayelana nezikhundla zakudala zababhishobhi nababhishobhi abakhulu. U-Elizabeth walondoloza izikhundla zababhishobhi futhi wafuna ukuba bafunge ukuthi bayoqhubeka bezithoba kuye njengenhloko yesonto.
Kusuka Ekubeni AmaSeparatist Kuya Ekubeni AmaPilgrim
Ngo-1603, uJames I walandela u-Elizabeth esikhundleni futhi wawacindezela kakhulu amaSeparatist ukuba azithobe egunyeni lakhe. Ngo-1608 ibandla lamaSeparatist lasedolobheni laseScrooby labalekela eHolland ukuze lizuze enkululekweni eyayitholakala kulelo zwe. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukubekezelela kwamaDashi ezinye izinkolo kanye nokuziphatha okuxekethile, kwenza la maSeparatist aba nomuzwa wokuthi ayekhululeke kangconywana eNgilandi kunalapho. Anquma ukulishiya elaseYurophu ayoqala ukuphila okusha eNyakatho Melika. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukuzimisela kwaleli qembu lamaSeparatist ukushiya izwe lakubo ngenxa yezinkolelo zalo kwaholela ekubeni libizwe ngokuthi amaPilgrim (abaFuduki).
AmaPilgrim, ayehlanganisa namaSeparatist amaningi, athola imvume yokuhlala eVirginia, ikoloni laseBrithani, futhi athatha uhambo lokuya eNyakatho Melika ngo-September 1620 ngomkhumbi okuthiwa yi-Mayflower. Cishe abantu abayikhulu, abadala nabancane, bachitha izinyanga ezimbili ezinzima kuyiNorth Atlantic Ocean ngaphambi kokuba bafike eCape Cod, eqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha enyakatho yeVirginia. Lapho, babhala iSivumelwano SakuyiMayflower, okuyincwadi yesifiso sabo sokwakha umphakathi omusha nokuzithoba emithethweni yawo. Bakha ePlymouth eseduze ngo-December 21, 1620.
Ukuqala Ukuphila Okusha Ezweni Elisha
Abafuduki bafika eNyakatho Melika bengabuhlomele ngokuphelele ubusika. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa, kwashona isigamu saleli qembu. Kodwa intwasahlobo yaletha impumuzo. Abasinda bakha izindlu ezifanele futhi bafunda kwaboMdabu baseMelika indlela yokutshala izilimo ezidliwa abantu bendawo. Ngekwindla ka-1621, amaPilgrim ayesechume kakhulu kangangokuthi abekela eceleni isikhathi sokubonga uNkulunkulu ngesibusiso sakhe. Kusukela kulowo mkhosi kwaqala iholide elibizwa ngokuthi i-Thanksgiving (Ukubonga) manje eligujwa e-United States nakwezinye izindawo. Kwafika abafuduki abengeziwe, kangangokuthi eminyakeni engaphansi kwengu-15, iPlymouth yase inezakhamuzi ezingalé kuka-2 000.
Phakathi naleso sikhathi, amanye amaPuritan eNgilandi anquma njengamaSeparatist ukuthi “iZwe Lesithembiso” lingalé kwe-Atlantic. Ngo-1630 iqembu lawo lafikela ngasenyakatho yePlymouth lazinza endaweni okuthiwa yiMassachusetts Bay Colony. Ngo-1640 kwase kunabafuduki baseNgilandi abangaba ngu-20 000 ababehlala eNew England. Ngemva kokuba iPlymouth isingaphansi kweMassachusetts Bay Colony ngo-1691, amaPilgrim angamaSeparatist ayengasazihlukanisi kangako. IBoston yaba yisikhungo esingokomoya esiyinhloko kuleyo ndawo, njengoba kwase kungamaPuritan manje alawula ukuphila okungokwenkolo eNew England. Ayekhulekela kanjani?
Ukukhulekela KwamaPuritan
Njengoba esefikile eNtshonalanga Nenkabazwe, amaPuritan aqale akha izindlu zamapulangwe ayehlangana kuzo njalo ngeSonto ekuseni. Ingaphakathi lazo lalibekezeleleka lapho isimo sezulu sisihle, kodwa izinkonzo zasebusika zazilinga ngisho nokubekezela kwamaPuritan aqine kunawo wonke. Lezi zindlu zokuhlangana zazibanda, futhi amalungu aqotho aqhaqhazeliswa amakhaza ngokushesha nje ayezithola esebanda qa. Abashumayeli babevame ukugqoka amagilavu ukuze bavikele izandla zabo ezishukumayo emoyeni obanda kakhulu ngaphakathi.
AmaPuritan ayesekela izinkolelo zawo ezimfundisweni zoMgqugquzeli weNguquko YamaProthestani, uJohn Calvin. Amukela imfundiso yokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili futhi ayekholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayesenqume kusengaphambili ukuthi yibaphi abantu ayobasindisa nokuthi yibaphi ayobashisa phakade esihogweni somlilo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini abantu abayenzayo, babengenakuyishintsha indlela uNkulunkulu ababheka ngayo. Umuntu wayengazi ukuthi lapho efa uyokuya ezulwini ayojabulela umoya wakhona oqabulayo yini noma uyokuya esihogweni ayoshiswa phakade.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abefundisi bamaPuritan baqala ukushumayela ngokuphenduka. Babexwayisa abantu bethi nakuba uNkulunkulu enomusa, labo abangayilaleli imithetho yakhe bayoqonda ngqo esihogweni. Labo bashumayeli bawukhwezela ngempela umlilo wesihogo, bawugcina ushisa, ukuze bagcine abantu besemgqeni. Umshumayeli wangekhulu le-18 ogama lakhe linguJonathan Edwards wake wakhuluma ngesihloko esithi “Izoni Ezandleni ZikaNkulunkulu Othukuthele.” Izindlela achaza ngazo indawo yakwalasha zazethusa kangangokuthi abanye abefundisi kwadingeka baduduze ibandla elalicindezelekile ngemva kokulalela leyo ntshumayelo.
Abavangeli ababevela ngaphandle kweMassachusetts ababeshumayela lapho babezifaka engozini enkulu ngokwenza kanjalo. Izikhulu zaxosha umshumayeli wamaQuaker ogama lakhe linguMary Dyer izikhathi ezintathu; kodwa isikhathi ngasinye wayebuya futhi aqhubeke nokuveza imibono yakhe. Lezi zikhulu zamlengisa eBoston ngo-June 1, 1660. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPhillip Ratcliffe wayeseyikhohliwe intshiseko engenangqondo yabaholi bamaPuritan yokujezisa abaphikisi babo. Ngenxa yezinkulumo zakhe ezimelene nohulumeni nesonto laseSalem, laba baholi bayala ukuba abhaxabulwe ngesiswebhu futhi bamhlawulisa. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba bamdedele, bamsika izindlebe ukuze bamsize angaphinde akhohlwe. Isimo samaPuritan sokungazibekezeleli ezinye izinkolo saxosha abantu eMassachusetts futhi saba nesandla ekwandeni kwamanye amakoloni.
Ukuqhosha Kubangela Ubudlova
Njengoba ayezibheka ‘njengabakhethiweyo’ bakaNkulunkulu, amaPuritan amaningi ayebheka abomdabu njengabantu abaphansi abahlala endaweni ngokungemthetho. Lesi simo sengqondo sadala inzondo, futhi abanye abantu bomdabu baqala ukuwahlasela. Ngakho abaholi bamaPuritan bathi ukuyixegisa kakhudlwana imithetho yeSabatha ukuze abesilisa bavunyelwe ukuphatha izibhamu lapho beyokhulekela. Ngemva kwalokho, ngo-1675, izinto zaba zimbi nakakhulu.
Ebona ukuthi abantu bakhe balahlekelwa indawo yabo, uMetacomet, owaziwa nangelithi iNkosi uPhilip, wesizwe samaNdiya aseMelika esingamaWampanoag, waqala ukuhlasela izindawo zamaPuritan, eshisa izindlu futhi eceka izakhamuzi. AmaPuritan aziphindiselela, futhi kwaphela izinyanga ibambene ngezihluthu. Ngo-August 1676, amaPuritan ambamba uPhilip esiQhingini saseRhode. Amnquma ikhanda ayesehudula isidumbu sakhe futhi asinqamula saba izingcezu ezine. Yaphela kanjalo-ke iMpi yeNkosi uPhilip kanye nokuphila kokuzibusa kwabantu bomdabu baseNew England.
Phakathi nekhulu le-18, amaPuritan athola indlela entsha yokubonisa intshiseko yawo. Abanye abashumayeli eMassachusetts bagxeka umbuso wamaNgisi futhi basiza ekuvuseni isifiso sokuthola inkululeko yokuzibusa. Baxuba ezombangazwe nenkolo ezingxoxweni zabo zokuvukela umbuso.
Ngokuvamile, amaPuritan ayengabantu abazikhandlayo, abanesibindi futhi abazinikele ngokuphelele enkolweni yabo. Abantu basakhuluma ‘ngesimo samaPuritan’ ‘nangokuthembeka kwamaPuritan.’ Kodwa ubuqotho bubodwa abumenzi umuntu abe msulwa ezimfundisweni ezingalungile. UJesu Kristu wayekugwema ukuxuba ezombangazwe nenkolo. (Johane 6:15; 18:36) Kanti futhi ukuba nesihluku kuphambene naleli qiniso elibalulekile: “Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.”—1 Johane 4:8.
Ingabe inkolo okuyo ifundisa ngesihogo somlilo, ukunqunyelwa kusengaphambili, noma ezinye izimfundiso ezingasekelwe eBhayibhelini? Ingabe abaholi benkolo yakho bayahileleka emikhankasweni yezombangazwe? Ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli ngobuqotho, kuyokusiza ukuba uthole “indlela yokukhulekela ehlanzekile nengangcolile,” indlela emsulwa neyamukeleka ngempela kuNkulunkulu.—Jakobe 1:27.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 13]
AMAPURITAN NESIHOGO SOMLILO
Ngokushumayela ngesihogo somlilo, amaPuritan ayephikisana neZwi likaNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi abafileyo abazi lutho, abezwa buhlungu futhi abasenayo imizwa yokujabula. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukaze kwenzeke ukuba umqondo wokuhlukumeza abantu ‘ufike enhliziyweni’ kaNkulunkulu. (Jeremiya 19:5; 1 Johane 4:8) Unxusa abantu ukuba baguqule ukuphila kwabo futhi uziphatha ngomusa izoni ezingaphenduki. (Hezekeli 33:11) Ngokuphambene nala maqiniso angokomBhalo, abashumayeli bamaPuritan babevame ukuchaza uNkulunkulu njengomuntu ononya noziphindiselelayo. Babekhuthaza nombono wokuba nobudlova ekuphileni okwakuhlanganisa nokusebenzisa ubudlova ukuze uthulise abaphikisi.
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Lapho amaPilgrim efika eNyakatho Melika, ngo-1620
[Umthombo]
Harper’s Encyclopædia of United States History
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Umkhosi wokuqala we-Thanksgiving, ngo-1621
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Indlu yokuhlangana yamaPuritan, eMassachusetts
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJohn Calvin
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJonathan Edwards
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Umbhangqwana wamaPuritan ohlomile usendleleni eya esontweni
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 11]
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 12]
Top left: Snark/Art Resource, NY; top right: Harper’s Encyclopædia of United States History; John Calvin: Portrait in Paul Henry’s Life of Calvin, from the book The History of Protestantism (Vol. II); Jonathan Edwards: Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover
[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 13]
Photos: North Wind Picture Archives