Isahluko 29

“Niyakuzondwa Yizizwe Zonke”

PHAKATHI nobusuku bokugcina uJesu abuchitha nabaphostoli bakhe ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, wabakhumbuza: “Inceku ayinkulu kunenkosi yayo. Uma bengizingele mina, nani bayakunizingela; uma begciné izwi lami, nelenu bayakuligcina. Kepha konke lokho bayakukwenza kini ngenxa yegama lami, ngokuba bengamazi ongithumileyo.”—Joh. 15:20, 21.

Kwakungezona nje izimo zokwethukela zokungabekezeli uJesu ayecabanga ngazo. Ezinsukwini ezintathu nje ngaphambili, wayethe: “Niyakuzondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yegama lami.”—Math. 24:9.

Nokho, uJesu weluleka abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi lapho bebhekene nokushushiswa, kwakungamelwe baphendukele ezikhalini zenyama. (Math. 26:48-52) Kwakungamelwe babathuke abashushisi babo noma bafune ukuphindisela. (Roma 12:14; 1 Pet. 2:21-23) Ingabe akunakwenzeka ukuba ngolunye usuku ngisho nalabobashushisi babe amakholwa? (IzE. 2:36-42; 7:58–8:1; 9:1-22) Konke ukuphindisela kwakumelwe kushiyelwe kuNkulunkulu.—Roma 12:17-19.

Kuyinto eyaziwayo ukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayeshushiswa ngonya uhulumeni waseRoma. Kodwa kuyaphawuleka nokuthi abashushisi bakaJesu Kristu abavelele kwakungabaholi benkolo nokuthi uPontiyu Pilatu, umbusi waseRoma, waze wathi uJesu abulawe ngoba kuyibona ababefune ngenkani ukuba abulawe. (Luka 23:13-25) Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu kwaba yibo futhi abaholi benkolo ababevelele ekushushiseni abalandeli bakaJesu. (IzE. 4:1-22; 5:17-32; 9:1, 2) Ingabe bekungenjalo yini nasezikhathini zamuva?

Abefundisi Bafuna Kube Nenkulumo-mpikiswano Yasobala

Njengoba ngokushesha ukunyatheliswa kwezincwadi zikaC. T. Russell kwase kwande kwafinyelela kumakhophi angamashumi ezigidi ngezilimi eziningi, abefundisi bamaKatolika namaProthestani babengenakukushaya indiva lokho ayekusho. Bethukutheliswe ukudalulwa kwezimfundiso zabo njengezingasekelwe ngokombhalo, futhi bekhungathekiswe ukulahlekelwa amalungu, abaningi babefundisi basebenzisa amapulpiti abo ukuze baphikise izincwadi zikaRussell. Bayala imihlambi yabo ukuba ingazamukeli izincwadi ezazisakazwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli. Abaningi babo bafuna ukubangela izikhulu ukuba zivimbele lomsebenzi. Kwezinye izindawo e-United States—ezazihlanganisa iTampa, eFlorida; iRock Island, e-Illinois; iWinston-Salem, eNyakatho Carolina; neScranton, ePennsylvania—babeqondisa ukushiswa phambi kweningi kwezincwadi ezazilotshwe uRussell.

Abanye babefundisi baba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakudingeka konakaliswe ithonya likaRussell ngokumdalula enkulumweni-mpikiswano eyayizolalelwa iningi. Eduze nendlunkulu yomsebenzi kaRussell, iqembu labefundisi lamisa uDkt. E. L. Eaton ukuba abe umkhulumeli walo, owayengumfundisi weNorth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church e-Allegheny, ePennsylvania. Ngo-1903 wahlongoza ukuba kube nenkulumo-mpikiswano yasobala, futhi uMfoweth’ uRussell wasamukela lesosimemo.

Kwamiswa amaphuzu ayisithupha okwakuzoxoxwa ngawo, kwenzeka ngalendlela: uMfoweth’ uRussell wavuma, kodwa uDkt. Eaton waphika, ukuthi imiphefumulo yabafileyo ayizwa; ukuthi “ukubuya” kukaKristu kwandulela iMinyaka Eyinkulungwane nokuthi injongo ‘yokubuya’ kwakhe neyeMinyaka Eyinkulungwane iwukubusisa yonke imindeni yomhlaba; nokuthi abangcwele kuphela ‘benkathi yeVangeli’ abathola uvuko lokuqala kodwa olunye uquqaba luyoba nethuba lokusinda ngovuko olulandela lolo. UDkt. Eaton wavuma, kodwa uMfoweth’ uRussell waphika, ukuthi akukho muntu oyokwahlulelwa ngemva kokufa; ukuthi bonke abasindiswayo bayongena ezulwini; nokuthi ababi ngokwedlulele bayohlushwa phakade. Uchungechunge lwezinkulumo-mpikiswano eziyisithupha kulamaphuzu ayehlongoziwe lwaqhutshelwa phambi kwezihlwele zezilaleli eCarnegie Hall e-Allegheny ngo-1903.

Sasiyini isisusa saleyonselele yokuba kube nenkulumo-mpikiswano? Ebheka izimo ngokwalokho okuvezwa umlando, u-Albert Vandenberg kamuva wabhala: “Lezizinkulumo-mpikiswano zenziwa nomfundisi wehlelo elihlukile lamaProthestani enjengomengameli phakathi nengxoxo ngayinye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abefundisi bamasonto endawo ahlukahlukene babehlala endaweni yesikhulumi noMfundisi Eaton, cishe ukuze bamsize ngemibhalo futhi bamsekele ngokuba khona. . . . Ukuthi kwaze kwenziwa ngisho nesivumelwano esingemthetho sabefundisi bamaProthestani kwabonisa ukuthi babesaba ukuthi uRussell wayezoguqula amalungu amahlelo abo.”—“UCharles Taze Russell: UmProfethi WasePittsburgh, 1879-1909,” esakhishwa kuyi-Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, January 1986, k. 14.

Izimpikiswano ezinjalo zazimbalwa uma kuqhathaniswa. Azizange zibe nemiphumela izivumelwano zabefundisi ezazihlose ukuba zibe nayo. Abanye bebandla likaDkt. Eaton ngokwakhe, behlatshwe umxhwele yilokho abakuzwa phakathi nochungechunge lwezinkulumo-mpikiswano ngo-1903, balishiya isonto lakhe futhi bakhetha ukuhlanganyela nabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Ngisho nomfundisi owayekhona wavuma ukuthi uRussell ‘wayethele amanzi esihogweni wacisha umlilo.’ Nokho, uMfoweth’ uRussell waba nomuzwa wokuthi injongo yeqiniso yayingase ifezwe kangcono ngokusetshenziswa kwesikhathi nomzamo kweminye imisebenzi kunasezimpikiswaneni.

Abefundisi abazange bakuyeke ukuhlasela kwabo. Lapho uMfoweth’ uRussell ebeka inkulumo eDublin, e-Ireland, nase-Otley, eYorkshire, eNgilandi, basakaza amadoda phakathi kwezilaleli ukuba amemeze ephikisa futhi emangalela ngamanga uRussell ngokwakhe. UMfoweth’ uRussell wazisingatha ngobuhlakani lezozimo, ngaso sonke isikhathi ethembela eBhayibhelini njengegunya lezimpendulo zakhe.

Abefundisi bamaProthestani, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangabaliphi ihlelo, bahlangana kulokho okwakwaziwa ngokuthi iSivumelwano Sevangeli. Abameleli babo emazweni amaningi bagqugquzela abantu ukuba bamelane noRussell nalabo ababesakaza izincwadi zakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, eTexas (U.S.A.) abaFundi BeBhayibheli bathola ukuthi bonke abefundisi, ngisho nasemadolobheni amancane nasezifundeni ezisemaphandleni, babehlome ngohlobo olulodwa lwezinto ezingamanga ababemangalela ngazo uRussell futhi bekusonte ngendlela efanayo lokho ayekufundisa.

Nokho, lokhu kuhlaselwa kukaRussell ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba nemiphumela abefundisi ababengazange bayilindele. ENew Brunswick, eCanada, lapho umfundisi esebenzisa ipulpiti lakhe ukuze anikeze intshumayelo elulaza uRussell, kwakunendoda ezilalelini eyayizifundele yona siqu izincwadi ezazilotshwe uMfoweth’ uRussell. Yacasuka lapho umfundisi eqamba amanga ngamabomu. Kuthe ephakathi nentshumayelo, lendoda yasukuma, yabamba umkayo ngesandla, yabiza amadodakazi ayo ayisikhombisa ayecula ekwayeni: “Mantombazane, wozani sigoduke.” Bonke beyisishiyagalolunye baphuma, futhi umfundisi wayibuka njengoba kwakuhamba indoda eyayakhe isonto futhi iyinsika ngokwezimali ebandleni. Ngokushesha ibandla lahlukana phakathi, nomshumayeli wahamba.

Ukuphendukela Ekuhlekeni Usulu Nasekunyundeleni

Bezama ukwenza konke abangakwenza ukuze baqede ithonya likaC. T. Russell nabangane bakhe, abefundisi balulaza ukusho kwakhe ukuthi uyisikhonzi esingumKristu. Ngenxa yezizathu ezifanayo, abaholi benkolo bamaJuda ekhulwini lokuqala baphatha abaphostoli uPetru noJohane ‘njengabantu abangafundile, abayimifunda nje.’—IzE. 4:13.

UMfoweth’ uRussell wayengazange athweswe iziqu kwesinye sezikole zeLobukholwa zokufundela ubufundisi. Kodwa ngesibindi wathi: “Sibekela [abefundisi] inselele yokuba bafakazele ukuthi bake bamiswa yini ngokwaPhezulu noma ukuthi bake bakucabange yini lokho. Bacabanga nje ngokumiswa noma ukugunyazwa, kwasemahlelweni, ngamunye wabo ehlelweni noma eqenjini lakhe. . . . Ukumisa, noma ukugunyaza, kukaNkulunkulu noma yimuphi umuntu ukuba ashumayele ukwenza ngokudlulisela uMoya wakhe oNgcwele kuye. Noma ubani othole uMoya oNgcwele uthole amandla negunya lokufundisa nokushumayela egameni likaNkulunkulu. Noma ubani ongawutholanga uMoya oNgcwele ukushumayela kwakhe akugunyaziwe noma akuvunyelwe ngokwaPhezulu.”—Isaya 61:1, 2.

Ukuze bonakalise idumela lakhe, abanye babefundisi bashumayela futhi basakaza amanga aluhlaza ngaye. Ababethanda ukuwasebenzisa kakhulu—nabasawasebenzisa—ayehilela umshado kaMfoweth’ uRussell. Umqondo abaye bafuna ukuwudlulisela owokuthi uRussell wayeziphethe kabi. Avezani amaqiniso?

Ngo-1879, uCharles Taze Russell washada noMaria Frances Ackley. Bahlala kahle iminyaka engu-13. Khona-ke ukutuswa ngokweqile kukaMaria ngabanye nokumkhuthaza ukuba aqhoshe kwaqala ukwenza lobobuhlobo baba buthaka; kodwa lapho injongo yabo ivela, wabonakala ebuya eba nombono olinganiselwe ngaye siqu. Ngemva kokuba othile owayehlanganyela esakaze amanga ngoMfoweth’ uRussell, waze wacela nemvume kumyeni wakhe ukuba ahambele amabandla amaningi ukuze abonise ukuthi lokho kwakungamanga, ngoba kwakuthiwe uMfoweth’ uRussell wayemphatha kabi. Nokho, indlela amukelwa kahle ngayo kulolohambo ngo-1894 kubonakala sengathi yaba nengxenye ekushintsheni kancane kancane kombono wakhe ngaye siqu. Wafuna ukuthola amandla engeziwe ekuqondiseni lokho okwakuzokhishwa ku-Nqabayokulinda.a Lapho eqaphela ukuthi akukho lutho ayelubhala olwaluzokhishwa uma umyeni wakhe, owayengumhleli kamagazini, engavumelani nokukuqukethe (ngesisekelo sokuvumelana kwakho nemiBhalo), wacasuka kakhulu. URussell wazama ngobuqotho ukumsiza, kodwa ngo-November 1897 umkakhe wamshiya. Nokho, wamlungiselela indawo yokuhlala nezindlela zokumondla. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ngemva kokuqulwa kwamacala ayevulwe ngumkakhe ngo-1903, ngo-1908 enkantolo, umkakhe wathola isahlulelo esimvunayo, hhayi esokwahlukanisa ngokuphelele, kodwa esokuba angalali naye futhi angahlali naye, kodwa amondle.

Njengoba ayehlulekile ukuphoqelela uRussell ukuba enze ngokuvumelana nalokho ayekufuna, wazama ngamandla ngemva kokuba esemshiyile ukuba angcolise igama lakhe. Ngo-1903 wanyathelisa ipheshana elalingenawo amaqiniso angokomBhalo, kodwa elalikhuluma kabi kakhulu ngoMfoweth’ uRussell. Wafuna ukusebenzisa abefundisi bamahlelo ahlukahlukene ekuwasakazeni lapho abaFundi BeBhayibheli benemihlangano ekhethekile khona. Kuyancomeka ukuthi ngalesosikhathi babengebaningi abefundisi ababethanda ukusetshenziswa ngaleyondlela. Nokho, abanye abefundisi kusukela ngalesosikhathi baye babonisa umoya ohlukile.

Ngaphambili, uMaria Russell wayebaphikisile, ngomlomo nangezincwadi, labo ababemangalele uMfoweth’ uRussell ngohlobo lokuziphatha okubi yena ayesemmangalela ngalo manje. Besebenzisa izinkulumo ezithile ezingenabufakazi azisho phakathi nokuqulwa kwamacala enkantolo ngo-1906 (okuyizinkulumo inkantolo eyayala ukuba zisulwe ezincwadini), abanye abaphikisi benkolo bakaMfoweth’ uRussell baye banyathelisa lokho ababemmangalela ngakho ukuze benze kubonakale sengathi wayengumuntu oziphethe kabi futhi ngalokho engakufanelekele ukuba isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu. Nokho, umbhalo wasenkantolo ukubeka ngokucacile ukuthi ukumangalelwa okunjalo kwakungamanga. Ummeli womkakhe wabuza uNkk. Russell ukuthi wayekukholelwa yini ukuthi umyeni wakhe unecala lokuphinga. Waphendula: “Cha.” Kuyaphawuleka futhi ukuthi lapho ikomiti yabadala abangamaKristu ilalela amacala uNkk. Russell ayewabeka umyeni wakhe ngo-1897, akazange aziphathe nokuziphatha izinto azisho kamuva enkantolo ukuze enze amajaji avume ukuthi kwakufanele athole isehlukaniso, nakuba lezizehlakalo ayethi zenzekile kwakungezangaphambi kwalowomhlangano.

Eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye ngemva kokuba uNkk. Russell evule icala ngokokuqala ngqá enkantolo, iJaji uJames Macfarlane labhala incwadi liphendula umuntu othile owayefune ikhophi yombhalo ogciniwe wasenkantolo ukuze omunye wabangane bakhe adalule uRussell. Ijaji lamtshela ngokungagunci ukuthi lokho ayekufuna kwakuyomane kube ukuchitha isikhathi nemali. Incwadi yalo yayithi: “Isizathu sesicelo somkakhe nesesinqumo esakhishwa ngokwesahlulelo samajaji ‘sasiwukuhlaziswa’ hhayi ukuphinga, ngendlela engiqonda ngayo, ubufakazi abubonisi ukuthi uRussell wayephila ‘ukuphila kokuphinga neshende.’ Eqinisweni lalingekho ishende.”

Ukuvuma icala okwase kwephuzile kukaMaria Russell wakwenza emngcwabeni kaMfoweth’ uRussell eCarnegie Hall ePittsburgh ngo-1916. Efake isembozo sobuso, wahamba endledlaneni ephakathi kwezihlalo waya ebhokisini lomngcwabo likanokusho wabeka iminduze. Yayiboshwe ngomchilo okwakubhalwe kuwo amazwi athi, “Myeni Wami Othandekayo.”

Kusobala ukuthi abefundisi baye basebenzisa uhlobo olufanayo lwamasu ayesetshenziswa abanduleli babo bekhulu lokuqala. Ngalesosikhathi, bazama ukonakalisa idumela likaJesu ngokummangalela ngokuthi wayedla nezoni nangokuthi yena uqobo wayeyisoni nomhlambalazi. (Math. 9:11; Joh. 9:16-24; 10:33-37) Ukumangalelwa okunjalo akuzange kulishintshe iqiniso ngoJesu, kodwa kwabudalula ngempela ububi balabo abasebenzisa ukunyundela okunjalo—futhi kusadalula ububi balabo namuhla abasebenzisa amasu afanayo—njengabayise wabo ongokomoya nguDeveli, okusho “uMnyundeli.”—Joh. 8:44.

Ukusebenzisa Ukushuba Kwesimo Sempi Ukuze Bafeze Izinjongo Zabo

Njengoba ukushisekela izwe kwakudlangile emhlabeni phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, kwatholakala isikhali esisha esasingase sisetshenziswe kubaFundi BeBhayibheli. Ubutha babaholi benkolo bamaProthestani namaRoma Katolika babenziwa ngaphansi kwesigubezelo sokushisekela izwe. Basebenzisa ukwesaba kwesikhathi sempi ukuze babhece abaFundi BeBhayibheli ngokuvukela umbuso—icala elifanayo uJesu Kristu nomphostoli uPawulu abalibekwa abaholi benkolo baseJerusalema lekhulu lokuqala. (Luka 23:2, 4; IzE. 24:1, 5) Yebo, ukuze abefundisi babamangalele ngalokho, kwakumelwe bona ngokwabo babe abasekeli abakhuthele bempi, kodwa lokho akubonakalanga kubakhathaza abaningi babo, ngisho nakuba kwakusho ukuthumela izinsizwa ukuba ziyobulala amalungu enkolo yabo siqu kwelinye izwe.

Kwakungu-July 1917, ngemva kokufa kukaRussell, lapho i-Watch Tower Society ikhulula incwadi ethi The Finished Mystery, eyayikhulumela isAmbulo noHezekeli kanye nesiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo. Leyoncwadi yabudalula ngokungagwegwesi ubuzenzisi babefundisi beLobukholwa! Yasakazwa kabanzi ngesikhathi esifushane uma kuqhathaniswa. Ngasekupheleni kuka-December 1917 nasekuqaleni kuka-1918, abaFundi BeBhayibheli e-United States naseCanada nabo basakaza amakhophi angu-10 000 000 anesigijimi esivuthayo epheshaneni elithi The Bible Students Monthly. Lelipheshana elinamakhasi amane lalinesihloko esithi “Ukuwa KweBabiloni,” futhi lalinesihlokwana esithi “Isizathu Sokuba ELobukholwa Manje Libhekane Nokuhlupheka—Okuyokwenzeka Ekugcineni.” Lathi izinhlangano zenkolo zamaKatolika namaProthestani zonke ziyiBabiloni losuku lwanamuhla, okumelwe liwe ngokushesha. Ukuze lisekele lokho okwakushiwo, laphinde lakhipha ukukhulumela okwenziwa yi-Finished Mystery ngokuqondene neziprofetho ezinesahlulelo saphezulu ngokumelene ‘neBabiloni Eliyimfihlo.’ Ekhasini elingemuva kwakunomfanekiso odwetshiwe owawubonisa udonga oludilikayo. Amatshe amakhulu ayesodongeni ayenezimpawu ezinjengezithi “Imfundiso KaZiqu-zintathu (‘3 X 1 = 1’),” “Ukungafi Komphefumulo,” “Inkolelo Yokuhlushwa Phakade,” “Ubuprothestani—izivumo zokholo, abefundisi, njll.,” “UbuRoma—opapa, okhadinali, njll., njll.”—futhi wonke ayewa.

Ukudalulwa okunjalo kwabacasula abefundisi, njengoba nje nabefundisi bamaJuda bacasuka lapho uJesu edalula ubuzenzisi babo. (Math. 23:1-39; 26:3, 4) ECanada abefundisi basabela ngokushesha. Ngo-January 1918, abefundisi baseCanada abangaphezu kwabangu-600 basayina incwadi yesicelo eyayinxusa uhulumeni ukuba avale izincwadi ze-International Bible Students Association. Njengoba kwabikwa kuyi-Winnipeg Evening Tribune, ngemva kokuba uCharles G. Paterson, umfundisi weSt. Stephen’s Church eWinnipeg, lapho esepulpiti ephikise i-Bible Students Monthly, eyayinesihloko esithi “Ukuwa KweBabiloni,” uMmeli Omkhulu uJohnson wathintana naye efuna ikhophi yalo. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngo-February 12, 1918, umthetho kahulumeni waseCanada wakwenza kwaba ubugebengu umuntu angase ahlawuliswe noma aboshwe ngabo ukuba nencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery noma ipheshana eliboniswe ngenhla.

Ngayo leyonyanga, ngo-February 24, uMfoweth’ uRutherford, umongameli owayesanda kumiswa we-Watch Tower Society, wabeka inkulumo e-United States eTemple Auditorium eLos Angeles, eCalifornia. Isihloko sakhe sasimangalisa: “Izwe Liphelile—Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Zingase Zingafi.” Lapho eveza ubufakazi bokuthi laliphele ngo-1914 ngempela izwe ngendlela elalaziwa ngayo ngalesosikhathi, wagxilisa empini eyayiqhubeka ngalesosikhathi, kanye nendlala ayayihambisana nayo, futhi wakuchaza njengengxenye yesibonakaliso uJesu asibikezela. (Math. 24:3-8) Khona-ke wagxilisa ukunakekela kubefundisi, ethi:

“Njengesigaba, ngokwemibhalo, abefundisi bangabantu abanecala ukwedlula bonke abantu emhlabeni ngenxa yempi enkulu ehlupha isintu manje. Iminyaka engu-1 500 baye bafundisa abantu imfundiso yobusathane yokuthi amakhosi anegunya laphezulu lokubusa. Baye baxuba ezombangazwe nenkolo, isonto nombuso; abazange bathembeke elungelweni labo abalinikezwe uNkulunkulu lokumemezela isigijimi sombuso kaMesiya, futhi baye bazenza batholakalela ukukhuthaza ababusi ukuba bakholelwe ukuthi inkosi ibusa ngegunya laphezulu, nokuthi ngenxa yalokho noma yini eyenzayo ilungile.” Ebonisa umphumela walokhu, wathi: “Amakhosi aseYurophu afuna ukuvelela ahloma eyokulwa, ngoba efuna ukuthatha indawo yabanye abantu; futhi abefundisi baye bawatusa bethi: ‘Yenzani enikuthandayo, ngeke nilenze iphutha; noma yini eniyenzayo ilungile.’” Kodwa akubona abefundisi baseYurophu kuphela ababesekela impi, nabefundisi baseMelika babazi ukuthi bayakwenza lokho.

Umbiko oningilizayo ophathelene nalenkulumo wakhishwa ngosuku olulandelayo kuyi-Morning Tribune yaseLos Angeles. Abefundisi babethukuthele kangangokuba inhlangano yabefundisi yaba nomhlangano ngalo lolosuku futhi yathumela umongameli wayo kubaphathi baleliphephandaba ukuba ayosho ukuthi ayikuthandanga ngempela lokhu. Ngemva kwalokhu, kwaba nenkathi yokuhlaselwa kwasikhathi sonke kwamahhovisi e-Watch Tower Society ehlaselwa amalungu omnyango kahulumeni wezokwaziswa.

Phakathi nalenkathi yokushisekela ubuzwe, kwaba nomhlangano wabefundisi ePhiladelphia, e-United States, phakathi nawo okwamukelwa izwi lesinqumo elalikhuthaza ukuba kubukezwe uMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli (i-Espionage Act) ukuze labo okuthiwa baphule lowomthetho baquliswe yinkantolo yasempini futhi bathole isigwebo sokufa. UJohn Lord O’Brian, owayeyisekela elikhethekile lommeli omkhulu kwezempi, wakhethwa ukuba adlulisele lendaba eSigeleni. Umongameli wase-United States akazange akuvumele ukuba leyoncwadi imiswe njengomthetho. Kodwa uMphathi Omkhulu Wamabutho uJames Franklin Bell, weButho lase-U.S., ethukuthele egana unwabu wakwembula kuJ. F. Rutherford noW. E. Van Amburgh lokho okwakwenzeke emhlanganweni nenhloso yokusebenzisa leyoncwadi ukuze bamelane nezikhulu ze-Watch Tower Society.

Imibhalo egciniwe engokomthetho kahulumeni wase-U.S. ibonisa ukuthi okungenani kusukela ngo-February 21, 1918, kuqhubeke, uJohn Lord O’Brian wayehileleke ngokuqondile emizamweni yokubabeka icala abaFundi BeBhayibheli. I-Congressional Record (UmBhalo Ogciniwe Wombuso) ka-April 24 no-May 4 inezincwadi eziyizikhumbuzo ezazivela kuJohn Lord O’Brian aveza kuzo ngokuqinile iphuzu lokuthi uma umthetho uvumela ukuba kukhulunywe ‘okuyiqiniso, ngezisusa ezinhle, nangezinjongo ezithethelekayo,’ njengoba kwashiwo kulokho okuthiwa i-France Amendment to the Espionage Act nanjengoba kwakugunyazwe iSigele sase-U.S., wayengeke akwazi ukubabeka icala ngokuphumelelayo abaFundi BeBhayibheli.

EWorcester, eMassachusetts, “uMfu.” B. F. Wyland wakusebenzisa kabi ngokwengeziwe ukushuba kwesimo sempi ngokugomela ngokuthi abaFundi BeBhayibheli babesakaza inkulumo-ze yesitha. Wakhipha isihloko kuyi-Daily Telegram athi kuso: “Eminye yemisebenzi yokushisekela izwe eninayo njengezakhamuzi ukucindezela i-International Bible Students Association, enendlunkulu eBrooklyn. Icashe ngenkolo, iye yasakaza inkulumo-ze yaseJalimane eWorcester ngokuthengisa incwadi yayo ethi, ‘The Finished Mystery.’” Ngokungagunci watshela iziphathimandla ukuthi kwakuwumsebenzi wazo ukubopha abaFundi BeBhayibheli futhi zibavimbele ukuba babuye babe neminye imihlangano.

Ngentwasahlobo nangehlobo lika-1918 kwaba nokushushiswa okusakazekile kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli, eNyakatho Melika naseYurophu. Abanye babashoshozeli kwakungabefundisi bamaBaptist, abamaWeseli, abama-Episcopal, abamaLuthela, abamaRoma Katolika, nabamanye amasonto. Izincwadi zeBhayibheli zathathwa izikhulu ezazingaziphethe izimvume zokusesha imizi, futhi abaningi babaFundi BeBhayibheli bagqunywa ejele. Abanye baxoshwa amaviyo ezichwensi, bashaywa, bebulwa ngeziswebhu, bathelwa ngetiyela base benanyekwa izimpaphe, noma baphulwa izimbambo noma banqunywa amakhanda. Abanye baba izigoga zaphakade. Abesilisa nabesifazane abangamaKristu bagqunywa ejele kungenacala ababekwe lona noma bengazange baquliswe. Izimo zempatho enjalo enobudlova ezingaphezu kweziyikhulu zabikwa kuyi-Golden Age ka-September 29, 1920.

Ukumangalelwa Ngobunhloli

Umvuthwandaba waba ngo-May 7, 1918, lapho e-United States kukhishwa izincwadi ezazigunyaza ukuboshwa kukaJ. F. Rutherford, umongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, nabangane bakhe abaseduze kakhulu.

Ngosuku olwandulela lolo, eBrooklyn, eNew York, kwakufakwe amaphepha amabili amacala uMfoweth’ uRutherford nabangane bakhe ababebekwe wona. Uma ingatholakali imiphumela eyayihlosiwe ngelinye icala, babeyosebenzisa elinye iphepha lamacala. Iphepha lokuqala lamacala, elalimangalela abantu abaningi, lalinamacala amane ababebekwe wona: Amabili ayengawokubopha uzungu lokuphula uMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli ka-June 15, 1917; futhi amanye amabili ebamangalela ngokuzama noma ukukwenza ngokoqobo ukuphumelelisa amacebo angemthetho. Kwathiwa babebopha uzungu lokubangela abanye ukuba bangazithobi futhi benqabe ukusebenza emabuthweni ase-United States nokuthi babebopha uzungu lokuvimbela ukugqugquzela nokubhalisa abesilisa ukuba benze inkonzo enjalo njengoba izwe lalilwa, nokuthi babezame noma bazenza ngokoqobo zombili lezizinto. Leliphepha lecala lakhuluma ngokukhethekile ngokunyatheliswa nokusakazwa kwencwadi ethi The Finished Mystery. Iphepha lesibili lamacala lakuchaza njengokuyingozi ezithakazelweni ze-United States ukuthunyelwa kwesheke eYurophu (imali eyayizosetshenziswa emsebenzini wemfundo yeBhayibheli eJalimane). Lapho abamangalelwa beyiswa enkantolo okokuqala, kwacatshangelwa iphepha lokuqala lamacala, elalinamacala amane.

Nokho elinye iphepha lamacala elalimangalela uC. J. Woodworth noJ. F. Rutherford ngaphansi koMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli ngalesosikhathi lalisalindele isinqumo eScranton, ePennsylvania. Kodwa, ngokwencwadi eyayivela kuJohn Lord O’Brian yango-May 20, 1918, amalungu oMnyango Wezobulungisa ayesaba ukuthi iJaji Lesifunda sase-U.S. uWitmer, elalizoqula lelicala, lalingeke livumelane nokusebenzisa kwabo uMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli ukuze bavale umsebenzi wabantu, okuthe ngenxa yezinkolelo zabo ezingokwenkolo, basho izinto abanye abangase bazichaze ngokuthi inkulumo-ze emelene nempi. Ngakho uMnyango Wezobulungisa walihlehlisa okwesikhashana icala laseScranton, kusalindelwe umphumela welaseBrooklyn. Futhi uhulumeni wahlela isimo ngendlela yokuba iJaji uHarland B. Howe, waseVermont, lowo uJohn Lord O’Brian ayazi ukuthi wayevumelana nombono wakhe ezindabeni ezinjalo, abe ijaji ecaleni laseNkantolo Yesifunda yase-U.S. esiFundeni saseMpumalanga eNew York. Icala laqulwa ngo-June 5, u-Isaac R. Oeland noCharles J. Buchner, ongumRoma Katolika, bengabashushisi. Phakathi nokuqulwa kwecala, njengoba uMfoweth’ uRutherford aphawula, abapristi bamaKatolika babelokhu bebhunga noBuchner no-Oeland.

Njengoba icala liqulwa, kwachazwa ukuthi izikhulu zeNhlangano nabahleli bencwadi babengahlosile ukuphazamisa impi yezwe. Ubufakazi obavezwa phakathi nokuqulwa kwamacala babonisa ukuthi amalungiselelo okubhala lencwadi—empeleni, ukubhalwa komningi wombhalo wayo—ayenziwe ngaphambi kokuba i-United States imemezele impi (ngo-April 6, 1917) nokuthi isivumelwano sokuqala sokuyinyathelisa sasisayinwe ngaphambi kokuba i-United States ikhiphe umthetho (ngo-June 15) okwakuthiwa bawuphulile.

Ukuqulwa kwecala kwaqokomisa izingxenye ezinezelwe zencwadi ezazenziwe phakathi no-April no-June 1917, okwakusalungiswa ikhophi yazo futhi kusafundwa namaphepha aselungele ukunyatheliswa. Lezizingxenye zazicaphuna amazwi kaJohn Haynes Holmes, umfundisi owayekusho ngokuqinile ukuthi impi iwukwenza ngokuphambene nobuKristu. Njengoba kwaboniswa omunye wabameli babamangalelwa, lamazwi alomfundisi, akhishwa ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi A Statement to My People on the Eve of War, ayesathengiswa e-United States ngesikhathi kuqulwa lelicala. Lowomfundisi noma abanyathelisi baleyoncwadi babengazange baquliswe macala. Kodwa kwaba abaFundi BeBhayibheli ababebhekisele enkulumweni yakhe ababenecala ngemizwa eyavezwa kuyo.

Lencwadi yayingazange itshele abesilisa bomhlaba ukuthi babengenalo ilungelo lokulwa. Kodwa, lapho ichaza isiprofetho, yazicaphuna izingcaphuno ezivela komagazini (besiNgisi) INqabayokulinda bango-1915 ukuze ibonise ukuguquguquka kwabefundisi ababethi bayizikhonzi zikaKristu kodwa ababengamanxusa okugqugquzela izizwe ukuba ziye empini.

Lapho sekuzwakele ukuthi uhulumeni wayemelene nalencwadi, uMfoweth’ uRutherford ngokushesha wathumela ithelegramu kubanyathelisi ukuba bayeke ukuyikhiqiza, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwathunyelwa ummeleli weNhlangano ukuba aye emnyangweni wezokwazisa weButho lase-U.S. ukuze athole ukuthi yini ababemelene nayo. Lapho kutholakala ukuthi ngenxa yempi eyayiqhubeka ngalesosikhathi, amakhasi 247-53 kulencwadi yiwona ababengawathandi, iNhlangano yayala ukuba lawomakhasi akhishwe kuwo wonke amakhophi alencwadi ngaphambi kokuba ihanjiselwe umphakathi. Futhi lapho uhulumeni azisa abameli bezifunda ukuthi ukuqhubeka kwayo isakazwa kwakuyoba ukwephulwa koMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli (nakuba uhulumeni enqaba ukuveza umbono eNhlanganweni ngencwadi eshintshiwe), iNhlangano yayala ukuba kumiswe ngokuphelele ukusakazwa kwalencwadi emphakathini.

Kungani Bathola Isijeziso Esinzima Kangaka?

Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, ngo-June 20, 1918, amajaji abuyisa isinqumo esasilahla abamangalelwa ecaleni ngalinye elalisephepheni lamacala. Ngosuku olulandelayo, abayisikhombisab kubo bathola izigwebo ezine zeminyaka engu-20 umuntu ngamunye, ababezozidonsa ngesikhathi esisodwa. Ngo-July 10, owesishiyagalombilic wathola izigwebo ezine zeminyaka eyishumi ayezozidonsa ngesikhathi esisodwa. Zazinzima kangakanani lezozigwebo? Encwajaneni ayibhalela ummeli omkhulu ngo-March 12, 1919, umongameli wase-U.S. uWoodrow Wilson wavuma ukuthi “lezizigwebo zokuboshwa ngokucacile zinkulu ngokweqile.” Eqinisweni, umuntu owadubula eSarajevo wabulala inkosana eyayizothatha ubukhosi yoMbuso wase-Austria-Hungary—okuyisenzakalo esabangela izenzakalo ezenza izizwe zacwila eMpini Yezwe I—wayengazange anikezwe isigwebo esinzima kangako. Isigwebo sakhe saba iminyaka engu-20 ejele—hhayi izigwebo ezine zeminyaka engu-20, njengoba kwakwenzekile kubaFundi BeBhayibheli!

Sasiyini isisusa sokuba abaFundi BeBhayibheli banikezwe izigwebo zasejele ezinzima kangako? IJaji uHarland B. Howe lathi: “Ngokombono weNkantolo, inkulumo-ze engokwenkolo labamangalelwa abaye bayisekela ngentshiseko futhi bayisakaza ezweni lonke naphakathi kwabasizi bethu, iyingozi enkulu ngaphezu kokuhlukana phakathi kweButho laseJalimane. . . . Umuntu oshumayela ngenkolo ngokuvamile unethonya elikhulu, futhi uma eqotho, uphumelela ngokwengeziwe. Lokhu kukwenza kube kubi kakhulu ukona abakwenzile kunokuba kukunciphise. Ngakho-ke, njengokuwukuphela kwento ewukuhlakanipha engenziwa ngabantu abanjalo, iNkantolo iye yaphetha ngokuthi isijeziso kufanele sibe nzima.” Nokho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba likhiphe isigwebo, iJaji uHowe lathi izinkulumo ezashiwo abameli babamangalelwa azizange zibangele ukungatshazwa futhi zathinta kakhulu izikhulu zomthetho kuphela kodwa ‘nabo bonke abefundisi ezweni lonke.’

Isinqumo ngokushesha sadluliselwa enkantolo yesigodi yase-U.S. yokudlulisela amacala. Kodwa iJaji uHowed lenqaba ukuba banikwe ibheyili lapho kusalindelwe ukuqulwa kwalelocala elidlulisiwe, futhi ngo-July 4, ngaphambi kokuba kulalelwe isicelo sesithathu sokugcina sebheyili, abazalwane abayisikhombisa bokuqala ngokushesha bathuthelwa ejele lombuso wamazwe ahlangene lase-Atlanta, eGeorgia. Ngemva kwalokho, kwaboniswa ukuthi kwakunamaphutha angu-130 aphathelene nenqubo kulokho kuqulwa okwakunobandlululo. Kwathatha izinyanga kulungiselelwa amaphepha ayedingeka ekuqulweni kwecala elidlulisiwe. Phakathi nalesosikhathi, impi yaphela. Ngo-February 19, 1919, umzalwane wesishiyagalombili owayesejele wathumela incwadi yokucela ukuncishiselwa isigwebo kuWoodrow Wilson, umongameli wase-United States. Ezinye izincwadi ezazinxusa ukuba labazalwane bakhululwe zathunyelwa izakhamuzi eziningi kummeli omkhulu owayesanda kumiswa. Khona-ke, ngo-March 1, 1919, liphendula umbuzo wommeli omkhulu, iJaji uHowe latusa ukuba izigwebo “zincishiswe ngokushesha.” Nakuba lokhu kwakuyozinciphisa izigwebo, kwakuyoqinisekisa ukuthi abamangalelwa banecala. Ngaphambi kokuba lokhu kwenziwe, abameli babazalwane benza ukuba isinqumo senkantolo sidluliselwe kummeli wase-U.S. owadlulisela icala enkantolo yokudlulisela amacala.

Ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagalolunye ngemva kokuba uRutherford nabangane bakhe begwetshiwe—futhi njengoba impi yayisiphelile—ngo-March 21, 1919, inkantolo yokudlulisela amacala yavuma ukuba bathole ibheyili bonke abamangalelwa abayisishiyagalombili, futhi ngo-March 26, bakhululwa eBrooklyn ngebheyili ka-$10 000 emunye. Ngo-May 14, 1919, inkantolo yesigodi yase-U.S. yokudlulisela amacala yaseNew York yanquma: “Icala labamangalelwa alizange liqulwe ngokulinganisela nangokungakhethi njengoba bekufanele, futhi ngenxa yalesosizathu isahlulelo siyahoxiswa.” Icala lahlehliswa ukuze liqulwe kabusha. Nokho, ngo-May 5, 1920, ngemva kokuba abamangalelwa kuye kwadingeka bavele enkantolo, lapho bethola isamanisi, izikhathi ezinhlanu, ummeli kahulumeni, enkantolo ethanyelwa uwonk’ uwonke eBrooklyn, wazisa ukuthi ukuqulwa kwecala kuhoxisiwe.e Ngani? Njengoba kwembulwa incwadi egcinwe kuyi-U.S. National Archives, aboMnyango Wezobulungisa babesaba ukuthi lalizobalahla icala uma loludaba lwalungase lwethulwe emajajini angenalubandlululo, kwazise ukwesaba kwesikhathi sempi kwase kudlulile. Ummeli wase-U.S. uL. W. Ross encwadini ayeyibhalele ummeli omkhulu wathi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi kuyoba ngcono, ukuze sizwane nomphakathi, ukuba sisho kuqala” ukuthi icala ngeke lisaqhutshekiselwa phambili.

Ngalo lolosuku, ngo-May 5, 1920, elinye iphepha lamacala elaliyisibambiso elalifakwe ngo-May 1918 okwakumangalelwe kulo uJ. F. Rutherford nabane babangane bakhe nalo lahoxiswa.

Obani Ngempela Ababekugqugquzela?

Ingabe konke lokhu kwakugqugquzelwe abefundisi? UJohn Lord O’Brian wakuphika lokho. Kodwa ababephila ngalesosikhathi babewazi kahle amaqiniso. Ngo-March 22, 1919, i-Appeal to Reason, iphephandaba elalikhishwa eGirard, eKansas, lagomela: “Abalandeli bakaMalusi uRussell, Ngenxa Yokuzondwa Abefundisi Bobu-‘Orthodox,’ Bamangalelwa Futhi Baboshwa Benqatshelwe Ibheyili, Nakuba Benza Konke Ababengakwenza Ukuze Benze Ngokuvumelana Namalungiselelo OMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli. . . . Thina sithi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uMthetho Ophathelene Nobunhloli wawubonakala ubalulekile ngokomthetho noma cha noma ukuthi wawufaneleka ngokwezimiso zokuhle noma cha, labalandeli bakaMelusi uRussell babeboshwe ngokungafanele ngaphansi kwamalungiselelo awo. Ukuhlolwa ngomqondo ovulekile kobufakazi ngokushesha kungaqinisekisa noma ubani ukuthi lamadoda akukhona nje ukuthi ayengahlosile ukuphula umthetho, kodwa ayengazange awuphule.”

Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, encwadini ethi Preachers Present Arms, uDkt. Ray Abrams waphawula: “Kungokuphawulekayo ukuthi abefundisi abaningi baba nengxenye enkulu ekuzameni ukuqeda amaRussellite [njengoba abaFundi BeBhayibheli babegconwa kanjalo]. Izimpikiswano nenzondo engokwenkolo eyayisinesikhathi eside, eyayingazange icatshangelwe ezinkantolo ngesikhathi kusenokuthula, manje yangena enkantolo kusetshenziswa ithonya lokwesaba kwesikhathi sempi.” Wathi futhi: “Ukuhlolisiswa kwalo lonke icala kuholela esiphethweni sokuthi selokhu kwathi nhló amasonto nabefundisi bebegqugquzela umzamo wokuqothula amaRussellite.”—Kk. 183-5.

Nokho, ukuphela kwempi akuzange kukuqede ukushushiswa kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Kwamane kwaqalisa inkathi entsha yakho.

Abapristi Bacindezela Amaphoyisa

Njengoba impi yayisidlulile, abefundisi babangela ezinye izimpikiswano, ukuze kuthi uma kwenzeka, bavimbele umsebenzi wabaFundi BeBhayibheli. EBavaria yobuKatolika nakwezinye izingxenye zeJalimane, kwabangelwa ukuboshwa kwabaningi ngawo-1920 ngaphansi kwemithetho yokuthengisa. Kodwa lapho lamacala esefika ezinkantolo zokudlulisela amacala, amajaji ngokuvamile ayemelela abaFundi BeBhayibheli. Ekugcineni, ngemva kokuba izinkantolo seziqule izinkulungwane zamacala anjalo, uNgqongqoshe Wezangaphakathi ngo-1930 wakhipha isaziso esasiya kuzo zonke izikhulu zamaphoyisa sizitshela ukuba ziyeke ukuthathela abaFundi BeBhayibheli isinyathelo esingokomthetho ngaphansi kwemithetho yokuthengisa. Ngakho, okwesikhashana, ukucindezela okuvela kulomthombo kwancipha, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova bafeza umsebenzi wabo ngezinga elingavamile ensimini yaseJalimane.

Abefundisi babenethonya elinamandla naseRomania ngaleyominyaka. Baphumelela ekwenzeni ukuba kukhishwe imithetho eyayivimbela izincwadi nomsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova. Kodwa abapristi babesaba ukuthi abantu babengazifunda izincwadi abase benazo kakade futhi ngenxa yalokho bazi ngezimfundiso ezingasekelwe ngokombhalo nezinto ezikhohlisayo ezishiwo isonto. Ukuze bavimbele lokhu, abapristi baya ngokuqondile endlini ngendlu namaphoyisa ahlomile befuna noma yiziphi izincwadi ezazisakazwe oFakazi BakaJehova. Babebuza ngisho nezingane ezingazi lutho ukuthi abazali babezamukele yini izincwadi ezinjalo. Uma zitholakala, abantu babesongelwa ngokushaywa nokuboshwa uma beke bamukela ezinye. Kwamanye amadolobhana umpristi wayeba ngumphathi ngesikhathi esifanayo abe yimantshi yendawo, futhi wayengabuboniswa neze ubulungisa umuntu owayengakwenzi lokho umpristi ayekusho.

Umlando owaqoshwa izikhulu ezithile zaseMelika ngokwenza intando yabefundisi phakathi nalenkathi awuhlukile kulokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokuhambela komBhishobhi wamaKatolika u-O’Hara eLa Grange, eGeorgia, owayengumphathi wedolobha futhi engummeli walo wenza ukuba kuboshwe oFakazi BakaJehova abaningi ngo-1936. Phakathi nokuboshwa kwabo, balaliswa eduze nenqwaba yomquba emibhedeni eyayifafazwe ngomshobingo wezinkomo, baphiwa ukudla okunezimpethu, futhi baphoqwa ukuba basebenze nezisebenzi zasejele ezakha imigwaqo.

NasePoland, abefundisi bamaKatolika basebenzisa zonke izindlela ababengazisebenzisa ukuze bavimbele umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova. Babangela abantu ukuba babe nobudlova, bashisa izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova phambi kweningi, bababiza ngamaKhomanisi, futhi babamangalela enkantolo ngecala lokuthi izincwadi zabo ‘zazihlambalaza izinto ezingcwele.’ Nokho, akuzona zonke izikhulu ezazizimisele ukubalalela. Ngokwesibonelo, ummeli wombuso enkantolo yokudlulisela amacala ePosen (Poznan), wenqaba ukuqula icala lomunye woFakazi BakaJehova umfundisi othile ayemmangalele ngokuthi wayebize abefundisi bamaKatolika ngokuthi “inhlangano kaSathane.” Ummeli wombuso ngokwakhe waveza ukuthi umoya wokuziphatha okubi ogcwele kweLobukholwa owaqala esigodlweni sikapapa u-Alexander VI (1492-1503 C.E.), empeleni, kwakuwumoya wenhlangano yobusathane. Futhi lapho umfundisi othile emangalela omunye woFakazi BakaJehova ngokuhlambalaza uNkulunkulu ngokusakaza izincwadi ze-Watch Tower, ummeli wombuso wenkantolo yokudlulisela amacala eThorn (eToruń) wayala ukuba bakhululwe, ethi: ‘OFakazi BakaJehova bathatha ukuma okufana nsé nokwamaKristu okuqala. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bachazwa kabi futhi bayashushiswa, basekela imibono ephakeme kunayo yonke esimweni sezwe esonakele nesiwohlokayo.’

Imibhalo egciniwe kahulumeni waseCanada yembula ukuthi ukuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova eCanada ngo-1940 kwenziwa ngokuvumelana nencwadi eyayivela esigodlweni sikaKhadinali Villeneuve ongumKatolika, waseQuebec, ayeyibhalele ungqongqoshe wezobulungisa, u-Ernest Lapointe. Ezinye izikhulu zikahulumeni ngemva kwalokho zafuna incazelo ephelele yezizathu zokuthathwa kwalesosinyathelo, kodwa izimpendulo zikaLapointe azizange ziwanelise nhlobo amalungu ePhalamende LaseCanada.

Kolunye uhlangothi lwembulunga, abefundisi babakha amasu afanayo. Imibhalo egciniwe kahulumeni wase-Australia inencwadi eyayivela kumbhishobhi omkhulu wamaRoma Katolika waseSydney eyayiya kuMmeli Omkhulu uW. M. Hughes inxusa ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova babhekwe njengenhlangano engemthetho. Leyoncwadi yabhalwa ngo-August 20, 1940, ezinyangeni ezinhlanu nje ngaphambi kokuba bavinjelwe. Ngemva kokubukeza lokho okwakuthiwa isisekelo salokhu kuvinjelwa, uMnu. Justice Williams weNkantolo Ephakeme yase-Australia kamuva wathi “kwakwenza kwaba okungemthetho ukusekelwa kwezimiso nezimfundiso zenkolo yobuKristu futhi kwenza ukuba zonke izinkonzo ezenziwa amakholwa kusukela uKristu azalwa zibe imihlangano engemthetho.” Ngo-June 14, 1943, iNkantolo yakhipha isinqumo sokuthi ukuvinjelwa kwakungavumelani nomthetho wase-Australia.

ESwitzerland iphephandaba lamaKatolika lafuna ngenkani ukuba iziphathimandla ziphuce oFakazi izincwadi isonto elalizibheka njengezingezinhle. Basongela ngokuthi uma lokhu kungenziwa, bazozithathela izinyathelo mathupha. Futhi ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwe, yilokho kanye abakwenza!

Abaholi Benkolo Basebenzisa Ubudlova

Abefundisi bamaKatolika eFrance babenomuzwa wokuthi babesenethonya elikhulu kubantu, futhi babezimisele ukungavumeli noma yini iphazamise lokho kubusa. Phakathi no-1924-25, abaFundi BeBhayibheli emazweni amaningi babesakaza ipheshana elithi Abefundisi Bamangalelwe. Ngo-1925 kwakuhlelwe ukuba uJ. F. Rutherford abeke inkulumo eParis eyayinesihloko esithi “Ukukhohlisa Kwabefundisi Kuyadalulwa.” Ngokuqondene nalokho okwenzeka kulowomhlangano, ufakazi wokuzibonela wabika: “Ihholo laligcwele swí. UMfoweth’ uRutherford waya endaweni yesikhulumi, kwase kuduma ihlombe. Wayesanda kuqala ukukhuluma, lapho ngokungazelele abapristi abacishe babe ngu-50 namalungu oMzabalazo WamaKatolika, ababehlome ngezinduku, bengena begijima ehholo becula i-La Marseillaise [iculo lesizwe laseFrance]. Baphonsa amapheshana bephezulu ezitebhisini. Omunye umpristi wakhwela endaweni yesikhulumi. Izinsizwa ezimbili zamphonsa phansi. Izikhathi ezintathu, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wasuka endaweni yesikhulumi wabuye wabuya. Ekugcineni, akabange esabuya. . . . Amatafula okwakukhangiswe kuwo izincwadi zethu agumbuqelwa futhi izincwadi zethu zasakazwa yonke indawo. Kwakudida kakhulu!” Kodwa kwakungesona isenzakalo esingavamile.

UJack Corr, lapho efakaza e-Ireland, ngokuvamile wayeyizwa intukuthelo yabefundisi bamaKatolika. Ngesinye isikhathi iviyo lezichwensi, ligqugquzelwa umpristi wesifunda, lamkhipha embhedeni phakathi kwamabili lase lishisa zonke izincwadi zakhe endaweni yomphakathi. ERoscrea, eSifundeni SaseTipperary, uVictor Gurd noJim Corby bafika ezindaweni ababehlala kuzo bathola ukuthi abaphikisi babentshontshe izincwadi zabo, bazibhunyela ngophethiloli, base bezokhela. Ababezungeze lelilangabi elikhulu kwakungamaphoyisa, abefundisi, nabantwana bendawo, becula iculo elithi “Ukholo Lokhokho Bethu.”

Ngaphambi kokuba oFakazi BakaJehova bahlangane eMadison Square Garden eNew York ngo-1939, abalandeli bompristi ongumKatolika uCharles Coughlin basongela ngokuthi babezowumisa phakathi lowomhlangano. Kwatshelwa amaphoyisa. Ngo-June 25, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wabekela abangu-18 000 noma ngaphezulu ababekulelohholo, kanye nezihlwele zezilaleli zomsakazo ezweni lonke, inkulumo eyayinesihloko esithi “Uhulumeni Nokuthula.” Ngemva kokuba inkulumo iqalile, amaRoma Katolika namaNazi angu-200 noma ngaphezulu, ayeholwa abapristi abaningi bamaKatolika, agcwala emphemeni. Lapho esenikezwe uphawu amemeza kakhulu, athi “Heil Hitler!” athi futhi “Viva Franco!” Asebenzisa zonke izinhlobo zenkulumo engcolile nokusongela futhi ahlasela abalindi ababezama ukuvimbela ukuphazamiseka. Leliqembu aliphumelelanga ukuwumisa phakathi umhlangano. UMfoweth’ uRutherford waqhubeka ekhuluma ngomfutho nangesibindi. Lapho inxushunxushu ifinyelela umvuthwandaba, wathi: “Phawulani ukuthi namuhla amaNazi namaKatolika abengathanda ukuwumisa phakathi lomhlangano, kodwa ngomusa kaNkulunkulu ngeke akwazi.” Izilaleli zasekela ngokushaya ihlombe ziphindelela. Lokhu kuphazamisa kwaba ingxenye ehlala njalo yalokho okwaqoshwa ngalesosehlakalo, futhi kuye kwazwiwa abantu ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba.

Nokho, lapho kunokwenzeka njengasezinsukwini zokuQulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki, abefundisi bamaRoma Katolika basebenzisa uMbuso ukuze bacindezele noma obani ababengabaza izimfundiso nezenzo zabo.

Impatho Yonya Emakamu Okuhlushwa

Abefundisi babenomsizi ozinikele u-Adolf Hitler. Phakathi no-1933, ngawo kanye unyaka okwasayinwa ngawo isivumelwano phakathi kweVatican neJalimane lobuNazi, uHitler waqalisa umkhankaso wokuqothula oFakazi BakaJehova eJalimane. Ngo-1935 babevinjelwe ezweni lonke. Kodwa ubani owayebangela lokhu?

Umpristi ongumKatolika, ebhala kuyi-Deutsche Weg (iphephandaba lesiJalimane elakhishwa eLodz, ePoland), ka-May 29, 1938 wathi: “Manje linye izwe emhlabeni lapho labo ababizwa ngokuthi . . . abaFundi BeBhayibheli [oFakazi BakaJehova] benqatshelwe khona. Lelozwe yiJalimane! . . . Lapho u-Adolf Hitler eqala ukubusa, futhi i-German Catholic Episcopate iphinda isicelo sayo, uHitler wathi: ‘Laba ababizwa ngokuthi abaFundi BeBhayibheli Abaqotho [oFakazi BakaJehova] bangabaphehli benxushunxushu; . . . Ngibabheka njengezimbulu; ngeke ngikubekezelele ukuba amaKatolika aseJalimane angcoliswe ngalendlela yiloMahluleli uRutherford waseMelika; ngiyabaqothula [oFakazi BakaJehova] eJalimane.’”—Omalukeke sizenzele.

Ingabe kwakuyi-German Catholic Episcopate kuphela eyayifuna kuthathwe isinyathelo esinjalo? Njengoba kubikwe kuyi-Oschatzer Gemeinnützige, ka-April 21, 1933, enkulumweni yasemsakazweni ngo-April 20, umfundisi waseLuthela u-Otto wakhuluma ‘ngokubambisana ngokuseduze kakhulu’ kweSonto LamaLuthela LaseJalimane LoMbuso WaseSaxony nabaholi bezombangazwe balelozwe, wayesethi: “Imiphumela yokuqala yalokhu kubambisana kungashiwo ukuthi isikhona kakade ngenxa yokuvinjelwa kweNhlangano Yezizwe Zonke YabaFundi BeBhayibheli Abaqotho [oFakazi BakaJehova] kanye nezingxenye zayo eSaxony.”

Ngemva kwalokho, uMbuso WobuNazi waqalisa okunye kokushushiswa kwamaKristu okuwubuqaba ukwedlula konke okulotshwe emlandweni. Izinkulungwane zoFakazi BakaJehova—eJalimane, e-Austria, ePoland, eCzechoslovakia, eNetherlands, eFrance, nakwamanye amazwe—zagqunywa emakamu okuhlushwa. Lapha bathola impatho enonya ngokwedlulele engase icatshangwe. Kwakungekhona okungavamile ukuba bathukwe bese beyakhahlelwa, baphoqwe ukuba bagobe amadolo, bagxume, futhi bagaqe amahora amaningi, kuze kube yilapho bequleka noma bewa ngenxa yokukhathala, kuyilapho ababaqaphile behleka beneme. Abanye baphoqwa ukuba bame benqunu noma bengambethe ngokwanele egcekeni phakathi nobusika. Abaningi bebulwa ngeziswebhu baze baquleka futhi imihlane yabo yagcwala igazi. Abanye basetshenziswa njengamaginipiki (uhlobo oluthile lwamagundane) lapho kuhlolwa ngemithi yezokwelapha. Abanye, izingalo zabo ziboshelwe ngemuva, balengiswa beboshwe ezihlakaleni. Nakuba babebuthaka ngenxa yendlala futhi bengambethe ngokwanele esimweni sezulu esasishubisa umnkantsha, baphoqelelwa ukuba basebenze kanzima, besebenza amahora amaningi, ngokuvamile besebenzisa izandla zabo lapho kudingeka amafosholo namanye amathuluzi. Kokubili abesilisa nabesifazane baxhashazwa ngaleyondlela. Iminyaka yabo yobudala yayisukela eshumini nantathu kuya kwengamashumi ayisikhombisa. Abahluphi babo babesho amazwi okweyisa ngoJehova.

Ezama ukudumaza oFakazi, umphathi wekamu eSachsenhausen wayala ukuba u-August Dickmann, uFakazi osemusha, abulawe kukhona zonke iziboshwa, oFakazi BakaJehova bemi ngaphambili lapho babengase bawuzwe kahle khona umphumela walokho. Ngemva kwalokho zonke iziboshwa zatshelwa ukuba zihambe, kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova kwathiwa basale. Egcizelela ngamandla umphathi wababuza, ‘Ubani manje ozimisele ukusayina isaziso?’—isaziso sokuphika komuntu ukholo lwakhe futhi ebonisa ukuthi uzimisele ukuba isosha. Akukho noyedwa koFakazi abangu-400 noma ngaphezulu owasabela. Khona-ke ababili baya phambili! Cha, hhayi ukuba basayine, kodwa becela ukuba kusulwe amasignesha abo abawafaka ngonyaka owawandulele.

Ekamu laseBuchenwald, kwasetshenziswa ukucindezela okufanayo. Isikhulu samaNazi uRödl satshela oFakazi: “Uma kukhona kini owenqaba ukulwa neFrance noma neNgilandi, nonke kumelwe nife!” Amabutho ayehlome aphelela ama-SS ayelinde endlwaneni engasesangweni. Akukho noyedwa uFakazi owahlehla kulokhu. Kwalandela impatho enesihluku, kodwa akuzange kwenziwe ngokuvumelana nosongo lwalesisikhulu. Kwaqashelwa ukuthi, nakuba oFakazi emakamu babengenza noma yiluphi uhlobo lomsebenzi ababelwabelwa, futhi, ngisho nakuba babengase bajeziswe ngokulanjiswa nangokusetshenziswa kanzima, babeyokwenqaba ngokuqinile ukwenza noma yini ukuze basekele impi noma okuthile ngokumelene nesiboshwa abakanye naso.

Ababhekana nakho akuchazeki. Abaningi babo bafa. Ngemva kokuba abasindile bekhululiwe emakamu ekupheleni kwempi, uFakazi othile waseFlanders wabhala: “Isifiso esingaguquki sokuphila, ithemba nokuthembela kuYe, uJehova, onawo wonke amandla, kanye nothando ngoMbuso waseZulwini, yikhona okwakwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukukhuthazelela konke lokhu kanye nokunqoba kulempi.—Roma 8:37.”

Abazali bahlukaniswa ngonya nabantwana babo. Abangane bomshado bahlukaniswa, futhi abanye abazange baphinde babonane. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba eshadile, uMartin Poetzinger waboshwa wayeseyiswa ekamu elinedumela elibi laseDachau, wayeseyiswa eMauthausen. Umkakhe, uGertrud, wagcinwa eRavensbrück. Kwadlula iminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye ngaphambi kokuba babuye babonane. Ekhumbula okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe eMauthausen, kamuva wabhala: “AmaGestapo azama zonke izindlela ukuze asibangele ukuba siyeke ukuba nokholo kuJehova. Ukuncishwa ukudla, ubungane obukhohlisayo, ukuhlukunyezwa, ukumiswa ezinsimbini nsuku zonke, ukulengiswa esigxotsheni esingamamitha amathathu izihlakala zisontiwe emhlane, ukwebulwa ngeziswebhu—kwazanywa zonke lezizindlela nezinye eziyihlazo kakhulu ukuba zingashiwo.” Kodwa wahlala eqotho kuJehova. Futhi waba phakathi kwabasinda, futhi kamuva wakhonza njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova.

Ukuboshelwa Ukholo Lwabo

OFakazi BakaJehova babengazange bayiswe emakamu okuhlushwa ngoba beyizigebengu. Lapho izikhulu zifuna umuntu ozoziphuca, zazimthemba uFakazi ophethe insingo, ngoba zazazi ukuthi akekho uFakazi ongasebenzisa ithuluzi elinjalo njengesikhali sokulimaza omunye umuntu. Lapho izikhulu zama-SS ekamu lokuhlupha abantu baze bafe lase-Auschwitz zidinga umuntu owayezohlanza imizi yazo noma anakekele izingane zazo, zazikhetha oFakazi, ngoba zazazi ukuthi babengeke bazame ukuzidlisa ushevu noma beqe. Lapho ekamu laseSachsenhausen kukhishwa zonke iziboshwa ekupheleni kwempi, abaqaphi bamisa inqola yabo ababefake kuyo impango yabo phakathi kweqembu loFakazi. Ngani? Ngoba babazi ukuthi oFakazi babengeke bantshontshe.

OFakazi BakaJehova babeboshelwe ukholo lwabo. Ngokuphindaphindiwe bathenjiswa ukukhululwa emakamu uma bengasayina isaziso bephika izinkolelo zabo. Ama-SS enza konke okusemandleni awo ukuze ayengele noma aphoqelele oFakazi ukuba basayine isaziso esinjalo. Ngokuyinhloko, yilokhu ayekufuna.

Ngaphandle kwabambalwa, ubuqotho babo bonke oFakazi baba obungenakwephulwa. Kodwa benza okungaphezu kokuhlupheka ngenxa yobuqotho babo kuJehova nangenxa yokuzinikela kwabo egameni likaKristu. Benza okungaphezu kokukhuthazelela ukuhlushwa abakuthola okunjengokokuqula amacala ezihlubuki. Balondoloza izibopho eziqinile zobunye obungokomoya.

Babengenawo umoya wokufuna ukusinda komuntu siqu noma sekunjani. Babonisa uthando lokuzidela ngomunye nomunye. Lapho omunye wabo eba buthaka, abanye babemabela ukudla okuncane ababenakho. Lapho benqatshelwa konke ukwelashwa, babenakekelana ngothando.

Naphezu kwayo yonke imizamo yabashushisi babo yokukuvimbela, ukwaziswa kokutadisha iBhayibheli kwafinyelela koFakazi—kufihlwe emaphaketheni ezipho avela ngaphandle, bexoxelwa iziboshwa ezisanda kufika, kufihlwe ngisho nasemlenzeni wepulangwe wesiboshwa esisha, noma nangezinye izindlela lapho besezabelweni zabo zomsebenzi ngaphandle kwekamu. Amakhophi ayedluliselwa esuka komunye aye komunye; ngezinye izikhathi amakhophi ayenziwa bengabonwa ngemishini yakhona kanye emahhovisi ezikhulu zekamu. Nakuba babengaba sengozini enkulu, eminye imihlangano yobuKristu yayiqhutshwa ngisho nasemakamu.

OFakazi baqhubeka beshumayela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwethemba lesintu—futhi babekwenza lapho emakamu okuhlushwa! EBuchenwald, ngenxa yomsebenzi ohleliwe, izinkulungwane zeziboshwa zezwa izindaba ezinhle. Ekamu laseNeuengamme, ngaseHamburg, kwahlelwa ngokucophelela umkhankaso omkhulu wokufakaza kabanzi futhi wafezwa ekuqaleni kuka-1943. Amakhadi obufakazi alungiselelwa ngezilimi ezihlukahlukene ezazikhulunywa kulelikamu. Kwenziwa imizamo yokufinyelela isiboshwa ngasinye. Kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuqhubela abathakazelayo isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu sasikhathi sonke. OFakazi babeshiseka kakhulu ekushumayeleni kwabo kangangokuba iziboshwa zezombangazwe zakhononda: “Nomaphi lapho uhamba khona, uzwa kukhulunywa ngoJehova!” Lapho kufika imiyalo ivela eBerlin yokuba oFakazi baxutshwe nezinye iziboshwa ukuze benziwe buthaka, empeleni lokhu kwakwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuba bafakaze kubantu abengeziwe.

Ngokuqondene noFakazi besifazane abathembekile abangu-500 noma ngaphezulu eRavensbrück, umshana kaJenene Charles de Gaulle waseFrance ngemva kokukhululwa kwakhe wabhala: “Ngiyabahlonipha ngempela. Bangabezizwe ezihlukahlukene: amaJalimane, abasePoland, abaseRussia namaCzech, futhi baye bakhuthazelela ukuhlupheka okukhulu kakhulu ngenxa yezinkolelo zabo. . . . Bonke babonisa isibindi esikhulu kakhulu futhi isimo sabo sengqondo ekugcineni senza nama-S.S. uqobo aphoqeleka ukuba abahloniphe. Babeyokhululwa ngokushesha ukuba baphika ukholo lwabo. Kodwa, ngokuphambene, baphikelela njalo, bephumelela ngisho nokungenisa izincwadi namapheshana ekamu.”

NjengoJesu Kristu, balinqoba izwe elalifuna benze ngokuvumelana nesimo salo sobusathane. (Joh. 16:33) UChristine King, encwadini ethi New Religious Movements: A Perspective for Understanding Society, uthi ngabo: “OFakazi BakaJehova bawubekela inselele umqondo wobushiqela womphakathi omusha, futhi lenselele, kanye nokuqhubeka kwayo ikhona, ngokusobala yaphazamisa labo ababeklama uhlelo olusha. . . . Izindlela ezindala zoshushiso, ukuhlushwa, ukuboshwa nokuhlekwa usulu zazingaphumeleli ukuguqula noma yibaphi boFakazi ukuba bathathe ukuma kobuNazi futhi eqinisweni isikhuni sabuya ngomkhwezeli kulabagqugquzeli bazo. . . . Kwakushubile ukulwa phakathi kwezimbangi ezimbili ezazithi ziqotho, futhi kwakunjalo ngisho nangaphezulu ngoba amaNazi ayenamandla ngokomzimba, ngezindlela eziningi ayengaqinisekile, engagxilile kulokho ayekukholelwa, ayengaqiniseki ukuthi uKubusa [kukaHitler] kweminyaka engu-1 000 kwakuyohlala njalo yini. OFakazi babengangabazi ngezisekelo zabo, ngoba ukholo lwabo lwaba sobala kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Abela. Njengoba amaNazi kwakudingeka anciphise ukuphikisa futhi enze abawasekelayo bakholelwe kuwo, ngokuvamile esebenzisa indlela yokukhuluma nolimi olungokomfanekiso lobuKristu bamahlelo, oFakazi babeqiniseka ngobuqotho obuphelele, obungenakwephulwa bamalungu abo, kuze kube ngisho nasekufeni.”—Yakhishwa ngo-1982.

Ekupheleni kwempi, oFakazi abangaphezu kwenkulungwane ababesindile baphuma emakamu, ukholo lwabo luqinile futhi uthando lwabo ngomunye nomunye lunamandla. Njengoba amabutho aseRussia ayesondela, abaqaphi ngokushesha bakhipha zonke iziboshwa eSachsenhausen. Bahlukanisa iziboshwa ngokohlanga. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova bahlala ndawonye njengeqembu elilodwa—abangu-230 babo ababevela kulelikamu. Njengoba abaseRussia base beseduze, abaqaphi bakhathazeka. Kwakungenakudla, futhi iziboshwa zazibuthaka; nokho, noma ubani owayesalela emuva noma ewa ngenxa yokukhathala wayedutshulwa. Izinkulungwane ezinjalo zazisabalele kuloludwendwe. Kodwa oFakazi basizana kangangokuba ngisho nobuthaka ukwedlula bonke akazange alale emgwaqweni! Kanti abanye babo babeneminyaka esukela kwengu-65 kuya kwengu-72 ubudala. Ezinye iziboshwa zazama ukweba ukudla endleleni, futhi eziningi zadutshulwa lapho zenza lokho. Ngokuphambene, endleleni lapho bephuma ejele oFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa lamathuba ukuze batshele abantu ngezinjongo zothando zikaJehova, futhi abanye balabantu, bebonisa ukubonga ngesigijimi esiduduzayo babanikeza ukudla ababezokudla nabafowabo abangamaKristu.

Abefundisi Bayaqhubeka Nokulwa

Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, abefundisi engxenyeni esempumalanga yeCzechoslovakia baqhubeka begqugquzela ukushushiswa koFakazi BakaJehova. Phakathi nokubusa kobuNazi, bamangalela oFakazi ngokuthi bangamaKhomanisi, manje base bethi oFakazi bamelene nohulumeni wobuKhomanisi. Ngezinye izikhathi, lapho oFakazi BakaJehova behambela imizi yabantu, abapristi banxusa othisha ukuba badedele izingane eziningi esikoleni ukuze ziyojikijela oFakazi ngamatshe.

Ngokufanayo, abapristi bamaKatolika eSanta Ana, e-El Salvador, benza ukuba umphakathi uvukele oFakazi ngo-1947. Lapho abazalwane besaqhuba iSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda samasonto onke, abafana bajikijela amatshe angena ngomnyango owawuvuliwe. Kwase kuba nodwendwe olwaluholwa abapristi. Abanye babephethe izibani; abanye bephethe izithombe. Babememeza: “Mana Njalo Ncasakazi!” “Kwangathi UJehova Angafa!” Amahora acishe abe mabili, lesisakhiwo sajikijelwa ngamatshe.

Phakathi nawo-1940, oFakazi BakaJehova eQuebec, eCanada, nabo babhekana nokuhlukunyezwa okwesabekayo, okwenziwa izixuku zamaKatolika nezikhulu. Amaqembu abameleli avela esigodlweni sababhishobhi ayeya nsuku zonke emnyangweni wamaphoyisa eyotshela amaphoyisa ukuba axoshe oFakazi. Ngokuvamile, ngaphambi kokuba baboshwe, amaphoyisa ayebonakala eqhamuka ngomnyango ongemuva wasesontweni. Ngo-1949, izithunywa zevangeli ezingoFakazi BakaJehova eJoliette, eQuebec, zaxoshwa yisixuku samaKatolika.

Kodwa akubona bonke abantu baseQuebec ababevumelana nalokho okwakwenziwa. Namuhla, kuneHholo LoMbuso elihle loFakazi BakaJehova komunye wemigwaqo emikhulu eJoliette. Isikole esasingesokufundela ubufundisi esasilapho savalwa, sathengwa uhulumeni, sashintshwa saba ikolishi lomphakathi. Futhi eMontreal, oFakazi BakaJehova baye baqhuba imihlangano emikhulu yezizwe zonke, inani lababa khona liphakama lifinyelela kwabangu-80 008 ngo-1978.

Nokho, iSonto lamaKatolika liye lasebenzisa zonke izindlela ukuze libambe abantu lingabadedeli. Ngokucindezela izikhulu zikahulumeni laliqikelela ukuthi izithunywa zevangeli ezingoFakazi ziyaxoshwa e-Italy ngo-1949, nokuthi, uma kwenzeka, izimvume zokuba oFakazi babe nemihlangano zihoxiswe phakathi nawo-1950. Naphezu kwalokhu, amanani oFakazi BakaJehova aqhubeka anda, futhi ngo-1992 kwakunabashumayeli bevangeli abangoFakazi abangaphezu kwabangu-190 000 e-Italy.

Njengasesikhathini sokuQulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki, abefundisi baseSpain kwakuba yibona ababamangalelayo bese bekushiyela eMbusweni ukuba ubashushise. Ngokwesibonelo, eBarcelona, lapho umbhishobhi omkhulu aqalisa khona impi yenkolo ngokumelene noFakazi ngo-1954, abefundisi basebenzisa amapulpiti abo kanye nezikole nomsakazo ukuze bazise abantu ukuthi lapho oFakazi bebahambela, kufanele babangenise endlini—bese bebiza amaphoyisa ngokushesha.

Abapristi babesaba ukuthi abantu baseSpain bangase bathole lokho okuseBhayibheli bese mhlawumbe bebonisa abanye lokho abakubonile. Lapho uManuel Mula Giménez eboshwa eGranada ngo-1960 ngenxa ‘yobugebengu’ bokufundisa abanye ngeBhayibheli, umfundisi wasejele (umpristi ongumKatolika) wayala ukuba kususwe iBhayibheli okwakuwukuphela kwalo elalisemtatsheni wezincwadi wasejele. Futhi lapho esinye isiboshwa siboleka uManuel ikhophi yamaVangeli, wayiphucwa. Kodwa manje iBhayibheli selifinyelele kubantu abavamile eSpain, baye baba nethuba lokuzibonela lokho elikushoyo, futhi ngo-1992, kwakunabangaphezu kwabangu-90 000 abaye bakhulekela uJehova njengoFakazi bakhe.

EDominican Republic, abefundisi babambisana noMashiqela uTrujillo, bamsebenzisa ekufezeni izinjongo zabo njengoba nje naye ayebasebenzisa ekufezeni izinjongo zakhe siqu. Ngo-1950, ngemva kokuba izihloko zamaphephandaba ezazibhalwe ngabapristi zihlambalaze oFakazi BakaJehova, umbonisi wegatsha le-Watch Tower Society wathunyelelwa isamanisi uNobhala Wezangaphakathi Nowamaphoyisa. Njengoba ayelinde ngaphandle kwehhovisi likanobhala, lombonisi wegatsha wabona abapristi bamaJesuit bengena base bephuma. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, wabizelwa ehhovisi likaNobhala, futhi loNobhala ethukile wafunda isinqumo esasivimbela umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kokuba ukuvinjelwa kususiwe okwesikhashana ngo-1956, abefundisi basebenzisa umsakazo namaphephandaba ekubanyundeleni kabusha oFakazi. Wonke amabandla aboshwa futhi atshelwa ukuba asayine isaziso sokuphika ukholo lwawo futhi ethembisa ukubuyela eSontweni LamaRoma Katolika. Lapho oFakazi benqaba, babeshaywa, bakhahlelwe, bebulwe ngeziswebhu, futhi bashaywe ngesihluku ebusweni ngezidunu zezibhamu. Kodwa bama beqinile, futhi amanani abo anda.

ESucre, eBolivia, kwakunobudlova obengeziwe. Ngesikhathi somhlangano omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova ngo-1955, iqembu labafana baseSacred Heart Catholic School lazungeza indawo yomhlangano, lamemeza, futhi lajikijela amatshe. Umbhobho onamandla owawusesontweni elingaphesheya komgwaqo, wanxusa wonke amaKatolika ukuba avikele isonto ‘neNcasakazi’ ‘ezihlubukini ezingamaProthestani.’ Ababhishobhi nabapristi uqobo bazama ukuphazamisa umhlangano kodwa amaphoyisa abaxosha ehholweni.

Ngonyaka owawandulele, lapho oFakazi BakaJehova benomhlangano omkhulu eRiobamba, e-Ecuador, isimiso sabo sasinenkulumo yeningi eyayinesihloko esithi “Uthando, Ingabe Lungasebenza Ezweni Elinobugovu?” Kodwa umpristi ongumJesuit wayeshoshozele abantu abangamaKatolika, ebanxusa ukuba bavimbele lowomhlangano. Ngakho, njengoba inkulumo iqala, kwezwakala isixuku simemeza: “Mana Njalo Sonto LamaKatolika!” sithi futhi “Asiwafuni AmaProthestani!” Amaphoyisa abavimba engabalwisi, ekhiphe izinkemba. Kodwa lesisixuku sajikijela amatshe endaweni yomhlangano, futhi kamuva, nasesakhiweni okwakuhlala kuso izithunywa zevangeli.

Abefundisi bamaRoma Katolika baye baba phambili ekushushiseni, kodwa akubanga yibo bodwa. Abefundisi bobu-Orthodox bamaGreki baye baba nobutha obufanayo futhi baye basebenzisa amasu afanayo, beciciyela ethonyeni elilinganiselwe abanalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho benomuzwa wokuthi babengakwenza, abaningi babefundisi bamaProthestani baye babonisa umoya ofanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, e-Indonesia baye bahola izixuku ezaphazamisa izifundo zeBhayibheli ezaziqhutshwa emizini yabantu futhi ngonya zashaya oFakazi BakaJehova ababekhona. Kwamanye amazwe ase-Afrika, baye bazama ukuthonya izikhulu ukuba zixoshe oFakazi BakaJehova ezweni noma zingabaniki inkululeko yokukhuluma nabanye ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nakuba bengase bangavumelani kwezinye izinto, abefundisi bamaKatolika namaProthestani bebonke bayavumelana ekuphikiseni kwabo oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngezinye izikhathi baye bahlangana ekuzameni ukuthonya izikhulu zikahulumeni ukuba zivale umsebenzi woFakazi. Lapho izinkolo ezingezona ezobuKristu ziye zabusa ukuphila, nazo ngokuvamile ziye zasebenzisa uhulumeni ukuze zivikele abantu bazo ukuba bangazitholi izimfundiso ezingase zibabangele ukuba bangabaze inkolo abazalelwa kuyo.

Ngezinye izikhathi, amaqembu angewona awobuKristu aye ahlangana nabazibiza ngamaKristu ekusunguleni amasu okulondoloza isimo esikhona esingokwenkolo. EDekin, eDahomey (manje eyiBenin), umpristi we-juju nompristi ongumKatolika babopha uzungu lokwenza izikhulu zivale umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova ekuqaleni kwawo-1950. Bephelelwe yithemba basungula amacala ababezobabeka wona okwakuhloswe ukuba abangele zonke izinhlobo zemizwa yenzondo. Bamangalela oFakazi ngokuthi babenxusa abantu ukuba bavukele uhulumeni, babengakhokhi izintela, babebangela ukuba ama-juju abo angayilethi imvula, futhi babenecala ngokungaphumeleli kwemithandazo yompristi. Bonke abaholi benkolo abanjalo babesaba ukuthi abantu babo bangase bafunde ngezinto ezaziyobakhulula ezinkolelweni ezisekelwe ezeni nasekuphileni ngokulalela kobuwula.

Nokho, kancane kancane ithonya labefundisi lancipha ezindaweni eziningi. Abefundisi bathola ukuthi manje amaphoyisa awasabasekeli ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho behlukumeza oFakazi. Lapho umpristi wobu-Orthodox bamaGreki ezama ukuwumisa phakathi umhlangano omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova esebenzisa ubudlova beviyo lezichwensi eLarissa, eGreece, ngo-1986, ummeli wesifunda kanye nebutho elikhulu lamaphoyisa bangenela ngenjongo yokusiza oFakazi. Futhi ngezinye izikhathi abezindaba baye bazilahla ngokungagwegwesi izenzo zokungabekezeli kwenkolo.

Nokho, ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, ezinye izimpikiswano ziye zaholela emagagasini oshushiso. Enye yalezizimpikiswano iye yahilela isimo sengqondo soFakazi BakaJehova ngokuqondene nezifanekiselo zesizwe.

Ngoba Bakhulekela UJehova Kuphela

Ezikhathini zanamuhla kwaqala eJalimane lobuNazi ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova ngendlela evelele babhekane nezimpikiswano ezihilela imikhosi yesizwe. UHitler wazama ukubusa izwe laseJalimane ngokuyenza ibe impoqo indesheni yamaNazi yokuthi “Heil Hitler!” Njengoba kwabika intatheli yaseSweden nomsakazi we-BBC uBjörn Hallström, lapho oFakazi BakaJehova eJalimane beboshwa phakathi nenkathi yobuNazi, amacala ababebekwa wona ayevame ukuhlanganisa “ukwenqaba ukushayela ifulege indesheni nokushaya indesheni yamaNazi.” Ngokushesha amanye amazwe aqala ukufuna ngenkani ukuba bonke abantu bawashayele indesheni amafulege awo. OFakazi BakaJehova benqaba—hhayi ngoba bengathembekile kodwa ngenxa yezizathu zikanembeza wobuKristu. Bayalihlonipha ifulege kodwa babheka ukushayela ifulege indesheni njengesenzo sokukhulekela.f

Ngemva kokuba sekuboshwe oFakazi abacishe babe ngu-1 200 eJalimane ekuqaleni kwenkathi yobuNazi ngenxa yokwenqaba ukushaya indesheni yamaNazi nokwenza ngokuphambene nokungathathi-hlangothi kwabo kobuKristu, izinkulungwane zahlukunyezwa emzimbeni e-United States ngenxa yokwenqaba ukulishayela indesheni ifulege laseMelika. Phakathi nesonto lika-November 4, 1935, abantwana besikole abaningi eCanonsburg, ePennsylvania, bayiswa endlini yesikole kabhayela futhi bebulwa ngesiswebhu ngenxa yokwenqaba ukushaya indesheni. UGrace Estep, owayenguthisha, wayekiswa umsebenzi kulesosikole ngesizathu esifanayo. Ngo-November 6, uWilliam noLillian Gobitas benqaba ukushayela ifulege indesheni base bexoshwa esikoleni eMinersville, ePennsylvania. Uyise wamangalela isikole ukuze izingane zakhe zibuyiselwe esikoleni. Inkantolo yesifunda yombuso wamazwe ahlangane nenkantolo yesigodi yokudlulisela amacala yakhipha isinqumo esasivuna oFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, ngo-1940, njengoba izwe lalisonqenqemeni lwempi, iNkantolo Ephakeme yase-U.S., ecaleni okuthiwa i-Minersville School District v. Gobitis, ngesinqumo samavoti angu-8 kweyodwa, yasekela ukushayelwa kwefulege indesheni okuphoqelelwe ezikoleni zomphakathi. Lokhu kwaholela ekubeni oFakazi BakaJehova baphathwe ngobudlova ezweni lonke.

Izikhathi eziningi oFakazi BakaJehova babehlaselwa ngobudlova kangangokuba uNkk. Eleanor Roosevelt (umkaMongameli F. D. Roosevelt) wanxusa umphakathi ukuba upheze. Ngo-June 16, 1940, umsizi wommeli omkhulu wase-U.S., uFrancis Biddle, ohlelweni lomsakazo olufinyelela kuyo yonke indawo, wakhuluma ngokukhethekile ngezenzo zobudlova ezazenziwa koFakazi futhi wathi zazingeke zibekezelelwe. Kodwa lokhu akuzange kuzivimbele.

Ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimo ezingase zicatshangwe—emigwaqweni, ezindaweni zomsebenzi, lapho oFakazi beya emizini yabantu lapho besenkonzweni yabo—kwakumiswa amafulege phambi kwabo, bese kuthiwa abawashayele indesheni ngenkani—uma kungenjalo babhekane nemiphumela emibi! Ekupheleni kuka-1940, i-Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses yabika: “ISigaba Sabefundisi NeButho LaseMelika, ngamaviyo ezichwensi anjalo angalindi ukuba kube umthetho othatha isinyathelo, ngobudlova baye babangela umonakalo ongachazeki. Ofakazi bakaJehova baye bahlaselwa, bashaywa, bathunjwa, baxoshwa emadolobheni, emazweni nasemibusweni, bathelwa ngetiyela base bananyekwa izimpaphe, baphoqwa ukuba baphuze i-castor oil, baboshelwa ndawonye futhi bajahwa emigwaqweni njengezilo ezingenangqondo, baphucwa ubungqabavu babo futhi benziwa bakhubazeka emzimbeni, bagconwa futhi bahlanjalazwa izixuku ezazinamademoni, abaningi bagqunywa ejele kungenacala ababekwe lona futhi bagcinwa bengaxhumani nabantu futhi bancishwa ilungelo lokuthintana nezihlobo, abangane noma abameli. Amanye amakhulu amaningi aye agqunywa ejele agcinwa kulokho okuthiwa ‘amajele okuvikela’; abanye baye badutshulwa ebusuku; abanye basongelwa ngokulengiswa futhi bashaywa baze baquleka. Kuye kwaba nezinhlobonhlobo zobudlova bamaviyo ezichwensi. Abanye baye badatshulelwa izingubo zabo bezigqokile, baphucwa amaBhayibheli nezincwadi zabo futhi zashiswa phambi kweningi; izimoto zabo, omahamba-nendlwana, imizi nezindawo zemihlangano emikhulu kwacekelwa phansi futhi kwashiswa . . . Ezimweni eziningi lapho amacala equlwa emiphakathini ebuswa amaviyo ezichwensi, abameli kanye nofakazi baye bahlaselwa izichwensi futhi bashaywa lapho inkantolo isaqhubeka. Cishe zonke izimo okuye kwaba nobudlova bezichwensi kuzo izikhulu zomphakathi ziye zangenza lutho futhi zenqaba ukuvikela oFakazi, futhi ezimweni eziningi izikhulu zomthetho ziye zahlanganyela nezichwensi futhi ngezinye izikhathi eqinisweni ziye zahola izichwensi.” Kusukela ngo-1940 kuya ku-1944, izichwensi ezinobudlova ezingaphezu kwezingu-2 500 zahlasela oFakazi BakaJehova e-United States.

Ngenxa yokuxoshwa kwabantwana abaningi boFakazi BakaJehova esikoleni, esikhathini esithile ngasekupheleni kwawo-1930 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1940 kwadingeka bavule ezabo siqu izikole e-United States naseCanada ukuze bafundise abantwana babo. Lezi zazibizwa ngokuthi iZikole ZoMbuso.

Amanye amazwe nawo aye abashushisa ngonya oFakazi ngenxa yokwenqaba kwabo ukuzishayela indesheni noma ukuziqabula izifanekiselo zesizwe. Ngo-1959, abantwana boFakazi BakaJehova eCosta Rica ababengenakuhlanganyela kulokho umthetho owawukuchaza ngokuthi ‘ukukhulekela iziMpawu Zesizwe’ babengavunyelwa ukuba baye ezikoleni. Abantwana boFakazi bathola impatho efanayo naseParaguay ngo-1984. INkantolo Ephakeme ePhilippines ngo-1959 yanquma ukuthi, naphezu kokuba lokhu kumelene nenkolo yabo, abantwana boFakazi BakaJehova babengase baphoqwe ukuba bashayele ifulege indesheni. Nokho, iziphathimandla zesikole, ezimweni eziningi, zazibambisana noFakazi ukuze abantwana babo bafunde esikoleni bengenzi okuphambene nonembeza babo. Ngo-1963, izikhulu zaseLiberia, eNtshonalanga Afrika, zamangalela oFakazi ngokuthi abathembekile eMbusweni; zaphazamisa ngenkani umhlangano omkhulu woFakazi eGbarnga futhi zafuna ngenkani ukuba wonke umuntu okhona—abaseLiberia nabakwamanye amazwe—banikeze isiqinisekiso sokuthembeka efulegeni lesizwe. Ngo-1976 umbiko owawunesihloko esithi “OFakazi BakaJehova ECuba” wathi phakathi neminyaka emibili eyayandulele, abazali abayinkulungwane, besilisa nabesifazane, babeboshiwe ngoba abantwana babo bengazange bashayele ifulege indesheni.

Akubona bonke abantu abaye bavumelana nezinyathelo ezicindezelayo ezithathelwa abantu, abaye benqaba ngenhlonipho ukuhlanganyela emikhosini yokushisekela izwe ngenxa yezizathu zikanembeza. I-Open Forum, eyakhishwa i-Southern California Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, ngo-1941 yathi: “Kumelwe sihluzeke ezingqondweni ngokuqondene nendaba yokushayela ifulege indesheni. OFakazi BakaJehova abawona amaMelika angathembekile. . . . Ngokuvamile abawuphuli umthetho, kodwa baphila ukuphila okungcono nokuhlelekile, bafeza ingxenye yabo enhlala-kahleni yawo wonke umuntu.” Ngo-1976 umhleli wephephandaba e-Argentina, kuyi-Herald yaseBuenos Aires, waphawula ngokungagunci ukuthi “izinkolelo [zoFakazi] zicasula kuphela labo abacabanga ukuthi ukushisekela izwe ngokuyinhloko kuhilela ukuphakamisa ifulege nokucula iculo lesizwe, akuyona into esenhliziyweni.” Wanezela: “UHitler noStalin bakuthola kunzima ukubekezelela [oFakazi], base bebaphatha ngonya. Abanye omashiqela abaningi abalangazela ukuba kwenziwe ngokuvumelana nemithetho yabo bazama ukubacindezela. Kodwa bahluleka.”

Kuyaziwa ukuthi amaqembu athile enkolo aye asekela ubudlova obenziwa kuhlonyiwe kohulumeni abangamukelwa yiwo. Kodwa akukho ndawo emhlabeni lapho oFakazi BakaJehova bake bahileleka khona ekuvukeleni okungokwezombangazwe. Ukwenqaba kwabo ukushayela isifanekiselo sesizwe indesheni akubangelwa ukungathembeki—ukusekela omunye uhulumeni wabantu. Bathatha ukuma okufanayo kuwo wonke amazwe abatholakala kuwo. Isimo sabo sengqondo akusona esendelelo. Abashayi amakhwela noma bamemeze ukuze baphazamise imikhosi yokushisekela izwe; abalikhafuleli ifulege, baligxobe ngezinyawo, noma balishise. Abamelene nohulumeni. Ukuma kwabo kusekelwe kulokho uJesu Kristu uqobo akusho, njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 4:10: “Wokhuleka [kuJehova, NW] uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.”

Ukuma okuthathwa oFakazi BakaJehova kufana nokwathathwa amaKristu okuqala ezinsukwini zoMbuso WaseRoma. NgalawomaKristu okuqala, incwadi ethi Essentials of Bible History ithi: “Isenzo sokukhulekela umbusi sasenziwa ngokufafaza izinhlamvu ezimbalwa zempepho noma amaconsi ambalwa ewayini e-altare elalimi phambi kwesithombe sombusi. Mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi sekukade lokho kwenzeka sibona lesosenzo singahlukile . . . ekuphakamiseni isandla ushayela ifulegi indesheni noma umbusi othile ovelele wombuso, ukubonakaliswa kokukhathalela, inhlonipho, nokushisekela izwe. Cishe abantu abaningi kakhulu ekhulwini lokuqala babezizwa ngaleyondlela kodwa hhayi amaKristu. Ayebheka sonke isimo njengokunye kokukhulekela okungokwenkolo, ukuqaphela ukuthi umbusi ungunkulunkulu futhi ngenxa yalokho kube ukungathembeki kuNkulunkulu noKristu, ngakho enqaba ukukwenza.”—Elmer W. K. Mould, 1951, k. 563.

Ukuzondelwa ‘Ukungabi Abezwe’

Ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wathi abafundi bakhe babengeke babe “abezwe,” oFakazi BakaJehova abahlanganyeli ezindabeni zalo zezombangazwe. (Joh. 17:16, NW; 6:15) Nakulokhu, banjengamaKristu okuqala, izazi-mlando eziye zathi ngawo:

“UbuKristu bokuqala babungaqondakali neze futhi babungathandeki kulabo ababebusa izindawo zamaqaba. . . . AmaKristu ayenqaba ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini ethile yezakhamuzi zaseRoma. . . . Ayengazamukeli izikhundla kwezombangazwe.” (On the Road to Civilization—A World History, ka-A. K. Heckel noJ. G. Sigman, 1937, kk. 237-8) “Enqaba ukuba nanoma iyiphi ingxenye ekuphathweni kwezwe noma ekuvikeleni umbuso kwezempi. . . . Kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba amaKristu abe amasosha, izimantshi, noma amakhosana ngaphandle kokushiya umsebenzi ongcwele nangaphezulu.”—History of Christianity, ka-Edward Gibbon, 1891, kk. 162-3.

Izwe alikuthandi lokhu kuma, ikakhulukazi emazweni lapho ababusi befuna khona ukuba wonke umuntu ahlanganyele emisebenzini ethile njengobufakazi bokuthi uyasisekela isimiso sezombangazwe. Umphumela unjengoba uJesu asho: “Uma beningabezwe, izwe belizakuthanda okwalo, kepha lokhu ningesibo abezwe kodwa nganikhetha mina ezweni, kungalokho izwe linizonda.”—Joh. 15:19.

Kwamanye amazwe, ukuvota okhethweni lwezombangazwe kubhekwa njengokuyimfuneko. Uma umuntu ehluleka ukuvota uyahlawuliswa, aboshwe, noma kwenziwe okubi kunalokho. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova basekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wobuMesiya, lowo, njengoba uJesu asho, ‘ongesiwo owalelizwe.’ Ngakho-ke, abahlanganyeli ezindabeni zezombangazwe zezizwe zalelizwe. (Joh. 18:36) Isinqumo singesomuntu siqu; abaphoqeleli imibono yabo kwabanye. Lapho inkolo ingabekezelelwa nhlobo, izikhulu zikahulumeni ziye zasebenzisa ukungabi nangxenye koFakazi njengezaba zokubashushisa ngonya. Ngokwesibonelo, phakathi nenkathi yobuNazi lokhu kwakwenziwa emazweni ayelawulwa ubuNazi. Kuye kwenziwa lokhu naseCuba. Nokho, izikhulu emazweni amaningi ziye zababekezelela.

Nokho, kwezinye izindawo ababusi baye bafuna ukuba wonke umuntu abonise ukusekela kwakhe iqembu lezombangazwe eliphethe ngokumemeza iziqubulo ezithile. Ngenxa yokuthi unembeza wawungazivumeli ukuba zenze lokho, izinkulungwane zoFakazi BakaJehova ezingxenyeni ezisempumalanga ne-Afrika zashaywa, zancishwa indlela yazo yokuziphilisa futhi zaxoshwa emizini yazo phakathi nawo-1970 nawo-1980. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova kuwo wonke amazwe, nakuba bekhuthele futhi begcina umthetho, bangamaKristu angathathi-hlangothi ezindabeni zezombangazwe.

EMalawi, kuneqembu elilodwa kuphela lezombangazwe, futhi ukuba nekhadi laleliqembu kubonisa ukuthi umuntu uyilungu. Nakuba oFakazi beyisibonelo ekukhokheni izintela zabo, ngokuvumelana nezinkolelo zabo zenkolo, bayenqaba ukuthenga amakhadi eqembu lezombangazwe. Ukwenza kanjalo bekuyoba ukuphika ukukholelwa kwabo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokhu, ekupheleni kuka-1967, ekhuthazwa izikhulu zikahulumeni, amaqembu entsha kulo lonke elaseMalawi aqalisa ukuhlasela oFakazi BakaJehova okwakunokungcola nonya olwedlulele ngendlela eyayingakaze ibonwe. Abesifazane abangamaKristu abashisekayo abangaphezu kwenkulungwane badlwengulwa. Abanye bahlutshuliswa phambi kwezihlwele zabantu, bashaywa ngezinduku nangezibhakela, futhi bahlaselwa ngokobulili abantu abahlukahlukene. Kwabethelwa izipikili ezinyaweni zabesilisa nezipokwe zamabhayisikili emilenzeni, base beyalwa ukuba bagijime. Ezweni lonke imizi yabo, izimpahla zasendlini, izingubo zokugqoka, kanye nokudla kwacekelwa phansi.

Nango-1972, kwaqubuka unya olunjalo oluvuselelwe ngemva komhlangano we-Malawi Congress Party. Kulowomhlangano kwanqunywa ngokomthetho ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova baxoshwe emisebenzini yokuziphilisa futhi baxoshwe nasemizini yabo. Ngisho nezicelo zabaqashi zokugcina lezizisebenzi ezithembekile zaba yize. Imizi, izitshalo, izilwane ezifuywayo kwathathwa noma kwacekelwa phansi. OFakazi banqatshelwa ukukha amanzi emthonjeni okulelodolobhana. Abaningi kakhulu bashaywa, badlwengulwa, benziwa bakhubazeka emzimbeni, noma babulawa. Phakathi naso sonke lesisikhathi, babegconwa futhi behlekwa usulu ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Abangaphezu kuka-34 000 ekugcineni babaleka kulelizwe ukuze bagweme ukubulawa.

Kodwa akugcinanga lapho. Kuqala ezweni elilodwa kwase kuba kwamanye, baphoqwa ukuba baphindele emngceleni kubashushisi babo, ukuze babhekane nonya olwengeziwe. Nokho, naphezu kwakho konke lokho, abazange bahlehle, futhi abazange bakulahle ukuba kwabo nokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Baba njengalezozinceku ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli elithi ngazo: “Abanye balingwa ngokujivazwa nokushaywa, yebo, nokuboshwa nokufakwa etilongweni; bakhandwa ngamatshe, banqunywa ngesaha, balingwa, babulawa ngenkemba, bazulazula bembethe izikhumba zezimvu nezezimbuzi, beswela, behlushwa, bephathwa kabi, izwe [lali]ngabafanele.”—Heb. 11:36-38.

Bashushiswa Kuzo Zonke Izizwe

Ingabe yizizwe zomhlaba ezimbalwa uma kuqhathaniswa eziye zabonisa ngoshushiso olunjalo olungokwenkolo ukuthi zazizenzisa uma zithi kunenkululeko? Lutho neze! UJesu Kristu waxwayisa abalandeli bakhe: “Niyakuzondwa yizizwe zonke ngenxa yegama lami.”—Math. 24:9.

Phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zalesisimiso sezinto, kusukela ngo-1914, leyonzondo iye yaqina ngokukhethekile. ICanada ne-United States yahola ekuhlaseleni ngokuvala izincwadi zeBhayibheli phakathi nempi yezwe yokuqala, futhi ngokushesha yajoyinwa iNdiya neNyasaland (manje ebizwa ngokuthi iMalawi). Phakathi nawo-1920, abaFundi BeBhayibheli banqatshelwa nakuba kungenamthetho owawukusekela lokho eGreece, eHungary, e-Italy, eRomania, naseSpain. Kwezinye zalezizindawo, ukusakazwa kwezincwadi zeBhayibheli kwakwenqatshelwe; ngezinye izikhathi, ngisho nemihlangano yangasese yayinqatshelwe. Amazwe engeziwe ahlanganyela ekuhlaseleni phakathi nawo-1930, lapho kuvinjelwa (oFakazi BakaJehova; noma, izincwadi zabo) e-Albania, e-Austria, eBulgaria, e-Estonia, eLatvia, eLithuania, ePoland, ezifundeni ezithile zaseSwitzerland, endaweni eyayaziwa ngokuthi iYugoslavia, eGold Coast (manje eyiGhana), ezindaweni zeFrance ezise-Afrika, eTrinidad, naseFiji.

Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, kwakuvinjelwe oFakazi BakaJehova, inkonzo yabo yasobala, kanye nezincwadi zabo zeBhayibheli ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba. Lokhu akwenzekanga eJalimane, e-Italy, naseJapane kuphela—okungamazwe ayebuswa ngomashiqela—kodwa nasemazweni amaningi ababewalawula ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile ngaphambi kwempi noma phakathi nayo. Phakathi kwalawa kwakukhona ne-Albania, i-Austria, iBelgium, iCzechoslovakia, i-Korea, iNetherlands, iNetherlands East Indies (manje eyi-Indonesia), neNorway. Phakathi nayelominyaka yempi, i-Argentina, iBrazil, iFinland, iFrance, neHungary wonke lamazwe akhipha imithetho emelene noFakazi BakaJehova noma umsebenzi wabo.

IBrithani ayizange iwunqabele ngokuqondile umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova phakathi nempi, kodwa yaxosha umbonisi wegatsha we-Watch Tower Society owayezalelwe eMelika futhi yazama ukucindezela umsebenzi woFakazi ngokunqabela ukuthunyelwa kwezincwadi zabo zeBhayibheli ngesikhathi sempi. Kuwo wonke uMbuso waseBrithani neBritish Commonwealth of Nations, oFakazi BakaJehova bavinjelwa ngokuqondile noma kwenqatshelwa izincwadi zabo. I-Australia, Bahamas, Basutoland (manje eyiLesotho), Bechuanaland (manje eyiBotswana), British Guiana (manje eyiGuyana), Burma (manje eyiMyanmar), Canada, Ceylon (manje eyiSri Lanka), Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, Gold Coast (manje eyiGhana), Jamaica, Leeward Islands (B.W.I.), iNdiya, New Zealand, Nigeria, iNingizimu Afrika, iNingizimu Rhodesia (manje eyiZimbabwe), iNyakatho Rhodesia (manje eyiZambia), iNyasaland (manje eyiMalawi), Singapore, naseSwazini wonke lamazwe athatha isinyathelo esinjalo ukuze abonise inzondo yawo ezincekwini zikaJehova.

Ngemva kokuba impi isiphelile, lwanqamuka ushushiso olwaluvela kwamanye amaqembu kodwa lwanda olwaluvela kwamanye. Phakathi neminyaka engu-45 eyalandela, naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova babengaqashelwa ngokomthetho emazweni amaningi, bavinjelwa ngokuqondile bona noma imisebenzi yabo emazweni angu-23 ase-Afrika, angu-9 ase-Asia, amathathu aseLatin America, angu-8 aseYurophu, namane kwathile ayiziqhingi. Ngo-1992, oFakazi BakaJehova babesavinjelwe emazweni angu-24.

Lokhu akusho ukuthi zonke izikhulu zikahulumeni ziyawuphikisa umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova. Izikhulu eziningi zisekela inkululeko engokwenkolo futhi ziyaqaphela ukuthi oFakazi bawusizo emphakathini. Amadoda anjalo awavumelani nalabo abagqugquzela ukuba kuthathwe isinyathelo esingokomthetho ngokumelene noFakazi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi kokuba i-Ivory Coast (manje eyiCôte d’Ivoire), ibe izwe elizimele, lapho umpristi ongumKatolika nomfundisi waseWeseli bezama ukuthonya isikhulu esithile ukuba sixoshe oFakazi BakaJehova kulelizwe, bathola ukuthi babekhuluma nezikhulu ezazingazimisele ukuvumela abefundisi bazuze ngazo. Lapho isikhulu esithile sizama ukuhlela ukuba umthetho waseNamibia, ngo-1990, ubandlulule ababaleki ababaziwa ngokuthi bangoFakazi BakaJehova, uMkhandlu Ophethe awuzange ukuvumele. Futhi emazweni amaningi oFakazi BakaJehova ababeke bavinjelwa kuwo, manje baqashelwa ngokomthetho.

Nokho, ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba, oFakazi BakaJehova bayashushiswa. (2 Thim. 3:12) Kwezinye izindawo, loloshushiso ngokuyinhloko lungase luvele emalungwini omkhaya anonya, izihlobo eziphikisayo, noma abantu umuntu asebenza nabo noma afunda nabo ababonisa ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abashushisi bangobani noma ukuthi bazama kangakanani ukuthethelela lokho abakwenzayo oFakazi BakaJehova bayaqonda ukuthi yini ngempela ebangela ukushushiswa kwamaKristu eqiniso.

Impikiswano

Sekuyisikhathi eside izincwadi ze-Watch Tower ziveza ukuthi ngolimi olungokomfanekiso incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli yabikezela ngobutha, noma inzondo uSathane uDeveli nalabo abalawulayo ababeyoba nayo ngenhlangano kaJehova yasezulwini nangabameleli bayo basemhlabeni. (Gen. 3:15; Joh. 8:38, 44; IsAm. 12:9, 17) Ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1925, INqabayokulinda iye yabonisa ngokusekelwe emiBhalweni ukuthi zimbili kuphela izinhlangano ezinkulu ezikhona—ekaJehova nekaSathane. Futhi, njengoba eyoku-1 Johane 5:19 (NW) isho, “izwe lonke”—okungukuthi, sonke isintu esingaphandle kwenhlangano kaJehova—“lisemandleni omubi.” Kungakho wonke amaKristu eqiniso eshushiswa.—Joh. 15:20.

Kodwa kungani uNkulunkulu ekuvumela? Ingabe kunobuhle obuthile obufezwayo? UJesu Kristu wachaza ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba yena njengeNkosi yasezulwini achoboze uSathane nenhlangano yakhe embi, kwakuyoba nokuhlukaniswa kwabantu bazo zonke izizwe, ngendlela umelusi waseMpumalanga Ephakathi ahlukanisa ngayo izimvu nezimbuzi. Abantu babeyonikwa ithuba lokuzwa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokumelela uhlangothi lwawo. Lapho abamemezeli balowoMbuso beshushiswa, umbuzo uphakama nakakhulu: Ingabe labo abezwa ngawo bayokwenza okuhle ‘kubafowabo’ bakaKristu nabangane babo futhi kanjalo babonise uthando ngoKristu ngokwakhe? Noma ingabe bayohlanganyela nalabo ababaphatha kabi labameleli boMbuso kaNkulunkulu—noma mhlawumbe bathule lapho abanye benza lokho? (Math. 25:31-46; 10:40; 24:14) Abanye eMalawi bakubona ngokucacile ukuthi obani ababekhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi bahlanganyela noFakazi ababeshushiswa. Iziboshwa eziningi kanye nonogada emakamu okuhlushwa eJalimane benza okufanayo.

Nakuba bemangalelwa ngamanga futhi behlukunyezwa emzimbeni, begconwa nokugconwa ngenxa yokuba kwabo nokholo kuNkulunkulu, oFakazi BakaJehova abazizwa beshiyiwe uNkulunkulu. Bayazi ukuthi uJesu Kristu wabhekana nezinto ezifanayo. (Math. 27:43) Futhi bayazi ukuthi ngokuba qotho kwakhe kuJehova, uJesu wabonakalisa uDeveli engumqambimanga futhi waba nengxenye ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaYise. Kuyisifiso sabo bonke oFakazi BakaJehova ukwenza okufanayo.—Math. 6:9.

Impikiswano ayikhona ukuthi bangamelana yini nokuhlushwa futhi basinde ekufeni. UJesu Kristu wabikezela ukuthi abanye babalandeli bakhe babeyobulawa. (Math. 24:9) Naye ngokwakhe wabulawa. Kodwa akazange avumelane neSitha esikhulu sikaNkulunkulu, uSathane uDeveli, “umbusi walelizwe.” UJesu walinqoba izwe. (Joh. 14:30; 16:33) Khona-ke, impikiswano iwukuthi abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso bayohlala bethembekile yini kuye naphezu kwanoma yibuphi ubunzima abangase babhekane nabo noma cha. OFakazi BakaJehova bosuku lwanamuhla baye banikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi bacabanga njengomphostoli uPawulu, owabhala: “Uma siphila, siphilela iNkosi; uma sifa, sifela iNkosi. Ngakho-ke noma siphila noma sifa, singabeNkosi.”—Roma 14:8.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 642]

Abashushisi bakaJesu Kristu abavelele kwakungabaholi benkolo

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 645]

“Ukumisa, noma ukugunyaza, kukaNkulunkulu noma yimuphi umuntu ukuba ashumayele ukwenza ngokudlulisela uMoya wakhe oNgcwele kuye”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 647]

Incwadi i-“Finished Mystery” yabudalula ngokungagwegwesi ubuzenzisi babefundisi beLobukholwa!

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 650]

Abesilisa nabesifazane abangamaKristu bahlaselwa amaviyo ezichwensi, bagqunywa ejele, futhi bagcinwa lapho kungenacala ababekwe lona noma bengazange baquliswe

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 652]

“Lezizigwebo zokuboshwa ngokucacile zinkulu ngokweqile”—Umongameli wase-U.S. uWoodrow Wilson

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 656]

Wayengabuboniswa neze ubulungisa umuntu owayengakwenzi lokho umpristi ayekusho

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 666]

Abapristi banxusa othisha ukuba badedele izingane esikoleni ukuze ziyojikijela oFakazi ngamatshe

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 668]

Abefundisi babumbana ukuze baphikise oFakazi

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 671]

Amaviyo ezichwensi ahlasela oFakazi BakaJehova e-United States

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 676]

Kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba, oFakazi BakaJehova bayashushiswa

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 655]

Abefundisi Baveza Imizwa Yabo

Ukusabela kwamaphephandaba enkolo ekugwetshweni kukaJ. F. Rutherford nabangane bakhe ngo-1918 kuyaphawuleka:

◆ I-“Christian Register”: “Lokho uHulumeni akusho ngokucace kakhulu lapha ukucabangela kokuthi imibono yenkolo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iwukusangana futhi iyingozi kangakanani, ingase iqhutshekiselwe phambili ngaphandle kwesijeziso. Lokhu kucabangela kuwukukhohlisa okudala, futhi kuze kube manje siye sangakunaka ngokweqile. . . . Lesisigwebo sibonakala sizobuqeda ubuRussell.”

◆ I-“Western Recorder,” yamaBaptist, yathi: “Akumangalisi ukuthi umholi walenkolo engathandeki kufanele agcinwe kwenye yezindawo zokugcina abantu abanenkani. . . . Okuyiyona nkinga eyindida kulokhu ukuthi abamangalelwe bekufanele bathunyelwe esibhedlela sezinhlanya yini noma ejele.”

◆ I-“Fortnightly Review” yadonsela ukunakekela kulokho okwashiwo kuyi-“Evening Post” yaseNew York, eyathi: “Sethemba ukuthi abafundisa ngenkolo yonke indawo bazowuphawula umbono walelijaji wokuthi ukufundisa nganoma iyiphi inkolo uma kungavumelani ngokuphelele nemithetho emisiwe kuwubugebengu obubi obuba bubi nakakhulu, uma kuzothi uyisikhonzi sevangeli ujike ube qotho.”

◆ I-“Continent” ngokugcona yabiza abamangalelwa ngokuthi “abalandeli ‘bakaMelusi’ uRussell ongasekho” futhi yasonta izinkolelo zabo ngokuba ithi babethi “bonke abantu ngaphandle kwezoni kwakufanele bakhululwe ekulweni nombusi waseJalimane.” Yathi ngokommeli omkhulu eWashington, “uhulumeni wase-Italy esikhathini esithile esidlule wayethumele isikhalo e-United States esiphathelene nokuthi uRutherford nabangane bakhe . . . babesakaze emabuthweni ase-Italy inkulumo-ze ngokumelene nempi.”

◆ Esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva i-“Christian Century” yanyathelisa amaningi amazwi ashiwo ngenhla, ibonisa ukuthi yayivumelana ngokugcwele nokwakwenzeka.

◆ Umagazini wamaKatolika i-“Truth” wabika kafushane ngesigwebo esasinikeziwe wawusuveza imizwa yabahleli bawo, uthi: “Izincwadi zalenhlangano zigcwele izinto ezingathandeki eziwukuhlaselwa okubi kakhulu kweSonto lamaKatolika nabapristi balo.” Uzama ukwenza noma ubani ongase angavumelani neSonto lamaKatolika abonakale “evukela umbuso,” wanezela: “Kuya kuba sobala ngokwengeziwe ukuthi umoya wokungabekezeli uhlotshaniswa ngokuseduze nokuvukela umbuso.”

◆ UDkt. Ray Abrams, encwadini yakhe ethi “Preachers Present Arms,” waphawula: “Lapho izindaba zezigwebo zeminyaka engamashumi amabili zifinyelela ezindlebeni zabahleli bamaphephandaba enkolo, cishe wonke lamaphephandaba, amakhulu namancane, ajabula ngalesisehlakalo. Ngihlulekile ukuthola noma yimaphi amazwi ozwela kunoma yimuphi womagazini benkolo abamukelwayo.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 660]

“Ukushushiswa Ngenxa Yezizathu Ezingokwenkolo”

“EKamu Lokuhlushwa eMauthausen kwakuneqembu labantu elalishushiswa ngenxa yezizathu ezingokwenkolo kuphela: amalungu ehlelo ‘labaFundi BeBhayibheli Abaqotho,’ noma ‘oFakazi BakaJehova’ . . . Ukwenqaba kwabo isifungo sokuba qotho kuHitler kanye nokwenqaba kwabo ukwenza noma iyiphi inkonzo yezempi—okwakubangelwa inkolelo yabo ngokuphathelene nezombangazwe—yikhona ababekushushiselwa.”—“Die Geschichte des Konzentrationslagers Mauthausen” (Umlando Wekamu Lokuhlushwa LaseMauthausen), eyafakazelwa uHans Maršálek, eVienna, e-Austria, ngo-1974.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 661]

Ukuhunyushwa Kwesaziso Ama-SS Ayezama Ukuphoqelela OFakazi Ukuba Basisayine

Ikamu Lokuhlushwa .......................................

UMnyango II

ISAZISO

Mina, ...................................................

owazalwa mhla ka- ...................................................

e ...................................................

ngenza isasizo esilandelayo:

1. Ngiye ngathola ukuthi i-International Bible Students Association imemezela izimfundiso eziyiphutha futhi ngaphansi kwesigubuzelo senkolo inezinjongo zobutha ngokumelene noMbuso.

2. Ngakho ngiye ngayishiya ngokuphelele lenhlangano futhi ngagqashula ngokuphelele ezimfundisweni zalelihlelo.

3. Nginikeza isiqinisekiso sokuthi angisoze ngiphinde ngibe nengxenye emsebenzini we-International Bible Students Association. Noma yibaphi abantu abakhuluma nami ngemfundiso yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, noma nganoma iyiphi indlela babonise ukuthi bahlobene nabo, ngiyobaphikisa ngokushesha. Zonke izincwadi ezivela kubaFundi BeBhayibheli okufanele zithunyelwe ekhelini lami ngizoziyisa ngokushesha esiteshini samaphoyisa.

4. Esikhathini esizayo ngiyoyihlonipha imithetho yoMbuso, ikakhulukazi uma kunempi, ngiphethe isikhali, ngiyolivikela izwe lokhokho bethu, futhi ngihlanganyele ngazo zonke izindlela nomphakathi.

5. Ngitsheliwe ukuthi uma nje ngingase ngenze ngokuphambene nalesisaziso engisinikeza namuhla ngokushesha ngiyophinde ngiyiswe ejele lokuvikela.

.................................., Usuku ................ ...........................................................

Isignesha

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 662]

Izincwadi Ezazivela Kwabanye Ababegwetshwe Intambo

Eyayivela kuFranz Reiter (owayezobulawa ngokunqunywa) iya kunina, ngo-January 6, 1940, esejele laseBerlin-Plötzensee:

“Ngikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi ngenza okufanele. Njengoba ngilapha, bengisenokuyishintsha indlela engicabanga ngayo, kodwa lokhu bekuyoba ukungathembeki kuNkulunkulu. Sonke esilapha sifisa ukuthembeka kuNkulunkulu, kube udumo kuye. . . . Ngokwalokho engikwaziyo, ukuba bengisamukele isifungo [sempi], bengiyobe ngenze isono okufanele ngife ngenxa yaso. Lokho bekuyoba ububi kimi. Bengingeke ngivuswe. Kodwa nginamathela kulokho uKristu akusho: ‘Osindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyolahlekelwa yikho; kodwa olahlekelwa ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami, uyokuzuza.’ Manje-ke, Mama wami othandekayo nani nonke bafowethu nodadewethu, namuhla ngazisiwe ngesigwebo sami, futhi ningesabi, singesokufa, ngizobulawa kusasa ekuseni. Nginamandla avela kuNkulunkulu, njengoba kwakunjalo ngawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso esikhathini esidlule. Abaphostoli bayabhala, ‘Ozelwe uNkulunkulu akoni.’ Lokhu kunjalo nakimi. Lokhu nginibonisile kona, futhi niyakubona. Mama othandekayo ungaphatheki kabi. Kungaba kuhle uma nonke ningayazi kangcono imiBhalo eNgcwele. Uma niyohlala niqinile kuze kube sekufeni, siyobuye sibonane ovukweni. . . .

“Yimina uFranz

“Size sibonane futhi.”

Eyayivela kuBerthold Szabo, owabulawa ibutho labadubulayo, eKörmend, eHungary, ngo-March 2, 1945:

“Dadewethu othandekayo, Marika!

“Ngalelihora nengxenye elisasele, ngizozama ukukubhalela ukuze ukwazi ukwazisa abazali bethu ngesimo sami, ngizokufa ngokushesha.

“Ngibafisela ukuthula kwengqondo okufana nalokhu enginakho kulemizuzu yokugcina kulelizwe eligcwele izinhlekelele. Manje yihora leshumi, futhi ngizobulawa seligamenxe ihora leshumi nanye; kodwa angikhathazekile neze. Ukuphila kwami kwesikhathi esizayo ngikushiyela kuJehova neNdodana yakhe eThandekayo, uJesu Kristu, iNkosi, abangasoze babakhohlwe labo ababathanda ngobuqotho. Ngiyazi futhi ukuthi ngokushesha kuzovuswa abafileyo, noma, labo abalele, kuKristu. Ngithanda futhi ukusho ngokukhethekile ukuthi nginifisela izibusiso zikaJehova ezicebile ngenxa yothando eningibonise lona. Ngicela ungiqabulele uBaba noMama, no-Annus. Bangakhathazeki ngami; sizobuye sibonane ngokushesha. Isandla sami siyaphumula manje, futhi ngizophumula kuze kube yilapho uJehova ephinda engibiza. Ngisho namanje ngizosifeza isifungo engisenze kuye.

“Isikhathi sami sesiphelile manje. Kwangathi uNkulunkulu angaba nani kanye nami.

“Ngikuthanda kakhulu, . . .

“UBerthi”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 663]

Baphawuleka Ngesibindi Nangezinkolelo Ezinamandla

◆ “Kumnyama kubomvu, oFakazi emakamu okuhlushwa babehlangana futhi bathandaze ndawonye, babekhiqiza izincwadi futhi beguqula abantu. Besekelwa ubudlelwane babo, futhi, ngokungafani nezinye iziboshwa eziningi, babezazi kahle izizathu zokuba khona kwezindawo ezinjalo nokuthi kungani kufanele bahlupheke kanjalo, oFakazi baba iqembu leziboshwa elincane kodwa elikhunjulwayo, elaliphawulwa ngophawu olunsomi olungunxantathu futhi babephawuleka ngesibindi sabo nangezinkolelo zabo ezinamandla.” Wabhala lokho uDkt. Christine King, kuyi-“Nazi State and the New Religions: Five Case Studies in Non-Conformity.”

◆ I-“Values and Violence in Auschwitz,” ka-Anna Pawełczyńska, ithi: “Leliqembu leziboshwa lalingamandla asekelwe embonweni oqinile futhi lanqoba empini yalo nobuNazi. AbaseJalimane balelihlelo baye baba iqembu elincane elaphikelela ngokungaguquki nakuba lalizungezwe isizwe esinovalo, futhi ngalowomoya wokungesabi laqhubeka lisebenza ekamu lase-Auschwitz. Lakwazi ukuzuza inhlonipho yeziboshwa elalikanye nazo . . . eyabasebenza ngeziboshwa, ngisho neyezikhulu zama-SS. Wonke umuntu wayazi ukuthi akukho ‘Bibelforscher’ [uFakazi KaJehova] owayengagcina umyalo ophambene nenkolelo yakhe engokwenkolo.”

◆ URudolf Hoess, emlandweni wokuphila kwakhe owabhalwa nguye, owakhishwa encwadini ethi “Commandant of Auschwitz,” walandisa ngokubulawa kwabathile boFakazi BakaJehova ngenxa yokwenqaba ukwenza ngokuphambene nokungathathi-hlangothi kwabo kobuKristu. Wathi: “Ngakho nginombono wokuthi kumelwe ukuba babenjani abafel’ ukholo bokuqala abangamaKristu njengoba babelindile enkundleni ukuba izilo zasendle zibadabule babe izicucu. Baya ekufeni ubuso babo bushintshe ngokuphelele, amehlo ebheke ezulwini, futhi izandla zabo zihlangene futhi ziphakanyisiwe bethandaza. Bonke abababona befa bathinteka ngokujulile, futhi ngisho neqembu elalibabulala lathinteka.” (Lencwadi yakhishwa ePoland inesihloko esithi “Autobiografia Rudolfa Hössa-komendanta obozu oświȩcimskiego.”)

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 673]

“Abaphikisani Nezwe”

“Abaphikisani nezwe; bamane nje basekela uhlangothi lukaJehova.” “Abalokothi bashise amakhadi ababuthwayo, bahlubuke . . . noma bahlanganyele kunoma yiluphi uhlobo lokuvukela umbuso.” “Ukuthembeka nobuqotho boFakazi abuguquki. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umuntu angase acabangeni ngoFakazi—abantu abaningi bacabanga izinto eziningi eziphambene—baphila ukuphila okuyisibonelo.”—“Telegram,” Toronto, Canada, July 1970.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 674]

Ubani Ophethe?

OFakazi BakaJehova bayazi ukuthi umthwalo wabo wemfanelo wokushumayela awuncikile ekusebenzeni kwe-Watch Tower Society noma nanoma iyiphi enye inhlangano engokomthetho. “Noma i-Watch Tower Society inganqatshelwa futhi amahhovisi ayo eGatsha emazweni ahlukahlukene avalwe ngenkani lapho umbuso uphazamisa! Lokho akukwenzi ize noma kukususe lokho abesilisa nabesifanane abazinikezele abakuphathiswe ngokwaphezulu ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu futhi awuthululele phezu kwabo umoya wakhe. Ukuthi ‘Shumayela!’ kulotshwe ngokucacile eZwini lakhe. Lomyalo uza ngaphambi kowanoma yimuphi umuntu.” (“INqabayokulinda” [yesiNgisi], December 15, 1949) Beqaphela ukuthi imiyalo abayilalelayo ivela kuJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu, bayaphikelela ekumemezeleni isigijimi soMbuso kungakhathaliseki ukuphikisa ababhekana nakho.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 677]

NjengamaKristu Okuqala

◆ “OFakazi BakaJehova banenkolo abayithatha ngokungathi sína ukwedlula iningi labantu. Izimiso zabo zisikhumbuza amaKristu okuqala ayengathandwa nhlobo futhi ayeshushiswa amaRoma ngonya olukhulu.”—“Akron Beacon Journal,” Akron, Ohio, September 4, 1951.

◆ “[AmaKristu okuqala] ayephila ukuphila okunokuthula, kokuziphatha okuhle, okuyisibonelo ngempela. . . . Kuzo zonke izici ayeyizakhamuzi eziyisibonelo ngaphandle kwasendabeni eyodwa yokushisa impepho.” “Njengoba ukwenza umhlatshelo kuMbusi kwakuhlala kuwuvivinyo lokushisekela izwe, ingabe iziphathimandla zombuso zazingakushaya indiva ukuphikelela kwalawomaKristu angalishisekeli izwe? Inkinga amaKristu azithola ekuyo ngenxa yalokho yayifana nsé naleyo, phakathi neminyaka yempi, ihlelo elinamandla elaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova elazithola likuyo e-United States ngokuqondene nendaba yokushayela ifulege lesizwe indesheni.” —“20 Centuries of Christianity,” kaPaul Hutchinson noWinfred Garrison, 1959, k. 31.

◆ “Mhlawumbe into ephawuleka kakhulu ngoFakazi ukuphikelela kwabo ekuthembekeni kuNkulunkulu ngokuyinhloko, ngaphezu kokuthembeka kunoma imuphi omunye umbuso emhlabeni.”—“These Also Believe,” kaDkt. C. S. Braden, 1949, k. 380.

[Izithombe ekhasini 644]

I-“Pittsburgh Gazette” yazisakaza kabanzi izinkulumo-mpikiswano ezaba khona ngemva kokuba uDkt. Eaton ecele uC. T. Russell inselele

[Isithombe ekhasini 646]

Abaphikisi basakaza kabanzi amanga aluhlaza ngokuqondene nezindaba zomshado kaCharles noMaria Russell

[Izithombe ekhasini 648]

Abefundisi bathukuthela lapho kusakazwa amakhophi angu-10 000 000 alelipheshana elalidalula izimfundiso nezenzo zabo ngokukhanyiselwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu

[Izithombe ekhasini 649]

Amaphephandaba abhebhethekisa amalangabi okushushiswa kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli ngo-1918

[Izithombe ekhasini 651]

Phakathi nokuqulwa kwecala lamalungu ezisebenzi zasendlunkulu yeNhlangano lapha, ngokuyinhloko ukunakekela kwakugxile encwadini ethi “The Finished Mystery”

Inkantolo yombuso wamazwe ahlangene kanye nendlu yaseposini, eBrooklyn, eN.Y.

[Izithombe ekhasini 653]

Athola isijeziso esasinzima ukwedlula esombulali okudubula kwakhe kwabangela iMpi Yezwe I. Kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla: uW. E. Van Amburgh, uJ. F. Rutherford, u-A. H. Macmillan, uR. J. Martin, uF. H. Robison, uC. J. Woodworth, uG. H. Fisher, uG. DeCecca

[Izithombe ekhasini 657]

Lapho lomhlangano woFakazi uqhutshwa eNew York ngo-1939, iqembu labacishe babe ngu-200 elaliholwa abapristi bamaKatolika lazama ukuwuphazamisa

[Izithombe ekhasini 659]

Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, izinkulungwane zoFakazi BakaJehova zagqunywa kulamakamu okuhlushwa

Uphawu logebhezi lwabaqaphi abangama-SS (kwesobunxele)

[Isithombe ekhasini 664]

Ingxenye yencwadi yokutadisha iBhayibheli encishiswe ngomshini, eyafakwa ebhokisini likamentshisi, yashushumbiselwa oFakazi ekamu lokuhlushwa

[Izithombe ekhasini 665]

Abanye boFakazi abalukholo lwabo lwakhuthazelela uvivinyo olukhulu lwasemakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi

EWewelsburg

EMauthausen

[Isithombe ekhasini 667]

Ubudlova beviyo lezichwensi ngaseMontreal, eQuebec, ngo-1945. Ubudlova obunjalo obabugqugquzelwa abefundisi ngokumelene noFakazi babuvamile phakathi nawo-1940 no-1950

[Isithombe ekhasini 669]

Izinkulungwane zoFakazi BakaJehova (kuhlanganise noJohn Booth, oboniswe lapha) zaboshwa lapho zisakaza izincwadi zeBhayibheli

[Izithombe ekhasini 670]

Ngemva kwesinqumo seNkantolo Ephakeme esasilahla oFakazi ngecala ngo-1940, ubudlova beviyo lezichwensi badlanga e-United States, imihlangano yayiphazanyiswa, oFakazi beshaywa, nempahla icekelwa phansi

[Izithombe ekhasini 672]

Ezindaweni eziningi kwadingeka kumiswe iZikole ZoMbuso ngoba abantwana boFakazi babexoshiwe ezikoleni zomphakathi