Ngathola Ingcebo Engenakulinganiswa
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUFLORENCE WIDDOWSON
Njengoba ukuhlwa kwakusondela, sanquma ukumisa ithende eduze komtata. Kwakungeyona indawo enhle yokumisa ithende ngabesifazane ababili, kodwa sacabanga ukuthi kwakuyoba okuphephile ukulala ubusuku obubodwa. Lapho ngimatasa nokugxumeka ithende, uMarjorie wayelungiselela ukudla kwakusihlwa.
NGANGISANDA kuqeda nje ukubethela isikhonkwane sokugcina sethende lapho ngibona ukunyakaza eduze kwesiqu esimnyama sesihlahla. “Usibonile lesiyasiqu sinyakaza?” ngibuza uMarjorie.
“Cha,” ephendula, edidekile kancane.
“Nokho, sinyakazile ngempela,” ngimemeza. “Nginikeze igedlela!”
Ngalithatha, kanye nembazo isehlombe lami, ngaqonda emtateni. Lapho sengicishe ngibe malungana nesiqu, kwaphuma indoda emva kwaso!
“Ingabe ayaphuzwa amanzi akulomtata?” ngakwazi ukungingiza.
“Cha, awaphuzwa” iphendula ngezwi elibhodlayo, “kodwa uma ufuna amanzi okuphuza, ngingakutholela wona.”
Ngalwenqaba ngokushesha usizo lwayo, futhi okwangikhulula kakhulu, ukuthi yaphenduka ngokushesha futhi yahamba. Ngiqhaqhazela, ngaphindela emuva ngokushesha futhi ngatshela uMarjorie okwakwenzekile. Sadiliza ngokushesha ithende, sapakisha, futhi sahamba. Kamuva satshelwa ukuthi leyondoda yayisanda kukhululwa nje ejele.
Nakuba ngokuvamile abahloli bamazwe babemisa amathende ezindaweni zase-Australia okumbiwa kuzo igolide emuva ngo-1937, thina sasingabahloli bamazwe bohlobo oluhlukile. Sasifuna abantu abayigugu kuNkulunkulu.
Isizinda Somkhaya Wakithi
Eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, ubaba wayewumkhandi wensimbi emzini omncane wasePorepunkah ezweni laseVictoria. Ngazalelwa lapho ngo-1895, futhi ngakhula nabafowethu abane eduze noMfula i-Ovens, ngaphansi kweNtaba iBuffalo. Abazali bami babeba khona njalo e-Union Church, futhi ngangiya kuSonto-sikole, lapho ubaba ayengumphathi khona.
Ngo-1909, uMama wahlaselwa isifo senhliziyo phakathi nesivunguvungu esinamandla futhi wafela ezandleni zikababa. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kuka-1914, omunye wabafowethu wahamba ekhaya, futhi emahoreni ambalwa kamuva, walethwa kithi—efile. Wayezibulele. Usizi lwethu lwandiswa imfundiso yesonto yokuthi wayelindele ukuya esihogweni somlilo, njengoba ukuzibulala kwakuthiwa kuyisono esingenakuthethelelwa.
Kamuva kulowonyaka kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe I, futhi abafowethu ababili bangena ohlwini lwenkonzo yobusosha phesheya. Izindaba ezesabekayo zokuchitheka kwegazi nokuhlupheka zashukumisela thina besifazane abasebasha abayisithupha, kanye nobaba, ukuba siqale isifundo sencwadi yeBhayibheli kaJohane.
Ukuthola Ingcebo Yeqiniso
U-Ellen Hudson wayenekhophi yencwadi ethi The Time Is at Hand, eyayibhalwe nguCharles Taze Russell. Intshiseko yakhe ngayo yasithonya sonke eqenjini. Lapho ephawula ukuthi lencwadi yayimane nje ingolunye lochungechunge lwemiqulu eyisithupha enesihloko esithi Studies in the Scriptures, wathumela incwadi kuyi-International Bible Students Association eMelbourne futhi wacela lonke olunye uchungechunge lwalemiqulu. Iqembu lethu lavumelana ngokusebenzisa umqulu wokuqala, onesihloko esithi The Divine Plan of the Ages, ezifundweni zethu zamasonto onke.
Cabanga ngenjabulo mina noBaba esaba nayo lapho sithola ukuthi asikho isihogo somlilo. Ukwesaba kokuthi umfowethu wayevalelwe esihogweni somlilo kwasuswa. Safunda iqiniso lokuthi abafileyo abazi lutho, njengokungathi balele, futhi akukho lapho bephila khona behlushwa. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Johane 11:11-14) Abanye eqenjini lethu lesifundo seBhayibheli banquma ukuya komakhelwane bethu ukuze bashumayele amaqiniso esasiwafunda. Sasiya emizini eseduze, kodwa sasisebenzisa amabhayisikili nekalishi elinamasondo amabili elidonswa yihhashi elilodwa ukuze sifinyelele ababehlala emaphandleni.
Ngakunambitha ngokokuqala ngqá ukufakaza endlini ngendlu ngoSuku Lwesivumelwano Sokuthula, ngo-November 11, 1918. Sobathathu eqenjini lethu lesifundo sahamba amakhilomitha angu-80 siya edolobheni laseWangaratta ukuze sisakaze ipheshana elithi Peoples Pulpit. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho ngisesabelweni sokushumayela kwenye yezindawo zasemaphandleni, ngaba nokuhlangenwe nakho okukhulunyelwe ekuqaleni.
Ngo-1919, ngaba khona emhlanganweni wesigodi wabaFundi BeBhayibheli eMelbourne. Lapho, ngo-April 22, 1919, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngokucwiliswa emanzini. Lelidili elingokomoya lajulisa ukwazisa kwami ngengcebo engokomoya yoMbuso wamazulu nangenhlangano kaJehova yasemhlabeni.—Mathewu 13:44.
Ngemva komhlangano angiphindelanga ekhaya kodwa ngamukela isimemo sokuhamba noJane Nicholson, umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele, ukuze siyofakaza inyanga eyodwa. Isabelo sethu sasisemiphakathini yasemapulazini efuye izinkomo eduze koMfula iKing. Eminyakeni embalwa nje ngaphambili, lendawo esezintabeni yayiyindawo yokubonisa ifilimu elithi The Man From Snowy River.
Ngo-1921 sathola usizo oluhle lokutadisha iBhayibheli lwencwadi ethi The Harp of God. Lapho uBaba eqala ukuyisebenzisa njengencwadi yokufundisa ikilasi lakhe kuSonto-sikole, abazali abaningi baphikisa futhi bamcela ukuba ashiye isikhundla sakhe. Wenza kanjalo ngokushesha. Kamuva sathola incwajana ethi Hell (Isihogo), enemibuzo ethakazelisayo esembozweni ethi, “Siyini? Obani abalapho? Ingabe bangaphuma?” UBaba wahlatshwa umxhwele ubufakazi obucacile beBhayibheli obanikezwa ngalendaba kangangokuthi ngokushesha waqalisa ukusakaza amakhophi ayo endlini ngendlu. Wahambisa amakhulu ayo emzini wangakithi nasezindaweni zasemaphandleni eziseduze.
Uhambo Lokuyoshumayela NoBaba
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uBaba wathenga imoto ukuze kufinyelelwe abantu kwezinye izindawo ngesigijimi soMbuso. Njengomkhandi wensimbi, wayejwayelene kakhulu namahhashi, ngakho ngaba umshayeli wemoto. Ekuqaleni, sasilala emahhotela. Ngokushesha lokhu kwabonakala kubiza kakhulu, futhi saqala ukuhamba simisa amathende.
UBaba walungisa isihlalo sangaphambili semoto ukuze silaliseke futhi ngangingalala emotweni. Samisa ithende elincane ukuze uBaba alale kulo. Ngemva kokumisa amathende ngaphandle amasonto amaningana, sasingaphindela ePorepunkah, lapho uBaba ayezophinde avule khona ibhizinisi lakhe lokukhanda insimbi. Sasimangala njalo ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi kwakunamakhasimende akhokha izikweleti zawo ukuze sikwazi ukuhlangabezana nohambo lwethu olulandelayo lokuyoshumayela.
Abantu abaningi benhliziyo enhle babesabela kahle ekuhambeleni kwethu futhi ngokushesha babemukela izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya. Manje kunamabandla ayisikhombisa anamaHholo OMbuso awo siqu kulendawo ekuqaleni eyayikhonzwa iqembu lethu elincane elalivela ePorepunkah. Ngempela, ngubani ongadelela “usuku lwezinto ezincane”?—Zakariya 4:10.
Ngo-1931, mina noBaba sahamba amakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-300 emigwaqweni emibi kakhulu ukuze sibe khona emhlanganweni okhethekile, lapho sathola khona igama lethu elisha elithi, “OFakazi BakaJehova.” Sobabili sasijabule kakhulu ngaleligama eliyingqayizivele, elingokomBhalo. (Isaya 43:10-12) Lalisichaza ngokucace kakhudlwana kunegama elingavelele kangako elithi “AbaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke,” okuyigama esasaziwa ngalo kwaze kwaba yilesosikhathi.
Ngolunye usuku lapho sifakaza edolobheni laseBethanga, ngahlangana nomfundisi wendawo weSonto LaseSheshi. Wathukuthela futhi waqala ukulandelela lapho sasihambise khona izincwadi zethu eziningi, ephoqelela abantu ukuba bamnike izincwadi zabo. Ngemva kwalokho waqhuba inkonzo yokushiswa kwezincwadi maphakathi nedolobha. Kodwa isenzo sakhe sokweyisa, sabangela ukuba isikhuni sibuye nomkhwezeli.
Ngemva kokuba ngazise ihhovisi legatsha leNhlangano ngalokho okwakwenzekile, kwanyatheliswa incwadi eyayizosakazwa eyayisola lokho okwakwenziwe yilomfundisi. Kwabuye kwenziwa amalungiselelo ezimoto ezazizothwala oFakazi ukuze bayosakaza lencwadi kuso sonke lesifunda. Lapho mina noBaba siphinde sihambela lelidolobha, sahambisa izincwadi ezengeziwe kunangaphambili. Abantu bakulelidolobha babeshisekela ukwazi lokho okuqukethwe yilezincwadi “ezinqatshelwe”!
Umuntu wokuqala owamukela iqiniso leBhayibheli enyakatho-mpumalanga yeVictoria ngenxa yokushumayela kwethu kwakunguMilton Gibb. Phakathi nokuhambela kwethu, watadisha ngokuzikhandla zonke izincwadi zeNhlangano esasimshiyele zona. Kokunye ukuhambela kwethu kokwenza izimpindelo, wasimangaza ngokuba athi: “Manje sengingomunye wabafundi bakho.”
Nakuba ngijatshuliswe isinqumo sakhe, ngachaza: “Cha, Milton. Awukwazi ukuba ngomunye wabafundi bami.”
“Khona-ke, ngingomunye wabafundi bakaRutherford [umongameli we-Watch Tower Society wangalesosikhathi].”
Ngaphinde ngaphawula: “Cha, awunakuba futhi ngomunye wabafundi bakaRutherford, kodwa ngiyethemba ukuthi ungomunye wabafundi bakaKristu.”
UMilton Gibb wabonakala engenye nje yengcebo eningi eyigugu engangichithe iminyaka eminingi ngiyifuna. Yena kanye namadodana akhe amabili bangabadala abangamaKristu, futhi amanye amalungu omkhaya wakhe ayashiseka ebandleni.
Ukuhlangabezana Nokuvivinywa Okuhlukahlukene
Naphezu kokuvinjelwa komsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova e-Australia ngo-January 1941, saqhubeka sishumayela, sisebenzisa iBhayibheli kuphela. Khona-ke, ukuphayona kwami, noma inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, yaphazamiseka lapho ngibizwa ekhaya ukuba ngiyonakekela ubaba owayegula ebangwa nezibi. Kamuva, nami ngagula futhi ngadinga ukuhlinzwa okukhulu. Ukululama kwami kwathatha isikhathi, kodwa ngalibona iqiniso lesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu: “Angisoze ngakuyeka, angisoze ngakushiya.” (Heberu 13:5) Udade ongumKristu wangiqinisekisa, ethi: “Khumbula, Flo, awuwedwa. Futhi wena noJehova niyibutho.”
Khona-ke ukugula kokugcina kukababa othandekayo kwamasonto angu-13 kwahlasela. Ngo-July 26, 1946, wafa. Wayeye wajabulela ukuphila okugcwele, futhi enethemba lasezulwini. (Filipi 3:14) Ngakho lapho ngineminyaka engu-51 ubudala, ngangingedwa, ngemva kokuba ngibe noBaba konke ukuphila kwami kwangaphambili. Khona-ke ngahlangana nomyeni wami wesikhathi esizayo. Sashada ngo-1947 futhi saqala ukuphayona sobabili. Kodwa lesikhathi esijabulisayo asizange sithathe isikhathi eside, njengoba ahlaselwa isifo sohlangothi ngo-1953 futhi wakhubazeka.
Ikhono lomyeni wami lokukhuluma lathinteka kabi kakhulu, futhi kwakucishe kungenzeki ukukhulumisana naye. Leyo kwakuyingxenye enzima kakhulu yokumnakekela. Ukucindezeleka kwengqondo kokuzama ukuqonda ayekusho kwakukukhulu ngempela. Nakuba sasihlala endaweni engayodwa lapho kwakungenabandla eliseduze, uJehova akazange asilahle phakathi naleyominyaka evivinyayo. Ngangizigcina nginolwazi ngakho konke ukwaziswa kwamuva kwenhlangano, kanye nokwabiwa okuqhubekayo kokudla okungokomoya komagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Ngo-December 29, 1957, umyeni wami othandekayo wafa.
Inkonzo E-Adelaide
Ngase ngiphinde ngaba ngedwa futhi. Yini okwakumelwe ngiyenze? Ingabe ngangiyophinde ngamukeleke njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele ngemva kokuyeka iminyaka ecishe ibe mihlanu? Ngamukelwa, ngakho ngathengisa indlu yami futhi ngaqalisa kabusha emsebenzini wamaphayona e-Adelaide, inhloko-dolobha yaseNingizimu Australia. Amaphayona ayedingeka kakhulu lapho ngalesosikhathi, futhi ngabelwa eBandleni LaseProspect.
Njengoba nganginovalo lokushayela phakathi kwezimoto zasedolobheni, ngathengisa imoto yami ngaqala ukusebenzisa ibhayisikili futhi. Ngalisebenzisa ngaze ngaba neminyaka engu-86 ubudala, ngaze ngaziwa endaweni ngokuthi “intokazi encane yebhayisikili eliluhlaza.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngaba novalo ngokuqhubekayo phakathi kwezimoto; isondo langaphambili lebhayisikili lami lalibonakala ligwingciza ngokungaphezi. Isenzakalo sokugcina esangiyekisa ibhayisikili senzeka ngenye intambama lapho ngiwela othangweni olwenziwe ngemithi. ‘Ngigcinile,’ ngizitshela, ngakho ngaqala ukuhamba ngezinyawo futhi.
Eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambili, lapho ngisemhlanganweni wesigodi, imilenze yami yaqala ukuba buthakathaka, futhi izikhathi zilandelana ngahlinzwa kabili ezinqulwini. Ngangiphila kahle ngemva kokuhlinzwa kwaze kwaba yilapho inja enkulu ingiwisa. Lokhu kwenza kwaba nesidingo sokwelashwa okuqhubekayo, futhi kusukela ngalesosikhathi ngiye ngadinga induku yokuhamba ukuze ngikwazi ukuhambahamba. Ingqondo yami isaphapheme. Kunjengoba nje omunye umngane akubeka: “Kubonakala sengathi umzimba wakho ogugayo awunakukwazi ukuhambisana nengqondo yakho esentsha.”
Eminyakeni eminingi edlule, ngiye ngabona amabandla e-Adelaide ekhula, anda, futhi ehlukaniswa. Khona-ke, ngo-1983, lapho ngineminyaka engu-88, ngasuka e-Adelaide ukuze ngiyohlala nomkhaya wakithi eKyabram esifundazweni saseVictoria, lapho ngiye ngachitha khona iminyaka eyishumi ejabulisayo. Ngisakwazi ukuya enkonzweni yasensimini; abangane ebandleni bayangithatha ukuze ngihambele labo enginomzila kamagazini kubo. Ngomusa lababantu beza emotweni ukuze ngikhulume nabo.
Uma ngibheka emuva eminyakeni yami engaphezu kuka-98 yokuphila, ngenjabulo ngikhumbula abaningi abathembekile abaye badumisa uJehova kanye nami, ikakhulukazi ubaba wami omangalisayo. Kubonakala sengathi ngiphile ngaphezu kwabo bonke ababengabangane bami abathembekile enkonzweni yamaphayona. Kodwa yeka injabulo engilindele yokuphinde ngihlanganiswe nalabo abahlanganyela ithemba lomvuzo wokuphila eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, ingcebo engenakulinganiswa ngempela!
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Ngabhapathizwa ngo-April 22, 1919
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Ngisakujabulela ukukhonza uJehova njengoba ngisondela eminyakeni engu-100