Babembiza Ngokuthi “Bible” Brown

LAPHO uWilliam esebenza ePanama Canal ngo-1907, wazithela phezu kwenkulumo eyayibekwa u-Isaiah Richards ekhoneni lomgwaqo, owayengumFundi WeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo. URichards wayesekela inkulumo yakhe ‘Eshadini Lezinkathi,’ umdwebo owawusetshenziselwa ukuchaza izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. UWilliam walamukela ngokushesha iqiniso futhi wabuyela eJamaica eyoxoxela unina nodadewabo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, nabo baba abaFundi BeBhayibheli.

Kwaphela isikhathi esithile uMfoweth’ uBrown ekhonza ePanama City, ePanama. Elapho, watholana no-Evander J. Coward, ummeleli ojikelezayo wabaFundi BeBhayibheli owayesePanama enikeza izinkulumo. UCoward wayeyisikhulumi esinogqozi nesihlekisayo futhi kwakutheleka izixuku zizomlalela. Lapho ebona ukuthi uWilliam ushisekela iqiniso, wammema ukuba ahambe naye bayoshumayela eTrinidad.

Eminyakeni eyishumi noma ngaphezudlwana, uWilliam walihamba lonke elaseWest Indies, ephayona eqinisa namaqembu amancane. Ngo-1920 washada u-Antonia, udade ongumKristu othembekile. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili beshadile, uWilliam no-Antonia bahamba ngomkhumbi baya esiqhingini esincane saseMontserrat esiseLeeward Islands, bephethe i-“Photo-Drama of Creation”​—inkulumo yama-slide eyayinezithombe ezinyakazayo eyayisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Bashumayela naseziqhingini zaseBarbados, eDominica naseGrenada. Baba neholidi elimnandi langemva komshado benza inkonzo kaJehova.

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, uWilliam wabhalela uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengamele umsebenzi wabantu bakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi, wathi: “Ngosizo lukaJehova ngiye nganikeza ubufakazi engxenyeni enkulu yeCaribbean Islands futhi ngenza abafundi abaningi. Ingabe kufanele ngibuyele kubo futhi?” Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, uMfoweth’ uRutherford waphendula: “Dlulela eSierra Leone, eNtshonalanga Afrika, nomkakho nengane.”

Phakathi neminyaka engu-27 uMfoweth’ uBrown ekhonza nomndeni wakhe eNtshonalanga Afrika, wayengakuthandi ukusebenza ehhovisi. Wayencamela ukuyoshumayela. Ngenxa yokuthi wayegcizelela ukubaluleka kweBhayibheli, abantu baqala ukumbiza ngokuthi u-“Bible” Brown.

Ngo-1950, lapho eneminyaka engu-71, uWilliam Brown nomkakhe babuyela eJamaica beyophayona. UWilliam waphayona kwaze kwaba yilapho eqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1967. Wayengeve ekuthanda ukuphayona! Wayekubheka njengelinye lamalungelo amakhulu umuntu angaba nawo.