NKHONDO yoyamba ya padziko lonse itayamba mu 1914, anthu ambiri anazindikira kuti Ophunzira Baibulo salowerera nkhondo. (Yes. 2:2-4; Yoh. 18:36; Aef. 6:12) Kodi pa nthawiyo, atumiki a Mulungu a ku Britain anakumana ndi zotani?

Mu 1916, boma la Britain linakhazikitsa lamulo lakuti mwamuna aliyense wosakwatira, wazaka za pakati pa 18 ndi 40, ayenera kulowa usilikali. Koma lamuloli linkapereka mwayi woti anthu amene sangalowe usilikali chifukwa cha zikhulupiriro zawo asamakakamizidwe. Boma linakhazikitsa makhoti kuti aziona ngati munthu akuyenereradi kupatsidwa mwayi umenewu.

Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, Ophunzira Baibulo 40 anatsekeredwa m’ndende za asilikali ndipo okwana 8 anatumizidwa kunkhondo ku France. Izi zinachititsa kuti abale a ku Britain alembere kalata wolamulira wa dzikolo dzina lake Herbert Asquith. M’kalatayo anamuuza kuti sanachite chilungamo potsekera abalewo ndipo anthu 5,500 anasaina kalatayi.

Ndiyeno kunamveka kuti abale 8 amene anatumizidwa ku France aja anaweruzidwa kuti aphedwe powaombera chifukwa chokana kumenya nawo nkhondo. Koma atatsala pang’ono kuomberedwa, chiweruzo chinasinthidwa. Iwo anauzidwa kuti akakhala kundende zaka 10. Anabwezedwa ku England kuti akakhale kundende za kumeneko.

Pamene nkhondo inkapitiriza, amuna okwatira nawonso anakakamizidwa kulowa usilikali. M’bale wina dzina lake Henry Hudson, yemwe anali dokotala, anazengedwa mlandu kukhoti mumzinda wa Manchester ku England chifukwa chokana usilikali. Pa August 3, 1916, khotilo linaweruza kuti m’baleyo sangakane usilikali ndipo anamulipiritsa chindapusa n’kumupereka m’manja mwa asilikali. Pa nthawi imodzimodziyo, m’bale winanso wazaka 25, dzina lake James Frederick Scott, anazengedwa mlandu mumzinda wa Edinburgh ku Scotland. Iye anali kopotala ndipo anapezeka kuti alibe mlandu. Oimira boma pa mlanduwu anachita apilo koma kenako anangousiya kuti azenge mlandu wina ku London. Pa mlandu winawu, m’bale Herbert Kipps anapezeka wolakwa ndipo anamulipiritsa n’kumupereka m’manja mwa asilikali.

Pofika mu September 1916, abale okwana 264 anali atapempha kuti asalowe nawo usilikali. Pa abale amenewa, abale asanu analoledwa. Koma abale 154 anapatsidwa ntchito zakalavulagaga ndipo abale 23 anapatsidwa ntchito za ku usilikali koma zosakhudzana ndi kumenya nkhondo. Abale 82 anaperekedwa m’manja mwa asilikali ndipo ena mwa iwo anatsekeredwa m’ndende za asilikali chifukwa chokana kumenya nawo nkhondo. Anthu ambiri sanasangalale kuona abalewo akuzunzidwa choncho boma linaganiza zowasamutsira kundende zina zomwe sizinali za asilikali.

 M’bale Edgar Clay ndi m’bale Pryce Hughes anapatsidwa ntchito yosamalira damu linalake ku Wales. M’bale Hughes ndi amene anadzakhala woyang’anira nthambi ya ku Britain. M’bale Herbert Senior amene anali m’gulu la abale obwezedwa ku France aja, anatumizidwa kundende ina ya ku Yorkshire. Ena anatumizidwa kundende ya ku Dartmoor kuti azikagwira ntchito zakalavulagaga. Abale ambirimbiri anatumizidwa kundende imeneyi choncho ndendeyi inali ndi anthu ambiri okana kugwira ntchito ya usilikali kuposa ndende zina.

M’bale Frank Platt anavomera kugwira ntchito za ku usilikali zimene zinali zosakhudzana ndi kumenya nkhondo. Koma iye atatumizidwa kunkhondoko n’kukana kumenya nawo, anazunzidwa koopsa. M’bale Atkinson Padgett anaphunzira choonadi atangolowa usilikali. Nayenso anazunzidwa koopsa ndi akuluakulu a asilikali chifukwa chokana kumenya nawo nkhondo.

Abale athu a pa nthawiyo sankamvetsa bwinobwino mmene Akhristufe tiyenera kuonera usilikali. Komabe iwo anayesetsa kuchita zokondweretsa Yehova Mulungu. Abale amene atchulidwa m’nkhaniyi anapereka chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri “pa ola la kuyesedwa.” (Chiv. 3:10)—Nkhaniyi yachokera ku Britain.