Indaba Yokuphila

Ngabusiswa Ngefa Elikhethekile

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUCAROL ALLEN

Ngangingedwa, nginkonkoshele incwadi yami enhle entsha. Ngangethukile, ngihlengezela izinyembezi. Phela, ngangiyintombazanyana eneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala ngidukile edolobheni engingalazi, ngiphakathi kwamashumi ezinkulungwane zabantu!

MUVA NJE, eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-60 kamuva, leso senzakalo sasebuntwaneni sibuye sakhanya bhá engqondweni, senziwa ukuvakashela kwami nomyeni wami, uPaul, e-Watchtower Educational Center enhle esePatterson, eNew York. Ubemenywe lapho ekilasini lesibili lesikole sababonisi abajikelezayo abangoFakazi BakaJehova.

Njengoba siqalaza endaweni yokwamukela izivakashi engenisa ukukhanya kwelanga, ngaphawula umbukiso omkhulu onombhalo othi “IMIHLANGANO.” Maphakathi nawo kwakunesithombe esidala sombala omnyama nomhlophe esinezingane ezivayiza ngenjabulo amakhophi azo encwadi yami yasebuntwaneni! Ngawufunda ngokushesha umbhalo ohambisana nalesi sithombe: “Ngo-1941—ESt. Louis, eMissouri, lapho kuqala isimiso sasekuseni, izingane ezingu-15 000—eziphakathi kweminyaka engu-5 nengu-18—zahlanganiselwa eshashalazini phambi kwendawo yesikhulumi. . . . UMfoweth’ uRutherford wamemezela ukukhululwa kwencwadi entsha ethi Children.”

Ingane ngayinye yanikwa incwadi yayo. Zonke izingane zabe seziphindela lapho abazali bazo babehlezi khona—ngaphandle kwami. Ngangidukile! Umlindi onomusa wangiqubula wangimisa phezu kwebhokisi lomnikelo eliphakeme wayesethi angibheke umuntu engimaziyo. Ngagijimisa amehlo ngokukhathazeka esixukwini esasehla ngezitebhisi ezibanzi. Ngingazelele, ngabona umuntu engimaziyo! “Bab’ uRainer! Bab’ uRainer!” Ngase ngitholakele! UBob Rainer wangithatha wangisa lapho abazali bami abakhathazekile babelinde khona.

 Izenzakalo Zakudala Ezathonya Ukuphila Kwami

Ukubuka lowo mbukiso kwabuyisa izinkumbulo eziningi—izenzakalo ezathonya ukuphila kwami nezaholela ekubeni sibe kulesi sakhiwo esihle sasePatterson. Ngacabanga ngezenzakalo ezenzeka eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu edlule, izinto engangizizwe ngendaba ikakhulu kumkhulu nogogo nakubazali bami.

Ngo-December 1894 isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele esingomunye wabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba babebizwa kanjalo oFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi, savakashela umkhulu ozala ubaba, uClayton J. Woodworth, emzini wakhe eScranton, ePennsylvania, e-U.S.A. UClayton wayesanda kushada. Wabhalela umongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uCharles Taze Russell, futhi leyo ncwadi yanyatheliswa kuyi-Nqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-June 15, 1895. Wachaza:

“Siwumbhanqwana osemncane osuneminyaka engaba yishumi ungamalungu esonto njé; kodwa manje sithemba ukuthi siyaphuma ebumnyameni balo singena ekukhanyeni kosuku olusha olusayo manje kubantwana abazinikezele boPhezukonke. . . . Ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba sazane sasinesifiso esiqotho sokukhonza iNkosi njengezithunywa zevangeli ensimini yakwelinye izwe, uma kungenzeka ukuthi kuyintando yayo.”

Kamuva, ngo-1903, uSebastian noCatherine Kresge, okhokho bami abazala ugogo, basilalela ngenjabulo isigijimi seBhayibheli esasilethwe abameleli ababili be-Watch Tower epulazini elikhulu ababehlala kulo, ezintabeni ezinhle zasePocono ePennsylvania. Amadodakazi abo, uCora noMary, nawo ayehlala lapho nabayeni bawo, oWashington no-Edmund Howell. Laba bameleli be-Watch Tower, uCarl Hammerle noRay Ratcliffe, bahlala nabo isonto lonke, bebafundisa izinto eziningi. Wonke amalungu omndeni ayisithupha alalela, afunda, futhi ngokushesha aba abaFundi BeBhayibheli abashisekayo.

Ngawo lowo nyaka ka-1903, uCora noWashington Howell baba nendodakazi okuthiwa uCatherine. Ngizwa kuthiwa indlela agcina eshade ngayo nobaba, uClayton J. Woodworth, Jr., kuyindaba ethakazelisayo futhi ebalulekile. Yembula ukuqonda okunothando nokukhathalela komzali ongumkhulu uClayton J. Woodworth, Sr.

Ubaba Uthola Usizo Lothando

Ubaba, uClayton omncane, wazalelwa eScranton ngo-1906, indawo eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-80 ukusuka epulazini lakwaHowell. Ngaleyo minyaka yakudala, umkhulu uWoodworth wajwayelana kakhulu nalo mndeni omkhulu wakwaHowell, evame ukujabulela umoya wabo wokungenisa izihambi ababaziwa ngawo. Wayewusizo olukhulu ebandleni labaFundi BeBhayibheli kuleyo ndawo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umkhulu wacelwa ukuba ashadise amadodana amathathu akwaHowell, futhi ecabangela indodana yakhe, wayeqiniseka ukuthi uhamba nayo komunye nomunye wale mishado.

Ngaleso sikhathi ubaba wayengahlanganyeli enkonzweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Yiqiniso, wayehambisa umkhulu enkonzweni, kodwa wayengahlanganyeli yena, yize umkhulu ayemkhuthaza. Ngaleso sikhathi, uthando lukababa lomculo lwaludlula konke okunye, futhi wayesebheke ekubeni umculi okhokhelwayo.

UCatherine, indodakazi kaCora noWashington Howell, naye wayesengumculi onekhono, owayedlala futhi efundisa upiyano. Kodwa kwathi esevulekelwa  amathuba okuba umculi okhokhelwayo, wawuyeka lowo msebenzi wayeseqala ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Akekho omunye umuntu ongcono umkhulu ayemcabangela indodana yakhe—okungenani ngokubona kwami! Ubaba wabhapathizwa, futhi washada nomama ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha, ngo-June 1931.

Umkhulu wayeziqhenya njalo ngekhono lendodana yakhe emculweni. Wajabula kabi lapho ubaba ecelwa ukuba aqeqeshe ababeyizinsika ze-orchestra yomhlangano wezizwe omkhulu ka-1946, owawuzoba seCleveland, e-Ohio. Eminyakeni eyalandela, ubaba waculisa le orchestra kweminye imihlangano eminingana yoFakazi BakaJehova.

Ukuqulwa Kwecala Likamkhulu Nokuphila Kwakhe Kwasejele

Endaweni yokwamukela izihambi ePatterson, mina noPaul sabona nombukiso onesithombe esisekhasini elilandelayo. Ngasikhumbula ngokushesha lesi sithombe, ngoba umkhulu wayengithumelele esifana naso eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-50 edlule. Nguye lona omi ekugcineni ngakwesokudla.

Phakathi nesasasa lokushisekela izwe ngeMpi Yezwe I, laba baFundi BeBhayibheli abangu-8—kuhlanganise noJoseph F. Rutherford (ohlezi maphakathi), owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society—baboshwa ngokungafanele futhi batokiswa ngaphandle kwebheyili. Amacala ababebekwe wona ayegxile emazwini asemqulwini wesikhombisa we-Studies in the Scriptures, othi The Finished Mystery. Lawo mazwi ayebhekwa ngokungafanele njengathi i-United States mayingahlanganyeli eMpini Yezwe I.

Phakathi neminyaka eminingi, uCharles Taze Russell wayebhale imiqulu eyisithupha yokuqala ye-Studies in the Scriptures, kodwa washona ngaphambi kokuba abhale owesikhombisa. Ngakho amaphuzu ayewaqongelele anikwa umkhulu nomunye umFundi WeBhayibheli, base bebhala umqulu wesikhombisa. Wona wakhululwa ngo-1917, ngaphambi kokuphela kwempi. Ecaleni, umkhulu nabanye abaningi, banikwa izigwebo ezine zeminyaka engu-20 umuntu emunye, ababezozidonsa ngesikhathi esisodwa.

Umbhalo ohambisana nesithombe esisendaweni yokwamukela izivakashi ePatterson uyachaza: “Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-9 uRutherford nayebambisene nabo begwetshiwe—njengoba nempi yayisiphelile—ngo-March 21, 1919, inkantolo yokudlulisela amacala yavuma ukuba bonke abamangalelwa abangu-8 bathole ibheyili, kwase kuthi ngo-March 26, badedelwa eBrooklyn ngebheyili ka-$10 000  umuntu emunye. Ngo-May 5, 1920, amacala kaJ. F. Rutherford nalaba abanye asulwa.”

Ngemva kokugwetshwa, kodwa ngaphambi kokuba bathunyelwe ejele likahulumeni e-Atlanta, eGeorgia, laba abangu-8 bachitha izinsuku zabo zokuqala ezimbalwa bevalelwe ejele elikuRaymond Street eBrooklyn, eNew York. Elapho, umkhulu wabhala echaza ukuthi kunjani ukuba sesitokisini esingamamitha angu-1,8 ububanzi no-2,4 ubude “phakathi kwemfucumfucu nobuhlaphahlapha obungachazeki.” Wathi: “Unenqwaba yamaphephandaba, futhi uma uqale waweya, ngokushesha uyaqaphela ukuthi la maphepha nensipho nesidwedwe kukunika okuwukuphela kwethuba lokuthola ukuhlanzeka nokuzihlonipha.”

Nokho, umkhulu waqhubeka engumuntu wamancoko, ebiza lelo jele ngokuthi “iHôtel de Raymondie,” ethi, “uma nje seziphelile izinsuku zokuhlala kwami lapha ngizophuma.” Wachaza nendlela ayezulazula ngayo egcekeni. Kwake kwathi esamile isikhashana elinde ukuba akanywe izinwele, umkhuthuzi othile wahlwitha iwashi lakhe lasekhukhwini, kodwa njengoba abhala, “Kwagqashuka iketanga, lona lasinda.” Lapho ngivakashele eBethel yaseBrooklyn ngo-1958, uGrant Suiter, owayengumgcini-zimali ongunobhala we-Watch Tower Society, wangibizela ehhovisi lakhe wanginika lelo washi. Ngisalikhonzile namanje.

Ithonya Likamkhulu Kubaba

Lapho umkhulu eboshwa ngokungafanele ngo-1918, ubaba wayeneminyaka engu-12 kuphela ubudala. Ugogo wavala umuzi wabo wayesethatha ubaba bayohlala nonina nodadewabo abathathu. Ugogo wayeyintombi yakwa-Arthur, futhi lowo mndeni wawuziqhenya ngokuthi esinye sezihlobo zawo, uChester Alan Arthur, wayengumongameli wama-21 we-United States.

Ngemva kokuba umkhulu uWoodworth enikwe isigwebo eside ngalokho okwakuthiwa amacala awenze kuyi-United States, kwaba sobala ukuthi abakwa-Arthur babenomuzwa wokuthi wayehlazise igama lomndeni. Kwakuyisikhathi esibuhlungu ngokomzwelo kubaba. Mhlawumbe leyo mpatho yaba nomthelela ekubeni aqale angathandisisi ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasobala.

Lapho umkhulu ededelwa ejele, wathuthela umkhaya wakhe emzini omkhulu kuQuincy Street eScranton. Ngangiwazi kahle ngisemncane—nezitsha ezinhle ze-china zikagogo. Sasizibiza ngokuthi izitsha ezingcwele ngoba kwakungavunyelwe muntu ngaphandle kukagogo ukuzigeza. Ngemva kokushona kukagogo ngo-1943, umama wayevame ukuba nezivakashi futhi asebenzise zona lezo zitsha ezinhle.

Ukuba Matasa Enkonzweni YoMbuso

Ngolunye usuku ePatterson, ngabona isithombe sikaMfoweth’ uRutherford ebeka inkulumo emhlanganweni wango-1919 owawuseCedar Point, e-Ohio. Lapho, wanxusa wonke umuntu ukuba ahlanganyele ngentshiseko ekumemezeleni uMbuso kaNkulunkulu nokusebenzisa umagazini omusha owawukhululwe kulowo mhlangano, i-Golden Age. Umkhulu wamiswa njengomhleli wawo, futhi wabhala izihloko eziningi kuwo kwaze kwaba phakathi nawo-1940, ngaphambi nje kokushona kwakhe. Ngo-1937 igama lalo magazini lashintshwa waba yi-Consolation, ngo-1946 waba yi-Phaphama!

Umkhulu wayebhala esekhaya eScranton nasendlunkulu ye-Watch Tower eseBrooklyn eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-240, ehlala amasonto amabili njalo endaweni ngayinye. Ubaba uthi ukhumbula umshini kamkhulu wokuthayipha owawuvame ukukhala ekuseni ngo-5. Nokho, umkhulu wayewubheka njengobalulekile futhi umthwalo wemfanelo wokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela obala. Empeleni, wathunga  intolibhantshi yabesilisa eyayinamakhukhu amakhulu angaphakathi okufaka izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Umalumekazi wami oneminyaka engu-94 ubudala, uNaomi Howell, usenayo enye yazo. Umkhulu wenza nesikhwama sezincwadi sabesifazane.

Ngelinye ilanga, ngemva kwengxoxo yeBhayibheli ethakazelisayo, owayehamba nomkhulu ensimini wathi: “C. J., kukhona iphutha olenzile.”

“Yiliphi lelo phutha?” kubuza umkhulu. Waphumputha entolibhantshini yakhe. Womabili amakhukhu ayengenalutho.

“Ukhohliwe ukumhambisela isikhokhelo se-Golden Age.” Bayokha insini behleka indaba yomhleli okhohlwa ukuhambisa umagazini wakhe.

Izinkumbulo Zesikhathi Ngisakhula

Ngikhumbula ngiseyingane ngihlezi ethangeni likamkhulu, ebambe isandlana sami engixoxela “iNdaba Yeminwe.” Waqala ngo-“Thuphazana” waya ku-“Khombisile,” wangixoxela okuthile okukhethekile ngomunwe ngamunye. Wabe eseyihlanganisa ngokucophelela yonke iminwe lapho esenikeza isifundo sale ndaba: “Basebenza kahle kakhulu ngokubambisana, ngamunye esiza abanye.”

Ngemva kokushada, abazali bami bathuthela eCleveland, e-Ohio, base beba abangane abaseduze baka-Ed noMary Hooper. Imindeni yakubo yayibe ngabaFundi BeBhayibheli ngaphambi kuka-1900. Abazali bami babengamathe nolimi noBab’ uHooper noMam’ uHooper. AbakwaHooper babeshonelwe yingane yabo okwakuwukuphela kwayo, intombazanyana, ngakho lapho ngizalwa ngo-1934, ngaba “yindodakazi” yabo eyintandokazi. Njengoba ngakhulela esimweni esicebe kanjalo ngokomoya, ngazinikezela kuNkulunkulu futhi ngabhapathizwa ngingakayihlanganisi iminyaka engu-8 ubudala.

Ukufunda iBhayibheli kwakuyingxenye yokuphila kwami ngisemncane. Ukulandisa kokuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu okuku-Isaya 11:6-9 kwakungenye yezindima zami zemibhalo engizithanda kakhulu. Ngo-1944, ngemva kokuthola ikhophi yami ye-American Standard Version, eyakhululwa iwuhlelo olukhethekile emhlanganweni waseBuffalo, eNew York, ngenza umzamo wokuqala wokulifunda lonke iBhayibheli. Ngakujabulela kakhulu ukufunda le nguqulo okwakubuyiselwe kuyo igama likaNkulunkulu, elithi Jehova, ezindaweni zalo ezicishe zibe ngu-7 000 ‘eTestamenteni Elidala’!

Izimpelasonto zaziyizikhathi ezijabulisayo. Abazali bami nabakwaHooper babehamba nami ukuyoshumayela emaphandleni. Sasiphatha ukudla kwasemini sifike sidlele ngasemfudlaneni. Ngemva kwalokho sasiya epulazini lothile kuyobekwa inkulumo yeBhayibheli phandle, esasimemele bonke omakhelwane kuyo. Ukuphila kwakulula. Sasijabula njengemikhaya. Abaningana kulaba bangane abadala bomndeni wakithi kamuva baba ababonisi abajikelezayo, kuhlanganise no-Ed Hooper, uBob Rainer namadodana akhe amabili. URichard Rainer usawenza lo msebenzi, ephelezelwa umkakhe, uLinda.

Izikhathi zehlobo zazimnandi ngokukhethekile. Ngangihlala epulazini lakwaHowell nabazala bami. Ngo-1949 umzala uGrace washada noMalcolm Allen. Ngangingazi ukuthi ngemva kweminyaka ethile ngangiyoshada nomfowabo kaMalcolm. Umzala wami omncane uMarion wayeyisithunywa sevangeli e-Uruguay. Yena washada noHoward Hilborn ngo-1966. Bobabili laba bazala bakhonza endlunkulu eBrooklyn nabayeni babo iminyaka ethile.

Umkhulu Nokuphothula Kwami Esikoleni

Lapho ngisesesikoleni esiphakeme, umkhulu wayehlale ekulungele ukubhala incwadi. Ezincwadini zakhe kwakuba nezithombe eziningi zomndeni ezibhalwe imininingwane ethile ngemuva, engixoxela umlando womndeni. Ngasithola kanjalo isithombe sakhe enabanye abagqunywa ejele ngokungafanele.

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1951, umkhulu wayengasakwazi ukukhuluma ngenxa yomdlavuza. Wayesakhaliphe njengakuqala, kodwa kwase kudingeka abhale akushoyo encwajaneni ayeyiphatha. Ikilasi lethu lasesikoleni esiphakeme lalizophothula ngo-January 1952. Ngasekuqaleni kuka-December, ngathumelela umkhulu uhlaka lwenkulumo yami yomkhosi wokuphothula. Walungisa izinto ezithile njengomhleli kwase kuthi ekhasini lokugcina wabhala amagama angithinta inhliziyo: “Umkhulu ujabule.” Waqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni eneminyaka engu-81 ubudala, ngo-December 18, 1951. * Ngisalwazisa lolo hlaka lwenkulumo yami oseluphuphile olunalawo magama amabili ekhasini lokugcina.

 Ngemva nje kokuphothula esikoleni, ngangenela inkonzo yokuphayona, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova bewubiza kanjalo umsebenzi wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngo-1958, ngaya emhlanganweni omkhulukazi owawuseNew York City, lapho abantu abangu-253 922 abavela emazweni angu-123 bagcwalisa khona iYankee Stadium nePolo Grounds. Lapho, ngolunye usuku ngahlangana nesihambeli esivela e-Afrika esasifake ibheji elinegama elithi “Woodworth Mills.” Eminyakeni engaba ngu-30 ngaphambili sasiqanjwe ngomkhulu!

Ngiyajabula Ngefa Lami

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-14 ubudala, umama waphinde waqala ukuphayona. Washona ngemva kweminyaka engu-40, ngo-1988, esalokhu eyiphayona! Ubaba wayehlanganyela emsebenzini wokuphayona lapho ekwazi. Washona ezinyangeni ezingu-9 ngaphambi kukamama. Labo esasibafundela baba abangane bethu abakhulu ekuphileni konke. Amanye amadodana abo ahamba ayokhonza endlunkulu eBrooklyn, kanti amanye angenela umsebenzi wokuphayona.

Unyaka ka-1959 wawukhetheke kakhulu kimi. Ngethulwa ngawo kuPaul Allen. Wayemiswe njengombonisi ojikelezayo ngo-1946, lapho ephothula ekilasini lesikhombisa laseGileyadi, isikole sokuqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli ezingoFakazi BakaJehova. Lapho siqala ukuhlangana, akekho kithi owayazi ukuthi isabelo sikaPaul esilandelayo sasizoba seCleveland, e-Ohio, lapho ngangiphayona khona. Ubaba wamthanda, ngokufanayo nomama. Sashadela epulazini lakwaHowell ngo-July 1963, sinemindeni yakithi futhi u-Ed Hooper engamele. Kwakufezeke iphupho.

UPaul wayengakaze abe nemoto. Lapho sisuka eCleveland siya esabelweni sakhe esilandelayo, zonke izimpahla zethu zangena kuyi-Volkswagen Bug yami ka-1961. Abangane babevame ukufika bazosibukela sipakisha ngoMsombuluko, usuku esasithutha ngalo sesiya kwelinye ibandla. Kwakungathi yisekisi ukubona amapotimende, izikhwama zezincwadi, ibhokisi lamafayela, umshini wokuthayipha, njalonjalo, konke kungena kuleyo motshwana.

Mina noPaul sasihamba amakhilomitha ngamakhilomitha, sijabulela izikhathi ezimnandi futhi sibekezelela ubunzima balokhu kuphila—konke sikwenza ngamandla anganikezwa nguJehova kuphela. Le minyaka ibimnandi, igcwele uthando ngoJehova, ngomunye nomunye nangabangane abadala nabasha. Izinyanga ezimbili eziphele sisePatterson lapho uPaul eqeqeshwa beziyisici esivelele ekuphileni kwethu kuze kube manje. Ukuyibonela eduze inhlangano kaJehova yasemhlabeni kungenze ngaqiniseka nakakhulu ngento eyadluliselwa kimi njengengxenye yefa lami eliyigugu elingokomoya: Lena yinhlangano kaNkulunkulu ngempela. Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuba ngisho nayingxenye encane yayo!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Ngino-Ed Hooper ngaphambi nje komhlangano waseSt. Louis ngo-1941, engathola kuwo incwadi yami ethi “Children”

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Umkhulu ngo-1948

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Sisepulazini lakwaHowell lapho abazali bami (abakokelezelwe) bashadela khona

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AbaFundi BeBhayibheli abangu-8 ababoshwa ngokungafanele ngo-1918 (Umkhulu umi ekugcineni ngakwesokudla)

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Zonke izimpahla zethu zezwe zazanela kuyiVolkswagen yethu

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Nginomyeni wami, uPaul