Eminyakeni Eyikhulu Edlule—Ngo-1916
EKUQALENI kuka-1916, iMpi Enkulu, kamuva eyaziwa ngokuthi iMpi Yezwe I, yayisinesikhathi esingaphezu konyaka ibambene. Kwafa abantu abaningi kule mpi.
INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-January 1, 1916, yathi: “Umphumela wale mpi waba ukuthi abantu abaningi bashintsha baba amakholwa, bakhathazeka nangekusasa labo.” Yona le Nqabayokulinda yathi: “Masiphaphamele amalungelo ethu namathuba esinawo ukuze kungabibikho owesabayo, kunalokho sishisekele uNkulunkulu noMyalezo wakhe.”
Isihloko sonyaka sika-1916 sakhuthaza abafowethu ukuba bahlale ‘beqinile ekukholweni,’ ngokusho kweyabaseRoma 4:20 kuyi-King James Version. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli abaningi benza kanjalo, bathola izibusiso zikaJehova ezicebile.
Ama-pilgrim Anikeza Isikhuthazo
Abameleli abajikelezayo be-Watch Tower Society, ababaziwa ngokuthi ama-pilgrim, babehambela amadolobha, bekhuthaza abaFundi BeBhayibheli futhi bebafundisa. Ngo-1916, ama-pilgrim angaba ngu-69 ahamba amamayela angu-500 000 enza lo msebenzi.
UWalter Thorn, owayeyi-pilgrim, waqhathanisa ukulwa kwamaKristu nale Mpi Enkulu lapho ekhuluma emhlanganweni owawuseNorfolk, eVirginia: “Kulinganiselwa ukuthi ayizigidi ezingu-20 kuya ku-30 amasosha alwa empini. . . . Kunelinye iqembu [lamasosha] elingaziwa emhlabeni. Lingamasosha eNkosi, futhi njengebutho likaGideyoni, nalo liyalwa kodwa alilwi ngezikhali zangempela. Lilwela iqiniso nokulunga futhi lilwa impi enhle yokholo.”
Bakhonza Naphezu Kobunzima Obabudalwa Impi
EFrance, amadoda angaphezu kwesigidi alimala noma abulawa eMpini Yokuqala YaseSomme, eyayingasekupheleni kuka-1916. Kwenye indawo eFrance, abazalwane abasebenza kanzima basekela amakilasi, noma amabandla, ngisho noma izimo zangesikhathi sempi zazenza lokhu kube nzima. INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-January 15, 1916, yayinencwadi evela kuJoseph Lefèvre, umFundi WeBhayibheli owaphoqeleka ukuba abaleke edolobheni lakubo eDenain, eFrance, ngesikhathi lihlaselwa amasosha aseJalimane ngo-1914. Waya eningizimu eParis, waqala ukuhlanganyela nekilasi labaFundi BeBhayibheli okwakuwukuphela kwalo kulelo dolobha. Naphezu kwempilo yakhe engeyinhle, ngokushesha nje wayeseqhuba yonke imihlangano.
Kamuva, uJoseph wajoyinwa uThéophile Lequime, naye owayebaleke eDenain. UMfoweth’ uLequime waqale waya e-Auchel, eFrance, lapho aqala khona ukuhumusha izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda abese ezithumelela abazalwane ababehlala ezindaweni zaseFrance ezazingaphethwe amasosha. Waphoqeleka ukuba ahambe e-Auchel ngoba iziphathimandla zase ziwusola umsebenzi wakhe. UMfoweth’ uLefèvre waba nomuzwa wokuthi ukufika kukaMfoweth’ uLequime eParis kwakuyimpendulo yemithandazo yakhe.
Umsebenzi wabo eParis waba nomvuzo. UMfoweth’ uLefèvre wabika: “Manje sinekilasi labantu abacishe babe ngu-45 . . . Abaningana kubo sebebubonile ubuhle nelungelo lokuzinikezela, futhi bathuthuka kakhulu ngokomoya. Cishe wonke amalungu aleli kilasi aba khona emihlanganweni yamasonto onke.”
Abathathanga Hlangothi
Njengoba impi yayiqhubeka ibambene, abafowethu abaningi babhekana nenkinga yokungathathi hlangothi. EGreat Britain, kwaphasiswa umthetho obizwa ngokuthi iMilitary Service Act, owawuthi bonke abantu besilisa abaneminyaka esukela ku-18 kuya ku-40 kufanele babuthelwe impi. Noma kunjalo, abaFundi BeBhayibheli abaningi baba qotho bangathatha hlangothi.
Ngokwesibonelo, INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-April 15, 1916, yayinencwadi evela kuW. O. Warden waseScotland. Yayithi: “Enye yamadodana ami isineminyaka engu-19. Kuze kube manje iyifakazele kahle iNkosi ngokwenqaba ukubhalisela ukuya empini, futhi uma kusho ukuthi kumelwe idutshulwe ngoba yenqaba, ngethemba ukuthi iyothola uMusa Waphezulu ukuze imelele izimiso zeqiniso nokulunga.”
UJames Frederick Scott, insizwa eyi-colporteur yase-Edinburgh, eScotland, waquliswa icala ngoba enqaba ukubuthelwa impi. Ngemva kokulalela bonke ubufakazi, inkantolo yaphetha ngokuthi uMfoweth’ uScott “wayengangeni ngaphansi kwalo Mthetho” owaphasiswa, ngakho yamthola engenacala.
Kodwa abanye abaningi benqatshelwa ukuba bangayi empini. Ngo-September, kubazalwane abangu-264 abafaka isicelo sokuba bangayi empini, abangu-23 banikezwa umsebenzi owawungaphathelene nokulwa. Ababesele, abanye kubo “abajeziswa kabuhlungu,” kwathiwa abenze “umsebenzi Obalulekile Wesizwe, njengokwakha imigwaqo, ukusebenza enkwalini, njalo njalo,” kusho umbiko we-Nqabayokulinda ka-October 15, 1916. Bayisihlanu kuphela abazalwane abavunyelwa ukuba bangayi empini.
Kushona UCharles Taze Russell
Ngo-October 16, 1916, uCharles Taze Russell, owayehola abaFundi BeBhayibheli ngaleso sikhathi, wathatha uhambo eyonikeza izinkulumo entshonalanga ye-United States. Akazange abuyele ekhaya. UMfoweth’ uRussell washona ntambama ngoLwesibili, ngo-October 31, eneminyaka engu-64, esesitimeleni ePampa, eTexas.
Abazalwane abaningi babengaboni ukuthi ubani ongathatha indawo kaMfoweth’ uRussell. Ifa lakhe labhalwa kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-December 1, 1916, lachaza izifiso zakhe mayelana nomsebenzi ayesenesikhathi eside kangaka ehola kuwo. Kodwa kwasala umbuzo othi: Ubani owayezomlandela kulo msebenzi?
Impendulo yalo mbuzo yayizotholakala emhlanganweni waminyaka yonke we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, owawuzoba sekuqaleni kuka-1917. Labo ababekhona bavota, futhi bonke bavumelana ngazwilinye. Kodwa izinyanga ezalandela zembula ukuthi lokhu kuvumelana ngazwilinye kwakungokwesikhashana, futhi abazalwane babelindelwe uvivinyo oluvuthayo.
