Impikiswano Enkulu Phakathi kukaKrestu LoSathane

Isahluko 16—Izihambi Ezafumana ilizwe LaseMelika.

Abavuseleli baselizweni leNgilandi, loba nje babephikise imfundiso yeRoma, kodwa babesele bebambelele kwezinye imfundiso zebandla. Ngale indlela loba amandla lamasiko eRoma ayesephikiwe, kodwa inkonzo ezinengi lemfundiso ezinye zangeniswa ebandleni laseNgilandi. Baqala ukufundisa ukuthi lezi kwakungasizo izinto ezingcolisa umzwangedwa; batsho lokuthi loba zazingekho eBhayibhilini, njalo zazingabalulekanga, futhi zinganqatshelwanga, lokhu kwakusitsho ukuthi ukuzenza kwakungabangeli ukona. Ukulandela imfundiso lezi kwabangela ukuthi ibandla leNgilandi lingabi lomehluko omkhulu lebandla leRoma, njalo basebenzisa amazwi wokuthi lokhu kwakuzabangela ukuthi amalunga ebandla eRoma amukele imfundiso yeMvuselelo. {GC 289.1} IEP 289.1

Kulabo ababekhethe ukuyekethisa, amazwi lawa abangela ukuthi basuthiseke ngesenzo lesi. Kodwa kwakukhona elinye iqula elingakubonanga ngendlela efanayo. Ngesizatho sokuthi amasiko lawa “ayesakha ibholoho phakathi kweRoma leMvuselelo” (Martyn, vol 5, pg 22), engqondweni zabo kwakuyisizatho esifaneleyo ukuthi engagcinwa. Bawakhangela njengemfanekiso yokugqilazwa kwabo, abasebekhululwe kikho njalo ababengafisi ukubuyela kikho. Bafumana ukuthi uNkulunkulu elizwini lakhe wayehlelile imithetho yokunqanda indlela okumele akhonzwe ngayo, njalo lokuthi abantu abalalungelo lokwengeza lokuphungula kulokho okubhaliweyo. Isenzo lesi sokuphambuka eqinisweni saba ngesokuzama ukususa amandla kaNkulunkulu endaweni yawo bafaka awebandla. Ibandla leRoma laqala ngokungenisa lokhu uNkulunkulu ayengakwalanga, bacina ngokuphika lokho ayekubambanisile. {GC 289.2} IEP 289.2

Abantu abanengi bafisa ukubuyela ekuhlambulukeni lasebuhleni besimo okwakusebandleni lasendulo. Babona wonke amasiko webandla laseNgilandi njengendlela yokukhonza izithombe, njalo abenelisanga ukuhlanganela ekukhonzeni kwalo. Kodwa ngokuba ibandla lalisekelwa ngamandla wombusazwe, alizange livumele ukuthi intando yalo iphikiswe. Kwakulomthetho owawusitsho ukuthi kwakumele wonke umuntu ayekhonza ebandleni leli, njalo yonke imbuthano yokukhonza eyayingekho emthethweni yayingavunyelwa, njalo bonke ababephikisana lomthetho lowo babegwetshwelwa ukuxotshwa elizweni kanye lokufa. {GC 290.1} IEP 290.1

Ekuqaleni komnyaka ka1600 inkosi eyayisanda kuthatha isihlalo elizweni laseNgilandi yenza kwabasobala ukuthi yayizimisele ukwenza ukuthi abantu bohlanga lwamaPuritans, “balandele umthetho welizwe, kumbe ... abaxotshele ngaphandle komhlabathi welizwe, kumbe okwedlula lokhu.”- (George Bancroft, History of the United States of America, pt. 1, ch. 12, par. 6.) Babezingelwa, behlukunyezwa, njalo bephoselwa emajele, kwabasobala kibo ukuthi ikusasa labo lalingelakuthula, njalo abanengi bananzelela ukuthi nxa babefuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokukhululeka, ilizwe “laseNgilandi laselifike ezingeni lokungabi yindawo yokuhlala.” (J.G. Palfrey, History of New England, ch. 3, par. 43.) Abanengi bazimisela ukuyaphephela elizweni laseHolland. Bahlangana lobunzima, balahlekelwa yinotho yabo njalo abanye baphoselwa emajele. Injongo yabo yavinjelwa, abanengi babethengiswa ezandleni zezitha zabo. Kodwa ukuzimisela kwabo ekucineni kwanqoba, abanengi babo bathola ukuthula elizweni laseDutch Republic. {GC 290.2} IEP 290.2

Ekubalekeni kwabo babetshiye izindlu zabo, lempahla zabo, kanye lendlela zokuziphilisa. Babeyizihambi elizweni ababengalijwayelanga, elalilabantu abakhuluma ulimi abangalwaziyo njalo ababelamasiko ahlukeneyo. Isimo sabenza ukuthi badinge indlela entsha yokuziphilisa ukuze benelise ukuthola ukudla. Abantu abatsha ababekade bephila ngokulima, bafunda eyinye imisebenzi yezandla. Kodwa bamukela umumo ababekuwo ngentokozo abazange bachithe isikhathi bengenzi lutho. Loba nje babengabantu abaswelayo, baqhubeka bebonga uNkulunkulu ngezibusiso zakhe ayebanike zona, njalo bathola intokozo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu bengela kuhlukunyezwa. “Babesazi ukuthi babeyizihambi emhlabeni, njalo ababekanga amehlo abo ezintweni lezi, kodwa baphakamisela amehlo wabo ezulwini, ikhaya labo elithandekayo, baduduzeka emoyeni yabo.” — (Bancroft, pt. 1, ch. 12, par. 15). {GC 290.3} IEP 290.3

Phakathi kokuba yiziphepheli lobunzima uthando lwabo njalo lokukholwa kwaqina ngamandla. Bathembela ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu, njalo kazange abalahle ezikhathini lapho ababemdinga khona. Ingilosi zakhe zaziseduze kwabo, ukubaqinisa lokubaxhasa. Njalo nxa isandla sikaNkulunkulu sasibonakala sengathi sasibakhomba phetsheya kolwandle, endaweni lapho ababezazisungulela khona ilizwe, njalo batshiyele usapho lwabo ilifa eliligugu lokukhonza uNkulunkulu bekhululekile, bazimisela ukuyaphambili, ngesibindi beholwa lizulu. {GC 291.1} IEP 291.1

UNkulunkulu wayevumele inhlupho ukuthi zibuye ebantwini bakhe ukuze abalungiselele ukufeza injongo yakhe yomusa kibo. Ibandla laseliwile, ukwenzela ukuthi ekucineni liphakanyiswe. UNkulunkulu wayeselungele ukubonisa amandla wakhe kibo, ukunika umhlaba obunye ubufakazi bokuthi ngeke alahle labo abamthembayo. Wayesehlele konke ukuthi aphendule ulaka lukaSathane njalo lamacebo abantu ababi, ekucineni konke lokhu kwaba lithuba lokuthi athathe abantu bakhe abafake endaweni ephephileyo. Ukuhlukunyezwa lokuba yiziphepheli kwasekuvulela indlela inkululeko. {GC 291.2} IEP 291.2

Nxa basebebanjwe ngamandla ukuthi bahlukane lebandla laseNgilandi, amaPuritans abambana ngesivumelwano esingcwele, njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhululekileyo, “ukuthi bahambe ndawonye entandweni yakhe yonke eveziweyo kumbe eyayizavezwa kibo.”- (J. Brown, The Pilgrim Fathers, page 74.) Lapha babonisa umoya wemvuselelo weqiniso, wona oyinsika yenkolo yeqiniso. Kwakungenxa yenjongo leyi okwabangela ukuthi izihambi lezi zisuke elizweni laseHolland besiyadinga ikhaya emhlabeni omutsha. UJohn Robinson, umfundisi wabo, uNkulunkulu ayengavumanga ukuthi ahambe labo, nxa wayebavalelisa wathi: {GC 291.3} IEP 291.3

“Bathandekayo manje sesisehlukana, njalo iNkosi iyakwazi ukuthi ngizabuya ngibone ubuso benu na. Kodwa loba uNkulunkulu ekuhlelile loba engakuhlelanga, ngiyalikhuthaza phambi kaNkulunkulu njalo lengilosi zakhe ukuthi lingilandele kuphela lapho ebengilandela uKrestu kuphela. Nxa kusenzeka uNkulunkulu alivezele amanye amaqiniso esebenzisa eyinye inceku yakhe, lihlale lilindele ukulamukela, ngendlela efanayo elalihlala lilendele ukwamukela iqiniso kimi; ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi ilamaqiniso amanye njalo lokukhanya esezawaveza elizwini layo eliNgcwele.”- (Martyn, vol. 5, p. 70). {GC 291.4} IEP 291.4

“Kweyami ingxenye, angeke ngikhalele ngokwaneleyo isimo samabandla azibiza ngokuthi aguqukile, lawo asefike esikhathini lesi kwezokukholwa, njalo angafisiyo ukuqhubekele phambili edinga amaqiniso adlula lawo abawatshiyelwa ngabavuseleli abawasungulayo. Abalandeli bakaLuther ngeke baqhubekele phambili badlule lapho uLuther acina khona; ...njalo labalandeli bakaCalvin, elibabonayo, bame lapho abatshiywa khona, yinceku kaNkulunkulu, yena ongabonanga zonke izinto. Lokhu kulusizi okumele sibubule ngalo, ngoba loba nje babeyizibani ezikhanyayo ngesikhathi sabo, kodwa abazange bajule ngokuphelela elizwini likaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabe bebesaphila lamhlanje, bebezabe belungele ukwamukela amaqiniso amatsha ngendlela efana laleyo abamukela ngayo iqiniso ngokwakuqala.”- (D. Neal, History of the Puritans, vol. 1, p. 269.) {GC 292.1} IEP 292.1

“Likhumbule isifungo senu sebandla, esokuthi lavuma ukuhamba endleleni zonke zikaNkulunkulu, eziveziweyo lalezo ezizavezwa kini. Likhumbule isithembiso lesifungo senu kuNkulunkulu lakubazalwane benu, sokwamukela konke ukukhanya njalo leqiniso elizavezwa kini elivela elizwini lakhe; ngoba akwenzeki ukuthi inkolo yamaKrestu iphume ebunyameni obungaka, lolwazi njalo lokulunga kuhle kubuye ngokuphelela esikhathini esisodwa.”- (Martyn, vol. 5, pp. 70, 71). {GC 292.2} IEP 292.2

Kwakuyikufisa ukukhululeka komzwangedwa okwafuqa abantu laba ukuthi babelesibindi sokumelana lobunzima bokuhamba uhambo olude kangaka elwandle, lobunzima bokuba senkangala, njalo ngesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu sokubeka insika yelizwe elikhulu emhlabathini waseAmerica. Loba nje babengabantu abathembekileyo njalo ababemesaba uNkulunkulu izihambi lezi azizange ziqedisise ngokuphelela imfundiso yokukhululeka kwezokukhonza. Inkululeko ababedele konke ukuthi bayithole babengakazimiseli ukuyinika abanye. “Balutshwana, lakulabo ababeqeqetshile njalo lakulabo ababefisa ukuthi abantu bafunde ukwenza okuhle phakathi kweminyaka leyi, ababelokuqedisisa okupheleleyo ngemfundiso leyi emqoka, eyikukhula kwalokho okuvezwe eThestamenteni eLitsha, ephakamisa uNkulunkulu njengomahluleli oyedwa wokukholwa.” (Ibid, vol. 5, p. 297.) Imfundiso yokuthi uNkulunkulu wanika ibandla ilungelo lokulawula umzwangedwa, njalo lokuchaza lokujezisa labo abafundisa lokho okuphambene lebandla, ngeyinye ebonisa ukujula kwamaphutha alethwa ngumbuso kapapa. Loba nje abavuseleli baphika imfundiso yeRoma, babengakhululekanga ngokuphelela emoyeni weRoma wokungamukeli labo abahlukene labo. Ubunyama obukhulu, ababephile phakathi kwabo ngaphansi kwamandla weRoma, umbuso wabopapa wawembese inkolo yesiKrestu, njalo lakathesi ingubo leyi yayingakasuswa yonke. Omunye wabafundisi endaweni yaseMassachusetts Bay wathi: “Kwakungenxa yokwamukela labo abalenkolo ehlukeneyo okwabangela ukuthi umhlaba uphike isiKrestu; njalo ibandla alizange lilimale ngokujezisa abahlamuki.”- (Ibid, vol. 5, p. 335). Amazwi lawa amukelwa ngabahambi laba kwabekwa ukuthi kuphela amalunga ebandla ayelelungelo lokubeka imithetho yelizwe. Labo basungula ibandla lelizwe, bonke abantu kwakumele banikele ukwenzela ukuthi abafundisi babhadalwe, njalo labahluleli ababeqhatshelwe ukujezisa abahlamuki. Ngale indlela amandla wonke wombusazwe ayesezandleni zebandla. Akuzange kuthathe isikhathi ukuthi imithetho leyi ilethe ukuhlukunyezwa futhi. {GC 292.3} IEP 292.3

Ngemva kweminyaka elitshumi lanye besungule indawo yakuqala, uRoger Williams wafika laye emhlabeni omutsha. Njengabahambi bakuqala laye wayeze ukuba azothola ukukhululeka kwezokholo, kodwa yena wayehlukene labo, ngoba wabona lokho okwakubonwe ngabalutshwane endaweni leyi, ukuthi inkululeko leyi yayingeyo muntu wonke kungakhathalekile ukuthi babekholwani. Wayengumuntu owayezimisele ukufumana iqiniso, njengo Robinson wayekholwa ukuthi iqiniso lonke lalingakavezwa. UWilliams “wayengumuntu wakuqala kumaKrestu alamuhla owasungula iphalamende phezu kwemfundiso yokukhululeka kwabantu kwezenkolo, lelungelo lokuba lombono ohlukene lowabanye, phambi komthetho.”- (Bancroft, pt. 1, ch. 15, par. 16.) Wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi kwakungumsebenzi kamantshi owokuthonisisa amacala, kodwa hatshi owokulawula umzwangedwa. “Umphakathi loba umahluleli ulelungelo lokuhlela lokho okufanele umuntu wonke, kodwa nxa bezama ukutshela abantu indlela okumele bakhonze ngayo uNkulunkulu, bayabe sebelahlekile, njalo ngeke kube lokuvikeleka, ngoba kusobala ukuthi umahluleli kalamandla, usengakhuluma imicabango yakhe aphakamise inkolo ethile lamuhla, kusasa atsho eyinye ehlukeneyo, njengalokho okwenziwe elizweni laseNgilandi ngamakhosi ahlukeneyo, njalo langabopapa lemihlangano ehlukeneyo ebandleni laseRoma, okubangele ukuthi ukukholwa kube yintaba yokusangana.”- (Martyn, vol. 5, p. 340.) {GC 293.1} IEP 293.1

Ukuya enkonzweni ebandleni leli elaselisunguliwe kwakungumthetho owawu lesigwebo sokuhlawuliswa kumbe ukuya ejele kulabo ababengakwenzi lokho.” UWilliams wawukhipha umthetho lowu; owawumubi okwedlula yonke elizweni laseNgilandi owawubamba abantu ngamandla ukuthi baye ezinkonzweni. Ukubamba abantu ngamandla ukuthi babambane lalabo abakholwa ngokwehlukeneyo, wakubona njengokwephula amalungelo wabo, lokudonsela labo abangakholwayo enkonzweni wakubona njengokwamukela abazenzisi... ‘Akulamuntu okumele abanjwe ngamandla ukuthi akhonze, kumbe ukuthi aqhubeke ekhonza yena engathandi.’ Labo ababephikisana laye bathi: ‘Ini! Kambe lowo oqhatshiweyo akufanelanga ajabulise omqhatshileyo na? ‘Yebo’, waphendula, ‘kulabo abamqhatshileyo.’”- (Bancroft, pt. 1, ch. 15, par. 2). {GC 294.1} IEP 294.1

URoger Williams wayengumfundisi othembekileyo njalo othandekayo, indoda eyayilezipho ezingajwayelekanga, njalo owayelobuntu obungaguqukiyo njalo lothando lweqiniso, loba kwakunjalo ukwala kwakhe ukuthi omantshi babelamandla phezu kwebandla, njalo lokufundisa kwakhe ukuthi abantu babelelungelo lokuzikhethela inkolo yabo, akuzange kwamukeleke. Ukwamukelwa kwemfundiso leyi kwakhulunywa ukuthi “kwakuzaphambanisa insika yelizwe.”- (Ibid, pt. 1, ch. 15, par. 10.) Ngakho wagwetshelwa ukuthi axotshwe endaweni leyi, njalo ekucineni ukuze abalekele ukuphoselwa entolongweni, wabaleka phakathi komqando leziphepho esiya endaweni eyayingakaze ihlalwe ngumuntu. {GC 294.2} IEP 294.2

“Okwamaviki alitshumi lane,” waloba, “ngadlula ebuhlungwini ngingazi ukuthi isinkwa lokulala kwakusitshoni.” Kodwa “amawabayi anginika ukudla enkangala,” njalo isihlahla elilobhalu ezikhathini ezinengi sasisiba yindawo yakhe yokulala. - (Martyn, vol. 5, pp. 349, 350.) Ngale indlela waqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe olubuhlungu phakathi konqwaqwane legusu, waze wayathola usizo phakathi kwabantu bohlanga lwamaNdiya ayesethole uthando lwabo ngenxa yemizamo yakhe yokubafundisa ngevangeli. {GC 294.3} IEP 294.3

Ekucineni waqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa wayafika ekhunjini lwaseNarragansett Bay, lapho afaka khona isikhonkwane selizwe lakuqala elamukela ilungelo lokukhonza ngokwakuqala. Insika yemfundiso yendawo kaRoger Williams yayingeyokuthi “wonke umuntu kumele abelelungelo lokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela yokukhanya okufinyelele ngayo umzwangedwa wakhe.”- (Ibid, vol. 5, p. 354.) Ilizwe lakhe elincane, iRhode Island, laba yindawo yokuphephela kulabo ababehlukumezekile, njalo lakhula laphumelela kwaze kwafika ukuthi insika yemfundiso yalo, kwezombusazwe lakwezenkolo, ibe yinsika yelizwe laseAmerica. {GC 295.1} IEP 295.1

Phakathi kogwalo lolu oludala olwabhalwa ngabokhokho bethu njengogwalo lwamalungelo abantu, olubizwa njengogwalo lukazibuse babhala bathi: “Sibamba amaqiniso lawa ukuthi asobala, ukuthi wonke umuntu udalwe ngokulingana; ukuthi banikwe nguMdali amalungelo okungamelanga aphanjaniswe; lawo phakathi kwawo lilungelo lempilo, lelenkululeko, njalo lesifiso sokudinga injabulo.” Njalo isisekelo sombuso sinika isiqiniseko ngamazwi acacileyo ukuthi umzwangedwa akumelanga uthintwe: “Akusoke kube lomhloliso wokukholwa ozasetshenziswa ukuthi umuntu afanele isikhundla phakathi kwelizwe.” “Iphalamende ayisoke ifake umthetho ohlonipha ukusungulwa kwenkolo, kumbe ukuvimbela ukukhonza kwabantu bekhululekile ngokufanayo.” {GC 295.2} IEP 295.2

“Labo ababhala ugwalo lwamalungelo bananzelala iqiniso elingayikudlula elokuthi ubudlelwano bomuntu loNkulunkulu buphezu kwemithetho yabantu, njalo lokuthi amalungelo wakhe wokuba lomzwangedwa awathintwa. Umcabango kawuzange udingeke ekuvezeni iqiniso leli, siyakwazi lokhu enhliziyweni zethu. Kuyikwazi lokhu, ekuphikeni imthetho yabantu, okwaqinisa labo abafela iqiniso phakathi kochuku lamalangabi. Bananzelela ukuthi umsebenzi wabo kuNkulunkulu wawumkhulu okwedlula imithetho yabantu, njalo lokuthi umuntu wayengeke asebenzise amandla wakhe phezu komzwangedwa wabo. Lokhu kuyimfundiso esizalwa layo, engeke yasuswa ngumuntu.” — (Congressional documents (USA), SERIAL No. 200, document No. 271.) {GC 295.3} IEP 295.3

Nxa umbiko wawufika emazweni amanengi aseEurope, ngendawo lapho wonke umuntu owayesenelisa khona ukukholisa izithelo zamandla wakhe njalo lokulandela umzwangedwa wakhe, inkulungwane zabantu zezangobunengi ekhunjini lomhlaba lowu omutsha. Indawo okwasekwakhe khona abantu zaqala ukwanda. “Indawo yaseMasschussetts, ngaphansi komthetho oqakathekileyo, yanika abantu ukwamukelwa kungekho mbadalo, kusetshenziswa isamba selizwe, emuntwini wonke kungakhathalekile amazwe ababebuya kuwo, kibo bonke ababebalekela izimpi lendlala, kumbe ukuhlukumeza kwezitha zabo.’ Ngale indlela bonke ababelahliwe njalo bexotshiwe, ngaphansi komthetho benziwa izethekeli zale indawo.” — (Martyn, vol. 5, p. 417.) Phakathi kweminyaka engamatshumi amabili kusukela ekufikeni kwabo kwakuqala endaweni yasePlymouth, abantu abedlula inkulungwane basebeyakhile elizweni elitsha. {GC 296.1} IEP 296.1

Ukwenzela ukuthi beyenelise ukuthola lokhu ababekufisa, “babesuthisekile ngokuthi baziphilise ngokuphila impilo yokusebenza nzima lokuzidela. Abafunanga lutho emhlabathini edlula ukusebenza kwabo. Kwakungekho umcabango wegolide owabangela ukuthi balahlekelwe yindlela yabo... Babelokusuthiseka ngempilo yabo eyayiqhubeka kancane kancane. Babekezela nxa babedlula ebunzimeni basenkangala, bethelela isihlahla sabo senkululeko ngenyembezi zabo, njalo langamaginqo wabo, impande yaso yaze yangena yatshona emhlabathini.” {GC 296.2} IEP 296.2

IBhayibhili laphakanyiswa njengensika yokukholwa, umthombo wokuhlakanipha, njalo lenziki yokukhululeka. Imfundiso yalo yayifundiswa emakhaya, ezikolo, njalo lasebandleni, njalo izithelo zokwenza lokhu zabonakala ekwandeni kolwazi, lasekulungeni, njalo lokuzithibeni. Omunye sengaba yisakhamizi esabelweni samaPuritan, “engakaze abone isidakwa, kumbe ezwe inhlamba, kumbe abone umuntu ophila ngokucela.” — (Bancroft, pt. 1, ch. 19, par. 25.) Kwaboniswa sobala ukuthi imfundiso yeBhayibhili yiyo evikela ukuphumelela kwelizwe. Indawo lezi ezazingela notho enengi zakhula zaba ngamadolobho amakhulu abambeneyo, njalo umhlaba wonke wakhangela ngokumangala nxa babebona ukuthula njalo lokuphumelela “kwebandla elalingela papa, njalo lelizwe elalingela nkosi.” {GC 296.3} IEP 296.3

Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi inani labantu abanengi laselihangwa yikuya lalo endaweni yase-America, abanye babefuqwa yinjongo ehlukene lalabo ababeqale ukuyakhona beyizihambi. Loba nje ukukholwa okufana lokwasendulo lokulunga kwakulendonsela enkulu, ngemva kwesikhathi amandla wakho aqala ukwehla nxa kwakulokhe kusanda abantu ababefuqwa yizifiso zokuthola inotho yasemhlabeni. {GC 296.4} IEP 296.4

Umthetho owawufakwe ngabahlali bakuqala owokuvumela kuphela amalunga ebandla ukuthi babelesandla ekukhethweni kwezisebenzi zelizwe, waletha umphumela omubi. Isinqumo lesi sasifakelwe ukuba senze ilizwe lihlale lihlambulukile, kodwa kwacina kungcolisa ibandla. Ubufakazi bokuba ngumzalwane babufuneka ukuze umuntu athole isikhundla, lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantu abanengi ababefuna izikhundla bangene ebandleni inhliziyo zabo zingaphendukanga. Ngaleso isizatho amabandla amanengi agcwala abantu ababengaphendukanga, njalo lasemsebenzini wokuba ngabafundisi kwakukhona labo ababelamaphutha njalo bengazi ngamandla kaMoya oyiNgcwele awokuguqula inhliziyo zabantu. Ngakhoke futhi kwabonakala izithelo ezimbi, ezazibonakele embalini yebandla ngesikhathi sikaConstantine kuze kube lalamuhla, lokhu kuyikuzama ukwakha ibandla kusetshenziswa amandla welizwe, ukucela ukuxhaswa ngamandla omhlaba ukumisa ivangeli lalowo owathi: “Umbuso wami kawusiwo walumhlaba.” (Johane 18: 36) Ukubambana kwebandla lelizwe, loba kukuncane kangakanani, loba nje kungabonakala sengathi kuletha umhlaba duze lebandla, eqinisweni kuletha ibandla duze lomhlaba. {GC 297.1} IEP 297.1

Imfundiso emqoka eyalwelwa nguRobinson loRoger Williams, eyokuthi iqiniso lihlala likhula, leyokuthi amaKrestu kumele ahlale elungele ukwamukela ukukhanya okuvela elizwini likaNkulunkulu, yalahlekela labo abeza ngemva kwabo. Amabandla aseAmerica, lalawo awaseEurope, wona ayephakanyiswe kangaka ukuthi amukele imfundiso yeMvuselelo, ahluleka ukuqhubekela phambili endleleni yemvuselelo. Loba nje amadoda ambalwa ayethembekile abakhona, ezikhathini ezehlukeneyo, ukufundisa iqiniso njalo lokuveza amaphutha, inengi labantu, njengamaJuda ngezinsuku zikaKrestu kumbe abalandeli bakapapa ngezinsuku zikaLuther, basuthiseka ngokukholwa ngendlela efana leyabokhokho babo baphila ngendlela efana laleyo ababephile ngayo. Ngakhoke ngokufanayo inkolo yaqhubeka yacina isifana lenhlalayenza engelamutsho; njalo amaphutha lamasiko ayezalahlelwa khatshana ngabe ibandla laliqhubeke lihamba ekukhanyeni kwelizwi likaNkulunkulu, amukelwa njalo aphakanyiswa. Ngaleso isizatho umoya owawuholwe ngumsebenzi weMvuselelo waqala ukufa kancane kancane, kwazekwafika isikhathi lapho okwasekudingeka imvuselelo emabandleni weMvuselelo efana laleyi eyenziwa ebandleni leRoma ngensuku zikaLuther. Kwakukhona ukuthanda umhlaba okufanayo njalo lokulala kwezokholo, ukuphakanyiswa okufanayo kwemicabango yabantu, njalo lokufaka imfundiso yabantu endaweni yemfundiso yelizwi likaNkulunkulu. {GC 297.2} IEP 297.2

Ukuhanjiswa kweBhayibhili okwakwenziwe ekuqaleni, njalo lokukhanya okukhulu kangaka okwakuhanjiswe emhlabeni ngale indlela, akuzange kulandelelwe yizenzo ezazibonisa ukuthi iqiniso leli laselisaziwa, kumbe ngokuliphila. USathane wayengasenelisi, njengasendulo ukufihla ilizwi likaNkulunkulu, laselifinyelele umuntu wonke, kodwa ukwenzela futhi ukuthi afeze injongo yakhe, waholela abanengi ukuthi baliphathe mahlayana. Abantu abazange bazihluphe ngokubala iMbhalo, ngale indlela baqhubeka besamukela imfundiso zamanga, njalo lokulangazelela imfundiso ezazingekho eBhayibhilini. {GC 298.1} IEP 298.1

Esenanzelele ukwehluleka kwamacebo wakhe wokutshabalalisa iqiniso ngokubulala, uSathane waphinda njalo ukusebenzisa icebo lokuyekethisa okwabangela ukuwa lokwamukela amanga okuyikho -okwasungula ibandla leRoma. Wayeseholele amaKrestu ukuthi ahlanganyele, khathesi hatshi labantu ababekhonza izithombe, kodwa lalabo ababethe ngokuthanda inotho yomhlaba, basebezibonise ukuthi labo ngokufanayo babengabakhonzi bezithombe. Njalo umphumela wokubambana lokhu wawulobubi obufana lobasendulo, ukuziphakamisa lokuzibonakalisa kwaphilwa ngaphansi kwesambatho sokukholwa, njalo amabandla alahlekelwa yiqiniso. USathane waqhubeka ngomsebenzi wakhe wokuguqula imfundiso yeBhayibhili, njalo amasiko ayezabhubhisa izigidi zabantu ayeseqala ukumisa impande. Ibandla laseliqala ukumisa lokuvikela amasiko lawa, kulokuthi “balwele iqiniso elalike lanikwa abangcwele.” Ngale indlela imfundiso yonke abaVuseleli ababeyilethile njalo bayizwela ubuhlungu yatshabalaliswa. {GC 298.2} IEP 298.2