KUCALA kweMphi Yelive Yekucala nga-1914 kwenta kutsi bantfu labanyenti banake kutsi Bafundzi beliBhayibheli bebangeke bayingenele imphi. (Isa. 2:2-4; Joh. 18:36; Ef. 6:12) Tenta njani tinceku taNkulunkulu taseBritain?

Nga-1916, eBritain, kwakhishwa umtsetfo lobitwa ngekutsi yi-Military Service Act, lowawutsi emadvodza langakashadi laneminyaka lengu-18 kuya ku-40 budzala, kufanele aye emphini. Lomtsetfo wawubavumela bantfu labebanetizatfu “tenkholo nobe tinkholelo letihambisana nekutiphatsa” kutsi bangayi emphini. Hulumende wabeka ikomidi lebeyitawenta sincumo sekutsi ngubani lotawuvunyelwa kutsi angayi emphini nekutsi utawuniketwa inkhululeko lengakanani.

Ngemuva kwesikhashana, Bafundzi beliBhayibheli labangaba ngu-40 besebaboshiwe, futsi labasiphohlongo besebatfunyelwe emphini eFulansi. Lokuphatfwa kabi kwabangela bazalwane baseBritain kutsi babhalele Ndvunankhulu, Herbert Asquith incwadzi lemayelana netikhalo talokuboshwa lebeyihambisana nesicelo lebesisayinwe bantfu labangu-5 500.

Kwevakala kutsi laba labasiphohlongo labatfunyelwa eFulansi bebatfole sigwebo sekudutjulwa ngobe balile kuya emphini. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi sebatawudutjulwa labazalwane, tigwebo tabo tashintjwa taba ngiminyaka lelishumi ejele. Babuyiselwa eNgilandi kute bayewuhlala ejele.

Njengobe imphi beyichubeka, lomtsetfo wekuya emphini wase ufaka ekhatsi nemadvodza lashadile. Ecaleni lelaba sibonelo lelatekwa eManchester, eNgilandi, umbekwacala bekunguHenry Hudson, lobekangudokotela wetemphilo futsi angulomunye weBafundzi beliBhayibheli. Nga-August 3, 1916, inkantolo yakhipha sijubo sekutsi wephule umtsetfo, yamhlawulisa futsi yammikisa emphini. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekutekwa lelinye licala e-Edinburgh, eScotland. James Frederick Scott, lobekali-colporteur aneminyaka lengu-25 budzala, watfolakala ete licala. Umshushisi walendlulisela embili lelicala kodvwa wase uyalesula kute ayewulalela lelinye lebelitekwa eLondon. Lapho, umzalwane Herbert Kipps watfolwa anelicala, wahlawuliswa futsi wamikiswa emphini.

NgaSeptember 1916, bazalwane labangu-264 besebafake ticelo tekungayi emphini. Kulabo bazalwane, labasihlanu bavunyelwa kutsi bangayi emphini, labangu-154 banikwa leminye imisebenti lelukhuni, labangu-23 banikwa imisebenti lengafaki ekhatsi kulwa, labangu-82 bafakwa emphini, kwatsi labanye batekiswa emacala ekungalaleli futsi baboshwa. Bantfu baphikisana nalokuphatfwa kabi kwalamadvodza,  ngako-ke hulumende wawakhipha emajele emphi wawayisa etinkambu tekusebenta.

Edgar Clay naPryce Hughes, ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi lowaba ngumbonisi weligatja eBritain, bebasebenta edamini laseWales. Ngakulolunye luhlangotsi, Herbert Senior, lomunye walaba labasiphohlongo labebabuyisiwe basuka eFulansi, watfunyelwa eJele laseWakefield eYorkshire. Labanye badvonsa tigwebo tabo temisebenti lematima etimeni letilukhuni taseJele laseDartmoor. Ngesikhatsi balapho, baba licembu lelikhulu kakhulu lebantfu labebaboshelwe kungayi emphini.

Frank Platt, lomunye weBafundzi beliBhayibheli lobekavume kwenta leminye imisebenti, wahlushwa kabuhlungu sikhatsi lesidze ngesikhatsi atfunyelwe emphini. Atkinson Padgett, lobekafundze liciniso ngesikhatsi asandza kungena emphini, naye tiphatsimandla temphi tamphatsa kabuhlungu ngobe wala kungena emphini.

Ngisho nobe kungenteka bazalwane betfu bebasengakati kahle kutsi kusho kutsini ngemaKhristu kungangeneli imphi, benta konkhe lokusemandleni kute bajabulise Nkulunkulu Jehova. Labo lababitwa ngemabito abo kulombiko, basibekela sibonelo lesihle sekungatsatsi luhlangotsi ikakhulukati “ngesikhatsi sekulingwa.” (Semb. 3:10)—Lokuvela emtatjeni wetfu eBritain.