Kodi Angelezi Oyambirira Kusamukira ku America Anali Akristu Oona?

M’MPHEPETE mwa nyanja kumpoto kwa America m’tawuni ya Plymouth m’boma la Massachusetts, muli mwala waukulu womwe pamwamba pake anazokotapo nambala ya 1620. Mwala umenewu umatchedwa Mwala wa Plymouth, ndipo anthu ambiri amakhulupirira kuti uli pafupi ndi malo amene gulu lina la Angelezi ochokera ku Ulaya linafikira zaka pafupifupi 400 zapitazo. Angelezi oyambirira kusamukira ku America amenewa amatchedwa Aulendo.

Anthu ambiri amvapo nkhani zonena za Aulendowa akuitanira mwansangala anzawo omwe anali mbadwa za ku America ku phwando lalikulu, lokondwerera kukolola mbewu. Koma kodi Aulendowa anali ndani, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani anapita kumpoto kwa America? Kuti tipeze mayankho, tiyeni tibwerere ku nthawi ya mfumu ya Angelezi yotchedwa Henry VIII.

Mavuto a Zachipembedzo ku England

Zaka zosakwana 100 Aulendo aja asanasamuke, dziko la England linali lachikatolika ndipo Mfumu Henry VIII inapatsidwa ndi papa dzina loti Woteteza Chikhulupiriro. Koma panabuka kusagwirizana Papa Clement VII atakana kuthetsa ukwati wa Henry ndi Catherine wa ku Aragon, yemwe anali mkazi wake woyamba pa akazi ake sikisi.

Pamene Henry anali kusinkhasinkha za mavuto ake a m’banja, Apolotesitanti omwe ankafuna kusintha zinthu anali atayambitsa mavuto m’tchalitchi cha Roma Katolika m’madera ambiri ku Ulaya. Poyamba, Henry anawaletsa Apolotesitanti osintha zinthuwa kuti asafike ku England posafuna kutaya ulemu umene tchalitchi chinkamupatsa. Koma kenako anasintha maganizo. Tchalitchi cha Katolika chinkakana kuthetsa ukwati wake, choncho iye anaganiza zothetsa tchalitchicho. Mu 1534 iye anathetsa mphamvu za papa pa Akatolika achingelezi ndipo analengeza kuti iyeyo ndiye mkulu wa Tchalitchi cha England. Posakhalitsa anayamba kutseka nyumba za amonke ndi kugulitsa malo aakulu amene amonkewo anali nawo. Pamene Henry amamwalira mu 1547, dziko la England linali litayamba kukhala dziko lachipolotesitanti.

Mwana wa Henry, Edward VI, anapitiriza kutsatira mfundo zosagwirizana ndi papa. Edward atamwalira mu 1553, Mary, mwana wachikatolika wa Henry amene anam’berekera Catherine wa ku Aragon, anakhala mfumukazi ndipo kenako anayamba kuchita zinthu zofuna kuti dzikolo liyambirenso kugonjera  ulamuliro wa papa. Anachititsa kuti Apolotesitanti ambiri athawire ku mayiko ena ndipo anthu opitirira 300 anawatentha pa mtengo. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti anthu ayambe kumutcha Mary Wakupha. Koma sakanatha kulepheretsa zinthu kusintha. Mary anamwalira mu 1558, ndipo wom’tsatira wake, Elizabeth I, amene anali mchemwali wa Mary mwa mayi wina, anaonetsetsa kuti kuyambira nthawi imeneyi kupita m’tsogolo papa asakhalenso ndi ulamuliro uliwonse pa chipembedzo cha anthu a ku England.

Koma Apolotesitanti ena anaona kuti kungosiya kugwirizana ndi tchalitchi cha Katolika sikunali kokwanira, koma zinthu zonse zokhudzana ndi Chikatolika zinayenera kuchotsedwa. Ankafuna kuyeretsa kulambira kwa tchalitchichi, choncho anayamba kutchedwa Oyeretsa. Oyeretsa ena sankaona kufunika kokhala ndi mabishopu ndipo ankaona kuti ndi bwino kuti mpingo uliwonse uzidzilamulira wokha kuti upatukane ndi tchalitchi chachikulu m’dzikolo. Iwowa anayamba kutchedwa Odzipatula.

Oyeretsa anadziwika kwambiri pa nthawi ya ulamuliro wa Elizabeth. Mfumukaziyo inakwiya ndi kuvala kwachisawawa kwa atsogoleri ena achipembedzo, ndipo mu 1564 inalamula Bishopu Wamkulu wa Tchalitchi cha England kuti awauze kuti azivala zovala zapadera. Poopa kuti abwereranso ku kavalidwe ka ansembe achikatolika, Oyeretsawa anakana kumvera. Panabukanso mkangano wina pankhani yokhudza maudindo akale a mabishopu ndi mabishopu aakulu. Elizabeth anakhalabe ndi mabishopuwo ndipo anawauza kuti alumbire kuti azimvera iyeyo monga mkulu wa tchalitchi.

Odzipatula Aja Anakhala Aulendo

James I anakhala mfumu motsatizana ndi Elizabeth mu 1603, ndipo anakakamiza kwambiri Odzipatula kuti agonjere ulamuliro wake. Mu 1608, anthu a mpingo wa Odzipatula a m’tawuni ya Scrooby anathawira ku Holland chifukwa kumeneko kunali ufulu wachipembedzo. Koma patapita nthawi, chifukwa choti dziko la Holland linkalolezanso zipembedzo zina ndi makhalidwe achiwerewere, Odzipatula aja anayamba kusasangalala m’dzikolo. Anaona kuti ku England komwe kuja kunaliko bwino. Choncho anaganiza zochoka ku Ulaya kuti akakhale kumpoto kwa America. Chifukwa choti Odzipatula amenewa anali ofunitsitsa kuyenda ulendo wautali chifukwa chofuna kutsatira zikhulupiriro zawo, anapatsidwa dzina loti Aulendo.

Aulendowa, amene ambiri mwa iwo anali Odzipatula, analoledwa kukakhala m’chigawo cholamulidwa ndi dziko la Britain cha Virginia ndipo ananyamuka ulendo wawo wopita kumpoto kwa America mu September m’chaka cha 1620 pa sitima yapamadzi yotchedwa Mayflower. Pafupifupi anthu 100, achikulire ndi ana, anatha miyezi iwiri akulimbana ndi mphepo za mkuntho panyanja ya Atlantic asanafike ku Cape Cod, makilomita ambiri kumpoto kwa Virginia. Atafika kumeneko analemba chikalata chotchedwa Pangano la Mayflower, chomwe chinali chofotokoza cholinga chawo chokhazikitsa mudzi kumeneko n’kumamvera malamulo amene mudziwo udzakhazikitse. Anakhazikika m’tawuni yomwe inali pafupi ndi malowa, ya Plymouth, pa December 21, 1620.

Kuyamba Moyo Watsopano ku America

Aulendowa anafika kumpoto kwa America ali osakonzekera nyengo yozizira. Pomatha miyezi yochepa, theka la anthuwo anafa. Koma m’nyengo ya masika anapezako kampumulo. Anthu amene anapulumuka anamanga nyumba zoyenerera ndipo anaphunzira kwa mbadwa za ku America kulima zakudya za kuderalo. Pofika m’nyengo ya phukuto mu 1621, Aulendowa anali pa ulemerero moti anapatula nthawi yoti athokoze Mulungu chifukwa chowadalitsa. Apa m’pamene panayambira Tchuthi Choyamikira chimene tsopano anthu amachita ku United States ndi ku mayiko ena. Kuderali kunafikanso anthu ena ambiri, moti pasanathe zaka 15, anthu okhala ku Plymouth anapitirira 2,000.

Panthawi imeneyi, Oyeretsa ena a ku England anaganizanso kuti akapeza “Dziko Lolonjezedwa” kutsidya lina la nyanja ya Atlantic, ngati momwe anachitira Odzipatula aja. Mu 1630, gulu la anthu amenewa linafika kumpoto kwa tawuni ya Plymouth ndipo linakhazikitsa mudzi wotchedwa  Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pofika mu 1640, Angelezi pafupifupi 20,000 osamukira ku America anali kukhala ku New England. Mudzi wa Massachusetts Bay Colony utatenga tawuni ya Plymouth mu 1691, Odzipatula Aulendo aja sanalinso osiyana ndi ena. Mzinda wa Boston unakhala likulu la chipembedzo m’derali, chifukwa Oyeretsa aja ndi amene ankatsogolera nkhani za chipembedzo ku New England. Kodi chipembedzo chawo chinali chotani?

Kulambira kwa Oyeretsa

Oyeretsa a ku America poyamba anamanga nyumba zamatabwa zochitiramo misonkhano mmene ankasonkhanamo Lamlungu m’mawa. Nthawi yotentha siinali yovuta kwambiri, koma nthawi yozizira munkazizira koopsa moti ngakhale Oyeretsa okhulupirika kwambiri ankavutika kupirira. Nyumba zochitiramo misonkhanozi zinalibe chofunditsira chilichonse, ndipo anthu obwera kudzasonkhana ankanjenjemera kwambiri, ndipo ankachita kutsala pang’ono kuuma ndi chisanu. Olalikira nthawi zambiri ankavala magalavu kuti ateteze manja awo akamalankhula m’nyumbamo chifukwa munkazizira koopsa.

Oyeretsa anatengera ziphunzitso zawo kwa Mfalansa wosintha zinthu wachipolotesitanti dzina lake John Calvin. Anavomereza chiphunzitso choti Mulungu anakonzeratu za m’tsogolo ndi kuti Mulungu anasankha kale anthu amene adzawapulumutse ndi amene adzawatenthe kwamuyaya ku moto. Ngakhale munthu achite zotani, sakanatha kusintha zimene Mulungu anakonzeratu. Munthu sankadziwa kuti akafa adzapita kumwamba kukasangalala kapena adzakapsa kwamuyaya kumoto.

Patapita nthawi, alaliki a Oyeretsa anayamba kulalikira za kulapa. Iwo anachenjeza kuti ngakhale kuti Mulungu ndi wachifundo, anthu amene sankamvera malamulo ake adzakapsa kumoto. Alaliki amenewo ankalimbikitsa kukhulupirira zopita ku moto kuti anthu aziopa n’kumamvera. Mlaliki wina wa m’zaka za m’ma 1700 dzina lake Jonathan Edwards analalikirapo nthawi inayake ulaliki wa mutu wakuti: “Ochimwa M’manja mwa Mulungu Waukali.” Anafotokoza zoti anthu akapsa ku moto mochititsa mantha kwambiri moti atsogoleri ena a mpingo anafunika kutonthoza anthu amene anamva ulalikiwo, chifukwa anachita mantha kwambiri.

Alaliki ochokera kunja kwa Massachusetts amene ankadzalalikira kumeneku anali pangozi kwabasi. Akuluakulu a boma anathamangitsa katatu mlaliki wina wa chipembedzo chotchedwa Quaker, dzina lake Mary Dyer, koma nthawi iliyonse ankabwereranso n’kumadzanena maganizo ake. Iwo anamunyonga ku Boston pa June 1, 1660. Zikuoneka kuti munthu wina dzina lake Phillip Ratcliffe anaiwala mmene atsogoleri a Oyeretsa ankadanirana ndi otsutsa. Iwowa anamukwapula ndi kumulipiritsa faindi chifukwa cha mawu ake otsutsa  boma ndi tchalitchi cha Salem. Kenaka, kuti asadzaiwale, anamudula makutu n’kumupitikitsa. Chifukwa choti Oyeretsa ankadana ndi aliyense wa maganizo osiyana ndi awo, anthu ambiri anasamuka ku Massachusetts ndipo anakakhazikitsa midzi ina ku malo ena.

Kudzitukumula Kunayambitsa Ziwawa

Poganiza kuti iwowo ndi “osankhidwa” a Mulungu, Oyeretsa ambiri ankaona kuti mbadwa za kumaloko zinali anthu otsika amene analibe ufulu wokhala m’deralo. Mtima umenewu unachititsa kuti mbadwazo zizidana nawo kwambiri, ndipo zina zinayamba kuwaukira. Choncho atsogoleri a Oyeretsawa anafewetsako malamulo okhudza Sabata n’kulola kuti amuna azinyamula mfuti popita kutchalitchi. Kenaka mu 1675, zinthu zinaipa kwambiri.

Chifukwa cholandidwa dera la anthu ake, Metacomet, amene ankadziwikanso ndi dzina loti Mfumu Philip, wa fuko la Wampanoag la Amwenye omwe ndi mbadwa za ku America, anayamba kuukira midzi ya Oyeretsa, kuitentha, ndi kupha anthu okhala m’midziyi. Oyeretsawo anabwezera, ndipo kumenyanako kunapitirira kwa miyezi ingapo. Mu August 1676, Oyeretsawo anagwira Philip ku Rhode Island. Anamudula mutu ndipo thupi lake analitumbula n’kulidula panayi. Zitatero nkhondoyo inatha ndipo ufulu wa mbadwa za ku New England unatheranso pamenepa.

M’zaka za m’ma 1700, Oyeretsawa anapeza njira ina yosonyezera changu chawo. Alaliki ena ku Massachusetts anayamba kudandaula ndi ulamuliro wa Angelezi ndipo anayamba kulimbikitsa zoti apatsidwe ufulu. Anayamba kumanena za ndale ndi chipembedzo pokambirana zofuna kusintha zinthu.

Oyeretsa nthawi zambiri anali akhama, olimba mtima, ndi odzipereka pa chipembedzo chawo. Anthu m’madera ena amalankhulabe za “khalidwe labwino ngati la Oyeretsa” ndi “kuona mtima ngati kwa Oyeretsa.” Koma kuona mtima pakokha sikuyeretsa munthu ku ziphunzitso zolakwa. Yesu Kristu anapewa kuphatikiza ndale ndi chipembedzo. (Yohane 6:15; 18:36) Ndipo nkhanza n’zosemphana ndi mfundo yoona yofunika iyi: “Iye wosakonda sazindikira Mulungu; chifukwa Mulungu ndiye chikondi.”—1 Yohane 4:8.

Kodi chipembedzo chanu chimaphunzitsa zoti anthu akapsa ku moto, kuti Mulungu anakonzeratu za m’tsogolo, kapena ziphunzitso zina zosemphana ndi Baibulo? Kodi atsogoleri anu a chipembedzo amalowerera nkhani za ndale? Kuphunzira moona mtima Mawu a Mulungu, Baibulo, kungakuthandizeni kupeza “mapembedzedwe oyera ndi osadetsa,” ovomerezekadi kwa Mulungu.—Yakobo 1:27.

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GULU LA OYERETSA NDI NKHANI YOKAPSA KUMOTO

Chifukwa chophunzitsa zoti anthu akapsa ku moto, Oyeretsa anatsutsana ndi Mawu a Mulungu. Baibulo limaphunzitsa kuti akufa sadziwa kanthu, sangamve ululu ndiponso sangasangalale. (Mlaliki 9:5, 10) Ndiponso, Mulungu woona sanaganizepo ‘mumtima mwake’ zozunza anthu. (Yeremiya 19:5; 1 Yohane 4:8) Iye amalimbikitsa anthu kusintha miyoyo yawo, ndipo anthu amene sakufuna kusintha sawachitira nkhanza. (Ezekieli 33:11) Mosiyana ndi mfundo zoona za m’Malemba zimenezi, alaliki a Oyeretsa nthawi zambiri ankafotokoza zinthu zosonyeza kuti Mulungu ndi wankhanza ndi wokonda kubwezera zoipa. Ankalimbikitsanso anthu kusachitira chifundo anzawo ndi kugwiritsira ntchito chiwawa kuti atsekereze otsutsa.

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Aulendo akufika kumpoto kwa America mu 1620

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Harper’s Encyclopædia of United States History

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Phwando loyambirira la pa Tchuthi Choyamikira mu 1621

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Nyumba ya msonkhano ya Oyeretsa ku Massachusetts

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John Calvin

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Jonathan Edwards

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Banja la Oyeretsa likupita ku tchalitchi litanyamula mfuti

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Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division

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Top left: Snark/Art Resource, NY; top right: Harper’s Encyclopædia of United States History; John Calvin: Portrait in Paul Henry’s Life of Calvin, from the book The History of Protestantism (Vol. II); Jonathan Edwards: Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 13]

Photos: North Wind Picture Archives