GONGWE LA MULINDA la Janyuwale 1, 1917 likayowoya kuti: “Chaka ichi tachinjira na vivulupi, nkhondo na kukomana.” Likayowoya nthena chifukwa chakuti Nkhondo Yakwamba ya Charu Chose, iyo yikachemekangaso kuti Nkhondo Yikuru, yikalutilira kwambura kuleka mu vyaru vya ku Europe.

Nyengo iyi, Ŵasambiri ŵa Baibolo ŵakapulikiskanga viŵi yayi ng’anamuro la kuleka kunjilirapo pa vyacharu. Kweni ŵanandi ŵakawoneseska kuti ŵaŵavye mulandu wa ndopa. Mwachiyelezgero, Stanley Willis wa vilimika 19, wa ku England, wakakana kunjilirapo pa nkhondo. Pambere wandalute kukeruzgika chifukwa  cha kukana, iyo wakalemba kuti: “Nkhuwona kuti ni mwaŵi ukuru chomene kuti nazomerezgeka kumuphalirani ivyo vyanguchitika. Mulenji uno, mulara wa ŵasilikari wanguniphalira kuti ŵanichichizgenge kuti nivware yunifomu ya usilikari. Para nakana, ŵasilikari ndiwo ŵaneruzgenge.”

Stanley wakakana, ndipo ŵakamutuma ku jele. Kweni Stanley wakagongowa yayi. Pakati pajumpha myezi yiŵiri, wakalemba kuti: ‘Para munthu wali na mzimu wa nkhongono uwo wakuwusanga chifukwa cha kusambira unenesko, wakuzizipizga vinthu ivyo ŵanyake ŵangazizipizga yayi.’ Mu jele, Stanley wakagwiliskira ntchito makora nyengo yake. Iyo wakati: “Nkhuwona kuti nkhatumbikika chomene apo nkhaŵa mu jele, chifukwa nkhaŵa na nyengo yakukwana yakulombera kwa Chiuta, kusambira Baibolo na kughanaghanirapo.”

Pakati pajumpha kanyengo, boma la United States nalo likanjilirapo pa nkhondo. Pa Epulero 2, 1917, pulezidenti Woodrow Wilson wakayowoya ku wupu wa Congress wa ku United States, ndipo wakati boma lake likarwe nkhondo na Germany. Pakati pajumpha mazuŵa ghanayi, boma la United States likaluta nadi ku nkhondo yira. Nyengo yichoko waka, Ŵakhristu mu charu ichi ŵakamba kusuzgika chifukwa cha kuleka kunjilirapo pa vyacharu.

Boma la United States likakhumbikwiranga ŵasilikari ŵanandi mwaluŵiro. Ntheura mu Meyi, ŵakaŵika dango lakuti munthu waliyose wakwenera kuluta ku nkhondo (Selective Service Act). Pakati pajumpha mwezi umoza, ŵakaŵikaso dango linyake lakukanizga munthu kukwesako para wachemeka ku usilikari (Espionage Act). Dango lakwamba likapeleka mazaza ku boma la United States kuti lilembe ŵanalume ŵanandi kuya ku nkhondo, apo lachiŵiri likayowoyanga kuti ni mulandu kukana kunjira usilikari. Ntheura ŵanthu awo ŵakatinkhanga unenesko ŵakasangirapo mwaŵi pa malango agha ndipo ŵakamba kusuzga ŵateŵeti ŵa Yehova awo ŵakutemwa mtende.—Sal. 94:20.

Ŵasambiri ŵa Baibolo ŵakazizwa yayi na vivulupi ivyo vikachitikanga mu charu. Chifukwa ntchakuti kwa vyaka vinandi ŵakaphaliranga ŵanthu mauchimi gha mu Baibolo agho ghakayowoya  kuti ivi vizamuchitika. Kweni ŵanandi ŵakazizwa na nthimbanizgo iyo yikamba kuchitika pakati pa ŵanthu ŵa Yehova.

Mubali Charles Taze Russell wakati wafwa waka, vinthu vikamba kusuzga mu gulu ku United States. Nkhani iyo yikasuzga yikaŵa yakuti ni njani walongozgenge. Mu 1884, Mubali Russell wakalembeska Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society kuŵa wupu wakuzomerezgeka na dango, ndipo ndiyo wakaŵa pulezidenti wa wupu uwu m’paka apo wakafwira mu 1916. Russel wakati wafwa, Joseph F. Rutherford ndiyo wakatora malo gha upulezidenti. Kweni wakati wamba waka kulongozga, ŵanalume ŵanyake awo ŵakaŵa na maudindo mu wupu uwu, pamoza na ŵanyawo ŵanayi awo ŵakaŵa mu komiti, ŵakalongora kuti nawo ŵakawudokeranga udindo uwu.

Ŵanalume ŵanayi aŵa na ŵanyawo ŵanandi, ŵakakondwanga yayi na umo Mubali Rutherford wakendeskeranga vinthu. Nkhani yinyake iyo yikasuzga chomene yikaŵa ya Paul S. L Johnson, uyo wakaŵa mulaŵiliri wakwendakwenda pa nyengo iyo.

Pambere Mubali Russell wandafwe, wakanozga kuti watume Johnson ku England nga njumoza wa ŵimiliri ŵa gulu. Mulimo wake ukaŵa wakuti wakapharazgenge makani ghawemi, kwendera mipingo, na kutuma malipoti gha umo ntchito yikwendera mu charu ichi. Johnson wakati wafika ku England mu Novembala 1916, ŵabali ŵakamupokelera makora chomene. Chachitima ntchakuti wakamba kujikuzga chifukwa cha umo ŵabali ŵakamulumbiranga, ndipo wakamba kujiwona kuti ndiyo wakwenera kutora mpando wa Mubali Russell.

Johnson wakafumyapo ŵabali ŵanyake pa Beteli awo ŵakamususkanga pa ivyo wakachitanga, ndipo ivi wakachita mwayekha kwambura kufumba dankha ku ofesi yikuru. Kweniso wakakhumbanga kuti iyo ndiyo wendeskenge ndalama za gulu izo zikaŵa ku banki ku London. Pa nyengo yeneyira, Mubali Rutherford wakamuchemeska Johnson kuti wawelere ku United States.

Johnson wakawelera nadi ku Brooklyn, kweni wakasintha yayi nangauli ŵabali ŵakayezga kumovwira. Wakayezga kanandi waka kunyengelera Mubali Rutherford kuti wamuzomerezge kuti  waluteso ku England kukalutizga ntchito yake. Pakuwona kuti ivyo wakakhumbanga vikuchitika yayi, Johnson wakamba kupusika ŵalaraŵalara ŵanyake ŵa mu komiti, ndipo ŵanayi ŵakakolerana nayo.

Mubali Rutherford wakati wawona kuti ŵanalume aŵa ŵangaŵa na maghanoghano ghakuti ŵatore ndalama za gulu ku United States nga umo Johnson wakakhumba kuchitira ku England, wakachitapo kanthu kuti waŵafumyemo mu komiti. Dango la boma la United States likaŵa lakuti munthu waliyose uyo wali mu komiti wakwenera kusankhika chaka chilichose na mamembara gha wupu. Kweni pa ungano wapachaka wa wupu wa Zion’s Watch Tower, uwo ukachitika pa Janyuwale 6, 1917, ŵanthu ŵatatu pera ŵa mu komiti ndiwo ŵakasankhika. Awo ŵakasankhika ŵakaŵa Joseph F. Rutherford, pulezidenti, Andrew N. Pierson wachiŵiri wake, na William E. Van Amburgh, mulembi na msungichuma. Ŵakasankha yayi ŵanthu ŵa mu mipando yinayi ya mu komiti. Mipando iyi yikaŵa ya ŵanthu ŵanayi ŵakususka ŵara. Pakuti ŵanthu aŵa ŵakasankhika pa mipando iyi kumanyuma, ŵanyake ŵakagomezganga kuti ŵakhalengepo umoyo wawo wose. Kweni pakuti pa ungano wa pa chaka wura ŵakasankhikaso yayi ndikuti umembara wawo ukamalira papo. Ntheura mu Julayi, 1917, Mubali Rutherford mu mazaza ghake pakuŵa pulezidenti wakimika ŵanalume ŵanyake ŵanayi ŵakugomezgeka kuŵa mamembara gha mu komiti.

Ŵanalume ŵanayi ŵakugaluka ŵara ŵakakwiya chomene ndipo ŵakayezga nthowa izi na izi kuti ŵawelereso mu komiti, kweni ŵakatondeka. Ŵasambiri ŵanyake ŵa Baibolo ŵakakolerana nawo na kupanga magulu ghanyake, kweni ŵasambiri ŵanandi ŵakalutilira kugomezgeka. Ŵanalume ŵanayi ŵara ŵakatondeka kuwelera mu komiti.

Pa nyengo iyi, Mubali Rutherford na ŵabali ŵanyake ŵakugomezgeka pa Beteli ŵakalutilira kugwira ntchito kuti vinthu vya Ufumu vilute panthazi. Chiŵelengero cha ŵalaŵiliri ŵakwendakwenda chikasazgikira kufuma pa 69 kufika pa 93.  Chiŵelengero cha makopotara, awo sono tikuti ŵapayiniya ŵanyengozose, chikasazgikira kufuma pa 372 kufika pa 461. Kweniso pakimikika makopotara ghapadera, agho ghakuyanako na awo lero tikuti ŵapayiniya ŵakanyengo, ndipo aka kakaŵa kakwamba kuti ivi vichitike. Mu mipingo yinyake, ŵanthu ŵakujipeleka aŵa ŵakaŵamo ŵakujumpha 100.

Pa Julayi 17, 1917, pakafuma buku lakuti The Finished Mystery. Apo chaka ichi chikamaranga, mabuku ghose agho ghakasindikizgika ghakamara ndipo ŵakapemphaso kampani iyo yikasindikizganga mabuku ghithu kuti yisindikizgeso mabuku ghanyake 850,000. *

Ntchito yakunozgaso vinthu pa Beteli iyo Mubali Russell wakambiska mu 1916 yikamara mu 1917. Mu Disembala chaka chira, Gongwe la Mulinda likati: ‘Ntchito yakunozgaso milimo ya pa ofesi yili kumara ndipo sono yikwenda makora. Nakuti ndimo vikwenera kuŵira nadi na wupu uliwose uwo ukwendeskeka makora. Wose awo ŵakuteŵetera pa ofesi ŵakumanya kuti ni uteŵeti, ni ntchito yayi.’

Mu Seputembala 1917, Gongwe la Mulinda likati: “Mwezi uliwose kwambira pa Janyuwale 1, tawona kuti tagaŵira mabuku ghanandi chomene kuluska agho tikagaŵira kwambira mu Janyuwale 1916. Uwu mbukaboni ukuru wakuti Fumu yikutumbika mulimo uwo ukuchitika kuno ku Brooklyn.”

Ŵakugaluka ŵara ŵakafumiskikamo mu gulu, ndipo mavoti ghakalongora kuti ŵabali ŵanandi chomene mu mipingo ŵakakolerana na Mubali Rutherford kweniso ŵanalume ŵanyake ŵakugomezgeka ŵa pa Beteli. Ivi vikalembeka mu Gongwe la Mulinda. Kweni ntchito ya kuyezga yikamara yayi. Nangauli chaka cha 1918 chikamba makora, kweni ndicho chikaŵa chaka chiheni chomene mu mdauko wa gulu la Yehova.