Ebyafaayo bya George Whitefield

Yali eddoboozi erisinga okuwuluguma mu kyasa kye, era yakitandikira ng'asitula ebikopo by'omwenge. George Whitefield nga tannayimirira ku kasozi akatono ebweru wa Bristol n'ayogera eri abasima amanda ebikumi bibiri — ng'ennimiro ez'amasemazinga abiri tezinnajjula bantu abataali bayingiddemu luggi lwa kkanisa — yali mulenzi eyali ayambadde apuloni eya bbululu, ng'ayoza emimoppu mu nnyumba y'abagenyi eya nnyina. Teyakyerabira n'akatono. Mu bintu byonna ebiyinza okwogerwa ku musajja eyayamba okukuma omuliro gwa Great Awakening (Okuzuukuka Okukulu), ekyo ye kye yakakasanga kyali nti Katonda yamusanga wansi n'amuyimusa.

Omulenzi ow'Apuloni eya Bbululu

Whitefield yazaalibwa mu December 1714 mu Bell Inn ku Southgate Street, Gloucester, nnyina gye yali akuuma ennyumba y'abagenyi. Okusoma kwe kwakoma mangu. Embeera ya nnyina yali eyongera okugwa, era omulenzi eyali alaze ekitone eky'okwogera n'okuzannya n'asalawo nti Olulattini olulala lwandimwonoonye n'atasobola kubeera musuubuzi. Bw'atyo n'agenda okukola mu bizinensi y'amaka, era yannyonnyola okukka okwo nga takankana:

Nnayambala apuloni yange eya bbululu n'ebisalira by'ettabaaza zange, ne nnyoza emimoppu, ne nnyonja ebisenge, era, mu kigambo kimu, ne mfuuka omuweereza w'omwenge omutegeerekeka era ow'awamu okumala ng'omwaka gumu n'ekitundu.

— George Whitefield, A Short Account of God’s Dealings with the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield

Ne wano waaliwo obubonero. Emirundi egimu yalinanga “obuvunaanyizibwa bw'ennyumba yonna” mu mikono gye, ate era, mu ssaawa ez'enjawulo, n'awandiika okubuulira kubiri oba kusatu era n'awaayo okumu ku mukulu we. Omuweereza w'omwenge ng'awandiikira okubuulira mu nnyumba y'abagenyi aba oba muntu wa kusesa oba wa bunnabbi, era kyatwala emyaka mingi okuzuula ani ku bo bombi.

Oxford, n'Olugendo Oluwanvu Olutuuka ku Kisa

Mu November 1732 yeewandiisa mu Pembroke College, Oxford, nga servitor — ekifo ekya wansi ennyo mu bayizi ab'ediguli esooka, omuyizi eyeesasuliranga okusoma kwe ng'aweereza abayizi abagagga. Yali muweereza nate, naye ku mulundi guno ng'ayambadde ekkanzu ey'ettendekero. Naye mu Oxford n'asanga akabinja akatono akaasekererwanga akaali kamanyiddwa nga Holy Club, era ng'ayita mu Charles Wesley n'afuna ekitabo ekyamumenyaamenya: ekya Henry Scougal ekiyitibwa The Life of God in the Soul of Man, ekyamugamba nti eddiini ey'amazima si kukola wabula kwegatta — Kristo okubumbibwa munda w'omuntu.

Okuzuula okwo tekwajja nga kuwummuza. Kwajja nga kusaba, era Whitefield, olw'okuba nga ye Whitefield, n'akusuulira omubiri gwe gwonna. Yasiibanga ku Lwokusatu ne ku Lwokutaano okumala ekiseera kya Lent kyonna, essaawa asatu mu mukaaga awamu. Yasabanga ng'avuunamye wansi w'emiti mu Christ Church Meadow. Yagaba ssente ze, n'agaana ebibala, n'ayambala bugaloofu bwa nfuufu n'engatto ezaali zitungiddwako ebiwempe olw'obuwombeefu, era yeetuuyaza nnyo n'okutuuka mu biseera eby'akasooto mu 1735 obulamu bwe ne bumugwako era n'akakibwa okuva mu ttendekero. Yali agezaako, n'obuvumu obwa nnamaddala era n'obutaliimu obwa nnamaddala, okwefunira ekyo ekyandisobodde okuweebwa buweebwa.

Bwe kyajja, kyajja mu kasirise, era ennaku ze zonna teyakiggya ku mutima.

Naye ayi! essanyu ki — essanyu eritayogerekeka, essanyu erijjudde era erizitowa n'ekitiibwa, emmeeme yange lye yajjuzibwa, obuzito bw'ekibi bwe bwaggwaawo, n'okuwulira okutaggwaawo okw'okwagala kwa Katonda okusonyiwa, n'obukakafu obujjuvu obw'okukkiriza ne bimenya ne biyingira mu mmeeme yange eyali ezirika! Mazima ddala lwali lunaku lwa bugole bwange, olunaku olw'okujjukirwa emirembe gyonna.

— George Whitefield, A Short Account of God’s Dealings with the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield

Buli kubuulira kwe yakola mu myaka amakumi asatu mu ena egyaddirira kwali, mu ngeri emu, kugezaako kuwa omuntu omulala enkya eyo.

Omuzira Gumenyeddwa

Omulabirizi Martin Benson yamuwonga okuba omudiikoni mu Gloucester nga June 20, 1736. Yali aweza emyaka amakumi abiri mu gumu. Yabuulira okubuulira kwe okusooka ku Ssande eyaddirira mu St Mary de Crypt, kkanisa mwe yabatizibwa, mu maaso g'ekkuŋŋaaniro erijjudde abantu abaali bamujjukira ng'akyali mwana muto. Kyagenda bulungi. Amawulire ne gamuddira oluvannyuma, era n'agapikkula n'essanyu eryeyoleka: waaliwo okwemulugunya okwatuusibwa eri omulabirizi nti yali alaluse abantu kkumi na bataano. Yagambibwa nti omulabirizi ow'ekitiibwa yayagala eddalu eryo lireme kwerabirwa nga Ssande eddala tennatuuka.

Ettutumu lyajja mangu ddala, era wamu na lyo enzigi ne ziggalwa. Amakkanisa agaali gajjudde abantu abaajjanga okuwuliriza omubuulizi omuvubuka ne gatandika okwesibira ddala nga gawakanya enjigiriza ye ey'okuzaalibwa okuggya. Bw'atyo, mu February ow'obunnyogovu ogwa 1739, ng'agaanyiddwa emimbari era nga tayagala kusirika, n'akola ekyakyusa buli kimu. Yeebagala embalaasi n'agenda e Kingswood, abasima amanda gye baabeeranga — abasajja abaali baayogerwako nti tebasingako bakaafiiri, era nga tewali eyali yeeraliikiridde kubatuusaako Njiri — n'alinnya akasozi, era n'abuulira mu bbanga eddungi eri nga ebikumi bibiri ku bo.

Katonda atenderezebwe kubanga kaakano mmenye omuzira! Nzikiriza nti sikkirizibwanga Mukama wange okusinga bwe nnali nnyimiridde okuyigiriza abawuliriza abo mu nnimiro enjereere. Abamu bayinza okunnenya; naye singa bwe ntyo nsanyusa abantu, sandibadde muweereza wa Kristo.

— George Whitefield, Journals, 17 February 1739

Mu wiiki ntono ebikumi ebibiri byali bifuuse nkumi, era ku nkomerero, mu kubala okw'obwenkanya, nga kumpi obukumi bubiri. Bano baali bantu abataalina ttutumu lya ddiini kukuuma, wadde obutuukirivu bwabwe bwennyini kwewolereza, era Whitefield n'akiraba nti ekyo kyabafuula abangu okukkiriza. Ebyo bye yawandiika ku ekyo kye yalaba biwangaadde okusinga kumpi buli kintu ekirala kye yawandiika:

Olw'okuba nga tebaalina butuukirivu bwabwe bwennyini kwegaana, baasanyuka okuwulira ebya Yesu, eyali mukwano gw'abasolooza b'omusolo, era eyajja obutayita batuukirivu, wabula aboonoonyi, okwenenya. Akabonero akasooka nti baali bakwatiddwa ku mutima, kwali kulaba emikutu emyeru egyakolebwa amaziga gaabwe, agaakulukutanga mu bungi ku matama gaabwe amaddugavu, nga bava mu binnya byabwe eby'amanda.

— George Whitefield, nga bwe yajulizibwa John Gillies, Memoirs of the Life of the Reverend George Whitefield (1772)

Kirungi okuyimirirawo katono. Ekifaananyi ekyo kiwangaala si lwa kuba nga kikwata ku nneewulira wabula lwa kuba nga kituufu ddala: ekisa kye kintu ekyeyoleka ng'olunyiriri olulongoofu ku maaso agalimu enfuufu. Yali atutte ennimiro, era teyagivaako n'akatono.

Ennyanja Atlantic n'Okuzuukuka

Whitefield yasomoka ennyanja mu kiseera okugisomoka we kwali okubonaabona — okukyalira Amerika emirundi musanvu, entambula za Atlantic kkumi na ssatu byonna awamu, emyezi n'emyezi ng'ali mu meeri ya mbaawo. Mu 1739–40 yatambula okuva Georgia okutuuka New England n'okudda, ng'abuulira buli lunaku, era obuzuukuka obutonotono obw'eddiini obwali busaasaanidde ne bwegatta emabega we ne bufuuka ekyo kye tuyita kaakano Great Awakening. Yabuulira mu nnimiro, ku madaala g'embuga z'amateeka, ne mu nguudo za Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin — eyali takyusiddwa mutima, ng'ate amwagala era ng'amubuusabuusa — gye yapima amaanyi g'eddoboozi lye okutuuka ewala era n'akuba ebitabo bye eby'entambula. Mu butuufu, yali omuntu asooka okumanyibwa buli muntu ku lubalama lw'ennyanja lwonna, era yamanyibwa olw'obubaka bumu: kikugwanidde okuzaalibwa omulundi ogwokubiri.

Bethesda, n'Ekisiikirize Kyayo

Omugugu gw'obulamu bwe gwali kisulo kya baana bamulekwa. Yatandika okuzimba Bethesda okumpi ne Savannah nga March 25, 1740, era okumala emyaka amakumi asatu yagisabira, n'agikuŋŋaanyiza ssente, n'awolereza ebitabo byayo eby'ensimbi, era n'afukamu ssente ze ye yennyini. Okubuulira kwe okumu okwakwata ku mutima ennyo kwali kwa kukuŋŋaanya ssente, era yali mwegendereza nnyo mu nsonga eno: okukebera kw'ensimbi okwakolebwa n'ekirayiro kwakakasa nti teyali akyusizza wadde ssente emu okugituusa ku bubwe, era nga teyali ateeseeko nnyumba eyo nsaasaanya yonna ey'entambula ze.

Era wano obwesimbu we bwetaagisa akatundu akasinga obuzibu. Bethesda yali ya bbeeyi nnyo, era Whitefield n'akakasa nti teyandisobodde kuwangaala ng'esinziira ku mulimu ogutasasulwa. Mu 1747 yakozesa pawundi ebikumi bisatu ze yaweebwa e Charleston okugula ennimiro ennene mu South Carolina n'abantu abaafuulibwa abaddu okugirimira olw'okuwanirira ekisulo ky'abaana, ng'awandiika nti kyali “tekisoboka abatuuze okuwangaala nga tebakozesezza baddu.” Ekiwandiiko ekyatandikawo Georgia kyali kigaanye obuddu; Whitefield yeegayirira Abakuumi ba Georgia okuggyawo ekiragiro ekyo, ng'abagamba nti “singa abaddugavu baali bakkirizibbwa, kaakano nnandibadde n'ebimala okuwanirira abaana bamulekwa bangi nnyo,” era nti Georgia “teyinza n'akatono kufuuka ssaza erikulaakulana, okuggyako ng'abaddugavu bakozesebwa.” Ekiragiro ekyo ne kiggwaawo mu 1751. Yakikolerera, n'akyaniriza, era yalina abasajja n'abakazi abaafuulibwa abaddu okutuusa lwe yafa.

Tayinza kusonyiyibwa ku nsonga nti tewali muntu eyali amanyi bulungi; ye yennyini yali amanyi bulungi. Yawandiika nti abaafuulibwa abaddu baali “baaleetebwa mu ngeri etali ntuufu okuva mu nsi yaabwe ey'obuzaaliranwa,” era nti obwo bwali “busuubuzi obutasaana kukkirizibwa” — oluvannyuma n'alowooza nti olw'okuba nga bwandigenze mu maaso ka kibe ky'ayogera oba tayogera, kyali kirungi ye okuganyulwamu era n'abuulira Enjiri abo be yagula. Edda yali anenyezza abalimi ab'omu bukiikaddyo, mu bitabo ebyafulumizibwa, olw'obukambwe bwabwe eri abo be baali bakutte. Ekyo kyennyini kye kifuula ensonga eno ey'okusalirwa omusango, so si ya nnaku bunnaku: omusajja eyasobola okulaba, ng'asala ennyanja yonna, nti omusima w'amanda yalina emmeeme, yatunuulira obuddu butereevu, n'abuyita nsobi, naye ate n'azimba omulimu gwe ogw'ekisa ku bwo. Enjiri gye yabuulira oluvannyuma yandiwadde eby'okulwanyisa abo abaamalawo obuddu. Teyatuuka ku bitabo bye ebyo eby'ensimbi. Okwagala kwonna okw'amazima eri Whitefield kuteekwa okukwata ekintu kino nga tekikendeezeddwa maanyi.

Emikwano Ebiri, Enjiri Emu

Omukwano gwe ne John Wesley gwali kwagala kunene era n'ekiwundu ekinene mu bulamu bwe obw'olwatu. Baali baaganda mu Holy Club; Whitefield ye yakwasa Wesley ennimiro enjereere e Kingswood. Naye Wesley n'abuulira era n'akuba Free Grace ng'awakanya okulondebwa okw'edda, era Whitefield — Omukalvini eyali akakasizza — n'addamu n'ebbaluwa ey'okuwakanya mu December 1740. Okwawukana kwali kwa lwatu, kwa bulumi, era kwakozesebwa obubi abasajja abatono ku njuyi zombi. Whitefield n'ajja okwejjusa nnyo oluyoogaano lwakwo, era n'agaana okuleka enjatika eyo okufuuka obulabe. Baaddamu okubuulira buli omu mu mimbari gya munne. Baayawukana okutuusa ku nkomerero era baayagalana okutuusa ku nkomerero.

Obukakafu bwajja ng'amaze okufa. Mukwano gwe Robert Keen yamubuuzanga emirundi mingi, ekitundu ng'asaaga, ani yandibuulidde okubuulira okw'okuziika kwe singa afiira ebweru w'eggwanga — kyali kya kubeera mukwano gwe ow'edda Mwami John Wesley? Eky'okuddamu kya Whitefield, kye yawanga emirundi n'emirundi, kyali bigambo bisatu: “Ye musajja waakyo.” Bw'atyo amawulire bwe gaatuuka e London, abaali batuukiriza ebiraamo ne bayita Wesley, era ku Ssande, November 18, 1770, n'ayimirira mu kkanisa ya Whitefield ye yennyini mu Tottenham Court Road mu maaso g'ekibiina ekinene ennyo ekyali kikuŋŋaanidde okuva mu buli nsonda y'ekibuga, n'abuulira ku kuziika kw'oyo gwe yavuganyanga naye. Wesley yawandiika nti kyali kiseera kya ntiisa; bonna baali basirise ng'ekiro. Ka kibe nti ani ku bo yali mutuufu ku nsonga y'okulondebwa, ekifaananyi ekyo kiri mu bumu ku bujulizi obusinga obulungi obw'okukkiriza kwe baalina bombi.

Yakoowa mu Mulimu, Naye Teyakoowa Mulimu

Obunene bw'omulimu gwe buzibu okukkiriza. Mukwano gwe Henry Venn yajulira nti okumala emyaka mingi Whitefield yabuuliranga essaawa amakumi ana okutuuka ku nkaaga buli wiiki. Omuwendo ogusinga okwatanyizibwa ku linnya lye — nti yabuulira okubuulira okusukka mu bukumi kkumi na munaana — gwetaaga obwegendereza so si kugudda mu kamwa buli kaseera. Si kuteebereza kwa mulembe guno: Augustus Toplady, eyali amumanyi, yannyonnyola nti gwava mu kitabo Whitefield ye yennyini mwe yawandiikanga ebiseera n'ebifo eby'emirimu gye egy'obuweereza, era omuwendo gwe gumu oluvannyuma ne gwoolebwa ku jjinja lye ery'ekijjukizo. Wadde nga bwe kiri, kye kigambo ekyesigamye ku kiwandiiko kye tutasobola nate kukebera, era engeri ey'amazima ey'okukyogera eri nti omuntu ow'ekiseera kye, ng'ajuliza akatabo ka Whitefield ye kennyini, yateeka omuwendo gwonna waggulu w'obukumi kkumi na munaana. Kiyite kuteebereza okwesigamye ku bujulizi obulungi so si kintu ekyabalibwa. Amazima ge kirumba tegawakanyizibwa.

Kyamuggyako omubiri gwe. Ng'alwadde obulwadde bw'okuzibikirwa omukka era ng'akooye nnyo ng'aweza emyaka amakumi ataano mu etaano, yakubirizibwa okukendeeza ku mirimu n'agaana. Bwe yagambibwa nti asaanidde okubuulira emirundi mitono, yaddamu bwomu nti yandisinze okuggwaawo ng'akola okusinga okuliibwa obutalagala.

Ku Lwomukaaga, September 29, 1770, yeebagala embalaasi n'atambula mayiro kkumi na ttaano okuva e Portsmouth okutuuka e Exeter era n'abuulira mu nnimiro eri ekibiina ekinene. Nga tannafuluma, mukwano gwe ayitibwa Clarkson, bwe yamulaba ng'atali bulungi okusinga bulijjo, n'amugamba nti yali asaanira ekitanda okusinga omumbari. “Kituufu, ssebo,” Whitefield bwe yaddamu — oluvannyuma n'akyuka ku ludda, n'anyweza engalo ze, n'atunula waggulu, era n'asaba:

Yabuulira essaawa bbiri. Oluvannyuma n'alya, n'atambula okutuuka e Newburyport, n'alya eky'ekiro ekitono, n'agamba nti akooye, n'alinnya waggulu. Yasoma Bayibuli ye nga zabbuli za Dr. Watts ziggule ku lusegere lwe, n'afukamira ku mabbali g'ekitanda, era n'aggalawo akawungeezi n'okusaba. Bwe yazuukuka ekiro ng'asobeddwa okussa, n'addamu okusaba — nti Katonda awe omukisa okubuulira kwe yali amaze okukola, n'okubuulira kwe yali ateeseteese okukola ku lunaku olwo, emmeeme endala nnyingi zisobole okuleetebwa eri Kristo; era n'omukisa ku Bethesda ye. Yafa nga ku ssaawa kkumi na bbiri ez'oku makya ga September 30, 1770, mu nnyumba y'omusumba eya Old South Presbyterian Church.

Nga bwe yali yeeyagalidde, yaziikibwa we ganyigidde n'okutuusa kaakano, mu ntaana eri wansi w'omumbari e Newburyport — wansi w'ekifo eky'okubuulirirako, ekintu ekituukiridde ddala. Yali asabye okubuulira omulundi gumu nate n'oluvannyuma ekiwummulo, era n'aweebwa byombi, era omusajja eyali amaze emyaka amakumi asatu mu ena ng'agamba abagwira mu nnimiro enjereere nti kibagwanidde okuzaalibwa omulundi ogwokubiri n'agenda okuzuula obanga yali abagambye amazima.

Musome olw'omuliro, era n'olw'essanyu eryagukuma. Musome era n'amaaso go nga gaggule. Yali muweereza wa mu ttendekero eyafuuka eddoboozi ery'obukadde bw'abantu era ataalekera awo kwewuunya kisa — era yali musajja eyalina abantu ng'ebintu bye ate nga y'abuulira nti Kristo yali abafiiridde. Byombi bya mazima. Ye yandisoose okukubuulira nti buli kirungi ekyali mu ye kyali kyewole, era ye yandisembye okugamba nti obwewole obwo bwamufuula asaanidde.