Ebyafaayo n'ebitabo bya Hannah Whitall Smith

Hannah Whitall Smith yamala obulamu bwe bwonna ng'akakasa ekintu kimu ekyangu: nti Katonda mulungi, era nti Katonda amala. Yakiwandiika mu bitabo bye eby'ennaku eby'emyaka nsanvu, n'akiwakanira mu bitundu bibiri eby'ensi, era n'akinywezaako mu nnaku ezandiggumizza omutima ogutali gwa kisa. Eri abasomi obukumi n'obukumi asigala eddoboozi eddangavvu ery'Omukwakeri eriri emabega w'Ekyama ky'Omukristaayo eky'Obulamu Obw'essanyu, omukazi eyayigiriza nti omulimu omuzito ogw'okusitula omugugu ogw'okutukuzibwa gwa Katonda, era nti ogwaffe gwokka kwe kumwesiga n'okuleka.

Yazaalibwa nga ayitibwa Hannah Tatum Whitall nga 7 Febwali 1832 mu Philadelphia, mu maka g'Abakwakeri agaamanyibwa era agatya Katonda. Kitaawe, John Mickle Whitall, ne nnyina, Mary Tatum Whitall, baamukuza nga Munnaffe «ow'obuzaale» mu nkola ya Gurney ey'enjiri, era okukuza kuno kwali okutuukiridde ddala. «Buli kigambo, endowooza, n'ekikolwa eky'obulamu bwaffe byali binnyikiziddwa mu Bukwakeri», yajjukira. «Tewali kadde na kamu lwe twawona». Teyakikyayira; bwe yatunuulira emabega ng'alina emyaka nsanvu, yeebaza buli lunaku olw'«obuyinza obw'obutuukirivu era obugulumiza obwenkana awo». So tekwali kukkiriza kwa mu nnyumba kwokka. Amaka ga Whitall gaali muntu w'omukwakeri ng'akola: amaka gaayiwa amaanyi gaago mu bikolwa by'enkyukakyuka eby'ekiseera ekyo, ng'agaana obuddu era ng'awagira entambula z'okulongoosa embeera z'abantu, era olw'obusuubuzi bwa kitaawe n'ebibinja bye eby'enkyukakyuka, omulyo gw'abalowoozi n'abakolerezi ab'amaanyi gwayitanga mu nnyumba — abagenyi abaakubiriza mu Hannah obwannamunigina obw'okulowooza obutaamuvaako, n'obukakafu obw'obulamu bwonna nti Obukristaayo obw'amazima buteekwa okukyusa empisa z'omuntu awamu n'obulamu bw'abantu bonna. Okusinziira ku bujulizi bwe ye, obwana bwe bwali bwa ssanyu obwaka — yabuyita «embeera emu ey'ekitalo ey'omusana n'ebimuli» — naye ate, mu ngeri esikiriza, ne bw'eyali omuwala ow'emyaka kkumi na musanvu yeebuuza mu ddoboozi mu kitabo kye eky'ennaku lwaki tewali kubonaabona kwajja «okunziggya mu ssanyu ery'obulamu buno».

Ng'abakazi bangi ab'omulembe gwe, Hannah teyagoberera kkubo ly'okusoma erya bulijjo — yunivasite z'ekiseera kye zaali nziggale nnyo ku bakazi — naye yafuna awaka okutendekebwa okw'amaanyi mu bwongo ne mu mpisa okwo amaka g'Abakwakeri agaayigirizibwa obulungi gaatwalanga nga kya muwendo. Kwali, okusinga byonna, okusomesebwa okw'omwoyo era okw'okufumiitiriza: okussa essira kw'Abakwakeri ku kufumiitiriza n'okussaayo omwoyo ku «Kitangaala eky'omunda», okuluŋŋamizibwa kwa Katonda okuli munda, kwakola mu ye empisa ey'obulamu bwonna ey'okufumiitiriza n'okuwandiika okuliko okulowooza. Teyandifunye diguli, naye abasomi bangi oluvannyuma baagamba nti obusobozi bwe obw'okunnyonnyola amazima ag'omwoyo ag'obuziba mu lulimi olwangu bwali bumu ku nsonga enkulu ezaaleetera ebitabo bye okwagalibwa nnyo. Okusomesebwa kwe okw'amazima tekwajja mu bitongole wabula mu bye yayitamu mu bulamu, mu kusoma Ebyawandiikibwa, ne mu kulwana kw'omwoyo.

Okunoonya Okuwanvu

Okuzuukuka kwa Smith tekwajja lwa kutya kw'ekibi wabula lwa kwewuunya. Nga aweza emyaka kkumi na mukaaga n'ekitundu, mu kusoma kwe yalengera obukulu bwa Katonda obw'ekitalo, era «awo era mu kaseera ako, okunoonya kwange kwatandika». Kwali, mu bujulizi bwe obwesimbu, «okunoonya okwa bumuzibe era okutamanya». Ng'akuzibbwa okutunuulira «ekitangaala eky'omunda» kyokka, yeekyusa munda awatali kukoowa era eyo teyasangayo kintu kirala okuggyako okulwana. Ekitabo kye eky'ennaku eky'eddiini eky'olubereberye, yaatula, «kiri lukalala olumu oluwanvu olw'okulwana n'okubonaabona, nga kuliko akatangaala k'ekitangaala akatono». Obwesimbu obwo bwa mpisa ye: yagaana emirundi gyonna okusiiga langi ku bye yayitamu.

Mu 1851, ng'aweza emyaka kkumi na mwenda, yafumbirwa Robert Pearsall Smith, omusuubuzi ow'amaka amalala ag'Abakwakeri agaamanyibwa, eyali agenda oluvannyuma okufuuka omuvanjeri ku bwe. Obufumbo bwagaziya ensi ye era, mu kisa, bwamuggya mu «kwekebera okw'omunda okw'endwadde» okwafuula eddiini ekintu eky'ennaku. Abafumbo baabeera okumpi ne Philadelphia era oluvannyuma baayita mu New Jersey, era mu myaka gy'ekyasa ekya 1850 bombi baatuuka mu kukkiriza kw'enjiri okwa bbugumu. Naye enkyukakyuka esalawo yali nga tenajja.

Ekyama Ekizuuliddwa

«Kyali mu 1865», yawandiika, «lwe ekiseera ekyokuna, era ekisikiriza okusingira ddala, eky'olugendo lwange olw'omwoyo kwaakira ku mwoyo gwange». Yali Omukristaayo emyaka mwenda egy'essanyu, naye yasigala, mu kubala kwe, «bulijjo nga nneemulugunya ku bwange». Yamanya nti Katonda mwesigwa naye yasanga obulamu bwe obw'omunda «nga bujjudde okulemwa — si bwe bukyamu obw'ebweru nnyo ng'ebibi eby'omunda: obunnyogovu, okufa okw'omwoyo, obutaba n'okwagala okw'Ekikristaayo». Kye yazuula, era kye yamala obulamu bwe obusigadde ng'alangirira, kyali nti okuwonyezebwa mu maanyi g'ekibi — si mu kibonerezo kyakyo kyokka — kwali mulimu gwa Katonda okutuukiriza mu abo abeewaayo gy'ali. Yafunza ensonga yonna mu bigambo bina: «Si nze, wabula Kristo».

Mu bufunze, nnandigambye nti omulimu gw'omuntu kwe kwesiga, n'omulimu gwa Katonda kwe kukola.

— Hannah Whitall Smith

Kino kyafuuka omutima gw'Ekyama ky'Omukristaayo eky'Obulamu Obw'essanyu, ekyafulumizibwa mu 1875. Yakiyita «ekyama», yannyonnyola, olw'okuba kyali kimaze ebbanga eddene nga kikwekedde ye — «si kyama kubanga Katonda yakikweka, wabula kubanga nnali sinnakizuula». Ekifaananyi kyakyo ekimanyiddwa ennyo kye kigaali n'omugugu: omutambuze akkiriza okusitulwa naye asigaza omugugu omuzito ku bibegabega bye, «kubanga sisobola kulowooza ku kukuleka ng'ositula n'omugugu gwange». Obulamu bw'Ekikristaayo, yayigiriza, kutegeeza okuteeka wansi obuzito bwonna.

Omugugu omunene gwe tulina okusitula mu bulamu gwe gwe ffe ffennyini. Ekisinga obuzibu kye tulina okuddukanya kwe ffe ffennyini.

— Hannah Whitall Smith

Akatabo akatono kaakuba omunywa mu nsi yonna ey'Abaprotestanti eyogera Olungereza; kaatundibwa ebisukka mu bukadde bubiri mu bulamu bwe, kaavvuunulwa mu nnimi nnyingi, era tekaalekera awo kufulumizibwa. Obuweereza bwe obw'olwatu bwatandika mu bukkakkamu — mu mboozi ez'obwannamunigina ne mu nkuŋŋaana entonotono gye yagabananga bye yayitamu mu buzzeemu — naye obubaka bw'okwesiga n'okwewaayo bwaddamu bulungi ennyo okuggwaamu amaanyi n'okuwulira okulemwa mu mwoyo Abakristaayo bangi bwe baalina, ne kiba nti obwagazi bweyongera mangu. Mu 1873 ne 1874 ab'omu Smith baasomoka mu Bungereza, gye okusoma Bayibuli kwa Hannah okw'obukkakkamu era okw'okulowooza kwamuleetera okwagalibwa ennyo — baamutuuma «malayika w'amakanisa» — era enkuŋŋaana zaabwe, mwe muli enkuŋŋaana ez'amaanyi za Broadlands ezaasembezebwa Lord ne Lady Mount Temple, byayamba okuzaala mu 1875 Olukuŋŋaana lwa Keswick. Okumala ekiseera ab'omu Smith baali be bantu abaasinga okumanyika mu ntambula ey'Obulamu Obw'ekitiibwa etaali ya kibiina kimu, era Hannah yafuuka limu ku maloboozi gaayo agaasinga okumanyika, naddala wakati mu bakazi. Engeri ye ku kituuti yali ya bbugumu, ekolera, era ey'obusumba ennyo: mu kifo ky'okuzimba ensonga z'okutendekebwamu enzibu, yayogeranga ku kulwana kwa bulijjo kw'obulamu bw'Ekikristaayo n'engeri abakkiriza gye basobola okufuna emirembe mu kwesiga Katonda.

Ebigezo Ebiyitibwa Amannya Gaabyo

Awo kwajja okugwa. Mu 1875 obuweereza bwa Robert Pearsall Smith obw'olwatu bwakoma mangu wakati mu bulumirizi obw'empisa embi, era entambula eyali ebasitudde yeewala ekivve. Mu myaka egyaddirira Robert yaseeyeeya okuva mu kukkiriza kwe baali bagabana n'ayingira mu kubuusabuusa Katonda, era Hannah yatwala ennaku ez'ekyama ez'obufumbo obutaddamu kufuna ssanyu lyabwe erisooka. Yali era maama eyafiirwa emirundi mingi: ku baana be omusanvu, bana baafa mu buvubuka, era yabaziika mu myaka gye egy'ekyasa. Ennaku zaakanyisibwa oluvannyuma, abaana abasatu abaawona n'okutuuka mu bukulu — Mary, Logan, ne Alys — bwe baaggwaamu okukkiriza kw'Ekikristaayo kye yali awaayo byonna okusiimisa. Mary ne Logan buli omu yafuuka omuntu ow'ebiwandiiko amanyiddwa ku bwe; Alys yafumbirwa omulowooza Bertrand Russell, oboolyawo atakkiriza asinga okumanyika mu kiseera ekyo.

Smith yasisinkana ennaku zino si na kugaana wabula n'enjigiriza yennyini gye yabuulira. Yagaana okuzimba okukkiriza ku kuwulira. «Oyinza okuwulira bulungi oba oyinza okuwulira bubi», yawandiika, «naye newankubadde okuwulira okulungi wadde okuwulira okubi tekukyusa ekituufu… Bwe Katonda akwagala, tekiriimu makulu, ku nsonga y'ekituufu, oba owulira nti akwagala oba tokiwulira». Yayagalanga okujuliza Luteeri, eyaddamu Setaani bwe yamubuuza oba yawulira nti yali mwana wa Katonda: «Nedda, sikiwulira n'akatono, naye nkimanyi. Genda emabega wange, Setaani». Enjawulo eyo — wakati w'ekituufu eky'okwagala kwa Katonda n'okuwulira kwaffe okukyukakyuka — kwe kwali ettaka lye yayimirirako ettaka bwe lyayuuguuma.

Katonda ow'Okubudaabuda Kwonna

Okuva mu myaka gino kwe kwava okukkiriza kwe okukuze: nti Katonda gwe yali, ng'abangi, alowoozanga nga «omu ku bantu ab'omululu era abeefaako bokka mu nsi yonna» yali mu mazima «ekyawukanako ddala». Ebyafaayo bye by'obulamu bwe obw'omwoyo, Obutaba n'Omululu bwa Katonda n'Engeri gye Nnakizuula (1903), bilambika obulamu bwe ng'olukalala lw'«ebiseera» eby'eddiini, era omugugu gwabyo gwonna gufunziddwa mu sentensi gye yasanga ku lupapula olusooka lwa Bayibuli ye: «Omulembe guno guzudde nate obutaba n'omululu bwa Katonda». Mu Katonda ow'Okubudaabuda Kwonna (1906) yakakaatika okulaba kwe kumu okuwoomerevu okwa Kitaffe okwagala kwe, nga bwe yakkiriza, kuteekwa okusukka n'okwa maama. Ku ludda lw'okuwandiika kwe yeewaayo mu nkyukakyuka: yayamba okutandika Kibiina ky'Abakazi Abakristaayo Abaziyiza Omwenge mu 1874, yaweereza ng'omukulu w'Ekitongole kyakyo ky'Obuvanjeri, yalwanirira eddembe ly'abakazi okwogera mu bikuŋŋaanyizibwa eby'eddiini, era yayogera ku lw'obwetaavu bw'abakazi okulonda.

Mu myaka gye egy'oluvannyuma obulwadde bw'ennyingo bwamusibira mu kagaali k'abalema era mu bulumi bungi, naye endowooza ye yeeyongera okwakaayakana. Obukadde, yawandiika, tekyetaagisa kubeera «ekiseera eky'ennaku n'okukoowa»; ne «Katonda waffe omulungi, atalina mululu, ng'ali emabega w'ebyo byonna, obukadde bufuuka ekifo eky'okuwummulirako eky'essanyu». Okumanya «nti Katonda y'ali, era nti Katonda amala», yagamba, kwafuula «okufa ekisuubizo eky'essanyu ku biseera eby'omu maaso».

Nga nkakasiddwa mu kumanya nti Katonda y'ali, era nti amala, nsanga obukadde nga bwa ssanyu mu kiseera kino, n'okufa ng'ekisuubizo eky'essanyu ku biseera eby'omu maaso.

— Hannah Whitall Smith, Obutaba n'Omululu bwa Katonda

Hannah Whitall Smith yafa mu Bungereza nga 1 Maayi 1911, ng'aweza emyaka nsanvu mu mwenda. Yali ayise ennaku ze n'amannya gaazo mu bwerufu — obufumbo obwalumizibwa, amalaalo amana amatono, abaana abaava mu kukkiriza kwe — era tekwali kumu kwamuwangula. Amaanyi ge gasobola okulambikibwa nate mu bawandiisi bangi ab'okwewaayo abaddamu emirambo gye egy'okuwummula, okwesiga, n'okubeera mu Kristo; oluvannyuma lw'ekyasa n'ekisingawo okufa kwe, obubaka bwe busigala nga bufumita mu nsi abakkiriza gye bakyalwanagana n'okweraliikirira, okwerowooza nti balina okukola bulungi mu mwoyo, n'obutali bukakafu. Ekirabo kye yaleka si nteekateeka wabula okukkiriza kumu okunywevu, ekyaweerezebwa mu bitabo ebikyasomwa oluvannyuma lw'ekyasa: nti omugugu ogw'okukyusibwa kwaffe tekwali kwaffe okusitula, nti omulimu gw'omuntu kwe kwesiga kyokka era omulimu gwa Katonda kwe kukola, era nti Katonda akola omulimu ogwo mulungi awatali kulemwa, era awatali mululu.