The early encounter between the Swazi and the Western missionaries : the establishment of the Evangelical church in Swaziland, 1894-1950.

Abstract

Lona ngumbiko ngelucwaningo lolwentiwe ngalendzabakati yekufika kweLivangeli eSwatini, liletfwa belumbi labamhlophe lababetitfunywa teliVangeli laMvelinchanti. Kulandzela sembulo inkhosi Somhlolo leyabanaso sivela enkhosini vase Zulwini, titfunywa teliVangeli tatseleka eSwatini ngekumenywa yinkhosi Mswati wesibili. Emkhatsini wato kwakukhona Nkosazana Malla Moe, umsunguli weLibandla LeVangeli eSwatini, lokunguyena lolucwaningo lugcile kakhulu kuye, asahambisa tindzaba taJesu emaSwatini emdzabu. Livetile leliphepha kutsi emaSwati atemukela ngelisasa lelikhulu titfunywa teliVangeli. Ngabe sizatfu lesimcoka lesenta loko kwabakutsi letitfunywa betibapha boshukela, netiswayi, nemasekeni? Cha, kwakujulule kunaloko. Imfihlakalo kwaba kutsi inkholo yemdzabu lecuketse emagugu enhlakanipho elukholo yayise iwuvukutile umhlaba wanotsa, walungelela kutsi lembewu yenkholo yebuKrestu nayi hlanyelwa ichume itsele titselo. EmaSwati abukhandza lobuyanga lobabuvetwa yinkholo yemdzabu bucedzeka ngoba bebusitfunti salokukhulu lokutako. Loko kwenta kutsi noma letitfunywa betinemaphutsa, lebetiwacondzile nalebetingakawacondzi, emaSwati atikhandza letitfunywa kutitja letibutsakatsaka, kodwa letiphetse igolode. Ngekufundza tincwadzi emitapeni leyehlukeni, nanekufuna imivo yebantfu leyehlukene, kubekhona imicondvo letsite lolucwaningo loluyitfolile, leveta lentsambo letsekeleta letinkholo letimbili. Loko kube yinkhomba yekutsi emaSwati attkhandza emukelekile enkholweni yebuKrestu, ase ayayitsatsa lendzaba yeliVangeli yaba ngeyabo nabo. Konkhe loku lokungetulu, kucuketfwe ngemakhasi lasitfupha alolucwalingo. Lamakhasi acale etfule ingcikitsi yalolucwalingo, bese achaza ngalokufinciwe imvelaphi yesive semaSwati nekutsi sikuphi lamuhla, bese etfula inkholo yemdzabu netingoni tayo, kanye nekufika kwenkholo yebuKrestu. Emakhasi lamabili ekugcina atfula imivo yebantfu labehlukene ngebudlelwane emkhatsini waletinkholo letimbili bese ayasonga. Ngineletsemba kutsi lomcukutfu Iona utakuba lusito esiveni semaSwati, kulesitukulwane salamuhla nakusasa, ngoba uveta lolunye luhlangotsi olungenta kutsi liSwati Iibe neligcabho ngemvelaphi yalo, nangenkholo yalo yemdzabu. Futsi nemalunga elibandla leVangeli, kanye neKrestu onkhana atawukwati kutsi lelibandla lichamukaphi. Nalomunye asangachubeka acwalinge kutsi likuphi lamuhla liBandla leVangeli.