The message of Shembe was simply this: ‘cleave to Jehovah, serve him, love him, pray to him and listen carefully to his words.
Free from sexual immorality, be honest, respect and love one another, be obedient to parents and higher authorities.
Resist the desire for money, restrain the tongue, work diligently, be kind to animals, be merciful and full of compassion, be humble and forgive one another.”
Isihlabelelo 115
1.Ngivukile ngezwi lakho
Mina ebengifile
Ngivumele Nkosi ngibatshele
Abafile njengami
2.Abafile ngezwi lakho
Basinda ngani na?
Ngivumele Nkosi ngibatshele
Basined ngezwi lakho.
3.Ngenhlanhla engiyiphiweyo
Ngalowo musa wakho
Ngivumele Nkosi ngibatshela
Abangayiphiwanga.
4.Bename kanye nabo
Abavela emafini
Abangubo zahlanzwa
Zenziwa mhlophe.
5.Inanelo yabangcwele
Yabathanda ukulibona
Siyethemba bayokulibona
Lelo lizwe elizayo.
Hymn 115.
1. I woke up through Your Word
I who was dead.
Allow me Lord to tell them
Those who have died like me.
2. Those who are dead because of Your Word,
How are they going to be saved.
Let me tell them Lord.
To be saved by your word.
3. Because of the blessing I have
Through Your grace
Allow me Lord to tell them
Those who have none.
4. Let them rejoice with
Those from the clouds.
Whose garments were cleansed
And made white.
5. The compliments of the Saints
Of those who love to see it,
We hope they will see
That land which is coming.
SHEMBE’S MISSIONARY WORK AND HIS LAST JOURNEY.
1.As I pointed out in the last sermon, I am a born Nazarite. As an orphan, my mother was adopted by the prophet when she was 11 years old.
2.We grew up within this assembly but attended Christian missionary schools. In these mission schools the UBUNAZARETHA faith was a laughingstock.
3.Beside all other insults that were thrown at us, the most severe insult was that we follow one who tried to fly, thinking that he would go to heaven like Eliyahu!
4.Such a narrative was taught in schools as a true history lesson which was offered to us in religious education session.
6.Our main problem was that at our homes we were told a fundamentally different story from what we were taught in schools.
7.This was too hard for me, because my mother had been brought up by the prophet. Whenever I asked her about this narrative of Shembe’s attempt to fly, my mother would simply burst into tears!
8. Seeing that this narrative deeply hurt my mother, I then stopped raising it with her.
9.When I was in high education, I then conducted my own research into this subject.
10.I came across a book written by Rev. J.L. Dube where he narrated circumstances around the passing of the prophet, I then discovered that his narrative was the same as our parents.
11.But the person who eventually provided me with the whole truth about the prophet’s passing on, was L. Roberts in his thesis titled SHEMBE: THE MAN AND HIS WORK.
12.This white man conducted research on Shembe and his church, traced his entire life till his death.
13.His reseach confirmed everything that I had heard from my parents and what was recorded in Rev. J.L. Dube’s book.
14.It was at that point that I realized how fictitious the story of Shembe’s attempt to fly was! It was pure myth!
15.As that white man’s thesis was about the prophet’s work, he would personally arrive at the field and record every empirical fact right on the spot.
16.After learning that what was said about Shembe was a pack of lies, I had to dig deeper and find out how or where such a myth had originated.
17.I came across a booklet titled SHEMBE, written by a white missionary, Mrs Wells, who taught at the Inanda Seminary, but now and again visited Shembe at eKuphakameni.
18.It was this teacher who explained the whole plot of the missionaries against the prophet.
19.She said one day the missionary society met in Durban to discuss how Shembe could be obliterated.
20.Mrs Wells rose in the meeting and enquired if there was anyone of them who knew Shembe, as there was such hostility against him?
21.Mrs Wells said she asked that question for she knew Shembe at Inanda and that in her observation she was convinced that Shembe was Yahuah’s prophet just like all the biblical prophets.
22.But the Superintendent of Missions responded saying: “I do not know Shembe and I do not even want to know him, but what I intend doing is just to annihilate him from the face of this planet!”
23.It was Mrs Wells who revealed that the missionaries feared that if Shembe was allowed to go on unhindered, all African people would backslide and join his assembly, and that he would take the place of Jesus and summarily undermine all their missionary efforts.
24.They realized that they could not achieve their purpose while Shembe was still alive; they then eagerly awaited his earthly demise so that they could completely obliterate his fame as the known prophet of Yahuah, other than just a deceiver! Indeed, they succeeded in their subterfuge!
25.In her book, Mrs Wells described Shembe and the collective character of the entire assembly, among other things, by saying:
26.Shembe warned his hearers that “it was not striving to forget themselves and trying to be white men that would save them.
27.It had taken the Lord long to make a black man and a very long time to make a Zulu. We ought to respect the Lord “s distinction. He does not make mistakes.”
28.Everywhere chapels, churches and schools were emptied as Shembe approached, and the people crowded to listen with great joy.
29.Immorality prevalent among Christians who were living in false economic conditions was driven to shame.
30.Mental snobbery was pricked like a bubble, and a simple folk wearing skins or next to nothing, accepted the gospel with great joy and were baptised.
31.Then the missionaries waged a warfare, because, as they said, Shembe was undoing much if not most of what they had done.
32.They had taught people to wear clothes, and now Shembe said it did not matter if the people wore little or nothing if they were modest and clean and loved the Lord.
33.Shembe is a meek quiet man, full of fun, and whole-hearted happiness, and he has been true to his ideals…….
34.At eKuphakameni people of this age are taken back to about the year 60 A.D., before there was need for many creeds or denominations.
35.As one eminent divine summed up: “We have allowed civilization to overpower Christianity, Shembe is allowing Christianity to lead civilization. Amein!”
36.Since Mrs Wells often visited eKuphakameni, she is the only White I have met who accepted Shembe as Yahuah’s prophet. We come across the following extract of what she said:
37. “We believe that Shembe has a message from God for this age, just as through the Lord “s tender mercies, reformers, prophets, voices have always arisen in the past at times of crisis, to reveal his power and will, to correct error and to emphasise Truth, or to bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Amein!”
38.When Dr Becken, a German scholar who has written extensively on Shembe, in collaboration with Oosthuizen and Hexham, wrote in his book titled, The Story of Isaiah Shembe, he also said:
39.“This church is the fruit of an organic growth of Christianity in the African soil, an institution in which the Gospel message incarnated in African culture and milieu, mentality and community life, she worships God in an African manner and addresses the mentality and the needs of the Africans in the way they themselves sense them.
40.Therefore, this movement can be termed properly the African reformation of the century, resembling the indigenization of the Gospel in the European Reformation of the 16th century people.”
41.Even Dr Becken, like Mrs Wells, says the amaNazaretha assembly can be likened with the Christian church of the 16 th century.
42.Further, in his paper titled CALLED TO LIBERATE: SHEMBE AND THE SCRPTURE, Professor M.C. Kirchoff of the University of Zululand, asserts, inter alia:
43.The message of Shembe was simply this: ‘cleave to Jehovah, serve him, love him, pray to him and listen carefully to his words.
44.Free from sexual immorality, be honest, respect and love one another, be obedient to parents and higher authorities.
45.Resist the desire for money, restrain the tongue, work diligently, be kind to animals, be merciful and full of compassion, be humble and forgive one another.”
46.Prof. Kirchoff proceeds thus: “Oral history revealed that Shembe was a charismatic leader, a renowned healer, an unflagging worker, a splendid organiser, a treasure house of wisdom.
47.A patriotic Zulu, an adaptable traditionalist, an ardent Bible reader and one who untiringly called his people back to the commandments of God.”
48.The above statements by these scholars clarify the kind of a person Shembe was as a messenger of Yahuah, and how he emphasized that Yahuah is to be worshipped as per the amaNazaretha Hymnal.
49.He taught on piety that is marked by worshipping Yahuah by observing His laws that were brought down to us through Moshe!
50.Another author, describing the prophet, said: “On the basis of his leadership competences, one would liken Shembe, among Bible characters, with Moshe; he was like David in terms of his singing, poetry and dancing expertise.
51.One could draw similarities between him and Jesus on the basis of miraculous healing deeds that he performed.
51.Concerning his prophesying and preaching capabilities, one could liken him with prophets Yeshayahu (Isaiah) and Yermiyahu (Jeremiah). By covering many places in his evangelizing expeditions, Shembe can be likened with Sha’ul! Amein!”
52.But to obliterate this remarkable figure, Christian missions utilised black people for spreading a fictitious gospel about him, just as it happens even now!
53.Right now, beside the narrative on Shembe’s supposed flight and subsequent death, black people know nothing else about him!
54.The white race has an amazing ability of virtually obliterating something that exists and construct something that really does not exist!
55.Hebrews are Black people, but the white race succeeded in whitewashing them, making the white Israeli, and some black people believe that the Ashkenazi are the Hebrews!
56.Yeshua was a black prophet, but whites managed to erase him from our minds, and they then constructed their white Jesus; we then abandoned black Yeshua and worshipped white-made Jesus!
57.But now is the time for reclamation of what is ours and rectification of historical narratives about our national heroes!
58. To discredit this deceptive narrative around the death of Shembe, I have gathered historical facts about the prophet’s last journey, taking from the sermons by Lord Galilee Shembe, the second leader, and those by Mbazini, Myeni, as well as some individuals who journeyed with the prophet until his last days on earth!
59.The prophet started biding the people farewell around 1934. But we trace his journey from January 1935 when he came down from Mount Nhlangakazi.
60.From Nhlangakazi he went to his residence in Pietermaritzburg, called Eden. When he arrived there, he preached, saying: “My children, make me your representative; what will I say to the One who sent me?”
61.Lord Galilee Shembe says around February 1935, he left school where he was teaching at Amanzimtoti to see the prophet at Ekuphakameni, but did not find him until he reached the Bhekinqola Residence.
62.Lord Galilee Shembe said: “I found him lying down on his abdomen, resting his head on a stone, while Rev. Mlangeni (the Judas Iscariot of the time) was seated beside him on a small grass mat, after a rainfall, and I asked him, ‘Father, why are you laying on your abdomen in the mud?’ He then answered:
63.“My child, why are you feeling sorry for me? Is it because you are my son? But here is your father, Mlangeni, saying nothing.
64.You see me in the mud because I am asking my body and heart: “My heart, why are you not obeying Yahuah, my body, why are you not doing Yahuah’s will,
65.for all animals are obeying Him; even wild animals do Yahuah’s will, even goats also do Aluah’s will, even the sun does the will of Aluah, and the stars, too, do the will of Aluah?
66.I am asking my heart, saying: “My heart, why are you alone contending against Aluah; even you my flesh, why are you not willing to do the will of Aluah?”
67.Lord Galilee Shembe says when he was about to go back to school, the prophet said he should wake him up in the morning. He said he was afraid of waking him up, but he discovered that the light was on in his house.
68.The prophet accompanied him, and when they reached a certain gorge, the prophet said, “It’s fine, my child, go.”
69.Lord Galilee Shembe says he took a few steps forward and looked backward and found him still standing with his eyes full of sorrow; that was the very last moment he set his eyes on him!
70.On the prophet’s last day at eKuphakameni, he conducted a prayer service in a house called Ginyezinye.
71.When he delivered the sermon, he mentioned numerous sins, saying, “My children, I am a bride and am handing out gifts; I am now leaving, going back to Yahuah.
72.Today, I am allowing you to commit all the sins that I have been prohibiting you from committing.
73.I am saying, whoever is practising witchcraft or wizardry, they must do so thoroughly, and to you woman with adulterous tendencies, I say commit adultery thoroughly, and you man who tells lies, never stop; so that when you languish in hell, you should say ‘we thoroughly indulged in sinful acts.”
74.He came out of Ginyezinye house, at eKuphakameni, walking on his knees until he reached the gate of the residence.
75.Indians ran to him, saying, “Father, can we help you?” He answered: “No, you cannot help me, my children, I am bidding this residence farewell, I can no longer tread on it with my feet, on my return to it, I will be carried.”
76.He sang the hymn, saying, “Let them loose, Mashi (Adedele aphume weMashi. The song of mourning.) He left eKuphakameni and headed by train to Zululand.
77.From Natal, he arrived Zululand, at his residence south of Sikhawini, called Nelisiwe. He repeated these words at Nelisiwe:
78. “I am a bride; I will gift the people for their good and bad deeds so that they may be exceedingly fruitful.
79.I am granting the one who practises witchcraft or wizardry authority to excel in that craft, if they had killed one person, they must kill even more souls so that they may not have any excuses when they go to hell. And the one who does righteousness, they must do it fruitfully.”
80.From Nelisiwe, he stopped at his residence near Sikhawini, called Gibizisila, then he left for Bhekizitha residence from where he caught a train from Mzingwenya Station, heading northward.
81.On Friday, he alighted at a station just before Mkhuze, called Bhiyela, in the territory of Mabuyakhulu, and preached and performed miracles quite extraordinarily.
82.On Sunday, he left Mabuyakhulu territory with the assembly and the sun set when they had reached Shayindoda mountains; there they slept over out in the open.
83.He woke up at dawn and ascended towards the magisterial office at Ubombo in order to solicit a preaching permit, (as state did was allow him to preach without a permit). That was on Monday.
84.From the Ubombo magisterial office, they journeyed until sunset when they had reached Ntshongweni; they slept in an open field. They departed from Ntshongweni on Tuesday morning and headed to Mseleni, Mbazini’s territory.
85.Journeying from Ntshongweni towards Mseleni became extremely difficult for all the people because the Mhlabuyalingana region is sandy and the people were starving.
86.For the first time that day, the prophet appeared exhausted. The trousers that he was wearing was torn apart until it was knitted together with thorns.
87.They reached Mseleni in the late afternoon. As soon as they arrived at Mbazini’s territory, they found many people waiting for the prophet.
88.Despite the reality at the time, the prophet opened a worship service, but his companions were extremely fatigued, failing even to sing. Nevertheless, he opened a healing session and prayed for the people as if nothing had happened.
87.They spent the night at Mbazini’s area, and the prophet woke up the following morning and baptised eighty converts.
88.On his return from conducting the baptismal service, on Wednesday, the dance ceremony commenced with a
hymn titled: “Greetings, Kuphakama, greetings, Judaea!” The heavenly man danced with his umbrella in a remarkably youthful manner.
89.He pointed toward the south, pointed toward the north, pointed toward the east and pointed toward the west. He turned and faced the lads in his dance party and said:
90. “You’re taking advantage of me, chaps, just because I have now aged! He then uttered a saying that sounded hard to decipher, saying: “Yo ho ho! All this will come to an end when I am draped in new flesh!”
91.Afterwards, he convened a service, took the Bible and read from the Book of Psalms 71:17-18: “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to everyone that is to come.” (King James Version)
92.After reading the text, he then said: “There was a man who had ten sons, but they were not capable of hunting, except one son who was also industrious.
93.One morning this son woke up and went hunting in the wilds with his brothers’ dogs. Among the dogs, there was a small dog that was called Tobi. This small dog had been trained on tactics of raising game so that bigger dogs would then pursue them.
94.Though he often caught game, he also found them that particular morning, but when he tried to set dogs on them, the latter simply remained inactive. He took a knobkerrie and killed all the dogs; he then rose and returned home.
95.His brothers saw him coming back empty handed, without the dogs too. His mother ran towards him and asked about the whereabouts of the dogs. He told his mother that he had killed the dogs.
96.His mother made a clarion call, alerting her sons about what had transpired. They came to him complaining bitterly, asking why he had killed the dogs. But when they reached him, they found him silent, lying down and giving no damn about whatever they had to say.”
97.After telling this parable, the prophet kept quiet for a long time, not even winking. Suddenly, he officially closed the service.
98.He departed from Mseleni on Thursday and headed toward Mkhuze. They slept over on their way and reached Mkhuze on Friday.
99.They left Mkhuze by train toward Zululand; he alighted at a railway station near Mbonambi territory, at Maphoza Station.
100.From Mbonambi territory, he moved toward his residence called Mkhayideni, near Richards Bay. Here he had come to conduct the April Holy Assembly, the Feast of Pesach (Passover). He walked with many people who had come to meet him at the station.
101.Since he was already tired, Ezra Mbonambi got him a young donkey, and he entered Mkhayideni on her back.
102.People were all and about, running to meet him; they picked palm leaves which they lay down where he would pass. Just as it happened in the instance of Yahusha’s last glorious entrance in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), so was the case even with Shembe who entered that residence for the very last time.
103.Just like his last exit from eKuphakameni, when he reached Mkhayideni he got off the donkey and walked on his knees, but when he reached the middle of the gate, he lied on his abdomen. The people weredisappointed, and they did not know what was happening.
104.He fell sick when he was at Mkhayideni while Rev. Mngoma, on the other hand, was also catching some serious sickness. When he heard that the priest was also sick, Shembe woke up, went to him and said: “Mngoma, are you scared of dying?” Priest, I am now leaving; you will recover and then bury me!” Indeed, Mngoma recovered there and then.
105.On the first day of May 1935, the prophet was apparently seated uncomfortably, appearing unhappy. Another woman who was his scribe was heard speaking with other women, saying: “The Father is now leaving the planet!”
106.Reverend Mngoma approached her in order to enquire what she was saying. She showed him a letter that the prophet had just written, saying: “My flesh is weary; it will lie in the tomb. My Spirit will be resurrected and put on new flesh. From eternity I was born, I will exist infinitely.
107.Raise another one within my household, and may he lead your people. Endow him with a heart that is like unto Yours. Hold him and anoint him with the oil of mercy.”
108.When they heard these words, all people were deeply alarmed, and everybody became troubled, wondering if such an occurrence was possible?
109. 2 May 1935 was on Thursday. Morning Prayer would normally be offered at 7 a.m. When the prayer call was made, he sent an order prohibiting the call, he stated that the congregation sit still and wait for a time for his last breath.
110.The people sat and waited in a state of fear. He called two boys, one being Josephat Dlamini. He ordered them to watch the time at which his soul would leave the body.
111.After then slept, after that, he woke up and said: “Oh, where am I?” He then remained silent for a long time. Thereafter, he turned toward the south and kept silent, and he turned northward and kept silent, and then he turned eastward, remaining quiet!
Suddenly, his body trembled and then became calm as he breathed his very last breath at 9 in the morning!
May the Lord bless His Word!