Chapter Eleven - The Flames of the Holy Spirit Spread Across America

 

The day finally came, December 18, 1971, when Reverend Moon came to America and moved the World Mission Headquarters to this country. I think of this day as comparable to the arrival of the Puritans from Europe, which marked the beginning of a new history of the American continent. This time the moving force came from across the Pacific, rather than the Atlantic, and instead of founding a new Christian country that would in the future receive the Lord, the Lord himself was here. Nearly four centuries earlier, the Puritans had made their trip across the ocean, but the Lord came to America by air. This seemed to symbolize the greatly increased speed of God's providence.

I did my best to give Reverend Moon the warmest possible welcome as he disembarked at Washington National Airport. It had been ten years since I first arrived in Washington as a diplomat. I had done my best during that time to fulfill the role of the advance guard for the returning Lord. Yet, it pained my heart to know that we were receiving the most precious person in history without having made the necessary social and political preparations. Perhaps this is what was meant in the biblical prophecy, "I will come like a thief." [Revelation 3:3]

I did find comfort in one thing: The Little Angels were in Washington for a performance at the Kennedy Center, and they were all at the airport to greet Reverend Moon as their founder. The pure and innocent boys and girls of this troupe were the best qualified to greet Reverend Moon. As he came down the steps, the Little Angels sang the song "Oh Joy, the Savior Has Come." One of the girls presented a bouquet of flowers to Reverend Moon. He was extremely pleased with this unexpected welcome from the angelic children.

That evening, diplomats and other distinguished persons were in the audience for the Little Angels performance, and Reverend Moon's party was seated in the central VIP area. More than a hundred senators, congressmen, and other notables were there with their families, including Sen. J.W. Fulbright, Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird, and several other cabinet-level officials. There were ambassadors from around a hundred countries. It was a gathering that is rarely seen even in Washington.

The Little Angels performance that night to the sold-out crowd of 2,200 people represented an important victory for Korea in the area of cultural diplomacy. In a symbolic sense, the Little Angels' invitational performance was a welcoming banquet held in celebration of Reverend Moon's arrival in America that day. That was the underlying reason we were able to gather such a highly distinguished audience, including many of the top figures in government and other fields. It could also be said that Reverend Moon was the real host of that performance.

As the children made their way through the prepared program of dances and songs, the audience became more and more excited. After the final chorus, the audience called out, "Encore! Encore!" The troupe didn't know what to do, because they had already sung all the numbers they had learned. The cries for an encore would not subside, though. So they finally decided to sing the Korean folk song "Arirang" and "God Bless America." And they repeated these songs again. The final time they sang "God Bless America," the entire audience stood up and joined them.

When they had finished. I went out on the stage and spoke to the audience: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am very honored to present to you the founder of the Little Angels, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who has just arrived in Washington today. Would you kindly join me in welcoming him with a round of applause?"

When the audience heard these words, they turned around to face where Reverend Moon was seated in the balcony and gave him a thunderous applause. Reverend Moon smiled and stood up to acknowledge their applause by waving. In that instant, the performers and the audience were completely united, and their applause grew to a crescendo. Everyone gave the highest praise to the person who had created these beautiful "angels of peace."

I hadn't been able to introduce Reverend Moon as anything more than "founder of the Little Angels." Yet, from God's viewpoint, the leading figures from all walks of life in the United States were receiving the Lord for the first time and, symbolically were giving him an enthusiastic welcome.

Speaking to America

It was natural that Reverend Moon's arrival marked the beginning of a time when the winds of the Holy Spirit would blow through America like a storm. Reverend Moon said we would need to establish a headquarters in New York, the gateway to the world, to carry out worldwide evangelism. He purchased a large estate located along the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York, and made this the World Mission Headquarters. The estate was named "Belvedere," and it has become well known throughout the world in the years that followed.

Reverend Moon declared that within three and a half years he would start a movement for truth that would sweep the country like a whirlwind. America in the late twentieth century is suffocating from the pollution of materialistic culture, he said, and it must be revived. He also said that this new movement for truth must at all times be centered on Christianity.

Up to this time in Korea, Reverend Moon had never held an event for the general public. His public silence had caused some to wonder whether he might have some dislike for standing before the general populace. Reverend Moon's reason, however, was something completely different. He had been planning for a long time that his first declaration of God's "Completed Testament" should be made in America, a Christian country that also symbolized the modern-day Rome.

In February 1972, less than three months after his arrival, Reverend Moon directed us to plan a gathering in New York where he would speak publicly. He said we should rent the best and most famous hall in New York City. What really shocked the American members was that he also directed that tickets be sold for the event.

This was unheard of in America. It was not the custom to sell tickets to a religious revival or other religious event in the same way one would sell tickets to a concert. If people attended and were inspired by the sermon they might give a monetary offering or donation, but it was unheard of to pay money for a ticket before the event. Reverend Moon, however, was insistent.

"People pay huge sums of money to buy tickets to secular events that have nothing to do with their eternal lives, and yet they expect to be admitted free when they are going to hear God's truth." He said a new culture of giving attendance to God needed to he established in America and refused to budge on the matter of selling tickets,

He had one other reason for insisting on selling tickets. He knew that people who paid money for a ticket would be much more likely to come, and to get their money's worth, they would stay to the end of the program and listen carefully to what he had to say. So his decision was also based on an understanding of the way Americans think.

This decision meant the Unification Church, as the sponsor of the gathering, would have to deal with some difficult problems. First of all, few people in America at this point had ever heard of Reverend Moon. People could be expected to ask, "Who's Reverend Moon?" And if they were told, "He is the second coming of Jesus," then they would be certain to say, "Are you kidding?" and walk away.

In the 1990s Reverend Moon often preached in English, but at this time he spoke almost no English. We didn't know how much of the message could he conveyed to the American audience through an interpreter.

Even more fundamentally, even we members ourselves had no idea what Reverend Moon's talk would be about. He used no prepared text and spoke according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We had no choice but to follow him in faith. This was the first instance in which the American Unification Church learned that the messiah is not constrained by the customs and practices of the world.

It was decided that this first gathering would be held at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, one of the most respected forums for the arts. The title would be "Day of Hope Rally."

The American members in New York put their whole heart into preparing for the Day of Hope Rally. All-night prayer vigils were held, and it was common for people to fast a week at a time. They worked from morning to night, going door to door to sell tickets.

At first, no one knew what to say. People just followed Jesus' teaching, "Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour" [Matthew 10:19] and bravely knocked on people's doors.

Then something began to happen that was totally unexpected. We started running into people who would say, "I've been expecting you." Some people would tell our members, "Last night, I dreamed of an old man dressed in white. He told me you would be coming today." In some cases, a person would say right from the start, "This is about the famous minister from Korea, isn't it?"

Our members were flabbergasted. One after another such miracles were recounted at meetings held each evening to report on the day's work. It gave everyone a hundred times more courage. We realized we were not inviting people to an ordinary lecture. Instead, it was a rally for the declaration of the word of God. God was working with us, and spirit world had been mobilized. From then on, the sale of tickets increased dramatically.

So the first declaration of the word in America took place in the middle of New York City before a full house. The title of Reverend Moon's address was "The Crisis of Christianity and the New Hope of America." Rev. Young Whi Kim, an elder member of the church who had come with Reverend Moon from Korea, acted as interpreter.

The success in New York spread throughout the rest of America in a similar pattern. Philadelphia was the next city where Reverend Moon spoke, and Baltimore was the third. That was where I had my first opportunity to translate for Reverend Moon, which I continued doing for the next twenty-five years. "The mouth of Reverend Moon" is my most cherished nickname.

Impossible Translation

Because Reverend Moon was not using prepared texts, there was no way for a translator to prepare for one of his speeches, except to pray. Honestly speaking, the first time I translated for him, at the "Day of Hope Banquet" in Baltimore, I doubt that I was able to convey even as much as half of Reverend Moon's message. I could not stop sweating.

Reverend Moon's speaking tour next took him to Washington, D.C., where he was to speak in an auditorium at George Washington University. As the event drew near, I became more and more afraid. A full day before the event, my body was shaking. I had no confidence to stand as Reverend Moon's interpreter.

Reverend Moon tended to speak quickly and in long paragraphs, without any regard to the needs of the translator. It was all I could do just to keep half of what he said in my head, yet I also had to put all that into English. I could not take any time in doing this, either. Before I could finish my translation of what he had said, Reverend Moon would start speaking again. I thought I would die.

I honestly didn't see how I could keep doing this job much longer. It would he difficult even for someone who had studied in America and received his Ph.D. here. I told myself. "Is this the cross that I must bear? If so, then how can I successfully complete this mission?"

That night the world seemed to go dark before my eyes. I couldn't eat. I couldn't get to sleep. "I'm in real trouble. I'm in real trouble. 'What am I going to do?"

My despair deepened as the night wore on and I tossed and turned in my bed. Finally, as the dawn drew near, a kind of revelation flashed into my mind. I had come to an important realization: I needed to translate according to a fundamentally different principle.

At the United Nations General Assembly, scores of translators sit in dark booths where they can hear only the words being spoken at the dais. They listen and render a technically accurate translation of these words into a different language. There is no emotion or soul in their translation, and they don't concern themselves with the heart of the speaker. They are required only to translate the words accurately one by one.

The revelation I received was that I should not try to translate for Reverend Moon in the same way as if I were working at the U.N. Instead, I should concentrate on translating his spirit and his soul. The word of God consists of words of life, so if the life in those words is not successfully conveyed to the listener, then the translation is a failure.

The other point that came to me was that I should translate the culture. The word of God had appeared in the context of East Asian culture, and I needed to convey this in a way that Western people could understand.

"Didn't Father send you to America ten years in advance of his arrival so that you could prepare? Didn't you know that God's intention was to have you learn American culture?" This was the meaning of my revelation.

From that moment, I began to feel a sense of hope welling up within me. I actually began to look forward to the next event. I was no longer afraid. My body no longer shook. It wasn't because I was confident. Instead, it was because I had entrusted everything to God.

I told myself, "I am a spiritual interpreter who translates Father's spirit and soul." In a translation such as this, it was most important that I come to embody Father's heart through my own experiences. My heart had to be on the same wavelength as Father's. Thus, prayer was the most important part of my preparation.

When we arrived at George Washington University, the auditorium was jam-packed. I followed Reverend Moon up onto the stage and stood on his left. I tried to listen not so much to each and every word he spoke but to the cry of his spirit. Then. I mustered all my strength to recreate Father's spirit in the English language.

I let Father's emotions wash into me, along with his words. When he raised his voice to emphasize a point, I also raised my voice. When he pounded on the podium, I pounded. When there was anger in his voice, I also expressed anger. Sometimes he shed tears and was overcome with emotion. Then, I cried alongside him.

At times Reverend Moon would dance around the stage to describe what heaven was like, so I would dance, too. When that happened, Reverend Moon's lectures turned into a kind of performance, a kind of art. The audience would be drawn into the speech and never grow tired of listening. At times, Reverend Moon would pat me on the back as he spoke. Then, during my translation, I would also pat him on the back. If he kissed me on the cheek, then during the translation I would do the same to him. The audience would begin to laugh. This is how I became the only man ever to kiss Reverend Moon on the cheek.

Sometimes, Reverend Moon would tell a joke. Now, there is nothing more difficult than translating jokes, as I had learned to my great discomfort translating for American generals fifteen years before. Then it was the American jokes that didn't come across in Korean, but some Korean jokes are not funny at all to Americans either. This is where the translation of culture becomes necessary. I would take Reverend Moon's jokes and translate them into a similar American-style joke.

The Washington event was a smashing success. I thanked God.

The Day of Hope banquets, seven in all, were a tremendous success. Every place we went, Reverend Moon spoke to capacity crowds. The auditoriums were filled with the Holy Spirit. The audiences were enveloped in an atmosphere of excitement and fun. As long as I was standing next to Reverend Moon as his translator, I was an extension of his body and his spirit. We became one. By the end, the audience felt like they were understanding Reverend Moon in Korean. I as an interpreter disappeared.

The Great Battle at Madison Square Garden

The author translating for Reverend Moon at the Madison Square Garden rally in 1974.

During my twenty-five years translating for Reverend Moon, the most memorable and the most difficult speech for me was the one he gave at Madison Square Garden on September 18, 1974. This rally was a part of the strategy to break through in New York City. After this rally, everyone in New York had at least heard of Reverend Moon.

As the Unification Church went on the offensive, certain Christians who viewed us as heretical mounted an unprecedented effort to oppose us. On the day of the rally, sixty thousand people came to Madison Square Garden to hear Reverend Moon, even though only twenty-five thousand could be admitted. The majority of the people, therefore, were turned away without even being able to enter. However, a group of people opposed to the Unification Church used the ploy of obtaining a large number of tickets in advance and seating themselves in strategic sections of the stands.

Once the performing arts part of the program was finished and Reverend Moon took the stage, the opponents in the stands began a huge demonstration, shouting, "Heretics, get out!" and "Anti-Christ, get out!" The entire hall was thrown into confusion.

At first Reverend Moon tried to deal with them calmly, but the demonstrators' intention from the beginning was to make it impossible for Reverend Moon to proceed with his remarks. In an effort to quiet the hecklers, Reverend Moon said, "1 would like to sing a song for you."

Most of the audience welcomed this with applause, but the opponents kept shouting. "Unification Church heretics, get out!" "Go home"

What was most disappointing for me was to see that the majority of the demonstrators were Korean Americans. Americans of other ethnic origins in the audience didn't know what to think. Soon, scuffles began breaking out among people in the audience. It looked as though the situation might deteriorate into a general riot.

I saw Reverend Moon shed a tear as he watched this situation, but soon, his tears changed to anger. He shouted in Korean, "Everyone, please calm down. America is a country that recognizes religious freedom. If you would like to oppose me, then you are welcome to do so after you have heard what I have to say. First, I ask that you hear me out. You are being very rude to the thousands of people who came to hear me today."

I translated these words with anger, and most of the audience supported Reverend Moon with a loud round of applause. From that moment on, Reverend Moon pressed on with his speech and refused to give in to the opposition. He spoke with such force that sometimes it reminded me of huge ocean waves crashing against a rocky coastline. Other times his words were like the wind and rain in a typhoon. Father stood his ground with God's authority and began to declare the word of God. He gave no thought to the fact that his life could be in danger. He just poured out every ounce of his spiritual and physical energy and brought the audience under control.

Soon, Reverend Moon began to overpower the crowd of twenty-five thousand with his bold delivery and thunderous voice. The hecklers found the wind taken out of their sails and began to lose heart. The atmosphere was such that it seemed they were in danger of being struck down by God. By the time Reverend Moon had spoken for about half an hour, the audience was completely quiet. From then on, some of the people began shouting out in agreement, saying, "You are right! You are right!" and "Amen! Amen!"

During his two-hour speech, Reverend Moon walked all around the stage, moving left and right, back and forth, and all around. He gestured strongly to emphasize his points, adding to his authoritative manner. Reverend Moon showed the same heart and forcefulness as Jesus when he overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple. He was letting the anger of Heaven explode through him. The words he spoke, however, contained no malice. Instead, they were words of love. I could tell that his heart had been torn apart by the sight of members of the Korean community in America acting in such a wrong-headed way.

By the time he neared the end of his speech, everyone was intently concentrating on his every word. The audience was completely silent. They had come expecting a standard religious revival, but they were witnessing something entirely different. They had experienced both the anger and love of God.

I had to interpret for Reverend Moon during this entire incredible process without a single page of prepared remarks. Was I able to convey even one-tenth of what he said? I poured every ounce of my being into trying to convey both the wrath and love of God in Reverend Moon's words. I clung to the attitude that I had learned through my revelation and rode out this fierce battle according to Heaven's principles of translation.

When it came time for Reverend Moan to give his final greeting to the audience, my legs suddenly felt weak. Reverend Moon finished his speech and left the stage. but I found myself unable to move my legs. A couple of members in the wings saw that I was about to fall down and quickly came out to help me off the stage and into a room. I immediately wanted to congratulate Reverend Moon on his great victory. Then I wanted to beg his forgiveness for not having the ability to fully translate his words for such an important event. I still have the program that Reverend Moon signed for me that day.

It took another twenty-four hours before I regained enough strength to stand on my own. Even though I couldn't get up, my heart was overflowing with joy. I was filled with gratitude and happiness. At the same time, I felt like crying. These were tears of gratitude, gratitude that God had made it possible for me to complete my mission and tears of regret. I very much regretted that I had not been able to prepare better for this day.

I am told that some people in Korea refer to me as "the best English speaker in Korea." This is not the case. I have never studied at an American university, nor have I earned any academic degrees in America. There are many Koreans in America now who have received their doctorates in American and English literature. I think the reason that people have taken to referring to me this way is that I received a very special kind of training. I had to devote my whole body and soul into translating Reverend Moon's spiritual words. I doubt that anyone else in the world has had the experience of translating for twenty-five years for someone such as Reverend Moon, who is a profound religious teacher and philosopher.

The total amount of sweat that I perspired while translating for Reverend Moon would probably fill several large barrels. At the end of each rally, my shirt would he so soaked in sweat that water would flow out in a stream when I wrung it out.

By meeting the challenge of translating in such intense situations, over and over again, I gradually learned the best ways to express my feelings in English. This is one of the precious gifts that Reverend Moon has given me.

This training served me well a few years later when I was unfairly made the target of an investigation by the C.S. House Subcommittee on International Organizations and was forced into a face-to-face confrontation with Rep. Donald Fraser. The story of that showdown and how I became known as "the proud Korean" is told in Chapter Thirteen.

Fifty-State Speaking Tour

Reverend Moon began his first speaking tour in America at New York's Lincoln Center on February 3, 1972, and completed his seven-city itinerary on March 11. He then traveled to London to speak at a Day of Hope rally there on March 22. On the 30th, he spoke at a similar gathering in Essen, Germany: the new wind of God's word was beginning to blow in Europe as well. After returning to the United States. Reverend Moon spoke in twenty-one cities from October 1. 1973, to January 29, 1974 on the theme "Christianity in Crisis: New Hope."

Reverend Moon initiated a new pattern beginning with this twenty-one-city tour. When he went to a city, he would first invite the dignitaries and other leaders of the city to a "Day of Hope Banquet." The following day he would hold a "Day of Hope Rally" for the public at large in the largest hall in the city. History is certain to record that during these series of speaking tours America welcomed Reverend Moon with open arms. The people of America did not make the same mistake as was committed two thousand years ago by the Jewish religious establishment and the people of Israel. They did not yet know that Reverend Moon was the returning Lord, but across the country they welcomed this prophet from Korea as an honored guest.

Mayors and governors all over the country came out to present Reverend Moon with honorary citizenships, keys to the city, and certificates of welcome. It's difficult to tabulate the number of such awards precisely, but Reverend Moon received at least fifteen-hundred awards and welcomes.

Mayors, including the mayor of Los Angeles, sometimes issued an official statement declaring the day Reverend Moon was scheduled to speak in their city as a "Day of Hope." or "Rev. Sun Myung Moon Day" so that all the citizens could celebrate this day together.

On February 1, 1974. Reverend Moon met President Richard M. Nixon in the White House and discussed an important matter with him. I will touch on this in the section on the Watergate incident.

Then during an intense nine-week period from February 15 to April 21, Reverend Moon held a whirlwind tour covering thirty-two cities, which means sixty-four events. Reverend Moon spoke every day during this tour, with the exception of the one day he spent traveling to Hawaii. I wonder whether anything like this has been done before or since in the history of America. Thus, Reverend Moon covered all fifty states in America, devoting his whole heart and energy to let people know that God loves America and to reveal America as His chosen nation.

That was not all that Reverend Moon did that year. In May he traveled to Tokyo, to speak to seventeen hundred people at a Day of Hope Banquet held at the Teikoku Hotel.

Numerous members of the Japanese Diet and government ministers attended this gathering. It was here that Mr. Takeo Fukuda, who was then the minister of finance and would later become prime minister, made the historic pronouncement that Reverend Moon was "a great religious leader born of the Orient." Former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi was the honorary chairman of the hosting committee for this memorable banquet. Mr. Kishi was deeply moved by Reverend Moon's Victory Over Communism movement and held direct discussions with him. Until Mr. Kishi's death, the two men continued a deep bond of friendship.

After Tokyo, Reverend Moon returned to America for the victorious rally with twenty-five thousand people at Madison Square Garden on September 18, 1974, described above. He made this the starting point on a tour where he successfully held large rallies in eight cities across America.

On October 8, Reverend Moon was invited to speak at the U.S. Capitol to a gathering of senators and congressmen, here, he again praised the history of America as God's chosen nation and also gave a stern warning regarding the confusion that was rampant in modern-day America.

The elite of America were so struck by Reverend Moon's remarks here that they invited him to the Capitol a second time, on December 18, 1975. This time, a much larger number of senators and congressmen came to hear the "Korean prophet" speak. They listened as Reverend (Moon pointed out the weak points in America society and called on America to "return to God," and they asked themselves, "Who is that man? He's saying things that no minister in America could say."

Translating for Reverend Moon in the Capitol Building was a particularly inspiring experience. The U.S. Congress corresponds to the Roman Senate of Jesus' time. At the time, Rome controlled the world, and the Senate stood as a symbol of Roman power in the world.

In the twentieth century, America was the modern-day Rome and was in control of the world, making the C.S. Capitol a symbol of America's power in the world. What would have happened if Jesus had not been killed but had survived, gone to Rome, and been invited to speak to the Roman Senate? What a difference that would have made in the course of history! But instead Jesus was placed on a cross at Golgotha and died at the young age of thirty-three after a Roman soldier pierced his body with a spear.

Now, two thousand years later, the returning Jesus, Reverend Moon, not only came to America but spoke on two occasions to an audience of senators and congressmen who applauded him warmly. One member of Congress said, "I feel as though I have seen God today. I received a new stimulus." How happy God must have been to hear him say this, and how much of Jesus' grief was wiped away.

A Philosophy to Defeat Atheism and Communism

Let's look for a moment at the message Reverend Moon carried with him as he rushed from place to place in America. His message had two basic points.

The first was that the free world was in crisis. He cried out for the free world, and America in particular, to awaken. The free world needed to understand that the battle against communism was a matter of destiny and that this battle was essentially one of ideas and philosophies.

Communism cannot he explained simply as a dictatorship of one individual over a country or of one country over others. The rise of communism was rooted in a certain historical necessity. It is a force that humankind had to experience and eventually overcome in history. The root of communism is none other than Satan, who denies God.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) first formulated the ideology of communism, and in 1917 Vladimir Lenin (1871-1923) used it to take over political power in Russia. From then on, communism mercilessly fought to fulfill its ambition of world domination. Within a half century following its victory in Russia, communism managed to conquer fifty-three sovereign countries covering 39 percent of the earth's land area and 42 percent of the world's population.'

This was a truly surprising achievement. The Gospel of Christianity made its debut in the world two thousand yeah ago with the birth of Jesus and eventually became the largest religion in the world, claiming a quarter of the world's population among its adherents. But it took two thousand years.

On the other hand, communism, this incredible religion of Satan, espouses. "There is no God," "The only truth in the universe is material," The soul and life alter death arise out of the delusions of weak human beings," and "Religion is the opiate of the people." And, as if to laugh at what it took Christianity two thousand years to accomplish, it swallowed up half the human population in just fifty years.

What is even more difficult to accept is that the religions founded by the four great saints of history: Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, and Confucius were active in the world during this time but were powerless to stop the growth of this terrible thing called communism. In fact, certain Christians went so far as to kneel down to communism in submission, championing "liberation theology" and "Christian socialism and turning themselves into the advance guard of communism. In Latin America, the communist revolutionary Che Guevara (1928-1967) is revered as a hero to the extent that some refer to him as the "new Jesus of the twentieth century." And many Catholic priests have become his peons.

How can such circumstances be explained? Rev. Sun Myung Moon has made the reasons very clear. Wherever I traveled with him. I heard him talk of matters that no one had ever heard before. When they listened, there was no one who did not react with amazement and agreement.

The Divine Principle teaches us very clearly that the answer lies in the very beginning of human history. Adam and Eve, our original ancestors, were growing up in the Garden of Eden when the archangel Lucifer drove God's only daughter, Eve, into a state of confusion, seducing her and using her to make Adam commit the Fall as well. In the end he succeeded in taking the world for himself. Ever since, human history has been under the dominion of evil, or Satan.

For His part, God's unchanging goal has been to bring salvation to all humanity and accomplish His original goal of creation. Over the course of providential history of six-thousand years, in biblical time, God has called leaders and righteous people such as Noah. Abraham, and Moses. Through such people God worked to establish a "foundation of faith" on the earth and finally sent Jesus Christ, His only begotten son, as the messiah or savior.

Even though Jesus died on the cross as a result of the disbelief among the chosen people of Israel, Christianity eventually became a worldwide religion. It is on this global foundation of Christianity that humankind has now received the Second Coming, which is the final chapter in the fallen history of the world.

Satan was well aware of what God was trying to accomplish through His providence. Satan could not help but realize that his dominion of evil was growing smaller and smaller and that the end was coming for his sovereignty of evil. To counter this, Satan devised a strategy aimed at maintaining his position and continuing his satanic sovereignty for eternity. This satanic strategy appeared in the world in the form of communism.

What then, is communism? Essentially, it is a philosophy that says, "There is no God." In addition to denying God, it denies all forms of spiritual existence. It says there is no soul, spirit, spiritual world, or heaven. Although Satan, too, is a spiritual being, he devised a philosophy that denies even his own existence (how can one defeat an enemy that does not exist?) and uses materialism to maintain his hold over the world.

There is only one person who understands Satan's strategy completely: God's living son, Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Why is he the only person who knows Satan's strategy? The only person capable of destroying communism's claim that there is no God is the one person whom God has sent to the world.

During the 1960s, when Western countries were failing to understand the true nature of communism and communism was expanding rapidly over the globe, Reverend Moon stood alone in calling out for "victory over communism." He also systematized Victory Over Communism Thought. VOC Thought sees through the hollow reality of communism, reveals its falsehood, and lays out a counterproposal. It comes as an application of Godism, which is the messiah's philosophy. Fundamentally, VOC Thought critiques and defeats communism and Marxism from a position that affirms God's existence. It makes clear that communism, which managed to fool intellectuals around the world, is composed of lies. Communism is a lie that masquerades as truth. This is what VOC Thought makes clear. Then it goes on to explain what is really true.

Reverend Moon came to America armed with a weapon called VOC Thought. He knew that the only way communism could he defeated was to rearm America philosophically, and that is why he traveled around America explaining VOC Thought to Americans.

"Wake up, America, and Return to God"

The second basic point of Reverend Moon's message during these speaking tours was a call for America to return to God. Let's take a look at the founding spirit of America. In its origins, America is a Christian country and its roots are firmly connected to God. From the history of the Mayflower to the Constitution's description of God-given rights, to the words "In God We Trust" appearing on our money, everything illustrates that this country in its infancy was in tune with God. I have already discussed the fundamental nature of America, pointing out that America truly is "one nation under God," built by God for a specific purpose.

However, in just two hundred years, America has forgotten its origins and fallen victim to humanistic materialism. Instead of leading the world to defeat communism, the people of this country are busy enjoying themselves. Because Reverend Moon sees this from God's standpoint, wherever he went, he cried out, "Wake up. America, and return to God!" People across America were deeply moved to hear this religious Korean man describing the history of their country and testifying to them in tears that America is God's country and that they are God's chosen people.

Reverend Moon's first point was about VOC Thought and the second was to wake up America from its spiritual sleep. This was the basic content of his speeches as he spoke sometimes for up to four hours, referring to the Bible frequently and pouring out his heart and soul to his listeners.

Reverend Moon was almost completely unknown when he first arrived in America, but within three and a half years he became quite well known throughout the country. He had ignited a new spiritual awakening. The flames of this fire burned higher and higher, and good people in all walks of life began to participate in this movement.

Thus, Reverend Moon came to represent America's hope for the future. The Day of Hope speaking tours had led to a new hope for America.

The Rally at Yankee Stadium

On June 1, 1976, an unprecedented revival was held at New York's Yankee Stadium. Reverend Moon called this the "God Bless America Festival" because 1976 was a historic year in which America celebrated the two hundredth anniversary of its independence. His intention was to make 1976 a turning point in the reawakening of America as God's chosen country.

Among the many arenas in the New York area, Reverend Moon chose Yankee Stadium as the venue for this rally. This baseball stadium has a rich tradition, and many important events in the history of America have been held here. It is an all-American venue.

The stadium had just been reopened after being closed for repairs. It was as if the newly refurbished stadium had been specially prepared for the great celebration that Reverend Moon was about to hold there.

Reverend Moon had become quite well known in New York in 1974 because of the Madison Square Garden Rally, and now again the metropolitan area caught fire with "Reverend Moon fever." Unification Church members from around America, and from overseas as well, came to New York as volunteers for the preparations. They set about pouring their heart and spirit into taking Reverend Moon's message to the ten million people in the metropolitan area. It was as if New York City had come under siege from Heaven's army.

Jesus told his disciples to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation." [Mark 16:15] In the same way, the members of the Unification Church, though they could not possibly bring every New Yorker to the rally, made sure they covered every house and apartment so that there would be no one who did not know about the evangelical gathering that Reverend Moon was planning. This was the goal of the hosting committee.

"Down to the last New Yorker!" was the rallying cry that symbolized the determination of the young people working for the event. The streets of New York were covered with advertisements for the God Bless America Festival. The colorful posters brought life to the normally drab New York streets. Visits were made to all Christian churches in the area, and tens of thousands of ministers received invitations. Whether they would actually attend or not was tip to them. Our mission was to let them know that the Lord had come.

The volunteers of the unification Church were burning with a fervor that was even hotter than that of the early church pioneers. They were not welcomed everywhere they went, however. Whenever a new age dawns in history, those who consider themselves part of the old age feel threatened by the ideas and prophets of the new age. When new ideas appear, those who seek to maintain the status quo denounce them as heresy. Thus, pioneers of a new age are always forced to walk a difficult path.

Members of the Unification Church are also pioneers of a new age. Although we are sometimes cursed and chased away, we are confident in our role as trailblazers who are leading the world from the New Testament Age into the Completed Testament Age.

Finally, it was June 1, the day of the rally. As with all large events, there is only so much preparation that can be done. In the end, success or failure is in Heaven's hands. This is especially true with outdoor rallies, where the weather is a major factor. In the morning, the sky was clear and the temperature was comfortably warm. Weather reports, though, mentioned possible thunderstorms later in the day, and this made me uneasy.

A large stage had been constructed in the middle of Yankee Stadium, and the stadium was decorated beautifully in red, white, and blue. In the stands behind the stage, the words "God Bless America" were written in large letters.

The celebration was scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. The famous New York City Symphony Orchestra performed a piece from Beethoven, and we were just getting ready to declare the official start of the celebration. Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and a pitch-black cloud blocked the sky, putting the whole stadium in a shadow of darkness.

Then the wind began to swirl around the stadium in powerful gusts. In just a few moments, the carefully prepared decorations were ripped apart and strewn across the stadium, reduced to trash. The huge "God Bless America" sign was picked up and slammed down, shattered into tiny pieces.

Then the rain started, pouring down in buckets, and the tens of thousands of people in the stadium ran every which way looking for cover. It was as if the stadium were under enemy attack in a time of war.

I was astounded. I couldn't understand why God would allow such a thing to happen. I told myself, "This rally is a failure." My heart was crushed.

"God, why are You doing this? Have you forsaken us?" When I looked up at the darkened sky over the stadium. I felt like cursing.

Grand Chorus in the Rain

I quickly went to where Reverend Moon was waiting and told him what was happening outside. Only he could make the decision on whether the rally should be postponed to another day.

I watched his expression carefully. He was completely unperturbed. He looked at me and said, "Don't worry, the rally will start as scheduled."

I wondered how we were going to begin the program in the midst of all the wind and rain, but I left him and hurried back out, trying to think of a way to keep the audience from leaving the stadium.

When I got outside, I received the shock of my life. Not only were the people not leaving, they were standing up in their seats and singing! What had brought this miracle? Later I found out that some of our members had started singing "You Are My Sunshine" up in the stands. Then one courageous and determined brother, Tom McDevitt, jumped on top of one of the baseball dugouts and started leading the crowds in front of him.

The "God Bless America" festival at Yankee Stadium in New York, June 1, 1976.

Soon everyone in the stadium joined in, many waving little American flags. They were singing at the top of their lungs, as if to make sure that God could hear their prayer.

t was so moved by this spontaneous unity of the audience that I could hardly hold hack my tears. I knew that I was witnessing the power of faith and the underlying strength of the Unification Church. Their singing was a confident appeal for the sun to break through the clouds overhead. The crowd-members and guests alike was united in beseeching God for light. Everyone was standing, getting soaked by the rain as they sang, but no one was disheartened. In fact, they seemed to be feeling a special kind of joy as they sang in the rain.

There was no longer any question about how a gathering blessed by God could he disrupted so severely by the weather. From the response of the audience alone, the rally could already qualify as a victory. In the end, the violent weather only served to make the Yankee Stadium Rally that much more memorable, that much more a symbol of strong faith, and give it that much more historical significance.

Soon, the pounding rain lightened up and then stopped altogether. The wind died down as well. The storm passed, and the sun began to shine.

Praise be to the almighty God! Flow great is the power of the Lord. The heavy summer humidity had been blown away by the storm, leaving the air cleaner and lighter.

The crowd of tens of thousands went wild with joy. The Unification Church members who had worked for a month going to every street in New York shouted in triumph. They laughed as they cried and cried as they laughed. People were wiping tears from their faces along with the raindrops.

"God is with us." Though they may not have said it in exactly those words, this was the thought on everyone's mind.

I could see members looking up to heaven and repeating "Thank you, God" over and over.

Soon the New York City Symphony Orchestra began to play Beethoven's Third Symphony. No day could have been more appropriate for this symphony to be played in praise of God's glory. It seemed that this symphony had been composed specifically for this moment.

When the performing arts section of the program ended, it was time for the main event of the day.

After a strong introduction by Neil Salonen, then president of the Unification Church in America, Reverend Moon smiled broadly and strode confidently to the podium. I followed him out on to the stage with a translated copy of his prepared remarks in my hand.

"Respected people of New York and beloved Unification Church members," he began. "In order to make this bicentennial celebration of America's independence even more holy, God has used the wind and rain to purify this historic stadium."

The crowd stood up and cheered.

As Reverend Moon spoke, there was a vibrant strength in his voice as he delivered words that would resurrect America, words that brought joy to the American ancestors in spirit world.

As I stood beside Reverend Moon and translated for him, I could feel the soft evening breeze gently reviving me in body and spirit. I wondered whether I was experiencing a little of what it would be like to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The crowd reacted more and more enthusiastically as the speech went on. Everyone was inspired and revitalized by his speech.

I later thought to myself that America had celebrated its bicentennial by receiving the Lord of the Second Advent in Yankee Stadium, even though the significance of this event is hidden from the majority of Americans. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the crowd welcomed him with cries of "Hosanna" [Matthew 21:1-11], how many realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah? I am confident that history will someday reveal to all the true identity of the man who led the Yankee Stadium Bicentennial Celebration.

Dr. King and Reverend Graham

The "Rally to Revive the Founding Spirit of America" that was held on the Mall near the Washington Monument on September 18, 1976 is another event that should feature prominently in America's history. This was one of the largest bicentennial events held anywhere in America. After his success at Yankee Stadium, Reverend Moon immediately organized this rally as a second powerful salvo.

Washington, D.C., as the capital of the United States, is in effect the capital of the world. Viewing the United States as a microcosm of the world, the significance of Washington becomes even greater.

To gain perspective on Reverend Moon's rally, let's look at the history of religious rallies in Washington. There were two great religious rallies held prior to 1976. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American, held one of these, a demonstration demanding civil rights for African Americans. Rev. Billy Graham, a white man, held the other, a patriotic rally calling for a victorious conclusion to the Vietnam War. Reverend Moon, who is neither black nor white but of the yellow race, held the third. The fact that Reverend Moon's rally was the most successful of the three helps us understand even more deeply that the hand of God is behind Reverend Moon's work.

The civil rights movement, in which Dr. King played such a major role, changed American society in the 1960s. Racial discrimination was still rampant in the South one hundred years after the South was defeated in the Civil War and President Lincoln declared the emancipation of all slaves.

The school I first attended in America was in Georgia, so I had many opportunities to witness the terrible injustice of racial discrimination firsthand. This was in 1952. Every place I went, I saw that public facilities had different areas reserved for black people and white people. When I looked for a restroom in a department store, I saw there were two, one marked "White" and the other marked "Colored." There were also two drinking fountains and two waiting rooms in the train station.

One thing that confused us Koreans at first was that the restrooms for black people were not marked "Black" but "Colored." Since Orientals are also people of color, we wondered whether this meant we were being told to use the toilet for black people. We thought we were also being targeted, and we were upset by this. Then an employee of the department store came over to us and said. "People from the Orient should use the toilet for whites." I clearly remember the apologetic tone of his voice when he said that.

One example of the discrimination that African-Americans had to endure was the segregation practiced inside buses. Though they could ride the same buses as whites, African-Americans had to sit in the rear of the bus. It didn't matter that there might be open seats in the front. These were reserved for whites.

A seemingly insignificant incident occurred in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 1, 1955, one that eventually would shake the foundations of American society.

That evening, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks was on her way home from work, and she sat down in the row immediately behind the seats reserved for whites only. As more people got on the bus and the seats filled up, the driver yelled at her to stand up and move to the back of the bus. She was not sitting in the seats reserved for whites alone, but whenever the bus became crowded whites were allowed to take the next row of seats as well.

Mrs. Parks didn't move, and the driver became agitated and yelled at her again and again to stand up and move to the back of the bus. She continued to ignore him. In the end, the police were called and she was arrested.

In a country where murders, robberies, and other violent crimes are everyday occurrences, you wouldn't expect this incident to have much impact. Yet, it became a catalyst for the rapid expansion of the movement against discrimination and in favor of civil rights for African-Americans. In the 1960s, this movement shook all of America and eventually led to Dr. King being martyred for the cause. In that sense, the incident on the bus holds truly historic significance.

News of Rosa Parks' experience angered the young Martin Luther King, Jr. He felt strongly that the time had come for black people to stand up. With the Rosa Parks incident acting as the fuse, Dr. King ignited a bus boycott and emerged as a major leader of the civil rights movement. In 1957 he was prominent in the fight for desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas; 1960 brought the new tactic of "sit-ins," and in 1961 he organized the "freedom riders," who toured the southern states demonstrating against discrimination at bus terminals. In 1963, he organized a large-scale demonstration and protest march in Birmingham, Alabama.

Dr. King was one of the greatest orators in American history. His fiery words and oratorical skill moved the hearts of many good-hearted people in America and Christian congregations around America took a stand.

Many conscientious white ministers and lay believers began to take part in this movement. Dr. King decided the ultimate demonstration would be held in Washington, D.C. On his way to Washington, he was jailed a number of times, but each time he became even more popular and the number of people willing to come out and support him grew larger.

More than two hundred thousand supporters gathered in the Mall area between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. This was the historic "March on Washington." Here, Dr. King stirred the blood of many Americans with his famous "I Have a Dream" speech:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will he judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of inter-position and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

This was brilliant oratory that will be remembered for generations to come.

Afterward, Dr. King met with President John F. Kennedy in the White House, and eventually a new civil rights law was passed and came into effect (July 1964). It is said that the heart of the people reflects the heart of God. Certainly, in the America of this time, no politician could stand opposed to the civil rights movement for equality among all people.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was preparing a march to demand improved conditions for African-American sanitation workers. He was just thirty-nine years old.

The night before his death, Dr. King spoke at a gathering at the Mason Temple. He concluded his remarks with dire words that, in hindsight, seem to suggest that he sensed he might be about to die.

We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

I watched this speech in Washington on television, and I was deeply moved. It was a powerful speech that compared the liberation of African-Americans through the civil rights movement to the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. It also had some characteristics of Moses' dying statement. Just as Moses got as far as Mount Nebo where he could see the promised land that he was not able to enter, Dr. King was saying that he had "seen the promised land," but that he "may not get there with you." I don't know what made Dr. King make such a statement. It is clear, though, that he believed with absolute certainty that the day would cone when black people would be free.

Dr. King was a true American hero. He left a huge footprint not only in the history of America but of the world as well. By his tragic martyrdom at the age of thirty-nine, Dr. King came to live eternally in the hearts of people. Today, his birthday is celebrated in the United States as a federal holiday on the third Monday of January.

The second major Washington rally was Rev. Billy Graham's "Honor America Day Rally" in 1970. Reverend Graham is probably the greatest Christian revivalist in twentieth century America. In my youth, I was a great admirer of Reverend Graham. This was particularly so after I began studying English in earnest. I discovered that his oratory had an intoxicating effect on me. His "Hour of Decision" radio broadcasts were extremely useful for me as English texts. I listened to his sermons hundreds of times in order to master English debate and oratorical techniques.

Perhaps it would he presumptuous of me to give a comparison of Dr. King and Reverend Graham. I would, however, like to list a few points that impress me about these two men whom I respect so much. They are among the greatest people to have lived in the twentieth century. Each was a highly skilled public speaker. In fact, I doubt that one could name anyone in America who could surpass either of these two men, one black, one white, in public speaking.

Dr. King was a spokesman for African-Americans who had been pushed into a corner. He endured all kinds of suffering. He was chased by police dogs and doused with water from a fire hose. His home was bombed, and his life was often in danger.

Once, Dr. King was attending a book signing at a department store in Harlem when a mentally disturbed woman stabbed him with a knife in the left side of his chest. It was a close call, but he survived the attack. Fortunately the knife missed cutting the artery by just a fraction of an inch. This incident inspired Dr. King's famous statement, "If I had sneezed at that moment. I would have died." Dr. King found humor in it, but it was God who stopped him from sneezing so that he could live.

Dr. King's oratorical style had a way of grabbing hold of the hearts of his listeners and not letting go. He had the power to bring people to the point of tears. Every time he spoke publicly, he seemed to be giving his final will and testament, almost saying, "This is my last sermon." Because of this, his words seemed to have the power to move even rocks and trees.

On the other hand, Reverend Graham grew up in a prosperous family and traveled a relatively smooth course on his way to fame. He graduated from a well-known university and received his doctorate. From the time of his youth, he had little experience with adversity and was welcomed by people wherever he went. He dashed through the wide-open road to success. By the time he was thirty-three years old, he was already a world-renowned revivalist.

Reverend Graham's voice, speech, and gestures were among the best in the world. His oratory certainly may have been more polished than that of Dr. King, but, in my opinion he was still no match for Dr. King when it came to being able to shake people's souls. The differences between the two men seem to arise from the fact that one led a life of suffering and the other did not. Reverend Graham was a white man in a mostly white society who had a relatively easy course in life. It may be the difference between a person whose cries were received with standing ovations and a person who cried out at the risk of his life. The first could inspire, but the second could go even further and stir the soul.

Reverend Moon, representing the yellow race, comes from an environment totally different from either of these two men. He went through a hellish course under a brutal and evil communist regime. Certainly, Dr. King also spent time in prison, but his experience there cannot he compared to Reverend Moon's. For Reverend Moon, each day was a struggle to overcome death and stay alive. It was amid such incredible adversity that Reverend Moon's steel-like fighting spirit was forged. He was able to understand God's suffering heart through the harsh reality of his own daily experiences. God uses adversity to train people. The more adversity and suffering they have to undergo, the greater the mission that God gives them.

Reverend Moon's sermons do not just move people, and they go beyond shaking people's souls, they are filled with the power and inspiration to recreate life within those who hear him.

Reverend Grahams religious rally in Washington was held against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. The anti-war movement in America was surging. Public opinion was divided like in no other time in its history. The anti-war efforts of many young people reached the point of being anti-state activities. Reverend Graham was concerned for the future of America.

He chose to hold his rally on the Fourth of July, 1970, praising America's founding spirit and emphasizing that this spirit was rooted in God. Reverend Graham's motives were pure in calling for self-control and an awakening in America. The general opinion, however, is that the reaction front the American people was lukewarm, at best.

Reverend Graham's fame was enough to gather 100,000 people but there was a strong impression that the government was heavily involved in the sponsorship. The rally did not generate an explosive fervor. It didn't have the kind of excitement that was evident in Dr. King's marches.

Phenomenal Washington Monument Rally

It was against the backdrop of this history of large rallies in Washington that Reverend Moon planned his phenomenal event.

He was not even a citizen of the United States but in the position of a guest. He did not plan his event as a part of a human rights movement, nor was it a movement to inspire patriotism. He was trying to accomplish something completely unheard of up to that point: "a movement to liberate God." No one had ever called for the liberation of God. What does it mean? Reverend Moon is saying, "Let's liberate God from His suffering and sorrow." These are words that can only he spoken by someone who truly knows how God is in agony to see how human beings suffer in evil and sin. What will end God's suffering? Seeing His children delivered from the scourges of immorality, humanism, and godless communism.

Some three hundred thousand people gathered for the "God Bless America" Festival. This was far beyond the 100,000 who attended Reverend Graham's rally and the 200,000 who attended Dr. King's rally. It was the largest crowd to assemble in the history of America. The phrase `Lei's meet at the Monument' became a common greeting among people in the summer of 1976.

The Washington Monument is a 169-meter-high obelisk honoring George Washington, the first president of the United States. I had visited the Monument in 1952, during our three-day whirlwind tour from Georgia. Someone took a photograph of me looking up at the Monument with my mouth wide open in amazement. At the time, I thought this photograph would one day help me tell my grandchildren about the one time in my life I visited Washington. It was beyond my wildest dreams in 1952 that I would someday return to Washington. It would have been even more implausible to think that I would learn English and eventually stand before a crowd of three hundred thousand people and translate the words spoken by God through Reverend Moon.

Reverend ;Moon delivers his address at the Washington Monument Rally, September 18, 1976, as the author translates.

Some 300,000 people attended the rally

Reverend Moon spoke on the topic "God's Will for America." and his words were infinitely profound.' He said God had chosen America and that the only path for America was the path leading back to God. He said it was up to America to protect the world's peoples from communism and eventually to liberate the communist world. He warned that America would not be able to accomplish either of these responsibilities in its current state and that it needed to receive a new expression of God's truth. He said that he had come to America carrying such an expression of truth, and America needed to find new values and new spiritual power from this truth. This new expression of truth was called "Godism."

Thus, the rally at the Washington Monument became an opportunity for Reverend Moon to declare Godism on a worldwide level. The crowd of three hundred thousand people responded to Reverend Moon's message with loud cheers.

It bears remembering that Reverend Moon's great victory at the Washington Monument Rally came as a dreadful surprise to the forces in America who were opposed to him. Many people in the American government found more than enough reason in this event to feel threatened by this "righteous man from the East."

In terms of Jesus' course, the Washington Monument Rally was comparable to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. After entering Jerusalem, Jesus was betrayed by his disciple Judas Iscariot, tried in the court of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, and crucified on a cross on the hill of Golgotha.

As I will describe in Volume Two of this hook, Reverend Moon was later put on trial in a New York courtroom and entered a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, the twentieth-century Golgotha. That was not his downfall, though. He was resurrected and went on to win great victories on the worldwide level.

The Washington Monument Rally was the last large-scale rally that Reverend Moon held in the United States. Immediately after this rally, Reverend Moon designated October 4 as the Day of Victory of Heaven and made another surprising declaration: "The next rally will be held in Moscow."

Moscow! None of us could believe our ears. In 1976, such a statement seemed absurd in light of the world situation. I couldn't help but think, 'The Soviet Union is surrounded by an Iron Curtain, and they say it's difficult even to get a single spy in the country to gather information. So how is Reverend Moon, who is known around the world for his anti-communist views, going to go to Moscow, the heart of the communist world, and hold a rally?

I felt that this time Father had gone too far. I looked around the room and saw that the other leaders gathered there also had expressions of incredulity. The skeptics among us even seemed to doubt whether Reverend Mon was still in control of his senses.

I myself could not believe what Reverend Moon was saying. Even as I translated his words, I was thinking, "That's impossible." That is my honest confession.

I decided that I would accept Reverend Moon's statement in terms of faith, leaving aside all practical thinking. I said to myself, "Lord, let your will he done." I felt that his words were a test of my faith.

How did it finally turn out? Oh, you of little faith! This Moscow rally came about on April 10, 1990, when three major providential organizations founded by Reverend Moon met simultaneously in Moscow: the third meeting of the Summit Council for World Peace, the ninth international meeting of the Association for the Unity of Latin America, and the eleventh World Media Conference. Many of us had thought only in terms of gathering three hundred thousand people, but this conference was attended by forty former heads of state and government and by prominent journalists and other leaders from sixty-five countries around the world. As a group, they had much greater impact than three hundred thousand members of the general public. In fact, their impact was probably greater than a rally of three million people.

God works in mysterious ways! This conference of worldwide importance was held in the capital of the Soviet Union behind the Iron Curtain. That was not all. On April 11, Reverend and Mrs. Moon took a group of former heads of state and government to the Kremlin. They met with President Mikhail Gorbachev, who was then at the height of his power. Then President Gorbachev met privately with Reverend and Mrs. Moon in his office.

From this, it has to he said that the "Moscow" conference was the greatest rally in history.

How is it that we have such little faith even as we attend the one sent by God? We were given a clear example of how shortsighted we are in our thinking. The private meeting between Reverend Moon and President Gorbachev provided a historic turning point that made it possible for the Cold War to come to an end without a hot war breaking out.

I acted as translator in this meeting. As such, I am the only person. besides Reverend and Mrs. Moon themselves, who can testify to the true content of the meeting, which is recorded in detail in Volume Two.

In closing this chapter, I want to give the reader one important piece of information. Our members did something that moved the citizens and municipal authorities of New York and Washington after our two rallies in New York (Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium) and the Washington Monument Rally.

Prior to each rally, we plastered our posters on just about even' available surface around the city. Many people looked at this disapprovingly, thinking that it would be at least three years before all those posters were gone. On the day after each rally, though, people went into the streets and noticed that somehow the city seemed darker. They soon realized that this was because every last brightly colored poster had disappeared during the night. The posters had not been torn off, either. Each one had been removed with water, and the surface underneath carefully cleaned.

What amazed authorities even more was the sight of the Washington Monument grounds on the morning after our rally. Normally, a crowd of three hundred thousand people will leave so much garbage on the Mall that it looks like an abandoned refugee camp. On the day after our rally, though, there wasn't even as much as a single scrap of paper remaining. It was as if there had never been a rally at all. There was just the green grass where people could enjoy some peace and quiet.

The authorities couldn't believe their eyes. "Who are these people? I don't know who Reverend Moon is, but this is an incredible group of people. They have unlimited constructive power. Reverend Moon may be someone who will change human history."

Even from this minor incident, the authorities and the citizens of the two cities could see Reverend Moon's leadership. As soon as each rally ended, Unification Church members, men and women, even children, worked through the night to clean the rally venue and the city streets, leaving them cleaner than they had been before the rally began.

 

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