Les Années 70s

Book 6. The World Tours and the Global Mission

Chapter 2. True Parents' Settlement in the United States and Their Public Speeches

Section 3. United States Speaking Tours

Impact

During their third world tour, True Parents gave a series of public speeches in major cities across the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. On January 28,1972, True Parents published their first full-page advertisements announcing the events. These were carried in The New York Times and The New York Daily News. A writers' competition for the best account of Jesus' life attracted considerable attention. The theme was "Jesus Christ's suffering on the cross: Was it God's Will or humankind's mistake?" The competition and tour were covered by the press in Korea and internationally. Through such media coverage, the activities of True Parents drew the attention of the world.

On February 2,1972, the 60th day of their third world tour, True Parents organized a "Rally for God" in the Wall Street district of New York as the kickoff event of their speaking tour. From February 3 to March 11, True Father delivered speeches in seven major cities across the United States: New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Berkeley. The poster advertising the speech declared, "God Speaks Today." It introduced True Father in large print as a "New Christian Master from the East" bringing "spiritual enlightenment." In a short time, the Unification Church created a stir in the United States and stood out as a group with financial power, a large pool of young volunteers and a strong organizing capacity.

1 When I went to the United States in December 1971, the American members thought I was out of touch with things there, and some of them argued that despite my presence, they should continue their previous course. At that time they could not even imagine holding large-scale revival meetings or conducting activities to raise public awareness about major issues. The Korean missionaries who had come to the US were also of the opinion to continue doing things the way they believed best suited the American situation.

But I pointed out to them, "You have to follow my directions. You are in a position to work in accordance with the decisions I make, so you should act the way I tell you." But after giving these directions, I still observed that because they felt they knew the country so well, they did not take my words fully to heart and were hesitant. This is why I personally went to New York and contracted with Lincoln Center, and thus began the seven-city speaking tour, launched on February 6, 1972. It was a risky endeavor.

After that tour I spoke in England and Germany and spent time in Korea. Returning to America in November 1972,1 continued giving public speeches throughout 1973. Because I felt such a great responsibility, I held speeches in 21 chosen cities. The last of these took place January 28,1974. (070-035, 1974/02/08)

2 I started the three-year course beginning in 1972 by conducting a revival tour based on the principled numbers of 3 and 21.1 spoke in 7 American cities for 3 days in each city. After that, I undertook speaking tours in Germany and England, in 9 cities altogether. Then in 19731 gave speeches in 21 cities in the United States. I will complete this period by having given speeches in 40 cities before the end of 1974.

During this time, I need to convey my message to Americas citizens no matter what it takes. 1 do not care whether good rumors or bad rumors spread. I'm all right with either. This was the way it was for Jesus, and how it has been for me. The question is how I can awaken the American people. When they hear the rumors, the people who were chosen and prepared by God will connect to us spiritually and flock in.

Even in the case of a nation doomed to perish, it is God's principle to always leave behind something based on the number seven—perhaps a group of 7,000 people. The ones who are looking for the new providence of God and hoping for a new world to unfold will therefore have no choice but to unite with the movement of the Unification Church. (071-235, 1974/05/01)

3 We need to initiate the world-level foundation three years before the end of the second seven-year course. Jesus was to have gone out to the world after finishing his three-year course, and I have to connect to that by the mission of linking to the world level during our second seven-year course. This is why, beginning with the preparatory public speeches in the United States in 1972, we had to make True Parents known to all of America by April 20, 1974, the year the second seven-year course comes to an end. There should be no one in America who does not know about me. This three-year period is the time you need to do whatever you can to make True Parents known. Whether you use this method or that, and whether they think well of True Parents or not, you have to let them know. This is why we should make our case through international media such as The New York Times, Time and Newsweek. (072-039, 1974/04/29)

4 From 1972 to 1974, what should we who stand in Abel's position give the American people? We need to give them something from both God's internal nature and external form. We have to give both internally and externally. This is why I plan to speak in person during this three-year period. This is the first time for me to be appearing before people at public gatherings.

The public path of the Messiah has to move to the world level from the national level, and not from a lower level. We are able to accomplish this move because we are already heading toward the world-level era. So these three years are precious. This is a significant event in history, and both the spirit world and all humanity are paying close attention. People from ten countries are participating in this work. (067-260, 1973/07/01)

5 From when I began my revival tour on February 6, 1972 at Lincoln Center in New York, until the time I spoke in Washington, DC, and Essen, Germany, I never used a written text. You too should train yourself to speak without notes and still hold the attention of the audience. Have the conviction, "There is nothing wrong in what I am saying." The most important thing is to make your emotions one with your words; this brings what you say to life. This is the fruit of my years of experience.

The key issue is not the content but how much you can immerse yourself in your emotions and influence your audience with them. When you reach that state, you can simply speak as you usually do. You can even make up your speech right then and there. A speaker who can move the hearts of 10 million people can easily change the direction of his speech depending on the audience or their mood at the time. He or she should be able to adjust the tone, rhythm, flow and power of the speech according to the disposition of the audience. (054-180, 1972/03/24)

6 We cannot save and lead America with democracy or Christian thought. Neither can the communist bloc unite the world with its heartless ideology. The time of all of these has passed. This is why as soon as I came to America in 1972, I challenged the churches over their shortcomings. What I did was unprecedented in American history. In the end, I launched an audacious challenge to Christianity. Yet the churches cannot oppose me, so they only watch me closely. We have entered the stage where the people who think about God's Will and look to Christianity with hope are showing a renewed interest in True Parents. (072-277, 1974/07/01)

7 The seven years from 1972 to 1978 is a critical time for America. We need to establish a world-level foundation here through the three years ending in 1974, in order to complete the third seven-year course and offer this victory before God. It is the way of the providence to advance toward a new era through a three-year period, and 1974 is the end of this three-year period. We should always prepare three years in advance. In the same way that Moses prepared, we have to enter the new era based on a three-year period. When we reach that stage, America will have no choice but to follow us. We have to fulfill our mission as the subject partner. (067-264, 1973/07/01)

8 I reached this level after establishing the foundations of servant, adopted son, true son and parent. The reason I can come and work in America is that I have completed this foundation on the national level. Now, through America, I am trying to connect this foundation to the world during the three-year course until 1974, in which I am working together with you Europeans.

The period in Korea reversed the failure of the First Israel, which was in the position of a servant. On that foundation we inherited the mission of Christianity, the mission of the adopted son on the world level. Now we have reestablished the spiritual foundation of the adopted son on the world level. We came to this global Christian nation of America to create that foundation and expand it worldwide. The foundation of the servant had been lost and the Christian foundation of the adopted son had been lost, and so we had to establish them again. Because Jesus resurrected spiritually, he was able to create a foundation to protect the nation at least on the spiritual level. Based on this national standard, the Christian foundation could develop and expand worldwide. Similarly, by assuming the same position as Jesus, we can engage in global witnessing today. In short, we can carry out the movement for world redemption.

I am trying to teach you about my victorious foundation during this three-year course from 1972 to 1974. This three-year course is a struggle to enable you and all people to inherit victory on both the lost national foundation of the servant and the lost worldwide foundation of the adopted son. We became adopted sons, and now we need to become true sons. You need to become true sons.

On behalf of Jesus, who tried to ascend to the national level and world level during his three-year course, you yourselves need to usher in the world-level foundation. The period to do so is this three-year course, during which you can go from the era of the adopted son to the era when you can receive the authority of the true son. We are the worldwide movement that is trying to find the Bride and the Bridegroom that Jesus spoke about.

A lecture on major cities in the United States

Speeches throughout America The 21-city speaking tour across the United States began with a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on September 7, 1973. True Parents also personally contacted prominent figures in preparation for the speeches, and intense mobilization activities were carried out by the 51 One World Crusade teams dispatched to the 50 states and Washington, DC. On this foundation the Day of Hope speeches were delivered in 21 cities over four months, from October 1, 1973, to January 29, 1974, with the theme "Christianity in Crisis: New Hope." The speeches, given on three successive nights in each city, were entitled, "God's Hope for Man," "God's Hope for America," and "The Future of Christianity."

True Parents were widely supported by influential people from all walks of life during this speaking tour. Also, True Parents received keys of good fortune, letters of appreciation and encouragement, and honorary citizenships from the mayors. They held another speaking tour traveling to 32 additional cities from February 16 to April 20, 1974. The theme of this tour was "The New Future of Christianity." (069-149, 1973/10/26)

9 I plan to give public speeches in 21 cities by the end of 1973.1 will include the seven cities I visited previously, so I only need to choose 14 more cities. In the future, we need to build training centers in Washington, DC, St. Louis, Denver, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas on the same level as the ones in New York. If possible, we should focus on the places where we want to concentrate our membership. I will begin my speaking tour with New York City on October 1. Next year, I will reach all 50 states with these events. Then no one among the American people will be able to say they had no opportunity to hear me speak.

After that, you have to stride forward even more. To do this work, you need to lay a foundation. In other words you need to witness. You need to witness to at least 50 people in each state. It will not work unless we have core members. This is why you need to work hard until October. (067-040, 1973/05/18)

10 Beginning in October 1973 I will tackle 21 US states through their representative cities. When 1 have done this and there is no opposition, I will expand the scope to all 50 states, and after that you will need to give public lectures every day. We will sweep across the United States by 1978 in such a way that Christian leaders will say, "Now we have no choice but to study the Unification Church. We need to find out about this church." Thus, everyone will be influenced to move toward a world with no barriers. Only this can revitalize the United States.

It is my view that in the future two issues will emerge as the most urgent on the national scene: the revival of Christianity and defending against communism. These will surely appear. I believe that the United States will most definitely be in this position one day. If we are prepared to address those critical issues, the United States will have no choice but to ask us to go to the front and take the lead.

Just as Jacob met Esau after winning over the angel, you must gain victory over communism after winning over Christianity. To put it another way, after you have made a foundation with the churches, you have to empower yourselves with the worldview with which you can debunk communism and march out to the world. This is why you need to have the firm conviction that even if the democratic world, Christianity and the communist world oppose us, it is no problem. You must firmly believe that, since we stand on God's side, He will bless us. (067-137, 1973/05/27)

11 We have brought people from ten nations here to the United States, including from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. This is a solemn and electrifying moment. Focusing on Gods Will, the people from these ten nations can bring about a new beginning with a heart transcending nationality and ethnicity. We share a conviction to give our lives right here and now for this one purpose.

Now only a year and a half of the three-year course remains. To enable the United States to carry out its three-year worldwide responsibility, I am gathering college graduates from the United Kingdom and Asia. The reason I met with nearly 60 senators and representatives in 1972 and 1973 was to prepare for this.

I planned revival meetings in seven US cities in 1972, in 21 cities in 1973 and in 50 cities in 1974 in order to raise America's awareness. I planned these revival tours so no one can say they had no opportunity to hear my words.

We are about to set out toward the new Israel and the blessed land of Canaan, and we need to inform Americans of this during this three-year period. Just as every Israelite had to be informed when the people of Israel returned to Canaan, we need to proclaim the need for America to set out on the world-level course to restore Canaan during this three-year period. This is why I am saying we should march to Moscow. You need to have this conviction. Since the communist world is marching against the United States right now, we should turn things around and march to Moscow. (067-259, 1973/07/01)

12 By 1978, the threat of communism will come to the United States. From the providential viewpoint, this is inevitable. By then, we should firmly establish in the US a foundation based on the Unification worldview, one that can serve as a functional system by which we can influence all areas of life. This is why I plan to distribute three books to 200,000 American leaders—a total of 600,000 books—in three years. The books will explain the Divine Principle, Unification Thought and Victory Over Communism. And for three years, beginning on the first day of October 1973, we will conduct a speaking tour across the United States. I will give speeches in large halls in 21 cities. I am making preparations to rent Carnegie Hall for my first lecture on the first day of October. Therefore, we need to mobilize 1,000 people. (067-295, 1973/07/22)

13 On February 15,1974,1 have to resume my speaking tour across America. I selected the 40 cities before returning to Korea. I am not starting this out of greed or even for the revival of the Unification Church. I am toiling because God's Will is that I propose a new path of faith for America, a nation very much loved by God.

Now, in the process of carrying out this work, a national crisis has arisen. I believe that I am now well known to Americans. Unforeseen problems have snowballed into national issues because the media mobilized against us and, what is more, my Watergate Declaration brewed a massive, historic storm. Unification Church members, not only in the United States but also abroad, have kept pace with my instructions, and now we are receiving apologies by telephone or in writing from members of the press and social leaders in the United States for their having underestimated our movement. I have returned with a keen realization that our work has strongly influenced them. (070-036, 1974/02/08)

14 I am quite sure that the manipulative hand of the communists is behind the aggressive opposition to 1974 s Day of Hope campaign. I also believe that communists are interfering with our street witnessing teams. From the providential perspective, I can attribute the national opposition we've received from the time of the New York revival meeting until now to such a source. Among todays Christians, some oppose us and some support us, but in the end 1 think they will all lean toward the side that opposes us.

If the communist forces are the formation stage, then Christianity is the mid-level or growth stage, corresponding to Judaism in Jesus' era. Since Christianity holds that position, it is bound to oppose us. In terms of the Principle, the formation and growth realms are under the dominion of Satan.

The time has now come for us to go beyond the world-level formation and growth stages to the world-level completion stage. This is why, when we unite completely and strongly, transcending race and nation, Satan has to leave. This result is based on the Principle. Though Satan can do whatever he likes in the formation and growth stages, he cannot simply do things as he pleases when we enter the completion stage. (071-013, 1974/03/24)

15 Since arriving in the United States, I have already done many things that you might find incredible. Though technically I arrived three years ago, the duration of my actual stay here has been only one year and eight months. In light of this, how much influence do you think we will exert in the future? Our track record has already been proven in Korea and Japan, and even in Taiwan they acknowledge that we have attained this level.

I established the Day of Celebration of Victory on the first day of July 1973, and then in less than a year I declared the Day of Victory over Resentment. These are the first two days established in the western world to commemorate heaven. I recently went to Korea as part of my responsibility here in the United States in order to link this worldwide fortune to Korea.

You are hearing about this for the first time, and it is something you could not even have dreamed of. It is truly amazing that we have laid such a foundation through our own actions. We can confidently say that we can see with our own eyes that the world is our stage. I came to the United States and was successful. This was not my doing. It was done by God. (072-280, 1974/07/01)

Madison Square Garden

From September 17 to December 23, 1974, True Parents continued the Day of Hope speaking tour in eight United States cities. Counting the 32 cities visited prior to that in 1974, these eight speeches constituted the final stage of True Father's 40-city speaking tour across the United States. In each city there was a banquet on the first day and a public speech the following day.

Of providential note was the speech that filled Madison Square Garden; it was one of the largest indoor religious rallies in US history. The banquet given on the eve of the meeting, September 17, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel was attended by more than 1,700 prominent guests. The famous psychic and prophetess Jeane Dixon spoke words of appreciation for True Fathers message and work, while the media, including six television stations, vied for the best vantage point.

At the providential address given at Madison Square Garden on September 18, some 5,000 folding chairs were added to the 25,000 theater-style seats, but even so at least 20,000 people could not enter. True Father passionately spoke on the subject "The New Future of Christianity."

16 Look at today's democratic world. We can see that the United States and Korea are in the positions of the Roman Empire and Israel. At the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire and Israel united to attack Jesus, and now Koreans and Americans are uniting to attack me. By being struck in this way, I can accomplish restoration through indemnity.

Being a democratic nation, however, the United States differs from Rome. Its constitution and infrastructure cannot eliminate Christianity; as a democratic nation it cannot eliminate people simply for what they say. Communist groups also will come with banners to oppose me. This is a global phenomenon. Christianity in America and Korea, American citizens and communist groups oppose me. This sets the condition that the entire world is opposing me. However, no matter how much they oppose me, the vigor of the people who seek me will overpower them.

The Madison Square Garden rally, held on September 18,1974, showed this clearly. Christianity, represented by the democratic world, and the Unification Church confronted each other, and the Unification Church emerged triumphant. This took us beyond the world level. Judaism and Rome killed Jesus, but they cannot kill the Unification Church or me, who stands in Jesus' position. Hence, we have been victorious. This is the moment a new history begins. (073-251, 1974/09/22)

17 The Madison Square Garden rally has historic significance from the providential viewpoint. My three-year period in the United States from 1972 to 1974 corresponds to a three-year period in Jesus' life. Thus, this rally is parallel to the public speech Jesus would have delivered to the Roman Empire had he not died but been successful in his work. If Rome had welcomed and united with Jesus, the Will to realize the heavenly kingdom would have been done on earth.

Korea, which is receiving aid from the United States, holds the same position as Israel under Roman rule. Korea and Israel are providentially identical. The leading city of America is New York, and the hub of its midtown area is Madison Square Garden. This is why our explosive impact cannot but have historic, providential significance. Rome and Israel were enemies, and the United States is in the position of Rome, but she and Korea, both representing Christianity, have created an environment that differs from that of Rome during Jesus' lifetime. In other words, the United States represents the foundation created by 2,000 years of God's hard work. That is what has led up to this moment. (073-228, 1974/09/19)

18 We plan to overflow Madison Square Garden with at least 25,000 people. If you meet someone just once on the street, they will probably drift away no matter how sincerely you talk to them. In order to influence people, you need to make considerable effort, so go to their homes with the same commitment you have for meeting people on the street. At their homes, people will not run away. If you go to people's homes two or three times with that commitment, they will recognize your attitude and purity of heart as just what today's America needs from its youth.

As an exemplary young person, your warm-hearted entreaties will move everyone to accept you. This is because they will feel that you are like their own son or daughter. Their own children have left home and become hippies who practice free sex, but when people see you they think, "How on earth can this person remain so pure? By becoming friends with such a person, I may find a way to reclaim my own sons and daughters." They will thus take an interest in you and will respond to your appeals. (072-051, 1974/04/29)

19 American society cannot ignore that we reserved Madison Square Garden to hold a public speech. Moreover, we have spent $300,000 with a professional agency to advertise this revival meeting. To purchase our level of publicity through a professional public relations firm, you ordinarily have to pay five to seven times more than we paid. Billy Graham carries out his work with the cooperation of major denominations, but I completed this work within three years with no such help. And we are all young people. And at this time more than 600 young people from America held a prayer and fasting vigil.

The people who know something about God's Will are impressed, and they also recognize that we have strong organizing capacity and that we command resources. Seeing that we are spending millions of dollars to hold such meetings, no financial magnate in the United States can ignore us. And yet they still believe, "The Madison Square Garden rally will fail. People will not come to it." I will completely overturn this expectation and, once it is completely overturned, this campaign will become a subject of academic research. Many world-renowned people will ask us about it. (073-134, 1974/08/16)

20 Since the United States is the leading nation of the world, I am conducting speaking tours here. By so doing, I have risen to prominence in three years. At first, when I said I would give a public speech at Lincoln Center, no one gave me so much as a glance. People said that after holding that assembly I would run away. And when I announced a revival meeting in Carnegie Hall, they said I would not be able to fill half or even a third of it. However, I did not speak in only one venue. In 19731 gave speeches across all regions of the United States, visiting 21 cities starting with Carnegie Hall. Then in 1974 the speaking tour covered 32 cities, sweeping through the entire nation.

Carrying out such work is impossible without major resources. Knowing that I had a time limit on my visa, I needed to hold these gatherings as quickly as possible. I finished the tour successfully with that in mind. European members came here and worked with me for three years. If they had not been able to keep pace, I would never have been able to lay my foundation in the United States. (073-132, 1974/08/16)

21 At the end of the second seven-year course and the beginning of the third seven-year course, with world events causing uncertainty for Korea, Japan and America, we held our rally at Madison Square Garden. When we came to America, we had to connect to the national-level spiritual foundation. Christianity is the spiritual foundation on the world level, so we could reach beyond the national level spiritually, but there was no physical foundation to connect with this. It is amazing that within one week we have been able to offer, this rally as a condition by which we could connect to the national level.

No matter how divided Korea is from America and Japan, the Unification Church can become one with America. Through the Madison Square Garden rally, we established the condition to reach the national level of the Christian realm both physically and spiritually. In this way we set the starting point both physically and spiritually from which we can begin the third seven-year course worldwide. With this rally as the formation stage, we need to hold growth- and completion-stage rallies so we can establish a starting point to break through in America and expand to the world during the next three years, 1976,1977 and 1978. The task remains to establish the worldwide foundation both physically and spiritually during these three years. (073-233, 1974/09/19)

22 Through the Madison Square Garden rally, God can realize His Will to reclaim the heavenly nation and from that place liberate all people. It is a historic event that will serve as a base from which we can leap forward. From here, multitudes of people must come together with one heart and make one united effort, shedding their sweat together and moving as one body despite having different interests and different emotions. This will be an opportunity for God, who once could only look upon New York with despair, to finally have hope through you. (072-300, 1974/09/01)

23 I gave a speech in New York's Lincoln Center in 1972, another one in Carnegie Hall in 1973, and a third, finishing that course, in Madison Square Garden in 1974. During that three-year period I set God's strategy in my heart, so no one knew about it. I was so serious when I came to America, because I had the responsibility to convey my message to all Americans in three years. I knew that failure would hurt the providence and the Will of God, so I gave painstaking thought to how I should use this opportunity. The main problem was that I did not have enough people. I had been worrying for three years about how to prepare to fill Madison Square Garden to overflowing, and I kept this goal in my mind. (073-227, 1974/09/19)

24 Until the end of the second seven-year course centered on the United States, Satan attacked heaven. With the beginning of the third seven-year course, however, we are in the era beyond the world level and so we need to charge toward America. In the past Cain struck Abel, but now Abel will overpower Cain. Up to this point Satan attacked me, but because I established indemnity conditions by 1971, during the second seven-year course we have entered an age in which Satan has to surrender. We have reached the time when Satan should be attacked. This is why we started our world-level march toward America.

In 1972, when True Parents first said we would undertake a seven-city speaking tour across America, no one believed even in their wildest dreams that we would succeed. The American members also did not believe it. The 1972 speaking tour was announced and begun only after I went to America. No one knew. After that I marched on to 21 cities. People said I would not be able to fill Carnegie Hall, so when we filled it, Americans thought it was quite amazing. But in the end, Americans began to consider this normal for us. After that, I conducted a speaking tour covering 32 cities. (074-209, 1974/12/15)