Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 164

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 6: The World Tours and the Global Mission
Chapter 2: True Parents’ Settlement in the United States and Their Public Speeches
Section 5: America’s Bicentennial Celebration, Washington Monument
Section 5: America’s Bicentennial Celebration, Paragraph 20

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument Rally to commemorate America's bicentennial was held successfully on September 18, 1976. It drew more than 300,000 people. This rally gained much attention because it took place at a time when the American government, religious circles and media were carrying out a full-scale offensive against the Unification Church. On this day, True Father delivered a message entitled "America and God's Will," and declared that God had summoned him to this country to proclaim a new revelation in order to lead the young people of America, the leaders of tomorrow, out of decadence and back to Him. The Washington Monument Rally attracted an enormous crowd in a short time.

12  The Washington Monument Rally is the moment when the 6,000 providential years will reach a crossing point; when indemnity will be paid for heaven and earth with the world on the line. An urgent time that makes you catch your breath is upon us. This is why we are going to Washington D.C.. The people of the world will not understand. I am risking my life to do this. This is not for my sake, but for the sake of bringing a victory for God. Even if the entire world opposes me, and even if God does not help me, I will go this way to restore completely, and put everything back in order, through indemnity, the things that humanity opposed. I will move beyond this time when it is hard to breathe. I will think, "I'm the only one left." In that sense I am a pitiable man, a lonely man, and God cannot help me. You are being compelled to participate through my influence. But you know, that if you do not, your nation, ancestors, and sons and daughters will perish. In that sense you do not have a choice. That is why when Jesus was on his path to the cross he told the people not to weep for him but for their nation and children. You are not doing this for my sake but for the sake of your nation and descendants. Do not do it for me; you do not owe me anything. I know that if I do not do this, not only will your nation, ancestors and descendants go to ruin, but so will the world. If I do not go on, the world and even God's hope will come to ruin. That is why I have to continue, even at the risk of my life. The Washington Monument Rally is the final obstacle to overcome as I realize the dream of completing the worldwide course of indemnity, which I must achieve before I turn 61. This is going over the hill of Golgotha during my lifetime.

13  Everyone, including the US State Department and Justice Department, opposed me because of the Washington Monument Rally. The entire world rose in opposition and the movement to deport me developed. At that time, I sent missionaries to the world and they stood up to and confronted the worldwide persecution. We were unjustifiably attacked, but we were resurrected through the victory of the Washington Monument Rally. Indemnity was paid on the levels of the individual, family, tribe, people, nation and world; all accounts from the past were settled. From the day that the Unification Church was established, the entire world and Satan pushed back against us; this was the final war.

14  We did not hold the Washington Monument Rally for my sake or for the Unification Church. The Unification Church has suffered a great deal of loss. The church is a sacrifice of human resources and economic resources; it is basically a sacrifice in all respects. Nevertheless, at the risk of my life, I remain determined. I heard that at the time of the Yankee Stadium Rally, 12 organizations plotted my death. There will be many more at the time of the Washington Monument Rally. The opposition also knows that Reverend Moon will exert himself fully because this rally is the last obstacle to overcome. That is why they are also gathering all their strength; they have formed an alliance and are meeting to plan their opposition. They will start a riot or do whatever it takes, even inviting communist collaborators to sabotage this rally. They are trying in every way, up to the level of the State Department and upper echelons of government, to stop me from speaking.

15  The Unification Church was globally persecuted in 1976. Even so we sent missionaries to 37 locations. During the most intense period of persecution, we held the Yankee Stadium Rally in New York. We also held a rally of 300,000 at the Washington Monument. After the Yankee Stadium Rally we received the permit to hold the Washington Monument Rally. The US government had no way to get out of giving us the permit. We were going to hold a historic rally in just 40 days. The US government was in a real bind. Even they could not deal with this situation, and we could not retreat. God created the democratic system to uphold the freedom of religion globally. It was created to protect God's Will in the era of the Second Advent of Christ.

16  I rewrote my speech four times for the Washington Monument Rally. Even though I prayed fervently and offered much sincere devotion, I could not settle on a final version. The question is: Why does God work like this? The day was approaching closer and closer. Yet I could not decide on the content of my speech, and my heart was now in a state troubled beyond words. That is why with one week left, I had the feeling I would have to just drag myself there. It is not that God does not know me. He does, and so I firmly believed that heaven would guide me during my speech. I thought the more I believed this to be the case, the more my speech would be the kind to draw people in and melt their hearts. I think that is why at the time of the rally, people were caught up by the spiritual atmosphere, and shouted without even being aware of it.

17  At the Washington Monument Rally on September 18, 1976, I had the same seriousness as someone with a death sentence walking to the gallows. In preparation, there were many mornings I mistook for nights, and many nights I mistook for mornings. Only God and I know this. This was the turning point in history for me to offer the highest sincere devotion to God, a day of sacrifice for the sake of all people. God was waiting for this moment and I took the responsibility to be the officiator. I knew that the world would perish if, in place of the world and its many religions, I did not reach God's heart and pull His love down to this earth. We give gratitude to God, not to me, that on that day so many people gathered and everything proceeded smoothly without any incidents.

18  You probably do not know that after having established the indemnity conditions in America on the levels of the individual, family, tribe, people, nation and world, I was raised up to a new level. Although I say this, you do not truly understand what it means. This is the reason I am pushing you to set the worldwide indemnity condition. The Washington Monument Rally holds this significance; it was the most serious time in my life. My heart in front of heaven and all humanity was like that of a person who was going to his execution. I felt as if I were going to the scaffold. The atmosphere in the spirit world and on earth was that serious.

19  The Yankee Stadium Rally in New York and the Washington Monument Rally that we held in 1976 were global events. For better or worse, the American people all came to know about me. I fulfilled my portion of responsibility. The spirits of people, whether they lived in the West or in Africa, cannot accuse me. People on earth also cannot accuse me. We can say that 1976 was the year of Reverend Moon and the

Unification Church. Newsweek magazine featured an article about me being one of the world's most influential people in 1976. These people did not write this article because they liked me, but because this is the truth. I have completely fulfilled my responsibility in front of all the people in the spirit world and on earth. I have fulfilled all my responsibilities in front of the American citizens. Through the Washington Monument Rally I completed everything. Even those who oppose me cannot help but compliment me and say that Reverend Moon is an outstanding person.

20  I proclaim that all the conflict that has been going on since I came to America has been settled through the Washington Monument Rally. When I arrived in Washington, D.C., on December 18, 1971, I thought, "Jesus could not fight in Rome, but I will fight in America, the nation that represents the democratic world, and I will bring victory." My thoughts back then are still fresh in my mind today. The American media and the people opposed me and the Unification Church, but we overcame that opposition. I believe that holding a rally of this magnitude clearly showed that God is alive.