Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

1972 - Safeguarding the Unified Front

"The reason for announcing the motto for the year 1972 as Safeguarding the Unified Front is that it is this year that we go beyond this most historic time. Up until now, history has seen the struggle to protect you, your family, and your nation. In contrast, the time is now coming for you to take a greater responsibility for God's will and to be active on the worldwide level, in order to protect me.

The question is whether you, inheriting the mission of Reverend Moon, will take responsibility or not. In other words, the question is whether you will be willing to take responsibility of your own accord and protect Reverend Moon in the event that he is personally attacked.

There must be families, rather than just individuals, who can take responsibility for the suffering path that Reverend Moon's family is to walk, both externally and internally, no matter where that path leads. There must be a religious group that can externally protect all members of the Unification Church. If there is a certain nation that   protects religious organizations, including that particular religious group, then that religious group can also be set up in the position to be perfected. In other nation are standing in the position to take responsibility for the country that protects the religious group, then those nations can have a secure base. Then the world can be restored in a very short time."

The direction for members' activity was thus clearly expressed in Reverend Moon's God's Day speech. After traveling to America towards the end of 1971, and welcoming the new year at the church in Washington DC, he spoke these words while bestowing the motto for the year, Safeguarding the Unified Front.

Reverend Moon returned to Korea on May 8, on the 156th day since departing for America. He stayed in Korea for approximately six months, and returned to America on November 21. Special features of this year included overseas missions and national-level witnessing.

Reverend Moon arrived in New York from Washington DC, and organized the International One World Crusade, after directing Korean church president Young-whi Kim to lecture the Principle to the American members.

Meanwhile, Reverend Moon, determined to declare the Principle publicly, lectured in nine cities, including London, England and Essen, Germany.

Under the slogan God Speaks Today, Reverend Moon launched his nine-city speaking tour at the Lincoln Center in New York (for which a substantial admission fee was charged), speaking on February 3,4 and 6, 1972. The event was very successful.

At that time, Reverend Moon held a meeting of missionaries in America, where the movement barely existed, and directed them to officially register the Unification Church immediately. He also informed them that he would organize the One World Crusade, of which the first two teams were launched with twenty members apiece.

On January 28, 1972 the Unification Church placed an advertisement in the New York Times that the church was sponsoring a novel-writing contest on the theme of the life of Jesus. The topic was "Jesus Christ and the Agony of the Cross: God's Will or Man's Failure" and 100,000 dollars was offered for the best work submitted.

Reverend Moon succeeded in completing the declaration of the Principle in nine cities, including holding Principle Lectures in London from March 20 to 28 and in Essen from March 28 to 30. Outside of his native country, this was the first time that Reverend Moon had spoken publicly.

Reverend Moon returned to Korea on May 8, remaining there throughout the summer and autumn. He left Korea again November 21 to participate in the First International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences that was to be held in New York from November  23. The conference, initiated and presided over by Reverend Moon himself, was to pursue absolute values for word peace, and take place annually in the late autumn. The foundation stones for this conference were thus laid.

While in Korea, Reverend Moon presided over regular meetings with members during May and June of that year, and made plans for the development of the Chungpyung region, in order that it might become internationally known. He made frequent visits to the area and the lake.

A symbolic ceremony for the subjugation of Satan held on June 8, and a special prayer ceremony for the unification of North and South Korea, held on August 15, comprised the internal ceremonies held.

One noteworthy event of the year was the initiation of mobile witnessing teams in Korea, following in the footsteps of America, Europe, and Japan. Ten days of training were held from May 22, and nine team units, consisting of 360 members in total, set out as the vanguard of God's will. Reverend Moon personally allocated the areas for witnessing. There was a major reshuffling of personnel with major leaders transferring to work as itinerary workers for the mobile teams.

Beginning from July 1, the church restructured its administration from nine regions to 153 smaller districts. The Unification Thought Institute was also established.

This year, the entire membership, centering on Reverend Moon, made rapid progress not only on the national level, but also on the worldwide level, in "Safeguarding the Unified Front," by marching forward and utilizing the power of the mobilization to the maximum.

Notable events this year included:

May 1:  Meeting to establish  the Blessed Family Department.

May 13: Nationwide itinerary workers' training.

August 13: Nationwide church leaders' training.

August 20: 206 Japanese member's training.

September 25: Meeting to establish the 777 Family Association.

November 24: First interfaith soccer tournament, sponsored by the Religious Herald.