In 1950, Rev. Moon left North Korea and took refuge to Pusan. After a short while, he moved to Seoul. On May 1, 1954, he established the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity in Bukhak Dong, Songdong Gu, Seoul. The church was located in Changchoong Dong area of Seoul for a time, before being moved to its current location in Chongpa Dong on January 7, 1955.
The Layout of the Church
In the early days, the main entrance to the church was through a narrow alley that approached the property from the west. The ground floor had a hallway that ran north and south down the middle of the building. On one side was the lecture hall and on the other side was a room where Father could receive guests and meet with members.
Rev. Moon's room was on the upper floor, in the far corner of the building. It was a small room enclosed on the north and west by sliding doors. Four rooms located near Father's room were used by members of his staff. These rooms were connected to each other by sliding doors. A kitchen was located at the back of the church. The lecture hall on the ground floor was used as the main sanctuary. A number of other rooms on the two floors were used for counseling or as living quarters for church staff.
In the early days, Rev. Moon spent most of his time at the Headquarters Church, and there were always many members with him. Members would listen to lectures and then stay at the church until late at night in order to discuss various matters with Rev. Moon, leaving him very little time to sleep. Principle lectures were given almost every day from morning to night, usually by Rev. Eu Hyo Won. Rev. Moon would often sit in the rear of the lecture hall, giving guidance to Rev. Eu and observing how students and other guests reacted to the lectures.
With the exception of the regular Sunday service, it was rare for Rev. Moon to give advance notice of official gatherings. But members wanting to hear him speak would follow him and gather around him wherever he went, and these situations would often effectively serve as meetings.
At night, a number of old women inspired by the spirit would remain in the sanctuary, praying that God's
will be accomplished.
Workshops have always been the primary means for the growth of the Unification Church, and many workshops were held even in the early period of our history. Mostly, these were Principle workshops for people who were coming in to contact with the church for the first time. Occasionally, workshops were held to train church leaders. The workshops commonly lasted 40 days at a time, and people would crowd into the lecture hall in order to hear the lectures. It was always a difficult problem in those days to find enough space in the church to let everyone sleep and enough food to feed everyone.
The kitchen facilities were insufficient to handle such large crowds, and so rice had to be cooked out doors. During the winter months, people sometimes found the rice they were served had frozen after being cooked. Sometimes there was not enough floor space for everyone to lie down, so people would sleep in the lecture hall in a sitting position. Or they would sleep on their sides, with their heads and feet in alternating positions to each other. In sum, the life in the early days was characterized by continuous prayers and fellowship.
On Sunday, a pledge service for members would be held at 5 a.m., followed by a service for members and guests at 11 a.m. Services were also held Sunday and Wednesday evenings. At first , Rev. Moon led the services, but later Rev. Eu Hyo Won, who was president of the church, often took his place. In those days, Father would not wear a necktie or other formal clothing. He generally dressed in a jacket made of cheap cloth. This sometimes made it difficult for people visiting the church for the first time to know who was the leader of the church.
Rev. Moon sat on the wooden floor in the lecture hall like everyone else, until later when the members placed a chair in the room
for him to use.
Whenever Rev. Moon led the Sunday service, he would kneel near the pulpit and pray before beginning his sermon. He would always prepare his sermons with a great deal of prayer, and shed so many tears when he prayed that it was said the floor was always damp. His sermons would normally last three to four hours. Sometimes they were longer. After the end of the service, he would address the congregation again, so it became common for members to spend their entire day at the church on Sunday.
Members often experienced spiritual phenomenon in those days, and it was common during services to see members prophesy, speak in tongues, see visions or begin shaking uncontrollably. When persons experiencing such things could not control themselves, Rev. Moon would help them bring the experience under control.
Historic Occasions as the Former Headquarters Church
So many important events in the history of the providence took place here that the Former Headquarters Church in Chongpa Dong can be called "the birthplace of the new history of the world." These include the following:
True Parents' Holy Weddig- April 11 (16th day of the 3rd lunar month), 1960
Holy Wedding of the Three Children- April 16, 1961
33 Couple Holy Wedding - May 15, 1961
72Couple Holy Wedding- June 4, 1962
124 Couple Holy Wedding - July 24, 1963 (Seoul Municipal Hall)
430 Couple Holy Wedding - February 22, 1968 (Seoul Municipal Hall)
777 Couple Holy Wedding - October 21, 1970 (Changchoong Gymnasium)
1800 Couple Holy Wedding - February 8, 1975 (Changchoong Gymnasium)
The 1800 Couple Holy Wedding was the last to be held before the Headquarters Church was moved to the new building. In conjunction with each of these weddings, there were many engagement ceremonies held in the cramped facilities of the Former Headquarters Church sanctuary.
The birth of True Children Six of Rev. and Mrs. Moon's children were born here. They are Hyojin Nim, Injin Nim, Heungjin
Nim, Eunjin Nim, Hyunjin Nim and Kookjin Nim.
The proclamation of the 4 memorial days Among the holy days of the Unification Church, proclamations were issued here for
True God's Day (January 1, 1968), True Parents Day (1st day of 3rd lunar month, 1960), True All Things Day (1st day of 5th
lunar month, 1963) and True Children's Day (1st Day of 10th lunar month, 1960).
Four world tours
During the time that he was here, Rev. Moon carried out four historic tours of the world. He departed on his first tour on January 28, 1965, his second tour on February 2, 1968, his third tour on December 5, 1971 and his fourth tour on November 21, 1972.
Other historic events
Excerpts from Rev. Moon's comments on the Former Headquarters Church
The place where people sing of our ideals and hopes
It makes you feel good just to hear someone say the words "Chongpa Dong," doesn't it? The name "Chongpa" means "green hill." "Yongsan (dragon hill)" signifies the highest hill. The highest hill in any particular area is often called "yongsan." So, Chongpa Dong in Yongsan Gu means a green hill, and in this case the green hill symbolizes the ideal world. That's right, isn't it? Chongpa Dong is a place where people live in hope for the ideal world of the afterlife. Chongpa Dong is a place where people sing of their ideals and hopes.
The place where historic relationships are resolved
There used to be a Buddhist temple on this spot where you are sitting now. Then, during the Japanese rule, there was a building that belonged to the Japanese.
Another reason this building is historic is that it was purchased as an emergency measure in 1955, when we had no place to go. I had just been released from Sodaemoon prison after having been incarcerated there for some time because of a certain incident. We pretty much rebuilt this place ourselves. When we first got it, the place looked like a main gathering place for ghosts and goblins. All the pillars and everything else were covered with filth, and so we scrubbed everything down with lye. In a house like that. . . that's where all sorts of historical relationships came right up against each other.
When I first came here, my determination was that I would begin my work by resolving the resentment that had been built up in this house. I thought: "I have to start by winning over those who once held the whip and struck us. My first task is to make those who used to chase us around come here willingly and gather around us." I still have that kind of determination today.
What is the nature of the historic relationships that we carry with us? You must understand that it is a three-dimensional relationship. It is not something that has come about based on some philosophy that existed in the past. It is a relationship that has its basis in God's heart and God's creative ideal, and has the original character as its character. Since this is the core of all such relationships, it must seen as being absolute. That is the relationship that has been manifested here at Chongpa Dong.
Who could be happier than the person who experiences a state in which he becomes intoxicated with that which is more precious than the world, more precious than his country and more precious than even himself. Who is that person? It's the person who has had even one happy day being able to attend to the True Parents. What else could there be? This is the fact. And since that is the case, how much praise do we have to give? Think about it.
When those in spirit world come to know this fact for certain, then think how this will be understood as representing the standard for which spirit people have waited with eager anticipation and fervent hope. In this place, all things supreme are brought to fruition. It is the core place in which all things supreme can be resurrected. Any person who occupies such a place can be brought to the highest level of fruition centering on that person, and the origins of all things both good and bad will begin with this person and be separated from each other by this person. So we can see that this is the final base from which humanity can rise up in the the time of the last days.
So it is that in this place we can rise to a new level and a new position. We can take on a new lineage and a new citizenship. Is it possible that there can be such a place in this world? We held a holy wedding ceremony here that was unprecedented in history. Here, we have created material for all kinds of rumors. We've found ourselves the object of all sorts of rumors. We've done all sorts of things here that were without precedent in history. Here we established God's Day, Parents' Day, Children's Day, and The Day of All Things. The 36 Couples were blessed here, as were the 72 Couples. It's a historic place.
I never expect to accomplish anything, or expect anything to be accomplished, in any place where I have not first invested my own heart. I don't place any desire or hope in something unless I myself am the motivating force. The history of true tradition is written with that which is genuine and true. It can't be done quickly through devious means. There is more to the Unification Church than what is visible to your eyes. You have to consider what is behind the Unification Church.
I have visited dozens of countries, and saw many palaces. Whenever I would visit a palace, I would think: 'Well, these scoundrels certainly lived well! They really made like they were something special. But what did they accomplish with all this? They lived in a house that people think of as big and ruined the world. But I will save the world in a house that people think of as small.' And I came back.
If I offer more devotion in this small house than the people who live in all the fanciest houses in the world, and if I completely immerse myself in devotion and make this place a oasis of devotion and heart that God can remember, then people thirsty for the water of life will come.
People will go anywhere - even onto a high mountain ridge - in order to find a spring of pure water. If the water the wells up there is pure, then more people will come and eventually a town may be formed. It can become a birthplace for a new civilization, and the beginning point for a new history.
A sacred altar covered with tears
For me, This house is more precious than even the most magnificent building in the world.
There are cracks in the walls, but they are cracks brought about by historic hardships. They are evidence of what has taken place here. When you see the damaged parts of this building, I hope you will think like this: "I see that your scars still have not healed." In the future all the people of the world will come to this house. Does this sound like a dream? Because I have lived here and because I sought to realize the will of God here, people will leave their countries to come here, in accordance with the idealogy that I have taught.
I could rebuild this house now, if I wanted to. But so many historic events have taken place here. It's a place where heaven and earth have wept together. Many people have wept here. All over it, there are traces of tears having to do with circumstances that can never be forgotten for all eternity. It's a place to be treated with respect. People should not not just come and go casually. I have never treated this place casually.
Those who are here today for the first time may not understand what I am referring to. I say these things, because I know these circumstances very well. You live in the headquarters of the Unification Church, but are you qualified to do so? You may not know this, but I shed tears dozens of times every day. Those people who spend time close to me probably know how I live. I just say one word, and the tears begin to flow. I'm a very sensitive person. You probably know that across this land of Korea, there are members who even now are hungry and are offering sincere prayers. And there are those who have been deprived of their freedom who are being made the object of persecution. You must be the mediating spirits who pass on the heartistic connection to these people, but can you do that when you yourselves are the way that you are now? There is only one Unification Church headquarters in the world.
If the Unification Principle is something that is unprecedented in history, then it follows that the Unification Church headquarters is also a place that is unique in history. In the future, there will come a time when people won't be able to sit here even in exchange for the largest sum of money. So, you should know that it is an infinite blessing for you to be here now.
The original hometown of heart for members around the world
On the basis of Unification Thought, "the homeland" refers to Korea. More specifically, it refers to the Unification Church that is in Chongpa Dong, and to me. In every place that the Unification Church is established, there will be large numbers of foreign members who will love Korea as their fatherland and come to visit. You need to know that there are people who weep just to see a photograph of the Headquarters Church; or even just to picture the Headquarters Church in their minds. When these people visit here in tears, you must be able to welcome them with all your heart and rejoice. You must receive them with an sincere heart. Be a friend of the heart to them and comfort them. When people leave here, they feel homesick for Chongpa Dong. They miss Chongpa Dong all the more when they remember that this is a place of suffering; a place where Father shed blood, sweat and tears in the course of his struggle to further the providence. Many members around the world are praying for this place in tears all through the night. They feel a desire to come here. Those members who are actually here should be praying even more fervently. The floor here should be drenched with your tears. You must love everything about this building, even the windows and the floor boards. When the members longing to be here are able to come, then the members of the Headquarters Church should welcome them with open arms, and pray for them. The work of the Unification Church is not something that can be accomplished by just anyone. Only certain people can do it. These people are different from others both internally and externally. They embody a different value and a different standard of thought. Because their standard of thought is different, their spiritual standard is also different. Thus, their actions are also of a different standard. A great many Unification Church members have opened the door of the Headquarters Church and come in here. But I have always hoped to see the member who would open the door to this church with trembling hands and say: "Father, I have longed for so long come to the Headquarters Church, and now I have arrived." I have meet to see such a member.
To see the ragged appearance of the Headquarters Church, such a members might say: "I would rather that someone drive a nail through my heart than that I should have to bear seeing the church building in such a state as this. How can it be that the place where Heaven has poured out so much heart is so shabby. I will devote my life to transforming this into a place of grandeur."
We should all become sons and daughters with such a standard of loyalty.
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