Tarrytown, New York
Master Speaks
Translated by Mrs. Won Pok Choi
My topic today is, "Let Us Cross Over The Hill." Recently we have crossed over a period of intensity. Previously we worked toward the 18th of September for the Madison Square Garden project, and ever since we have been coming down the hill. Now we are headed for another peak to cross over.
Recently I spoke about how to connect the Madison Square Garden project with our history. We thought the Madison Square Garden project was the very peak of our work, but compared to the vast history of God's providence, it was only the beginning.
When we are down, to go up we need a spurt of power. Even in the case of our climbing a tree, we exercise more strength when we go up, and less coming down. The steeper the mountain is and the longer the distance we are going to climb, the more strength we need. Many members have fallen away in our history, but those who fell away, almost without exception, were on the way up like that. For instance, we can divide a hill into three parts. Some get exhausted when they have barely covered one third of it; others at the point they have covered two thirds; and some are even higher when they get exhausted and fall away. But if you exert all your efforts to climb and attain the goal, and cross over the peak -you may be still here. But you don't know how much ground you have covered in the history of our movement. You must be strongly aware of the fact that when you have crossed over the junction or peak you may get loose and relaxed. For those people it is very difficult to cross over another peak. I have instructed the leaders of each group to awaken their people to this fact and reorganize themselves to go over another peak.
Early this morning at dawn, I experienced a very shocking thing. Every Sunday morning I get up earlier than 5:00, but when I woke up this morning it was after 5:00, a very rare experience. I didn't realize that the electricity was off during the night and my clock was an electric clock. The clock read barely 25 minutes after two. Mrs. Choi was prepared and knocked at my door, shouting. I thought she was out of her mind. I shouted back, "It's early. Why do you wake me up?" without opening the door. But who was right? Without realizing that the electric clock had stopped, I shouted back almost scolding.
If you do not know the facts during the time you are sleeping, you can make mistakes, shouting at innocent people. It is something like this: in the city of New York some people are proclaiming the coming of the new age, but New Yorkers are deep in slumber, and they shout back, "Why are you shouting? We know of no such thing as the new age. " To the eyes of the New Yorkers we may look like crazy people, always running on the street, telling people that there is a new age, though they don't realize it. It is a great lesson to be learned. We must not look at ourselves alone; we must look around and see things taking place around us. The same thing can occur between you and myself. You are just obeying me and doing as I instruct you.1 know the providence of God and I know where we are situated, so I am very serious when I instruct you while you are not too serious when you act. But I can tell you that we have crossed over one peak, at least. We are now moving downward across the hill. We are headed for the bottom. Would you want to go down slower than you went up? If it took us five hours to climb up, we must spend less hours than five to come down, isn't that true? (Yes.) Indeed, you must rush down, and on the spurt of the remaining power you must dash up again.
If you draw a wave on a horizontal line, it is like this: if you come down at full speed, on the momentum of that power you can go up even higher on the next peak. We have valleys always. You became relaxed after a great event like Madison Square Garden. You loosen up and think, "Oh, I want to sleep a thousand years and I want to eat good food." You look around for good clothes and things like that. When you are headed downward, you want to continue down and down. When people get sick, they do so when they are on the downward motion. When you are going up, concentrating all your efforts on one thing, your physical body and your spirit will be together, united to go up.
After the Madison Square Garden project is complete, you must have a period to reorganize yourself or gather your strength. Many people fall while climbing up, but more people get relaxed and fall when they are headed for the next peak or target.
Then we must realize at what point God is working with us and helping us, and at what point Satan is undermining us. In human endeavors we are all without exception struggling to go up. That is the human desire, to cover ground and attain the goal. Above a certain point, ordinary people cannot go without God's help, and without help from the spirit side. When you are at this point, God is going to help you most. The axis is turning a circular motion and when you have crossed over a certain point it is easy for you to attain the peak. Both you and God know that when you have crossed over this point, you can attain the peak. It is not easy for you to realize that you are being helped by God. But Satan and his agents are always lying in ambush. If God helps you after you attain the goal, it is against His law, so He cannot help you then. He will let you alone; and if you are undermined by Satan at a certain point, you will come under the satanic position. Besides, you have a certain responsibility in the earthly sense, and you will rise with help from God. However, at a critical point you may encounter Satan.
When you meet Satan, God will withdraw. He will not attack Satan for you. God must be this way because of the law of your five percent responsibility. Knowing this, you must always keep alert at this critical point, because it is easier for you to fall down then, and downward motion is easier.
But when you are engaged in downward motion, if you keep up your speed, you can go up toward the next peak very easily. Without being caught by Satan, you must go down with a spurt of power and then cross the critical point headed for another peak. This a rather dark period where you are easily attacked by Satan, so you just pray hard during that period. You must double your strength, always reminding yourself of the time when you went up and how hard you struggled. This is the formula and we have many such times. For instance, in the history of the chosen nation of Israel they had their sunny times and dark times; periods when they were helped by God and when they were attacked by Satan, under persecution.
When we have a great event like Madison Square Garden we always strengthen ourselves and create a new zeal. Wise people realize that it has been practice to reach another goal, however great the event may have been. So you must always realize that when you are moving downward you must exert more strength. Without doing that, you can have no power to go up again, and you are very apt to fall back. When I think of that I place you in toil. And when you are headed for the peak you must always exert more energy so that you will have enough strength to cover the rest of the ground.
On the physical plane, too, you must exert more strength. For instance, during critical periods, I would go out to sea whenever I found time. I would train myself physically and work very hard for others. While doing that, I would cultivate my spiritual life, too. During that period I would have barely several hours of sleep, and I would get sleepy on the boat; but I would awaken myself and become alert, putting my physical and spiritual side in balance, always. And after Madison Square Garden I reminded myself that I was in the most difficult period.
After Madison Square Garden, the Philadelphia project is nothing; but when I was on the way to Philadelphia I was very serious. I may have been even more serious than I was for Madison Square Garden. It is because I am on the downward motion now until Washington, D.C. Therefore, I realized that I must be even more careful than before. As in Philadelphia, when I stood up for the speech in the banquet hall or in the hall where I made my speech, I did not think of myself. I was occupied with something else. I was deeply faithful to God, believing in Him and His helping me. If I didn't cross this critical point with seriousness, I was apt to fall down; I knew that. I expected satanic attacks coming from Philadelphia and I was anxious to meet them with victory. Just before that night there was a traffic accident and one of our vans was struck by another vehicle, and three of our members were injured. At the moment I thought, "This is indemnity, so the attacks coming from Satan will be lightened." If you have the knowledge, you will know how precisely we are going according to the formula. Those who are in responsible positions as leaders, always keep alert. Belittle yourself and exalt God and you will be safe. If you are arrogant, or if you feel like a victor, then you are apt to be attacked by Satan
What was most difficult for me was the great leap from Carnegie Hall to Madison Square Garden. To go from Madison Square Garden to Yankee Stadium is no problem at all. I think that even three months preparation will be enough. Don't you think so? (Yes.) I look so confident so you are about to say "yes", but people hearing me must be stunned. When you are situated in this position, God is prepared to step on you and make things more difficult. In that way He will push you forward. Then if you can lift yourself up in spite of pressure coming from above, then God will smile at you and be delighted and pleased with you. This is very strong and clear logic. When you are held down with pressure, then you can fight back and go upward with a spurt of power.
Again I emphasize that the difficulties we are going through are for practice, discipline and training. At the end we are going to have an historical meeting mobilizing heaven and earth, and even Satan, as an audience. We will have the greatest rally history has ever seen. How wonderful it will be. Centered upon God, all the spiritual world will be mobilized. And even Satan will be mobilized. And after the success of the rally, God will proclaim that Reverend Moon is the victor of victors, and Satan will have to recognize him. This is going to be a universal, historical event. Then what are you going to be doing? Before that is fulfilled you can never sleep or rest. We must attain that goal.
I have not been exhausted and I am sane, intact. My excitement is not fading away, but remains until the next project comes. I know this is necessary. And how about you? Are you all relaxed? Or are you still excited? How long will it last? (Forever.) Then I can stop. It should give you a greater sensation to think of the next project than to think of the previous one. With what you gained from Madison Square Garden, you can go to the next goal. If you are this happy after the success at Madison Square Garden, then just think of the success at Yankee Stadium. You will be gloriously happy and you cannot but dance about in excitement. After that, several hundred thousand people will gather in Washington, D.C., in front of the Washington Monument. And that will be the culmination of our history. At that time, God, too, will dance about. We have to plan something sensational like that. Wouldn't you like that? (Yes!) If you like the idea and if you find in Reverend Moon the leadership to make it a success, then it is worth trying. Are you confident of that? (Yes!) And are you confident in my being able to lead you? (Yes!)
Last evening, after the Philadelphia speech, I came back very late. I didn't go straight home but stopped by the Holy Ground. I came to Belvedere and prayed before going home. You must be well aware of this formula. At the International Training Center in Belvedere, up to the present moment, there have been no accidents or undesirable things happening here. But after Madison Square Garden you must expect that and be alert. Even the New York Centers must be very alert not to be attacked by Satan.
Compared to what is coming, the Madison Square Garden project is small. We must expect another goal even higher and another peak higher than that. You must now gather the strength on the downward slope. Yankee Stadium is another peak, so you must get prepared to fight for that goal. You must realize that the Madison Square Garden event was an experience to practice for the next project, which is even greater. You now have a clear picture of how much money we have to spend for that kind of project and how much manpower and energy we must mobilize.
What I want you to know is that after crossing over the peak of Madison Square Garden, if you don't put more energy and reorganize yourself you cannot cross over the higher peak of the next project. So among yourselves you must gather the strength and give strength to one another.
After a good thing is over there is always a dark period. There is a Korean saying, "After the feast, there is quarrel. " When you evaluate things, critical people say you have this or that point wrong. When you evaluate, of course, you may find that there are good people who have done a good job and those who have done a less good job. Then you must be able to criticize, but put more strength on those who have not done a good job. That's the attitude you must have.
Above everything, you must be united into one. United, you will stand. In a nation's destiny, when it is faced with difficulties, attacked by other nations, the shattered people gather together, and united they can exert more power. In human history when people were in trouble and difficulty, revolution often came, and history was woven toward a higher peak; always a higher peak. For instance, in the history of Israel, when they were in trouble as now, if they united into one they could emit a great light and exert great power. The people of Israel must gather their power and imagine that they have more power than when they went through greater difficulties, shattered and dispersed in the world. If they live only in the past, getting loose and exhausted, they cannot go any further. But when they exert more strength and they have spiritual power, they can gain the hill easily.
People have gone through much persecution all over the world, passing through dark periods. But when they recover, if they unite in the great power coming from God, they can build a great nation. The same thing applies to any individual. When you feel resentment, having been persecuted and wronged by other people, if you just grit your teeth, resolved to dash forward for victory, then you can be victors.
Even though you may go through difficulties it is not always bad, because the experiences which you go through will teach you lessons. Then you are stronger than ordinary people who have not been immunized through difficulties. History is a witness that after you go through difficulties you arouse yourselves and shout, "Let's mobilize ourselves and go on fighting for victory!" Then a new strength will well up in your mind and after being united, you can attain the goal, investing your whole self for success.
Korea is the best example: For more than 4,000 years that nation has gone through difficulties, attacked and occupied by other regimes. But once this nation is awakened to the fact that we can gather strength and fight back against the evil force and win the favor of God, the world, and all mankind, then we will be able to exert untold power. It is very logical, after long years of training by God, having undergone difficulties and persecutions that this nation will be attentive to God's call. And when they are prepared, God will mobilize this nation through one person sent by Him. They will be mobilized by the battle cry, and exhorted by the central personage to become the strongest nation in the world and to win victory for God's side.
People may think that President Park Chung Hee and his regime are not quite democratic, advancing forward too strongly; but without being strong he could not manipulate the nation. It is done, in a way, in God's providence. Without your knowing, centering on Korean problems, several nations were on the verge of rupturing in the tense world situation. During that period the Korean people could have shattered into pieces. Instead they crossed over the peak, and when they are united they will be stronger than ever. They have made an historical junction where all the people began to think that they could not go on without the Unification Church movement and without the ideology we are teaching.
People of Korea thought that this movement would be nullified because it has gone through such persecution and difficulties. But they found that if they put more stress or pressure on us, there is still a way for us to rise, evading all difficulties. So you must not think that pressure coming from the outside is always bad. It does not work that way. As we go through persecution, we will be more conspicuous and become even stronger.
When our movement came to Japan it went through the same thing. The Japanese people were almost all against us. But somehow we managed to get through those difficulties. We are doing the same thing in the United States. We are fighting here, taking action according to the situation. All the Americans are surprised by the fact and say "We have built the culmination of culture and civilization in 200 years time, and this small group of people is going to destroy us!" "Also we are the leading nation in the Christian world but this small group under Reverend Moon is leading the Christian world with Reverend Moon as its prophet. "
When I first came to this continent in the year 1972, people thought lightly of us, and our movement was an insignificant phenomenon. When I began our strategy at Carnegie Hall, they did not feel the urgency of fighting against us. The smaller the bullet is, if it is shot at full speed, the greater its piercing power. In less than two years-one year and ten months' time-we pierced the Madison Square Garden target. Even the New York Times thought we could never fill up the Garden. According to their calculations, we might fill up two thirds of the place at best, and even that was not likely. But according to my plan, Madison Square Garden was filled to overflowing.
People fought against us and found that we were stronger than they expected. Then their eyes were opened, and they came to write articles about us; and the mass media was with us. You remember the boxers Patterson and Clay? When they fought each other, some expected Patterson would win, and some expected Clay would win. But when they saw the, unexpected person win, they were surprised. The same thing applies to the mass media. Some time ago the media thought lightly of us, but then they found great strength in us. They attacked us, but found that we won over all others.
Just imagine: America is the leading nation of the democratic world, a part of the Christian heritage, and New York is the center of this nation. Madison Square Garden is a huge place of which New Yorkers are proud. And we are a small, inconspicuous group which they thought could not succeed. But we went through the ordeal and made it a success. So all the New Yorkers as well as the rest of the American population are surprised at us. At this historical event, indemnity was paid when a Korean minister initiated the opposition to us at Madison Square Garden. It is a picture of Cain and Abel fighting each other. In Korea, those who opposed our movement were named Moon. The person who killed President Park's wife was named Moon, too. This is very strange. And, at Madison Square Garden, very ironically, a Korean minister objected. So when he was dragged out, the American audience applauded. God certainly was delighted at the scene. But even after this long and fierce battle-am I exhausted? No, I have set another goal, even higher than before. I said, "Yankee Stadium next year."
Even President Kim thinks it is not too easy a job, so he will wait and see. But I like that kind of idea, and a man in the leadership position must have zeal, energy and confidence. When our goal is set, you must be confident to fill up the hall with twice as many people as we plan for. In the eyes of the omnipotent God, Yankee Stadium is less than a small particle of sand. So if you resemble God as His children, if you are confident, the spirit side will help you. We accomplished Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium is our next goal.
Without your knowing, I have been using my P. R. members to win the minds of the Senators and Congressmen, and get them assembled. I am going to talk before those Senators and Congressmen soon. For six month's time, I have planted them for this purpose. On the 8th of October, I will speak before the whole group. We are in the time when people are anxious to know about me, because, up to the present moment I have been a mysterious figure. So when the Senators and Congressmen are asked about me, they have no way to answer the questions. Therefore, they must gain knowledge of me. Now the Senators and Congressmen are responding; and even though they are busy, some of them will send their aides because they must be informed about me. Then by the time we have our speech in Washington, D.C., they will come to our aid. So, the aides are being made aware of what we are doing behind the scenes. Are you glad? (Yes!) You say yes, but do you really mean it? (Yes!)
Some of you may have been saying, "Oh, Reverend Moon, your project is infinite! It is going on and on. We are going to be used up and too exhausted and worn out to carry it out!" Do you think it is worth doing? (Yes!) What if I kick you while you are sleeping? Won't you mind? (No!) Then, without exception, without failure, God will help us and we will be pushed forward by His power.
Billy Graham planned a big banquet of 20,000 people, but they had only 9,900 for their 25th anniversary. So, their pattern will be related to us. Conservative Americans and all the white people band together and come against us, but we will win over them and all America. In the meanwhile, in the Far East, Korean people will support Reverend Moon, and the Japanese people will support Reverend Moon. The speakers will come up and say, "We support Reverend Moon!" And then Free China will say the same. They will influence European nations, and then America. The nations who are against America will be on our side. When we are united with those people, America will be crushed. That is the battle we have left to fight. Maybe the FBI and the CIA together will oppose our movement and hate Reverend Moon. I don't care.
Meanwhile, I will be sending missionaries to 120 nations, to make them come to our side. We are planning to send our missionaries to 120 nations of the world, and we are in the first half of the battle. Do you realize how strongly you must be resolved? What you are going to do now is only the present project. Our target is the whole world, and unless we can witness to and bring in the last people of the world then we will still have more to do in this big world. Can you realize the victory to the end of the world during your lifetime? (Yes!) Then, would you wait for other people to do the job, or would you do it yourself? If you witness and see the victory being won by our own power, then you will live as the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are at the starting point, you must realize that.
I must not get old. I am 55 already, 54 according to your time. People resign from any post at 65 in this country. Would you expect me to get exhausted when I speak before vast audiences, my voice fading and things like that? Would you want me to be like that, or still youthful and full of strength? You just don't know how serious I am. I have spent the prime of my youth in prisons and in other difficulties, and here I am, coming to this nation to work hard. I have not too many years left, but I am going to be powerful and still youthful to carry out the mission. I'm resolved to do that in my lifetime.
After our victory, after our triumph in this nation, I must build an ideal city or state in this nation. Then people will visit that place in chartered planes from all over the world, and if I'm not able to do that, I will be a failure. I am resolved to do that in my lifetime, and our project will be something new for the people of the world. In that way, we have to make a new tradition. You must know the seriousness I'm feeling. If I cannot succeed in my lifetime, you Unification members will be divided, there will be division and disharmony, you will be discouraged.
In the Christian world, there are many hundreds of denominations because of the divisions in their ways of thinking and interpretation. I am responsible over the establishment of the Heavenly Constitution in the world, and I must do the job while I am on earth. I am so serious, and you must be equally serious. Do you realize that?
My topic this morning is, "Let Us Cross Over the Hill. " But how many hills have you crossed over? Just one. Was it the smallest hill, or the biggest? It is as though we have had only one spoonful of rice when we were hungry. We must have an appetite, to have something more nourishing. Are you hungry for more work? (Yes!) We are at the point where we must prepare ourselves to go toward more work, towards the next target. I am really serious, and I want you to be ready for that. You must be newly resolved towards the greater goal with full energy. After we have accomplished our mission, God will be our God, and the Kingdom of Heaven will be our kingdom.
This is a vast project, and we are small in number, but our ambition is great. We will be able to cover the whole world. I want to be really serious and prepared for that, and then the Kingdom will be given to you. If you are resolved to do that, will you please raise your hands in pledge before God? Thank you.
