This year we intend to do one thing worth becoming known worldwide. Is there perhaps anyone among you who knows what that thing is? “It is the Blessing.” Yes, it is the Blessing. Think of about seven hundred couples holding a joint wedding. That is by no means an easy thing.
The Attitude of Mind: Those Who Are to Receive the Blessing Must Take
Many unmarried young men and women have come here, and you will be curious about the Blessing. In gathering at this place, you will have come wondering when the unmarried young men and women would gather like this again. Without fail, it was so.
From March I plan to call our young men and women throughout the nation and give them special training. But if one is to match seven hundred couples, even deciding five couples a day, it takes about a hundred forty days. It means it takes about five months. Is that not so? Then during those five months they will always be thinking only of the Blessing, whether sleeping or eating. They will wrestle for about five months with this one question called the Blessing.
When it becomes so, the unmarried young men and women will be glad at receiving the Blessing, but for the Teacher, who must take responsibility for this and attend to all of it, it means it is a tremendous problem. For the Teacher, it is the same feeling as being dragged in to receive torture from the Japanese scoundrels in the time of Japanese rule. When one thinks of how to pass through this, it means it is the same feeling as having to bore through a long tunnel filled with poison gas.
That is why what I ask of those who will attend the special training session to be held hereafter is that when that time comes, they please not vex me. Today, in the sense of your congratulating the Teacher on his birthday, I make this request hoping you will understand this situation of the Teacher’s.
Looking at past precedent, before the partner to receive the Blessing is decided, they say, “Since the partner the Father chooses will without fail be the right person, I will absolutely obey and absolutely submit.” But when it actually comes to the gate of deciding one’s own husband or one’s own bride, however ill-favored a person may be, when one shows the photograph of the other party and asks, “How about this person?”, there was no one who looked at it with a joyful expression. I have not seen anyone who opened their eyes wide with a joyful expression and said, “Let me see.” All look at it with a frown. On such a day, the Teacher feels bad the whole day.
I hope that the unmarried young men and women who have come here will please, when they are called before the Teacher and examined, wear a somewhat more joyful expression when they face the photograph of the person who is to be their husband or the person who is to be their wife, which the Teacher presents. All come and glance at the photograph the Teacher presents, and if the person seems better than they had thought, they are pleased, and if the person seems worse than they had thought, their facial expression is contorted.
An Ideal Partner
It means that if one is told to choose a partner as one pleases among many people, one cannot choose an ideal partner for oneself.
If there is an east, there is a west, and if there is a south, there is a north. That is why, if a person of the eastern type meets a person of the eastern type, it cannot be an ideal meeting because there is no west.
Furthermore, if a person of the southern type meets a person of the southern type, it cannot be ideal because there is no north. That is why a person of the eastern type must go seeking a person of the western type, and a person of the southern type must go seeking a person of the northern type.
Do you understand what I mean?
Let us suppose there is a person whose face is long like a horse’s. Then what face is longer than this horse face? It is a grasshopper face, is it not? But if one joins that person with a person with a grasshopper face, what type of children would they bear? Think about what type of children they would bear. They would probably, without fail, bear children of a type like a lizard. It means it is so. The reason of nature is so.
That is why one joins everyone with the opposite type. To a person who looks like a horse, one must join a person spread out sideways as though a pumpkin or a gourd had been sliced. Only then do the opposite types harmonize well with each other, so that if they bear ten, they bear at least one or two usable children. Yet if one does not do so and simply joins the person one likes, it means that if one bears ten, all ten are of no use.
Therefore, when the Teacher matches a partner, on what basis does one marry? It means marrying not so much for a person who looks good to one’s own eyes as to bear good sons and daughters hereafter. It means marry for the sake of sons and daughters.
If you were joined with a person you liked and bore sons and daughters, and they were such sons and daughters as no man or woman in the world would look upon, what would that be like? There is no unhappiness greater than that. That becomes unhappiness for a whole lifetime. It is more than the unhappiness one feels because one’s own self is a disabled body or because one has some defect.
That is why our marriage is done for the sake of descendants. So although the appearances of the parties who marry are as they are, the question is how to match those who can bear sons and daughters resembling only their good points.
The Blessing Is for the Sake of Descendants
The Teacher has until now married off many people. In marrying people off, the Teacher probably holds the world record. If this time he marries off seven hundred couples, that perhaps remains as an eternal record. Is that not so?
Not long ago, the Teacher finished a tour of South Jeolla and came back. There was a certain bride there whom I remembered from the time of a past Blessing, and I do not know whether her husband has come here. Perhaps that bride has come together with him too.
What kind of bride was that bride?
She was a bride who remained after all the others had chosen and gone. But as the one responsible, I could not help but sympathize with that person in my heart (심정).
For a fine-looking person, even if one rolls her out any which way, many will take her along. It means that even if one tells them not to take her, they take her while fighting over her. But because a person is not like an object, it means that as for a person one dislikes, even if one tells them to take her with a memorial rite performed, they will not take her. After all had chosen and gone, one or two remained at the very last, and that bride was one of them.
It means that a man’s eyes, anyone’s alike, know how to look for a fine appearance. When the Teacher himself quietly considered it from the position of a man, I found I could not tell anyone to marry that woman. Then how was one to act as a matchmaker and bring that person to fulfillment?
If you were in a position of having to make a match for such a person, how would you broach it? Women and men alike all trust the Teacher and believe that he will match them with the very best partner.
So all have high eyes, and the standard they gaze upon is magnificent; I mean, can one match them with a person at a standard below that?
If one would not do so, one would have to bring a person to the supreme standard and match them, and if it becomes so, nothing at all works. So what must be done about this?
So what did I say?
Said that if he married this woman, without fail the second generation would be born as splendid, handsome men and beautiful women. But what if he married that woman and did not bear such children? What if he married that woman and lived together with her and bore a child and it resembled them? It means that without fail he would protest to the Teacher. Is that not so? It means he could protest as much as he liked that Teacher Moon of the Unification Church deceived him and married him off. But if they bore a beauty, everything is simply resolved. It was from such a serious position that I matched them.
But the other time, while touring South Jeolla, at an intermediate station where I stopped briefly, since they said our members had come out, I looked, and that bride and her husband had come out. My heart at once began to pound, and wondering whether she had brought the baby, I looked at that bride, and she was carrying a baby on her back.
So, whether the other people were greeting me or not, I went to that bride and said, “Let me see,” and, looking into the baby’s face, said, “That fellow is truly handsome.” Thus I gave that bride courage and came away. (Laughter, applause) Well then, concerning this, let us laugh and pass on.
The Joint Wedding Connected to the Salvation of the People
Though there is no time, since the words seven hundred couples have come up, let us just speak of this and pass on. Today I feel like a new bridegroom. This is the first time I have worn such clothes. They speak of meeting spring again (재봉춘 再逢春), and it is truly the feeling of having met spring again. Is that not so? “You look younger.” It is the feeling of a new bridegroom.
So allow me to offer words of congratulation once, representing the many people who will hereafter become new bridegrooms.
When we say we will bless seven hundred couples hereafter, if the people who are to receive the Blessing come in here, will this place be full or not? Let us think how many it would be.
If they went into a place twice as wide as this, would that place be full or not?
About five hundred people, about four hundred eighty, can come in here. Then how many times is the number of you gathered now? It is more than three times. To marry off that many people, if one married off one couple a day, it is a work that would take two years.
Even if one mobilized only the fathers and mothers who labored to raise them, it comes to two thousand eight hundred people. Is that so, or not? “It is so.”
If in addition to that one they even mobilized their grandfathers and grandmothers, how many would it be? It means it comes to five thousand six hundred. Is it not magnificent? And how many sons and daughters would their parents ordinarily have borne? Though Korea is now attempting birth control, they bear about four or five.
So, reckoning the average at four, when we calculate that number, it comes to five thousand six hundred. This is calculated centering on the parents, counting only the direct sons and daughters, that is, all those who have not yet married.
Even if only half of them are married, if one adds even their daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, how many would that number be?
So it means that even if one adds only the direct families centering on these seven hundred couples, that is, their parents and their sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, their parents and brothers and sisters, and the in-law households and their families, it exceeds one hundred thousand.
If, in addition to that, one adds even the generation of grandfathers, that number is tremendously large; and if one includes even the sons and daughters and grandchildren attached to them, it will far exceed two hundred thousand. It means that counting only those directly related, it comes to more than two hundred thousand.
So if one goes as far as the eighth cousins of their in-laws, all the citizenry of the Republic of Korea is connected. It means it covers the whole of the eight provinces and more.
Since this is the feeling of firing the greatest of great cannons, let us set this aside; but even so, if there be even one blessed family in one village, one cannot disregard it. Why is that? Until now, the blessed families have become known not only in the village but even throughout the township. Why did they become known? It means that if it is said to be a blessed family, even the aunties passing by drop in once and look, and so it all became known.
And as a result of watching, as time passed, everything about the living of a husband and wife who received the Blessing in the Unification Church and live together means there are no parents-in-law who say they got a bad daughter-in-law. Furthermore, those who have obtained sons-in-law say that among their several sons-in-law, the son-in-law obtained through the Blessing in the Unification Church is the best. It means we have now entered a stage where such facts can become public opinion.
Now, when we hold the new seven-hundred-couple joint wedding, I do not know whether it will be at the Seoul Citizens’ Hall, or at Hyochang Park, or at Seoul Stadium. Where would you like it to be? “It would be good at Seoul Stadium.”
If it is said that we will hold the Blessing this time, in the case of people in the provinces, when it is said that some unmarried young man or woman of their village is going up to Seoul and holding a joint wedding on such a day at such an hour, and a feast is held, then all the people of the village and neighborhood together… There will be a great festivity.
If a feast is thus held in the village, it means that even a person who has nothing to eat at his house can eat well for a few days. Is that not so?
But there may also be people who speak ill, saying that such-and-such a household, though sending off their son or daughter in marriage, does not even make rice cakes or fry even one pancake, but just plucks out the son or daughter and takes them up to Seoul and has them hold a joint wedding. Yet since people come to praise, saying, “In such-and-such a village there is a couple who held a Unification Church joint wedding, and they say she is a filial daughter-in-law known throughout the village,” and go on about this and that, it is automatically publicized entirely even to the grandfathers and grandmothers of the village. Will it be automatically publicized, or not?
If it is a village of about a hundred households, for that reason, one family, all hundred households will be astir.
One Must Hold at Least a Puffed-Rice Feast
The bridegrooms and brides who will come to receive the Blessing this time must not simply come; it means that if they cannot open a feast and treat the village people, they should at least pop two sacks or so of puffed-rice cakes (펑과자) and post an announcement. It means, let them inform the village people by at least writing that they are holding a wedding in Seoul on such a day at such an hour, and because they cannot hold a feast here, they are holding a puffed-rice feast. Then it will not cost even a few hundred won. Since there is no money, what is to be done? One must do at least that.
Since the fathers and mothers of the bridegrooms and brides have already gone up to Seoul and are not there, can the village people or relatives take hold of the fathers and mothers and ask them to buy liquor, or ask them to buy rice cakes? So it means, let us hold puffed-rice feasts nationwide.
Where in the world is there a place that holds a feast setting out puffed-rice cakes on the feast table?
Even so, it means it is here. Then the children will come first and make a fuss, saying they will get some. Furthermore, the grandfathers who said they would get at least rice cakes when so-and-so’s son held a feast will come to get some of that puffed rice. It means, let us stage such a scene.
Once that is done, since these people, though they ate puffed rice, unmistakably received something on a feast day, when the hour of the joint wedding comes, they will, facing east if east, west if west, south if south, north if north, call out so-and-so’s name and bless him, saying, “Receive blessing.” Will you thus congratulate or not? “We will.” Even if that village is a hundred households and one household is only five people, it is five hundred people, and it means all those people will offer congratulations toward Seoul for that person.
If we go on doing this, since it is already known now, how much will that rumor be talked of when September comes, and December comes hereafter? It is already known now, is it not? [Weekly Woman] spread the word well. So when people say, “They say the Unification Church is holding a joint wedding,” they will come to be curious about that rumor.
So if there is a person in some village who held a joint wedding, even a passerby will go to that family and ask. Also, the rumor that in some village there is a family living who held a joint wedding will spread to the right, and spread to the left, and spread upward, and spread downward, so that all will come to know.
Then, when we look, centering on one person, the rumor will spread to more than a hundred people, adding his direct relatives and the eighth cousins of his in-laws.
Will they not each spread the rumor to more than ten people?
When it becomes so, that is, if one multiplies two hundred thousand by a hundred, how much does it come to? It means it comes to twenty million. It means the guests gathered at the feast are twenty million. What kind of day will this day be, on which we hold a feast attended by twenty million guests? Where could there be a feast more blessed than this? Uniting that many people all at once has never happened since history began.
One may say a presidential election is like that, but there is a ruling party and an opposition party there. It means this is such a thing that twenty million of the multitude can be united, centering on us, and turn over all at once. Then is this a thing worth doing once, having been born a man, or not worth doing? “It is worth doing.” Having been born a woman, is it a thing worth watching, or not worth doing? “It is worth doing.” Is it a thing worth thinking about? “Yes.” Those who have come here, the majority being women, will be the ones who watch. That must be tried. But it means the Teacher does it directly.
Let the young bachelors gathered here too try it splendidly once. “Yes.” Let the young ladies try it once too. Do you wish to try it, or not? “We wish to try it.”
Let Us Devote Sincerity for the Blessing
Since the population of Seoul is four million five hundred thousand, when the feast unfolds on that day, even such grandfathers as have a tobacco pipe tucked in their waistband and a money pouch hung at their side will listen with excitement when that broadcast comes on the radio. Will they listen with excitement, or not? I hope the KBS broadcasting station will not refuse to broadcast the seven-hundred-couple joint wedding because it feels bad about it.
If they were to post a poster saying they oppose it, would that get through or not? “It would not get through.” It means that however much anyone tries to stop it, it does not get through. They will come and gather material even without my knowing. So it means they will come to broadcast it locally.
Then the people in the city of Seoul will listen to the radio or look at the television. Probably the grandfathers and grandmothers, seeing that, will say gladly, “So-and-so, come out and look at that a little. When you are married later on, go like that.” It means that if it must be done anyway, one wishes to do it that way. Rather than doing it shabbily on the wedding day, saying that some Mister and some Miss will hold a wedding on such a day at such an hour with such an officiant, and having many trifling people of the village come, it means one wishes to do it in such a high-class way. Is it a lucky thing or an unlucky thing for the two to hold a wedding like doves running away? It is unlucky. Let such a marriage withdraw from the earth.
When these seven hundred couples receive the Blessing this time, I will bring the bands of the army, navy, and air force. Just wait and see whether I do it or not. That is something one can do if one only gives money.
If the bands of the army, navy, and air force actually come to that place, they too would feel good, would they not? Then if it is three-fourths time, they must fit it exactly to three-fourths time. It means it will not do if they cannot fit it.
At that time, the seven hundred couples do not simply come out from one side only. It means try it so that, with the audience watching, they go round once as though climbing a mountain. If that many unmarried young men and women go round once like that, the audience’s eyes will grow round.
Then some person will say, “That I have reached the age of seventy and cannot bear children is my han.
If I met spring again and bore sons and daughters and had them hold a joint wedding, I would have no han.” Would they say so, or not? If they would not, they do not even count as people. Since I am wearing such clothes for the first time and speaking exciting words, it is hot. I will take this off a little. Let us speak openly.
Since entering the year 1970, the Teacher has held no other thought. Then what thought would he be holding? It is only the thought of the joint wedding. Are you people who follow the Teacher, or people who do not follow? “We are people who follow.” Do you listen well to the Teacher’s words, or not listen well? “We listen well.”
The Teacher’s head is filled full with the thought of the joint wedding; then if there be anyone among you who will not take part in that joint wedding, what relation would he have with the Teacher?
If such people would follow the Teacher, they must change from now. Otherwise, one must part. If one would not part, it means to resemble me. So it means that you too, like the Teacher, must from now on devote sincerity and pray concerning the joint wedding. Do you understand? “Yes.”
Grandfathers and grandmothers, and of course the families who have received the Blessing until now, and even their babies, whoever would follow the Teacher must hold the same mind as the Teacher.
Since the Teacher is now thinking of the Blessing whether asleep or awake, I ask that you too, from now on, devote sincerity with such a mind.
Well then, can we hold the event at the Citizens’ Hall? “We cannot.” It absolutely will not do. Jangchung Gymnasium holds about eight thousand people, and that will not do either. It means that only if one packs them in like goods, about fifteen thousand barely get in. Then where must one do it? Hyochang Park may hold about fifty or sixty thousand; would that place do? “It will not do.”
If it becomes so, a fight may break out. So if someone should be struck by a fist and die, that dead person’s mother and father would resent Teacher Moon of the Unification Church, asking why he did such a thing. Then would they congratulate the joint wedding, or not? It means they could not congratulate.
So what is the method of preventing this?
The Teacher is studying this. It means I am studying the method of making people not come. Yet it means it is made so that they cannot but come.
Let the Blessing Ceremony Be International
Then how many nations will take part here?
Seven nations will take part. It means, let us not do it trivially only among Korean people. It means, let us now do the work internationally. Is that so, or not? “It is so.” So it means, let us obtain international bridegrooms too. Young ladies, since we are doing international work it mean we should obtain international bridegrooms too? That is why it means, let us say, okay to American bridegrooms too. Do you desire that, or not?
Since there is no answer, I feel bad and cannot speak. Then what does it mean to say, Let us do worldwide work?
Now then, our men, let us speak. Let us try doing worldwide work. “Yes.” Since it is worldwide, brides from Africa too are okay, are they not? “Yes.” Do not laugh.
Even laughter, if laughed wrongly, is an insult. It means, as for such an insult, let them do it if they will.
Since the Teacher is a person who has hung out a signboard and eaten all sorts of reviling until now, and such reviling could not even follow the Teacher’s tail, such reviling is no problem. Even if I am reviled, if I wish to do it, I do it. If the Teacher does it, you too must follow and do it; what else? It means, let those who fear that run away even now, and let those who praise this work take part in it here.
So this time I will have about seven nations or more take part in the Blessing. Do you understand? Then how many foreigners shall we have take part here? Shall we have about half take part? Shall we have about two-thirds take part? Shall we have about a third take part? “A third.” Very well, let us have about a third take part.
Then to match those people, must one call them all here? What must one do? “One must call them.” If one calls them, must one have them stay here until the wedding day, or have them go back and come again? “One must have them stay. They must go and come.” Answer clearly what one must do. Why do you mumble? For one person to go to America and come back would cost about five hundred thousand won. Must one have them stay here or have them go and come? “One must have them stay.”
If one has them stay here, who must bear that expense? “The persons themselves must pay it.” The individuals themselves must pay, you say? If it becomes so, what becomes of the Teacher? Will his dignity stand, or not? They think that their having come all this way, not minding a thousand-li road, is itself owing to the Parents’ grace; what is this?
Try thinking about it with the positions reversed. You barely managed to prepare only the travel expenses from one side of a far land and, with a mind that said everything would be all right if only you went to Korea, came by airplane, staking your life. Then how would it be if you were told there was not even the expense to go to a hotel? Would you wish to return even the very next day, or not?
The Korean Members Who Must Welcome the Foreign Members
All of you, do you know how much expense went into this Asian Victory-Over-Communism Rally?
About six million won went into it. It seems like a lie, does it not? The Teacher knows well that with that much money, we who are at present in a suffering plight could eat well and live. But if one begrudges that, one cannot do a great work. Then how shall we prepare the money? One takes an adventure. The Unification Church is not a church that cannot do work lacking money. Do you understand, or not? “We understand.” Women, do you understand, or not? “We understand.” One must do work with money and must do work even without money; then what must one do? Having hung out a signboard, everyone alike must earn money. Then does it seem it will work?
The problem is not simple. To resolve such a problem, one must prepare at least several tens of millions of won. Without that, it will not do. The Teacher intends to prepare that. It must be done even at the cost of flaying the skin off your backs. Do you approve of that, or not approve? “We approve.” This is like a discourteous statement… It is like a discourteous statement, but it is not a discourteous statement. Though it is like a discourteous statement, must it be done even so, or not? “It must be done.” Is it so with the women too? “Yes.” Then if I said, Flay off your back skin, would you do it?
If I said that even by doing so I would make the Republic of Korea prosper, would you have the confidence to comply with that? “Yes.” Really? “Yes.” If so, the Teacher gains the strength to live. It means I gain courage.
So will you cooperate, or not?
The men have nothing to cooperate in there. The women must do it. Do you understand? “Yes.” Why must the women do it? Who must cook the rice for all those people? Must the men do it? Must the women do it? “The women must do it.”
So one must cook rice for them, do their much laundry, and do the cleaning, and it means all that work must be given to the women. Then must one bring worthless people and set them to it, or bring fine-looking people and set them to it? “Fine-looking people.” When the people of the world gather, there will be Americans there and Japanese, all included. Do you understand?
So it means that those whose faces are smooth, if they judge from looking in the mirror and appraising themselves that they fall on the fine-looking side among the women of the Unification Church, should each prepare a bundle. Why do you laugh? Furthermore, it means that the men who live with such wives must follow the Teacher’s command.
If the Teacher commands, they must promise to send out their wives without any complaint, whether for a month or two months, without minding. Will you do it, or not? “We will do it.” If so, the Teacher will hold confidence.
Let Us Make It a Joint Wedding That Everyone Envies
You are sitting here today saying you congratulate the Teacher’s birthday, but on such a day the Teacher goes through the measles. Yesterday too I slept after one in the morning and got up at three twenty. The day before was so too. Because the regional and district leaders did not sleep at night but went back and forth and banged the doors, how could one sleep? So I could not sleep. And yet, if it had been so this morning, that would be enough; I mean, by what harsh fate am I again sitting you down in the evening and doing this? Is such a Teacher worth sympathizing with, or not? Is he worth sympathizing with, men? “Yes.” So it will be all right even if I take your wives and set them to a little work, will it not? “Yes.” Will you support it absolutely and back it absolutely? “Yes.” Those men who say they will do so, raise your hands.
All of you, look. Medicine boiled twice has no effect. You already strained the Teacher a few hours ago and made him dregs. So must you not listen a little well to the Teacher’s words and also make a good return for it? Is that not so? “Yes.”
Now then, it means let us stage such a scene once. It means the Asian Victory-Over-Communism Rally is no problem. These seven hundred couples, this once… What is this? Once “You lifted it.” I lifted it; shall I set it down with a bang or set it down quietly? “Set it down with a bang.” What will happen if I set it down with a bang? At that bang, heaven and earth will shake.
Why will heaven and earth shake?
At that time I will without fail mobilize about five hundred thousand people. It means the Teacher can do so. A great matter has arisen, has it not? If it becomes so, how will one put it in order? Shall I say I am praying and please do not do so?
If we do it at Hyochang Park, it means let us from now on scatter about five hundred thousand leaflets a day. One scatters them coming up from the provinces. It means, let us scatter leaflets in all the far mountain hollows, everywhere the name of the Unification Church is known. If one scatters about sixty million leaflets, the whole three-thousand-li land will be furious. Would it not be so?
If one leaflet costs ten jeon, how much does it all cost?
If one does about sixty million sheets, it will cost about six million won. When one goes and looks at a gambling den, they gamble even setting out several hundred million dollars; so I mean, could Teacher Moon of the Unification Church not do that once with about six million won? It means he can do that much. So it means one needs only to publicize in advance from the far mountain hollows before matching the couples.
Then when spring comes and an old bachelor who is plowing the field while patting the ox’s rump sees that, laments about his plight will come out, saying, “You wretched old bachelor, where are you going patting the ox’s rump?” and sighs will come out too. It means all sorts of things unfold in a rush.
If some young lady saw that, she would lament, saying, “Since it is seven hundred couples, choosing one man among seven hundred men, what a splendid handsome man would she choose? It is a thing worth doing once, having been born a woman. As for me, though I go all over the village and neighborhood, there is not even one shaggy-haired bachelor; aigo, my fate! If I stay here day and night, I have no chance of marrying at all.”
Such things will unfold: the young lady going to draw water, and the old bachelor going out to plow the field, and the grandfather following behind him, all forgetting even to eat and going back and forth not knowing what to do. So if one scatters about sixty million sheets once a month over about six or seven months, will witnessing come about, or not? “It will.”
If one only does that, since these days it costs about nine hundred won in fare to go from Busan to Seoul and back, if one prepares only about two thousand won and comes up, one can sleep one night and go, so it means anyone at all will come to watch. If one told the aunties one would let them watch on a feast day, they would all pack their bundles and come up. It means even I would do so. Would you not do so?
If one would not do so, one is a person without the aptitude to go to heaven. One does not know how much like thieves are the people who say they will go to heaven. Otherwise, how would one set aside the visible nations of the world and go to the invisible heaven? It means that those who hold such a belief are religious people. Since I too am so, if you too cannot hold such a feeling, you cannot go to heaven.
If it were you, would you come up and watch the joint wedding or not?
You would come up and watch, would you not? “Yes.” So it means the matter is not ordinary.
With Fireworks as Well
Having done that, renting Jangchung Gymnasium for only one day will not do.
One must rent it for about three days. At that time I will bring our children’s dance troupe and have them dance too. The Teacher intends to prepare even that. And what else will we do? I will tell the bridegrooms and brides coming from each nation, such as England, America, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, to each carry a load. What are they to carry? It means, let each carry a load of powder for fireworks.
And so, at high places in the four directions, setting up England’s flag, if England, one sets them off with a bang, saying, “This is the firework that the bride who came from England sets off at today’s feast.” (Laughter, applause) Then who would oppose that? Would they oppose or not? “They would not.” For about three days, one sets them off with a bang, saying, “This is Germany’s,” bang bang, “This is America’s,” bang bang. And if even doing this is not enough, since we have begun anyway, it means let us go into the inner courtyard of that nation’s embassy and do it. Then would they let us do it, or not let us? It means one mounts a cannon in the embassy courtyard and fires it with a bang. Speaking of such things, a good day like today is good for dispelling anger. Though you listen the whole day long, you cannot hear such pleasant talk, can you?
On that day, will about a hundred thousand be mobilized, or not?
Then one can automatically make traffic at the Jongno crossroads be cut off. Because traffic will be cut off if our Unification Church crowds raise their hands and stand blocking the road, even busy people can do nothing about it. If several people do this in front, they will come pressing in one after another. Would it not be so? Such a thing is dangerous if one does it alone.
Now then, gathering people is no problem. Do not worry about that. It is a thing the Teacher can do even alone.
Does it seem to you it will work, or not work? “It seems it will work.” Think of a multitude of about five hundred thousand. There will be many crowds swept along by rumor who pack their bundles and come to watch.
At this Blessing I would like to march through the city, but since one cannot do it on foot, I intend to use express buses. I will do that this time. How many buses would be needed for one thousand four hundred people to ride? If forty-five ride in one, would about forty be enough? It means that, riding divided among forty buses, we can go around Seoul once. It means, when the vehicles go, let them go slowly.
If they go fast, there will be blowouts, so they must go slowly. Then what can the police do? At that time the Teacher will be at the very rear protecting you. It means such a good time has come. So is this a festivity or not? “It is a festivity.” It is a festivity, is it not? “Yes.”
The Joint Wedding Is Our Feast and My Feast
If so, whose festivity is it? “It is the festivity of the Republic of Korea.” Seen broadly, it is the festivity of the Republic of Korea; and next? “It is the festivity of the world.” It is the festivity of the world; and next? “It is the festivity of the Unification Church.” Removing the Unification Church… next it is God’s festivity. Then what feast is this feast? “It is a heavenly feast.” Who holds this heavenly feast? “The Unification Church holds it.” Since it is a feast held by the Unification Church, it is a feast we hold. Since it is a feast we hold, whose feast is it? “It is my feast.” My feast! It means let us hold my feast. “Yes!” The person who answered just now will obtain a good bride. One way or another, it is only I who am in for it. Now then, whose feast is it? “It is my feast.” It means, let grandmothers as grandmothers, aunties as aunties, uncles as uncles, bachelors as bachelors, young ladies as young ladies, students as students, and babies as babies hold my feast.
Then, since one is holding my feast, will you pay the expense of that feast, or not? Why do you laugh? Well, must you pay the feast expense, or not? “We must pay it.” Those who say they will not pay, raise your hands once. Then those who say they will pay, raise your hands. Then the problem is simple… That is why words are indeed good. That is how people like me eat and live. Also, I eat and live by becoming such a publicity worker.
Well, does strength come, or not?
Even if one pays a few thousand won, a few tens of thousands, or a few hundreds of thousands of won in expenses, even if a house flies away, if one is a man, it is worth doing about once. Is that so, or not? “It is so.” On the day one says, “Well, house, let us go to where my feast is held,” and thus sells the house for a few hundred thousand or a few million won and holds the feast… however strong that strength is, caught up in that strength even the government of the Republic of Korea flies away. Riding on what? Riding on the airwaves… It becomes so. Then even if one does not tell the KBS Central Broadcasting Station to mobilize, they are made to mobilize if they need to.
What would happen if only the person who came from Japan’s NHK broadcasting station were let into the ceremony hall and not one person from another broadcasting station were let in? Then, leaving Korea aside, if the Japanese watched and they said it was good, Korea would be disgraced. Is that not so? Because that must not be, it means I do not hold such a malicious mind. It means that if it became so, the matter would become extraordinary.
One Must Congratulate More Than for One’s Own Sons and Daughters
The content of the feast will be like that… Well then, if a feast is held in your village, do you contribute or not? “We do.” Would the master of the feast like a person who brings a contribution or a person who does not bring one? “He likes a person who brings one.” Does he like a person who comes to eat free food and drink, or a person who comes holding a contribution? “He likes a person who comes holding one.” Seeing that you answer correctly, it seems you know it well.
Then will you contribute, or not? “We will.” Then how much shall we set? Since you have said without fail that you will give money, it means let us not merely say in words that we will give but set it. Those who say they will contribute, raise your hands. I will look carefully to see who does not raise their hands. This person will not do it. Because one must establish a condition of indemnity, it will be hard, but it must be done so. The men say they are confident, and yet what is this? Raise your hands high. Let me see. Put them down.
Then, in setting the contribution, who must set it? Who holds the feast, you say? “I hold it.” Then, in holding my feast, if one sets it at ten thousand won, can one marry with that? If there be a woman who would seek to do so, what does one call such a woman? “One calls her a crazy woman.” What do you call the men? “One calls him a crazy fellow.” What is he but a thief? Coming with ten thousand won for wedding expenses and saying, “I would like to marry,” and the young lady too, “Since I have ten thousand won, I would like to marry,” would that do?
Would ten thousand won do, or not? “It would not do.” Then how much must one have? It means one must, at any rate, contribute. It means it will not do so. So it means gather the contribution from now.
If you do not bring the contribution, I will give you physical discipline (기합). Let us promise to receive physical discipline. One must give physical discipline after making a promise. Will you promise, or not?
If you do not do it, is there anything that comes to me from anywhere? What must one do to become a good father? One must suffer to death. So it means you are still better off.
Will you contribute, or not? “……” Seeing that there is no answer, this is all club material. Well, will you do it, or not? “We will.” Then the contribution must be set. How much shall we set for each? Who will set it? It means, let each set it himself. Therefore, it means preparing the contribution from now.
In preparing the contribution, if one keeps hidden deep in the wardrobe, just as they are the satin quilt and the fine-silk skirt and jacket cloth that one has prepared, saying one will obtain a daughter-in-law, that accuses one.
If there are people who have prepared, saying that for the daughter’s marriage the bridegroom’s things are such and such, and the mother-in-law’s things are such and such, and the father-in-law’s things are such and such, when they do not establish some condition beyond that, they will be accused. Why? Because this feast is the supreme festivity among festivities, in which a new history of the Republic of Korea unfolds. It means it is the supreme worldwide festivity. That is why it will not do to hold a mind that can congratulate more than for one’s own sons and daughters. Is that so, or not? Women, answer. “It is so.” Will you contribute, or not? “We will.” How much? “Two hundred thousand won.” Two hundred thousand won? From now on, let each prepare the contribution. Well, men too, will you do it or not? “We will.”
Know How to Repay Grace
Though I shed blood and sweat and married them off, these days not one person recognizes it. In the old days, in the countryside, if one made a match well once, at every season through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, when melons were in season they brought melons, and when apples were in season they brought apples, and when the new grain came they brought it and paid their respects. That is the proper way. It means that if one did not do so, one was calling for them to come and seek one out. Is that so, or not? “It is so.” Yet although I obtained for them a bride like a mooncake, they are pleased only among themselves and think of the Teacher not even as much as of some grandfather of a village dying. Is it so, or not? Instead, it means one must restore it through indemnity this time. So will you contribute, or not? “We will.”
Well then, since you have said openly and frankly that you will all contribute, it means let us settle it here and pass on. It is made so that if one does not do this, it will not do. Do you understand? “Yes.” It means that members of the Unification Church must not fail to contribute. Is it not so even in the world? Having come to a place where a great feast is held, one ought at the very least to sing and dance and rouse the spirits; it means one must not become an obstructer.
It seems you feel bad. Listening quietly to what I say, in the end it turns out money will go out. It means that if you do not do so, the Unification Church receives punishment.
So for this feast, if we invited the grandfathers I spoke of a while ago, Hyochang Stadium too would be full, and Seoul Stadium too would be full, so it means one must not carry out such an operation. It means doing it just once for about three days.
Since Jangchung Gymnasium holds ten thousand people at most, if we held the ceremony there, how many tens of thousands would gather?
If it is said the wedding is at two o’clock, they will probably crowd in from dawn and be standing in line. Tens of thousands will crowd in. At that time the Teacher will become a narrator and take the microphone and, having made them laugh a good round, will incite them, saying, “Is it good or bad? Let us contribute to this place.” Receiving a contribution seems discourteous, but it means we need only set the law ourselves. In a democratic system, it is made so that if the majority sets it, the minority complies with it. This is the principle of democracy.
So it means that if one publicizes, saying, “The people gathered here are people who even so have come forth presenting a road by which these people can live, holding innovative content of a new age; how great a glory it would be to contribute on this festive day when they receive the Blessing,” and then says, “Well, those who wish to contribute, raise your hands,” they are made to contribute. It means one can receive contributions in that way too.
And one closes the door and sells admission tickets at ten thousand won each. It means they cannot arrest us for selling admission tickets at ten thousand won each. It means ten thousand won is cheap.
Since getting in is one’s wish, if one has no money, that would be one thing, but if one has money, is ten thousand won a problem? Will you pay ten thousand won and go in, or not go in? “We will go in.” I do not know about the women, but it means that as for the men, ten out of ten, a hundred percent, all go in. Is that not so? “Yes.”
Doing this, if only ten thousand go in, since it is ten thousand won per person, it becomes a hundred million won. With a hundred million, one would have enough to repay all the expenses used here and the interest and more. All the expenses come out of there. Ha ha, they simply say it is good! But since those people have established the condition of having contributed through the admission tickets, it means we too must not send them off just so.
Then, all of you, 1970, seven hundred. So must we not also give something to them? Then is it seven won, seventy won, or seven hundred won? Is it seventy thousand won, seven hundred thousand won, seven million won, seventy million won, or seven hundred million won? Well, try answering once. This man here, how much would he do? “Seven hundred won.” What is a mere seven hundred won? Would it not be better to make it seventy won?
Even if one asked an elementary school student, he would say that for such a feast one must do well over seven hundred won.
So it means all, from children to adults, must officially do seven hundred won. Seventy won is far too little, and seven won is out of the question. That is why, though in your thinking you would say one must do well over seven thousand won, I am considering your circumstances. Shall we make it seventy-one? Seventy won is not even the price of one bowl of noodles.
Must one not treat the mother and father to at least one lunch? Since it is called a Blessing after all, if one has prepared to hold a feast, must one not treat them once to bulgogi with rice?
Since doing that for three servings would cost too much, let us leave that aside; but even so, the conclusion emerges that the automatic decision by the public opinion of the majority must be well over seven hundred won. Is that not so? “Yes.” Then it becomes the year 1970, seven hundred couples, seven hundred won. So if you have money, will you give it or not? “We will give it.” Those who say they will give, raise your hands.
Some people have not raised their hands, but the Teacher will trust that they will cooperate. You men here, will you give or not? “We will give.” Let us decide among ourselves and pass on. This is not compulsion.
The Whole World Is Automatically Mobilized
Then, in such a situation, can one fail to contribute and then say one will help somewhere? It means it will not do. So it means that, welcoming this event, all the members of our Unification Church throughout the nation must give seven hundred won. It was decided so, was it not? “Yes.”
Since the regional leaders have come here now, and the district leaders have come, and the young people have come, and all the core personnel who can make this content known in each province have come, this content the Teacher has decided will, at the fastest, within one week, all be made known to the members of the Unification Church throughout the nation.
For that contribution, it means let all give, even the aunties and grandfathers and grandmothers and children, everyone over eighteen. Then about ten million won will come out.
I earned much money, did I not? It means that, by publicizing for more than an hour, I earned ten million won. Does it feel good or bad? “It feels good.” Just from the words heard today, you will feel good.
Then shall Korea alone do it? No. Since our actual state is such, since Association president Kuboki of Japan is here, when one asks how much would be good, if Japan does seven thousand won each, several tens of millions of won come out. Do you understand? When I asked Japan’s business department head whether, if Korea made ten million won, Japan would give twenty million won, he said okay and went. That too was because the Teacher commanded it so. Even if one earns money, one cannot spend it without the Teacher’s approval.
In the end, the members of the Unification Church spread throughout the world take part even if one tells them not to take part. Why? It means they say, “Japan takes part, so why can we not take part?” If the Teacher only goes to that nation and publicizes, all of them collapse. But because I cannot go now, I publicize in this place.
Well, if it becomes so, all the various nations of the world take part in this. It means that in this way they send from abroad for the sake of the dignity of the bridegrooms and brides of their nations. If it becomes so, several tens of millions of won will be no problem. Do you understand?
If about thirty million won thus comes in, the Teacher may contribute thirty million won. I have no money, but if I were to do it, I would do it. The Teacher is thinking it would be good if it came to about a hundred million won.
Prayer for Mobilizing the World
Then what must the bridegrooms and brides do?
It means let their mothers and fathers, and even the eighth cousins of their in-laws, all come if they wish to come. Instead, since one admission ticket is seven hundred won each, it means all must buy admission tickets. And it means one says that a person who cannot sell ten admission tickets cannot attend the wedding. Then will you sell them, or not?
Then, having gathered money that way, what will we do with it? It means we will make a Three-Seven Scholarship Foundation and use it as scholarship funds. Why is that? It means they keep bearing children and bearing children like a band of beggars. It means this is frightening. I thought they would bear only a few, but it means they bear them steadily.
If only about fifteen thousand people come into Jangchung Gymnasium, about ten million won will come out. Then ten million won comes out from within our church itself, and if one adds the money coming in from other nations after that, it will be at least fifty million won.
If fifteen thousand people gather and pay seven hundred won each and come in, when is there time to give change from the calculation? It is made so that one hands over two five-hundred-won notes and is pushed in.
When would one be able to receive the change?
Without fail, it will be so. Furthermore, if there is a company president among the relatives, it means let us carry on a special donation movement with them as the object for the sake of the young people who will take responsibility and go forth for the prosperity of our humankind and the Republic of Korea. And thus, if one publicizes only a few famous people, saying, “Here, President so-and-so gave such an amount as congratulatory money for the seven-hundred-couple wedding,” it means other people cannot but do it for the sake of face. Are you laughing now because you feel good or because you feel bad? “We laugh because we feel good.”
This time it must be done this way once. It means we do such a thing hereafter for the sake of your children. It means, recall the year 1977, at the time seven years from the seven-hundred-couple Holy Wedding ceremony.
So it means that if the Teacher incites you, saying, Let us from now on devote our sincerity and fulfill our responsibility to cross over the seven-year crisis, you too come to do it.
Then this money will swell into vast funds as the days go by. Then it will become enough funds to buy up all the companies of the world and more. On the day when we deposit all this money in one bank and then withdraw it all at once, that bank too will come to be in a destiny of having to be dragged along by us. This is not a laughable story. The Teacher is making such a study.
If it becomes so, will a matter unfold in Korea or not? “It will unfold.” At the same time as such a matter unfolds in Korea, the correspondents of the press organs of all the nations of the world will all come and broadcast it live worldwide. When we previously held the 430-couple Blessing ceremony too, it meant that when the Dutch members turned on the television and danced, by the time it ended, it broke down. This time too, such a thing will happen.
Then mobilizing tens of millions of people is no problem. How many will be mobilized worldwide? Every person who is a person will come to see it. You must know that this can become one driving force that brings on heavenly fortune hereafter. Accordingly, what must you do? You must pray. Do you understand? “Yes.” And next, contribute.
Limitless Tourism Resources
What time is it now? “It is six o’clock.” It has been exactly six hours. It took six hours to hold one feast.
You will not know well how our Unification Church is now moving. You have had much hardship until now. While being chased this way and that, we have raised various movements and are now carrying on splendidly.
Now we have shouldered Korean history centering on Japan. Now in Japan our organization is connected from Hokkaido (北海島) all the way to Kyushu (九州). Because the Japanese members hold a spirit by which they can do any work if only one commands, it means we will use our organization throughout the whole of Japan to have Japanese high school students come to Korea for their graduation-commemoration school excursions.
If it absolutely will not do, we are preparing to do so through Japan’s Minister of Education. It means, let us have all the high school students of Japan come to Korea for school excursions.
To achieve that, we are now holding the Korea-Japan hunting rally. We are planning to call in the men of influence and set them all up as vanguard commanders. If this plan is realized, we will prepare an office in Korea and prepare several courses, with two hundred people at a time. It means that when they come into Korea, they all come in bringing dollars. Is that not so? It is not only by exporting goods that one earns dollars. It means that if one carries out such an operation and only two hundred at a time come and go, vast funds come in. Is that not so?
If one makes courses in all eight directions, an eastern course, a western course, and so on, one can bring even several thousand at once. Doing this, I intend to make one tourism company. Then what shall we do with them? Because they are high school students, it means the Victory-Over-Communism Federation becomes the background and gives them education. As for tourism, I intend to have them tour through the “Se-il Tourism” company. “Se-il Tourism” means “the world’s number-one tourism company” and also means “a tourism company for unifying the world.” I will make the Se-il Tourism Company in such a sense.
And so, what shall we do with these young Japanese students?
Hereafter, we must give them a new education. Japan is now in a crisis of being swept into the demon claws of communism. How shall we save a Japan placed in such a phenomenon? It means, let us bring the high school students and educate them.
When they come to Korea, we introduce Korea’s traditional culture. So we take them around and let them tour. And I intend to build a large theater in Seoul. Making a theater where about a thousand people can enter and view, we will take them there and introduce Korean culture.
We introduce what kind of nation Korea is and what Korea’s culture is like. And we introduce the fact that all of Japan’s culture, beginning with Buddhism, was transmitted through Korea, and that in the end the ancestral nation of Japanese culture is Korea. Next we introduce Korea’s customs of living, and, while explaining Korea’s time-sensitive situation now, surrounded worldwide within the communist sphere, we introduce the fact that the most important question in Korea’s going forward hereafter is the anti-communist question, and that for this the Victory-Over-Communism Federation was organized.
And thus we have them each take away one thing worth commemorating their having come to Korea, or else have them leave behind something they can boast of and go. Then what shall we have them leave? Since it is a position like a goodwill delegation, we have them, as high school students, give a stimulus to this nation and go. And in giving a stimulus, since what this nation needs most is the anti-communist movement, we have them give such a stimulus. So we make anti-communist leaflets and have them all go about Korea once and scatter them. It means we have them go about each region in this way and scatter anti-communist leaflets.
Then what happens when they thus scatter anti-communist leaflets in Korea and return to Japan? It means that going to Japan, they publicized, saying, “This time the high school students went to Korea and scattered anti-communist leaflets and carried on an anti-communist movement.” But among those students’ fathers and mothers there will be communists too. Then those parents will scold their children, saying, “Aigo, you rascal, we send you to school and you go to Korea and go about scattering anti-communist leaflets!” Then the child will say, “I feel good about it; why do you say that, Papa and Mama?” Such a matter unfolds. In this way we give an education for delivering Japan from the communist sphere.
So must we not make a road for us to live? “Yes.” If the North Korean puppet regime (북괴) invades from the south and the situation becomes urgent, where will you go? From Busan, where will you go? You will go into the Pacific. At that time, if one says to the president of Japan’s Shipbuilding Promotion Association, “Bring a ship of tens of thousands of tons,” it is made so that he brings it. At that time, only the Unification Church crowds… It means one is a fool if one does not think of that. That is why the Teacher is preparing everything. There is no need to speak of such things, but…
By doing this, both our side and money arise. In June, centering on Gwangju, I will bring about five hundred Japanese students and let them sightsee.
Even if they spend only a hundred fifty thousand won, about seventy-five million won comes in. Converted into dollars, it is three hundred thousand dollars, is it not? It means the money coming into Korea in this way is vast.
Our Wish
People of South Jeolla Province, raise your hands. If Japan will not do it, we will do it even at the cost of plowing up the world. Therefore, if we mobilize only a thousand and go out in Gwangju, South Jeolla, it means everyone from the South Jeolla governor onward cannot but be mobilized.
Next, we do it centering on Gyeongsang Province. And then what shall we do? Centering on our Principle, business units will be organized, and the whole will disperse and witness in every place and also do business. If it becomes so, after a while I will come to earn more money than anyone in Korea. At that time I will give as much as you say you wish to spend.
Knowing it so, if we gather things up according to this plan centering on the footing presently prepared, it means the foundation of our Unification Church is laid in Asia. Do you understand? “Yes.”
If it becomes so, it means that a foundation on which people can say, “Please come,” whatever airplane the Teacher rides, will be made in the not-distant future. Do you approve of that or oppose it? “We approve.” Here there are six people involved, beginning with Kuboki of Japan, and one must lay a foundation on which they can all ride airplanes as they please. It means one must be able to ride back and forth even several times a day.
So will you follow the Teacher and live as the Teacher says, or live as you please? “We will live as the Teacher says.” Then it means listen well to the Teacher’s words. You young people here, will you listen to the Teacher’s words or not? “We will listen.” Those who say they will not listen, raise your hands. Then those who say they will listen well to the Teacher’s words, raise your hands. There is nothing for it but to listen well…
Since one has been born again as a son or daughter, what can be done! Now much time has passed too; today we have well eaten the feast of the seven hundred couples. Though we have not eaten rice, you are full, are you not? “Yes.” Have you thought of rice meanwhile, or not? “We have not.” If so, it means that I spoke earnestly and interestingly well? “Yes.” I feel good too!
Well, let us sing a song of unification once. Because today I thought much of the village of Jeongju… Let us achieve unification by advancing north! Do you understand? “Yes.”
On the day when a six-hundred-thousand-strong army is armed with Unification Church thought, it will be more than enough to drive out the communists, like scooping fish out of a dried-up pond with one’s hands. Do you understand?