Sun Myung Moon
March 15, 1969
Washington, DC
Following are the contents of the letter Reverend Moon sent to the members in Korea during his second world tour
Dear Members
Over forty days have already passed since I left home and left all of you, my members. I was worried at the news of an unprecedented snowfall in Korea. I know what has been happening there through a report in a letter I received from the leader in Kangwon Province.
I hope all the church members are doing well. We are comfortable here thanks to your care. Please don't worry. Most especially, I am happy to say that Mother is well. It appears she is enduring this different life well and is learning a lot here overseas.
It is quite natural for us here in distant countries to feel happier when we received word from home. Once we receive a letter from members back home, we all become so curious about what it says. After reading it together, we all become joyful.
The letter says that in Seoul all of the members as one body are doing well with fortitude and loyalty. I would like to thank you for that. Anyway, I hope all of you will become important persons in the providence of God. It is urgent for us to carry on vigorous activity, especially at this time when a national emergency is looming. We need to do anti-Communist activities beginning this April so we must pray. Let's join together as one heart and invest with sincerity.
We will have completed about forty days in America by the time we leave via New York on the 15th of this month. And we will commence a full tour beginning with Lisbon in Portugal. I am thinking to visit each mission center and Holy Ground on by on with the aim of creating unity between each country and the will of God. We will revisit the places I visited four years ago.
Tomorrow we will find ourselves in the continent of Europe. Let me tell you something of what I have felt in America during the tour. America consists of various races as it is the United States. Consequently, America embraces many complicated problems. Also, it is such a free land that we can witness many kinds of phenomena there. I strongly feel that America needs and urgent renewal of spiritual and internal matters, and also of social and external matters.
Although it always appears to be a large, free nation, America is in agony over many problems. I feel more importantly the responsibility of God's will here in these circumstances.
Second, America appears to be making steady headway in its development. Through this blessing, we have had good experiences in the reality of the Principle. Let's make effort to both go beyond having merely a conceptual faith in God and understand the real problems of life.
Third, contrasting American and Korean members, both have relative merits and demerits. I feel that Oriental customs are conservative, but that they do not break new ground, whereas the West is open, realistic and sociable.
From this, it is possible to say that the former is internal and passive, the latter, external and positive. There is no racial discrimination among Unification Church members. They are noticeably different from other groups. I think the intimate relationship that exists among members is unprecedented in history. It truly shows we are all brothers and sisters with one heart.
I think this would be the essence of unification for every person to aim at one goal with one united heart. When we compare the American membership, comprised of several different races, with the Korean membership consisting of one race, the former seem to have very promising prospects.
In saying that, I do not mean that only the West is good. I just think the reason is that America offers its citizens an environment through which they encounter many nations and cultures, and experience much more. Therefore, I hope that the Oriental members will go abroad and keep in frequent contact with other nations in the future.
Finally, regarding the Blessing, I can see that both Korean and American members have similar stances, in that heither one approaches it seriously at first but then later become serious about it. I can also see they are making a firm stand for the will of God.
I am writing down, simply, whatever occurs to me. I think I have to leave here now and begin our next journey according to the schedule. I am enclosing our itinerary with this letter. Please take a good look at it. We will meet again sometime in May, after we complete the itinerary. You may envy me this world tour but it is actually quite strenuous and exhausting. Although every unfamiliar region makes us nervous that we will encounter many difficulties, on the other hand there are certainly good things to experience too! I hope all the members will have the opportunity to go abroad. We must realize a world centered on God's will as soon as possible.
Well, I am going to depart for Europe and then Asia. I hope all of you will stay well. May peace be with you and your families.
March 15, 1969; Washington DC, USA