Day of Hope Tour Welcomed in Atlanta, GA

Living up to its reputation as the South’s most forward- looking city, Atlanta, Georgia, welcomed the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and the young evangelists of the One World Crusade with true “Southern hospitality.”

Despite the setback of no kick-off banquet such as was held in the other Day of Hope cities (Reverend Moon did not have enough time between the talks at Tampa and Atlanta to speak at a banquet), Atlanta Unification Church members were able to bring the New Hope message to the attention of all of Atlanta’s citizens. One World Crusade Commander Jack Hart and State Representative Leslie Elliot led the campaign, ably assisted by two International One World Crusade teams. As an indication of their success, they received not one but two proclamations of “The Day of Hope and Unification”- one from Sam Massei, mayor of Atlanta, and the other from Jimmy Mike Leone discusses security Carter, governor of Georgia. Both declarations mentioned arrangements with guards Reverend Moon by name, which is very exceptional for such a declaration.

Soon after the Atlanta members began their preparations, they received assistance from members of the International One World Crusade Teams directed by French leader Mr. Reiner Vincenz, and German leader Mr. Paul Werner. Eventually, close to 500 members from all over the United States and many foreign countries gathered in Atlanta. The number was swelled by numerous state representatives and One World Crusade commanders from all over the country who came to Atlanta to participate in the national conference that followed the talks.

All these people were housed at the Plaza East Motel, three floors of which were rented for the occasion. With so many people from so many different areas, the task of coordinating the talks, the conference, and accommodations, there was a real possibility of chaos. But the mobile office, operating out of their Winnebago mobile office, kept everything well in hand. All was accomplished with heavenly smoothness and cooperation.

Kevin McCarthy, One World Crusade commander for North Carolina, had made friends with Dr. Joe Kennedy, a former Methodist evangelist and now a clinical psychologist. Dr. Kennedy helped in many vital areas, meeting important people, arranging the declarations, negotiating with the motel, and other things.

International Song Fest

Kicking off their publicity drive, the Atlanta members staged an “International Song Fest” (rally) on November 2 in Central City Park, a very advantageous location. This was the first time a religious group had ever been allowed to demonstrate in the park. The rally received good coverage from two television stations, nearly five minutes on the evening news, and a very positive write-up in the Atlanta Journal.

In another unprecedented move, the members were granted permission to distribute invitations to the talks to all the rooms at the Regency Hyatt House, where the talks were to take place. Also, Dr. Kennedy arranged a meeting at a prayer breakfast held every month by 400 members of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International.

The Rev. Steve Land, chairman, witnessed for the Day of Hope meetings and handed out tickets.

Letters were sent out to 100 business leaders, 150 political leaders, 200 educators, 35 spiritual groups, and 500 churches. To follow up the letters, members visited educators and faculty of all universities in the area, all foreign consulates, city and county level judges, and state officials in the State Capitol.

In response to a letter from Jack Hart, Georgia Senator Herman Talmadge sent back a very friendly letter, saying that he had heard of the great work that Reverend Moon was doing, but because Congress was in session at that time he wouldn’t be able to attend the talks.

Extensive media coverage

To attract media coverage for the Day of Hope, girls were assigned to go to all television and radio stations and to the newspaper offices. Their basic method was to constantly stay in touch with the representatives of the press and to keep pushing until they got the results they needed.

One girl gave out flowers, another brought some new information or a leaflet each day. All girls used press packets containing information about Reverend Moon and the Unification Church. These were liked by the media people who found them very helpful, and used them extensively in their reporting. Later on, Glenda Moody, founder and coach of the D.C. Striders Track Club, visited many media people in the sports division and was very valuable in publicizing Reverend Moon’s talks. She told how Reverend Moon had inspired her to create the D.C. Striders. She obtained a ten-minute interview on the “Good Morning, Atlanta” television show, as well as interviews lasting as long as 40 minutes on eight different radio stations in the area.

The Atlanta Constitution, the Atlanta Daily World, the Atlanta Journal, and the Creative Loafer (an entertainment-guide magazine) gave extensive coverage of the talks. All gave a positive account of Reverend Moon and his message.

Ministers show interest. Judy Grant, Leslie Elliot, and Glenda Moody visited the Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr., father of the famed civil rights leader, who is the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Reverend King was very warm and positive in greeting the girls. ~e told them that he would let his congregation know about the coming talks and invited them to his Sunday service.

About Reverend King’s service, Miss Elliot reported, “We felt the church to be high spirited, with a lot of smiling by the choir. It was an informal sermon, more like fatherly advice from Reverend King. I feel that Reverend King has a big heart, that he cares about people, especially his people. He did mention at length Reverend Moon’s talks and urged his congregation to go hear this ‘world-famous preacher.’ He said he did not have any hang-ups about what denomination Reverend Moon was from.” The girls also visited Rev. Ralph Abernathy, famous head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He said he would help the D.C. Striders in whatever way he could, even helping with banks and finances. He took 100 tickets for his congregation.

The speeches were held in the largest room of the Regency Hyatt House, the world-renowned hotel in Atlanta which features such architectural innovations as a tall open court rising through the middle of the building, with glass elevators rising toward a revolving restaurant on top. The newspapers reported that more than 1,000 people showed up for the first night. At every talk, additional chairs had to be brought in, and on the last night the room was so crowded that members in the audience had to give their seats to guests and sit in the aisles.

National conference

The morning after the third talk, the church leaders· gathered in the reception room of the Unity Church near the Plaza East Motel for the national conference. Reverend Moon began the proceedings by giving a talk on leadership. He said that a leader is the central figure in a group, like the trunk of a tree, which provides nourishment and stability to the branches. He said that a leader must be a good listener and hear everything going on around him, make sound judgments, and not be prejudiced in one direction or another. The leader does not live for himself, but for the sake of those under him, and his true authority does not come from himself but from his followers. A leader’s authority derives from the love and respect given to him by his followers, therefore, a leader must feel responsible for those under him, and win their love and respect by demonstrating true love and concern from them, and always show unity between his words and his actions.

A leader is the channel between his followers and God; when he forgets that role, then he ceases to lead effectively. He said that a leader must go to the front line in every endeavor, and have his followers feel a sense of indebtedness to him. A leader must encourage and nourish his followers, not chastise them. “Point out ten things that a person has done right before criticizing the one thing he has done wrong,” he said. A leader should always pray and consult God before every decision.

Like a tree that receives light and air from the leaves and physical elements from the roots, a leader receives spiritual food from heaven (the leaves) and vitality and strength from his followers (the roots). He gave much other valuable advice on leadership, culled from his own rich experiences.

Sun Myung Moon Christian Crusade

Then he systematically outlined a new strategy, emphasizing personal contact and community involvement for the centers. Each member would be charged with the responsibility for 30 or so houses, and strive to serve and become well known and liked by the people in that neighborhood. He urged the formation of chapters of the Collegiate Association of Research of Principles {CARP) on university campuses. Also he announced the formation of a new evangelistic enterprise called “The Sun Myung Moon Christian Crusade,” to be led by Mr. Bo Hi Pak. Beginning in 1974, the crusade will feature singing by a choral group, dancing by “Big Angels” (adult Korean dancers similar to the “Little Angels” children’s dance troupe), and sermons by Mr. Pak.

Finally, he urged all the American members to strengthen their prayer life by praying morning, noon, and night. He said that members must experience a true life of faith, living constantly in the presence of God and always receiving spiritual guidance. He said that every individual must have a positive self-image, realizing that each one is a child of God and center of harmony in the universe; therefore, each member

should think positively, and live each day with gratitude and appreciation, even in the face of severe hardships and difficulty. Finally, members must pray for the whole world, not just for themselves. “You are all children of God who are going out to save the whole world,” he said.

When Reverend Moon had concluded his talk around noontime, the conference participants departed for the Atlanta Hellenic Center, where a delicious fried chicken banquet for 500 had been laid out. With members from all over the United States and the world gathered together, a truly joyous fellowship was shared by all, as old acquaintances met again and new ones were made. Entertainment was provided by members of each nation presenting samples of their native music. This included a typically German “oompah-pah-ing brass band hurriedly put together by the German members (one wondered where they dug up the instruments), and choral selections by the Austrian, Dutch, French, English, Japanese, and American members.

After everyone was comfortably full, Reverend Moon spoke briefly on “Where are we bound?” He began by saying, “You all were born in every corner of the world. You never dreamed you would be all together like this.” He said that the Day of Hope campaign is now marching across the great North American continent, like a snowball, picking up speed and momentum as it rolls downhill. “We are the only such group in the world,” he said. “Setting up a new tradition is not an easy task…

Only by investing our whole being can we build up prosperity and happiness.” He went on to say that the members from all over the world now working in America are being trained for a world-wide mission, and one day will go to every corner of the earth. Soon we won’t have to cultivate the media; people will come to us by themselves… By gathering people from all over the world, we can influence people’s hearts,” he declared. “You say you are willing to dash forward; but if I push you harder, you will wrap up your belongings and go?” he asked.

“NO!” came the loud reply. “You must think of yourselves as in a tug-o’war,” he said. “The 220 million people of the U.S. are on one end of the rope, and we few thousand on the other. Do you think we can move them over to God’s side?” “YES!” the listeners responded. “Then some people (sacrificial people) must be the rope. We need a strong rope which won’t break.”

After a closing prayer, pocket New Testaments were distributed as a gift for all present. Reverend Moon had to leave to catch his plane for meetings in Korea and Japan, and the conference resumed and continued on into the night, working out details of how to advance the restoration of America to God.