Our Posture On The New Year

Looking back through history, we see that the direction of God's dispensation and the orientation of those people who worked to realize it had to be united or else the dispensation suffered setbacks. The objectives of God and our posture have to be in unison; otherwise, even if we are moving, we are going in a zigzag rather than a straight line.

For example, throughout God's dispensation He has always sought the restoration of the elder son's position. He called the Israelites, centering on Jacob, but we can observe clearly that there was often a discrepancy between God's direction and the attitudes of the Israelites. A big difference existed between the standard God expected of them and their actual response to Him. The term "Israelite" denotes a victorious person, an individual who has won the victory. The Israelites, then, should be the individuals, family, and nation that have won the victory.

Victory on what level? The victory which gave the Israelites their name was only a condition on the individual level to recover the elder sonship. The elder sonship was not actually recovered at that time, but a condition was made for it to be restored in the future. Once that condition was successfully established, twenty years passed before Jacob and Esau, successfully and substantially in person, victoriously united the Abel and Cain positions.

Even after successfully establishing the right condition, Jacob went through twenty years of pain in order to actually inherit the elder sonship. He had to endure continuous hardship for that one goal. It is a firmly established formula that in order to win the victory substantially-the real victory-we have to persevere through and surmount much difficulty, environmental as well as personal.

Look at Noah. After it was revealed to him what was to happen, he had to endure hardships for 120 years, overcoming difficulties on the individual as well as the societal and environmental levels. As he persevered, enduring ridicule and uncertainty for such a long time, he really struggled to uphold his standard.

Then Abraham was called and he was no exception to this formula. Every person who won a victory had to go through suffering. Abraham surmounted many difficulties in his father's family, that of Terah the idol maker. He really had to suffer before his promised victory was later won.

Moses' situation was the same. The promise to Moses was not instantly fulfilled; the victorious position was not immediately established. After being selected and prepared for his mission, he had to endure incredible difficulty during the forty years of leading the Israelites through the wilderness.

John the Baptist was another good example of this formula. He had to surmount his environment, especially on the family level. All kinds of responsibilities were given to him and he had to live with them successfully. There was a time duration that he had to go through and apparently many difficulties, because he was not successful in fulfilling God's dispensation for him.

Jesus himself not only had to go beyond the family and environmental difficulties, but also he had to suffer through persecution and adversity on the societal and national levels. The Israelites' clear goal given by God was the world, but it was always very difficult for the Israelites to reach or maintain the standard God desired of them. They were meant to go beyond Rome and reach out to the world.

Carefully analyzing all these persons and events, we can clearly see a certain pattern of dispensational figures always having to go through difficulty. Both aspects of life are involved-the external and the internal. Their families, clans, and close relatives were the real crux of internal difficulties. The rules and regulations set up by society, such as the legal system, presented the external difficulties. The country or nation, the external entity, set up laws which were not always consistent with the direction of God. Thus, the one who was responsible to fulfill the will of God always had to cope with this discrepancy.

We can clearly identify the problems Jesus faced. He desperately needed the support of a family that could follow God's dispensation, but Jesus' family was anything but ideal. In fact, it was completely the other way around. Jesus as an individual had the tremendous handicap of being a fatherless son in Joseph's family. Because Joseph didn't trust him and his family failed him, Jesus had no choice but to take an alternative course of working with the Jewish leaders. He tried very hard to fulfill God's will in that way. On the foundation of the Jewish faith, he could then cope with the problem of the nation and leading the Israelites.

Now history has progressed to the time of the Unification Church. We have a tremendous amount of experience and information from the past for which we must be grateful. This year, we have as our goal and motto, "Unification of the Fatherland." The unification of the Fatherland is a very concrete goal, not just an abstract motto. We must think in real terms about the lessons and experiences of key figures from the past. The unification of the Fatherland refers not just to a nation but beyond to the world and even the cosmos. When our concept is elevated to that height, then we really feel the seriousness of the idea of a Fatherland.

The purpose and role of the Unification Church have been explained many times over by the True Parents. For the sake of the larger goal, the smaller goal should willingly be sacrificed. Thus, the individual has to be the sacrifice for the family, and the national goal has to supersede the family goal, and so on. This is the way we have learned and the way we have lived. To put it in simple terms, in order for an individual to become successful, he has to make the family level successful. Once that happens, the individual will already be successful. In order to establish the family goal, the national goal has to be accomplished.

The first level of difficulty is the conflict between mind and body. That struggle has to come to a successful conclusion before we can continue to a further mission or goal. Likewise, before we can advance our goal to the nation, our clan level problems have to be resolved. Before we can succeed on the clan level, the family level problems must be resolved. In other words, in order to progress, unification within the lower level must be well established. Then and only then can we advance to the next level and hope to have unification there.

What level are we talking about in this year's motto, "Unification of the Fatherland?" Is it the national level or any level lower than that? No, it is above the national level. We have to confront and completely solve the problems at the national level and make unity there before we can ever hope for the unification of the world. The world is certainly a higher level than the nation. So internally, we have to unify the nation, solve its problems and bring it into complete harmony.

When we are talking about heaven, we are talking about none other than the cosmic level. Heaven must be on the cosmic, not just the national level. First, we have to solve the problems and establish heaven on earth before we can think about heaven in the spirit world. This has always been the formula. Nothing has ever been fulfilled by abstract thinking alone. The accomplishment of heaven is such a difficult and complex process that you must follow me in every detail. We can only be successful by following very carefully and faithfully.

Always in the past, individual concerns have been in conflict with larger-level concerns. Much difficulty has resulted from this disharmony. We must not only successfully cope with our individual problems, but also reach beyond to resolve the national level difficulties. Those of us who represent the dispensation have to bring that level into harmony. This is what we are about to do.

Why is this process difficult? The standard God desires is really different from the standard of "me" or "my family." Both God and man are confronted by an environment which is also different from God's standard. The Unification Church, for example, is not limited to one race or one nationality; we are from every nation and every race. The goal of the Unification Church and its members is to go beyond racial and national boundaries. Everyone else may be content with those boundaries, but we aren't. Transcending them, however, is very difficult and requires tremendous effort.

Let us just reflect upon ourselves. Sometimes after American members have completed much good and successful work, they forget that they are working as representatives of God and as citizens of God's Kingdom Without even being conscious of it, they start thinking of themselves primarily as Americans rather than as heavenly citizens.

Are we always firmly standing on the foundation of the Principle? We may be at one moment but day after day, especially when it is difficult, somehow the standard gets eroded. We lose our heavenly perspective and start thinking like any other worldly citizen. We must be very careful in our thinking and our daily conduct to judge things and act according to the Principle. As time goes on and difficulty continues, our standard can easily get diluted and we are guided by "common sense" or the average standard rather than by the absolute standard of Principle.

When inspired, we can determine ourselves to keep God's standard. When we are really elevated and cleansed we feel, "Each move that I make is for the specific purpose of fulfilling God's will and broadening His influence," and we work with this perspective. But then one day passes, a few weeks pass, a few months and years go by and we lose such awareness. We no longer have the conscious attitude that the purpose of our life is for the sake of fulfilling God's will and expanding His influence.

Let us imagine, "If I were God, how would I do things and how would I feel?" We know that whenever God does something, He always has His goal in mind. If we were God, that is how we would be, too, not only on the individual level, but also on the family level. God would lead His own family to achieve the goal of the next highest level - the racial or clan level. Always, whatever He does, He has a clear direction. Not even for one second is the goal forgotten. No matter what level He may be working on, He is always directing the destination of that level toward the next higher level. Such progress happens only with great difficulty. After the clan level, God has to push through incredible difficulty and challenge to reach the national level. He never forgets the goal of the nation, but most importantly, He never forgets that His ultimate goal is that of the cosmic level.

Suppose there is a certain person entrusted with a special mission. Let's say he is an agent in enemy territory doing some secret work at a very high level. He has to make plans and really work carefully. He cannot jump right to the goal, but first he has to do simple things to make his foundation in his own surroundings. From there he can proceed step by step to higher levels. By the same token, although God's purpose is to restore the world, He does not move to do that overnight. He has to plan carefully for individual restoration, family affairs, the nation, and so on. But He is always consistent in His goal and never forgets it. He constantly thinks about how to reach the goal successfully. Coping with difficulties is secondary for Him, whereas by the time we have dealt with difficulties, successfully or unsuccessfully, we have usually forgotten about the goal.

How we live makes a lot of difference. When we live for the sake of the goal, we can overcome the difficulties that arise, with the help of God. Sometimes we may not be successful. In that case, we have to feel willing to die for the sake of the goal. We should not be defeated by the circumstances. We should not think, "I am surrounded by dreadful problems, and I cannot cope with them successfully. Therefore I am dying." Even though this may look like the reality, it should not be the case. We must be as God is - living and dying if necessary for nothing less than winning the goal.

The perfect example is a martyr, who gives up his own life to sustain and protect God's will and His foundation. Are all martyrs successful-are they all in Heaven? Think about this. Suppose one person is being severely persecuted to the point of death and he thinks, "I will be faithful to God so I can be lifted up later and recognized by others." If a martyr dies with that kind of self-centered attitude, he is actually a failure. But if someone in the same situation has faith and wants to give his life for the sake of humanity and the ultimate fulfillment of God's will, then he becomes a true martyr. The two situations are identical externally but very different internally.

One's internal posture or attitude makes that much difference. Even though we may be working incredibly hard, if later it turns out that we worked for the sake of everything except the ultimate fulfillment of God's will, then our work becomes almost meaningless. God looks at it this way, make no mistake about that. What about Reverend Moon? I view it that way, too.

There are many bright people here this morning, brothers and sisters who are really working hard. With God's abundant help, we know they will become successful. America really has turned toward great hope now. Then if the American brothers and sisters are proud, thinking, "I've done it," and become complacent, this is wrong. Rather, we have to start anew for the sake of the next goal-bringing the new standard to the entire world. If we don't do that, then we are really in the same position as having done nothing. This is God's view. A person may be successful up to a point, but then if he fails to immediately connect with the next level of the goal, he will be drifting away from God's main line without even knowing it.

Look at the Washington Monument condition. That was most successful, so everybody was virtually intoxicated with victory for a short time. Then I immediately proclaimed the rally in Moscow, knowing it was the next step. For more than ten years we have been preparing for that purpose. Then after Moscow, where? We move up to the cosmic level. Can you say, "As far as I'm concerned, my goal is fulfilled. Whether this world is made into heaven or hell is beyond me"? This attitude will not succeed.

After our victory in Moscow, we know that the spiritual darkness will be expelled from the whole world. After that, we must reach up to God in heaven. Do you understand? This is clearly God's goal. We must remember that no matter how hard we work or how good a result we may bring in, we have to immediately think about and connect to the ultimate purpose, rather than settle for where we are.

How many levels are we working on? We are going from the individual to the family, clan, race, nation, world, cosmos, and God. The internal and external aspects can be very simply explained as follows: In the beginning, the individual level is the internal level-it is for "me", and the next higher level, the clan, is the external level or the environment. When the clan is won and the family and clan achieve perfect unity, their union becomes the internal level and the next level-the nation-becomes the external level. When the national victory is won and the nation is unified, that becomes the internal level and the external level is the world. Do you see?

This follows one straight, horizontal line from the individual to the family, clan, race, and nation. Only after the national level sovereignty is established can we reach up to heaven, to God's domain, on the vertical line. Until this highest level is reached, there is no settlement possible for us. We have to live like Gypsies, always on the move. No matter how successful and hard-working we Moonies may be, if the government and the environment are firmly determined to come against us, then we will have to move to a different place.

If the individual has one standard, the family has another and the nation has yet another, either better or worse, that will never do. The standard has to be consistent. We can test Unification Church members on this point. Speak to brothers and sisters on the West Coast and then speak to those on the East Coast and from the South and North. If they were all one, there would be no problem. But the East has its certain flavor and the West has its own.

If America continues the way it is going, it will be a great failure as a nation. The center of this country is not stable. Look at the White House-it can sway with the wind and is inconsistent in its policies. Comparatively, the Unification Church is ideal because we are consistent, no matter where we go. Regardless of the color of your skin or your cultural background, your purpose is always the same. If you go to a foreign country, you'll be amazed at how well you can perform. When the Japanese members come here, they may not speak the language but they act and pray according to the Unification goal. We have to aim constantly toward our final or ultimate goal, no matter where we stand.

You cannot all have a different goal and direction. God and Principle cannot exist in a world like that. The situation of the Unification Church not only in America but in every country has progressed up to the level of race. Now the nation becomes the external influence, and we have to work to influence the national governments. We are on the national level not only here but everywhere.

In the original world, Adam contained everything, didn't he? The unfallen Adam was a God-centered individual, family, clan, nation and world unto himself. Now, to restore the fall of this single man, we have to proceed by levels classified as individual, family, etc., and it is a bitter fight against the satanic world each step of the way. The days of national persecution will end. How soon is not certain, but eventually this opposition will fade away.

No matter how large a country may be, it cannot behave unjustly against a small country with impunity. Look at today's diplomatic scene. If a small country is treated unfairly by a large country, then immediately the ambassador of the small country can protest to the president of the large country and the media around the world will publicize the event. The smaller the country, the more publicity it receives in order to protect it. Sovereignty is that important.

When we are on the national level, everything up to that level is part of the internal situation. We can usually cope with internal problems better than with the external ones. The world will be our external problem from now on; therefore, all levels below the world will be internal and the one above it will be external. After that, there will be no more external level. From the individual to the cosmic level, we form a horizontal line. Then God will cross this line at a sharp, vertical, ninety degree angle. Here the vertical relationship becomes possible.

Can such vertical relationship happen if nobody does anything? First, someone has to form this line. Will God do that? No, mankind must do it. Human beings fell, so they must fulfill their responsibility to stand upright before God's grace can come upon them. In other words, the left wing and the right wing-the Cain and Abel positions-must come into complete harmony and unity before we can expect the vertical line to extend all the way down and form a perfect sphere, which is the whole purpose of God's dispensation.

Where does God reside? Of course, He is right at the center. When all individuals, families, clans, races and nations are centering on God, then everybody will welcome having a point of unity. All force, all power must go through this one point or else it cannot exist. History has progressed through this formula for unity. Nothing progresses meaningfully without it, as the Cain and Abel relationship implies. It may seem complicated, but broken down simply we see that the individual self is divided between mind and body. Satan occupies the half of the self which is the body. The mind is always trying to bring the body into unity with it because without realizing unity, the horizontal line is not formed and one cannot stand straight. Unless we realize this straight horizontal line, we cannot expect the vertical line to cross.

We must know where we are now. To what point has the Unification Church come? We are working hard like we did last year or like ten years ago and it may seem just the same, but we have progressed. We are not just miscellaneous people gathered here. Instead, each and every one is legitimately representing his own country, like athletes in the Olympics. We have people who represent the big countries, like America and Russia, and those who represent the smaller ones, including Korea and Japan. They are all competing with each other to see who will be more faithful and who will bring greater result to fulfill God's will. Even though we've come successfully to the world level, this is not the end. Our work beyond the world level is to liberate hell on earth and in the spirit world. Conquering hell on earth and in the spirit world is what it means to fulfill on the cosmic level.

The individual body operates in great harmony, like an orchestra. The eyes, nose and mouth have very different functions, but they are all directed toward one goal-the well-being of the individual. We have two eyes, but one eye never looks at one thing while the other looks at something else. Instead, they work together in order to focus. Behind the eyes is an optic nerve connected to the brain, making a four position foundation. Why do we have two nostrils? Why not just have one and simplify it? It always takes two for perfection, never just one. This is a manifestation of the duality of God and of His Principle. The Cain and Abel relationship is also a duality, although it was not part of the original ideal. It exists because human beings fell and had to be restored, but it follows the same pattern as the original pattern of creation.

To prove that the individualism of a great nation like P America is wrong, look at any natural being. All exist in the pair system, all are in couples. Do you think individualism has anything to do with God? God always creates everything in twos, in pairs. Godism never includes individualism. To live for the sake of the whole is God's ideal, so individualism is actually a very foolish way. Trying to live in this God-created universe asserting individualism causes one to meet difficulty anywhere one goes. Do you understand?

We must always remember that we face both internal and external difficulty, no matter which level we live on. I have explained very clearly why difficulties arise. This understanding of the source of the difficulties and of what is external and internal can provide the power to surmount these difficulties.

Was everything in conflict while it was being created? There was no conflict. Satan's main effort has been to separate, while the main effort of God and God's people is to unite. How do we unite? We must perfect the internal standard and, centering on that standard, bring the external standard up to that level. Does history teach us any lessons about this? Yes, it is a very cruel lesson with one credo: persevere, endure, sacrifice yourself. Turn the other cheek. It works, even though it is not very sophisticated. Although it is hard, if you persevere this way, you will go over the difficulty somehow. Only through this principle can we advance very surely, steadily and quickly. There is no other way we can separate ourselves from Satan. We have heard this series more than one thousand times: from the individual level to the family, clan, etc. You can recite it in your dreams, without knowing how it really works, but it is this detailed principle that never fails.

Cain and Abel are very easy to distinguish if you have one rule, one yardstick. Let's say that between two Unification Church members, you need to decide who is in the Cain position and who is in the Abel. The one who is more dedicated to the cause and willing to sacrifice and persevere more than the other to fulfill the goal is Abel. God always finds this Abel-type person and will be on his side. He will encourage and help him to realize his own goal which is for the largest good, whereas Satan will take the other person's side and work with him.

When I went to Danbury, I immediately made up my mind, "Well, this is the way it ought to be. Traditionally and historically, Abel suffers more until God's will is done. It is not done yet, so the fact that I must suffer more is only natural." I never lamented or complained, inside or outside. I had only one thought: "How can I penetrate this hell? Once I do that, the world will be elevated to a new level." I knew this. The American people do not yet know about Reverend Moon, so they are indifferent. Once they know, they will all bow down for what he did for their country when they were not even aware of it. No person can go to God without going through Father. No one. Even in heaven, before you can go higher and higher, you must go with Father. Nobody advances ahead of him. Do you understand?

We must work for God's sovereignty, inspiring the governments to act for the sake of God and humanity. Korea's President is Chun Doo Hwan. That is a fact, but walk into Korea and ask anybody, "Who is better equipped to solve the problems and save the country, Chun Doo Hwan or Reverend Moon?" Many Koreans will say Reverend Moon. In Japan, the most powerful party is the Democratic Liberal Party, but many people will say that the VOC has a stronger influence. Then if you come here to America and ask the average American where to look for the best solution for the future, pretty soon they will say the Unification Movement, rather than any political party.

One thing is sure. The satanic world has already exhausted its possibilities. There is nothing more for it to try. America's position and Father's position-compare them now. We have surmounted all the internal problems and we are about to solve the world problems. This is where we are now. From this point along a straight line to the past includes all the days of indemnity and suffering. But from here to the future, it is the path to victory. When God anoints America's president, the struggle of the entire world will end, then and there. There will be nothing more to do, really, because God is there.

We are clearly on a different path. We are like high priests bringing offerings to God. When we bring an offering, we'd better not have the attitude, "God, I am offering this to You, so please take care of my family. Please, do what I want." Instead you should say, "As a small, humble being, I dedicate this for Your sake and for the sake of the whole of humanity." We have to dedicate our offerings like that, not with ourselves in mind. What if your family stubbornly opposed you and begged you not to go this way? Then we must push our family away and continue to think about our nation. Is what I am saying to you right or wrong?

In the business world, can you keep all your money in your pocket and expect to make a profit? No matter what sort of opportunities come along, the first thing you must do is risk your money. You have to be ready to cast away what you have and take a chance. Then the profit can come. By the same token, we must give everything we've got or else God cannot give us something great in return. Giving something small to get a large return doesn't work. It defies the rule of all things.

The Chinese character for endurance or patience includes two portions. The character on top represents a sword or knife, and below that is a character representing the mind. So even though a cutting, sharp sword is in your mind, don't budge, don't move. Don't even express the pain; pretend nothing is bothering you. That is the meaning behind "endurance." Therein lies the great difference between Oriental and Western people. For example, the Chinese have a staggering population of one billion. The Chinese have endured and endured for centuries and you know what the Chinese nature today is like. They are famous for rarely showing emotion, either good or bad.

If an American has a Chinese roommate, within three days he will have told virtually everything about himself to the Chinese. But even after ten years, the Chinese would have revealed very little to the American. Who is the most shrewd and able diplomat at the negotiating table? It is the one who doesn't speak much. The more eloquent you are, the more you give away. The champion at making the other people speak will be the winner. Chinese are very adept in this way.

Sometimes the differences are dramatic: Westerners usually dress their best at the diplomatic table, while the Chinese couldn't care less. They don't even wear fresh clothes, maybe even three-day-old clothing. They just keep sitting there day after day saying almost nothing, so the Westerners think they are dumb. But after a few days, they find out that the Chinese remember every word that was said.

By listening carefully, the Chinese make assessments: "That diplomat is no problem. I don't need to pay any attention to him." Or, "This issue I don't have to worry about, but that one I do." He doesn't reveal what he is thinking; you only realize it later. Then he focuses on two or three people at the most to work on. This method never fails. Nixon flew to China in a big plane with a grand style and a lot of beautiful words, but today looking back, nothing so much has been achieved for America. Meanwhile, the Chinese have gradually been progressing and improving.

Actually, I have some characteristics of the Chinese. I do not speak as much to my own family as I do with you. Even Mother often does not know what I am thinking. But when the time comes, I tell Mother, "This is it," and she thinks, "How in the world did Father think of that?"

Let me ask you a question, especially you American women: If a knife were stuck in your mind-would you keep quiet? No, you would probably shriek just at the thought! (Father imitates a feminine scream.) Such a person should learn a lesson from the Chinese. As Unification Church members, we must learn that deep area of human character: silence. Silence is really an expression of one's confidence and sovereignty. In other words, the sovereign people are the ones who are in complete control of themselves and who can keep silent.

When I was criticized and persecuted, I never retaliated. I didn't even respond. Instead, I kept God's goal foremost in my mind; I had no time to be bothered with anything else. We have not yet achieved our final goal. If someone persecutes or criticizes you, do you immediately respond to it and try to retaliate? Why is that necessary? You should think. "Let's talk about this twenty or thirty years from now."

After World War II, in 1945, a knife was really stuck in my mind. The world had separated Korea in two, though it had no right to do that. In essence, the United States gave one half of Korea to the satanic domain and meddled with the other half. The Korean Christians went against God instead of following His will. I was deeply hurt by this, but I didn't speak. I thought, "Let's see what happens after forty years," and for forty years I waited. I went to the hell of prison and to every difficult place conceivable, but I never said anything or expressed my feelings about my course. Today it is time to talk about this. Now, what was divided forty years ago, we are going to unite.

We have been speaking about the new year and our posture. Do you know what posture is? It is the mind's attitude. What kind of attitude should we have? We must say to anyone who is trying to bother us, "Don't distract me. I am busy doing my mission to comply with God's will." By yourself, you cannot do this kind of a mission, so you must cling very closely to Father. Even if I try to shake you loose, still you have to hang on. Otherwise I will never be able to lead you in the spirit world. I will go higher and higher and you will be left behind if you can't hold on. If we cannot do it here, certainly we cannot do it there. We learn from the Principle that returning to earth spiritually to resurrect oneself is very difficult. Because I know this, I do what I do-push you incredibly into suffering.

Unlike the past years of paying indemnity without much visible return, from now on there will not be so much payment of indemnity. Whatever we do will become our own property, so to speak. I wish all of you to realize the change of time and do your utmost best to go over this stage to the time of victory. Do you understand?

Therefore, we must have no complaints, no words, no comments. What good does it do to make comments? Two days ago, we made some big changes. I told some people, "You must go to Africa." They responded, "Which country in Africa? Why Africa? When Africa?" All that kind of thing. But why should anyone speak like that? When Father says "Africa," then you should pray, "Yes, Africa it will be." and that will be it. It is very simple.

Why so much noise about everything? You make everything so complicated. You are too talkative! It's true. We must run silently. That is all we have to do. We have a big goal ahead and much to do to reach it. If somebody says something bad against me, so what? What I must do, I must do. Be confident. Time doesn't wait for you. You must catch up with time.

Now you understand that by posture I mean attitude. Though "attitude" can be a very abstract concept, let me specifically describe what I mean. Let everything that happens around you in your daily life remind you of unification. When you pray, think, "My left hand and right hand are uniting as I pray. This is the way it ought to be. God waited for this a long time." When you look in your mirror, think, "I have two eyes and they are not wandering in different directions. They are united." When you breathe in, you can think, "My two nostrils are working in unity and I am glad. Therefore I must make unity in the world." If you walk for a long distance without falling down, say, "I am glad my feet are in unity and enjoying harmony with the rest of my body. This is why I do not fall. If my mind and God's can become harmonized, that is even better."

If we are standing and embracing the vertical center, there is only one point, not two. We must harmonize with God's will, we must harmonize the environment and we must harmonize with everybody. Sometimes we experience discord with other people, don't we? Then we must go to the person we have quarreled with and apologize. Satan will leave at that moment. Satan will follow you as long as you have a grudge or a hard feeling toward somebody. But when harmony is realized, Satan has no place to stay, so he leaves instantly.

Blessed couples, raise your hands and keep them up. Those who have never fought with their spouse, lower your hands. All of you are confessing that at one time or another you have fought against your husband or wife. I will try to be the judge now. Which side-the man's or the woman's-tends to speak more, on the average? Then the fault probably lies on that side-the woman's. That is statistical. It is no accident. Woman fell first and women are often the source of the problem. To surmount that, women need to be trained twice as hard as men; then they can survive. Also, I know this is true by my experience. More women came in the early days of the church and professed their faith to me. They promised this and that but now, many years later, I do not see those women anymore. The men did not say so much or promise as much to me, but most of them are still here. Once again, why should we speak? Be silent, remain and persevere. Do you understand my point clearly now?

You may be doing the right things, but inside you may be carrying a grudge and thinking, "Why should it be like this? Can't it be another way?" This attitude doesn't suffice. Nobody is begging you to do this. It is our work, not somebody's else's; therefore we do it. I teach you how to conduct yourselves but it is up to you to do it. There are certain things that you have to do for yourselves without complaint. Now you know clearly why we must be silent and keep going.

At the onset of the new year, it is important to remember this hard-won truth which Father has given you. Now do you know how to conduct yourselves? Then promise this to God and Father by raising your hands. God bless you.