The Words of the Vincenz Family
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The Words of the Vincenz Family |
Children's
Day 1969, Boulogne, France
Since May, 1968, (The Student Social Revolution in France), the students have been more and more numerous in affiliating and more communism, and anarchism have become very active.
This activity appears first of all in numerous meetings and abundant publicity. The entirely new faculty walls are covered with posters, slogans, etc. The atmosphere is generally very low. The premises are dirty and untidy. The minds are superficial or excited. Many are lost and try, however, to adapt themselves.
The Church satisfies itself with meetings, discussions, expositions, services, and friendly gatherings in the outskirts of Paris.
There is great division in Christianity. Christian socialism and Christian Marxism prevails. A young Christian states, concerning the religious war in Ireland, that Jesus has come to bring the sword instead of peace. Strength, decision, and lucidity are lacking.
Still, we are certain we will conquer this university, put to sleep by too much intellectualism, too much politics, and too many "isms".
On November 12, we started at Nanterre (university campus at 8 kilometers north-west of Paris, extension of the Sorbonne, 20,000 students; There is also a Law Faculty. The buildings are very new, spacious, and modern.) Nanterre is well known in France for its revolutionary and anarchic spirit. We have given out invitations and have spoken door-to-door in the student's residences.
Good contacts have been distinguished by:
1. A search for new values and a new society curiosity
2. Intellectual knowledge of the direction of our times, toward a new age (Aquarius). There is often a lack of depth and lack of a feeling of being personally involved in one's life. Most of the students are not happy with their lives but they go along with the current while looking at the world with skepticism.
Our ways of contacting people are:
1) Three sign boards (dimensions 2.50 meters x 0.55 meters each). As they fold and are transportable, we show them in the hall of the Faculty of Nanterre as well as at the Boulevard Saint-Germaine.
One of them shows the three stages, the direction of our history towards restored harmony, from prehistory, ancient civilizations, through occidental or Christian civilization.
The second one reproduces many sketches explaining cosmic "Give and Take" and the ideal of creation.
The third one is a very compact and concentrated text explaining the "why" and the "how" of the physical and spiritual restoration of man and the Universe today. These boards are generally an excellent base for introducing the Divine Principle.
2) Invitations: we have printed 30,000. More than 20,000 have already been distributed, at Nanterre, at Dauphine (Faculty in the 16th quarter of Paris, extension of the Sorbonne for languages and economy.) and in the Latin Quarter. They strike the reader by their direct affirmation of the possibility offered man today to establish a world, 100% happy, united, and free.
3) Lecture-Discussions. At Nanterre we obtained the amphitheater for four successive Wednesdays (between 8:30 and 10:30). Twelve students came the first evening. Thirty others waited at the door, looked, and finally did not dare enter, seeing our small numbers. One good contact stayed; a young girl wanting to create a youth group in Paris. Strength is often lacking in the interested, and there are many who do not come at their arranged dates.
Electricity black-outs occurred in France because of worker strikes. For this reason, the second evening, during the scheduling of our lecture, none of the faculty had light. We came back to the center with a young girl who was waiting for us in the
The third evening, the man responsible for opening the rooms, and who had the key to the amphitheater, had left. Despite our search, we could not find him. Ten students remained there and we gave the lecture in the hall, using the available benches which were there. The blackboard was missing. Nevertheless, they all received a long introduction of the Divine Principle. The words 'God' and "Christ" were in most of their minds, but concepts tied to many prejudices (moral, church, and religious). We are still looking for the best base to bring them closer to the Truth and Life.
At 'Dauphin', we rented a room for two evenings. One good contact until now, but no follow-up as of yet.
At the room rented at the Quaker center in the Latin Quarter, many contacts have taken place, which have had much results. Students from all the faculties and in particular the Sorbonne are invited. The Sorbonne, since last September, has adopted a very strict discipline. Last year, signs and meetings of all sorts had invaded the inner courtyard. Today it is clean and neat. Despite our request, we could not receive permission to use the amphitheater, as the year before. We can, nevertheless, distribute our invitations at its doors.
4) Posters: Genie could use the silk-screening equipment at the American Center. We printed 100 posters, reproducing only our symbol; (Diameter: 40 cm). We covered the entire side of a wall at the entrance hall way of Nanterre with 48 symbols. The next morning, all the students that had courses on that day were very impressed by this show of force. The questions were deeper, the atmosphere had changed greatly toward the positive. Officially, all the groups have the right to put posters on all the walls in the hallways of the faculty. Another evening, we posted the rest of the symbols against the window panes of the university restaurant that you could see from very far away. The next morning, we distributed invitations in the restaurant hall, in the midst of communist group yelling and selling newspapers, Christian group called "Operation Mobilization" who were singing, and students hurrying to go eat.
We will continue to wake up the youth who desire the advent of a new society. In the center of Paris, a true poster-war is prevalent, in particular at the Boulevard Saint-Germaine and Saint Michel. In the midst of this confusion, our symbol, our boards, our invitations and our lectures become more and more important.
The communism in France is divided into numerous branches. Its adherents are orators, but not men of action.
Their common base: to be against the existing political regime.
We pray, every day, Our Father, to prepare and guide the pioneers wanting to work night and day to establish his kingdom in this country.
Reiner Vincenz