The day of origin commemorated by the Spring Grand Service is also the day of origin when Oyasama began guiding us in Her role as the everliving Oyasama. Not only did She teach us by Her spoken and written word and demonstrate the fifty-year path of the Divine Model through Her own example, but even after Her withdrawal from physical life She continues guiding us by virtue of Her eternal life. We must say that this level of thorough care for us--for which we are truly grateful--could only be possible because She is indeed the true Parent of all humankind.

The best evidence of the workings of the everliving Oyasama is the Divine Directions delivered through the Honseki's mouth. Additional evidence is furnished by the truth of the Sazuke, whereby Oyasama enters Yoboku and works through them. A Divine Direction delivered immediately after Oyasama's withdrawal stated:

Sah, there was a thing I had intended to give to My children but I was not able. I shall bestow this truth on you step by step hereafter.

Osashizu, February 18, 1887

The phrase "a thing I had intended to give" refers to the truth of the Sazuke. Why didn't Oyasama bestow the truth of the Sazuke more widely while She was physically present? This is something we ought to ponder deeply. Whatever the reason, She seems to have bestowed the truth of the Sazuke for salvation from illness only on a handful of people during Her physical life, including the four people mentioned in the following words spoken by Oyasama in December 1874:

First, I bestow the Grant of Breath to Nakata. Second, the Grant of Boiled Rice to Matsuo. Third, the Grant of Hand Dance to Tsuji, which is to be performed with an innocent heart like that of a three-year-old child. Fourth, the Grant of the Kanrodai-Teodori to Masui, which is to be performed in one accord, all firmly united.

From around the time Oyasama stopped writing the Ofudesaki, She instructed those around Her to "compile a divine record," an instruction which resulted in producing those manuscripts that later served as the basis for the Besseki lectures. By giving them that task, Oyasama sought to train Her intermediaries. Then, the final instructions She provided for the followers while physically present were to put the Service into practice and establish the conviction of single-heartedness with God in performing the Service.

These arrangements for the Service, which She was making step by step, ultimately led up to the event on January 26, just as indicated by the Ofudesaki verses I quoted a while ago. Being the exact opposite of what they had expected, that event caused the followers, who had adored Oyasama as their true Parent, to fall into a state of utter shock and despair. Oyasama, however, explained the meaning of that event through the mouth of Izo Iburi, later to become the Honseki. In addition, She declared in a reassuring manner that She would "save the world from now" (Osashizu, February 18, 1887) by bestowing the truth of the Sazuke ever more widely. Indeed, just as Her words indicated, the path spread like wildfire following Oyasama's withdrawal from physical life. I can well imagine that, for the followers, this state of affairs served as evidence to further strengthen their conviction in Her eternal life and roused them to become ever more fervent in their salvation work.

Turning to the present time, we are also endowed with the same truth of the Sazuke as in those days. Yet, if the weightiness of the Sazuke appears to differ today, despite the same truth embodied in it, the reason is, as we are taught in the Besseki lectures, that "differences arise naturally according to the way our individual mind upholds the truth of the teachings and how much weight we place on our contribution and dedication to the path." If we closely follow the truth of the teachings and contribute and dedicate our true sincerity, we can assuredly be shown the wondrous workings, now as ever before.

The same holds true with our salvation work aimed at helping people with personal problems. I believe that so long as one seeks the Parent's intention, changes one's orientation of the mind, and prays and serves with sincerity, the path will certainly open and enable one's direction of life to be changed.

Maintaining the mind to save others, let us turn our attention to those many people around us who need help. Let us take a positive stance in administering the Sazuke and conveying the truth of the teachings, thereby inviting those people onto the path that leads to true salvation.

Indeed, the Service and the Sazuke--taught as the means of the path of single-hearted salvation--are both closely related to the day of origin of the Spring Grand Service.

Last year, we devoted our energies to having all followers thoroughly embrace the intention of Instruction One. On the occasion of last year's Autumn Grand Service, I stated that the "District Lectures for Yoboku: Action and Progress" were helping us to make a new start and that the results of these lectures would depend on the way you carried out your activities as Yoboku. I also suggested that you take the "District Lectures" as an opportunity to return your thoughts once again to the point of departure for Yoboku and gain a renewed understanding of what it means to be Yoboku in order that you might start taking firm steps forward.

At the beginning of the year, moreover, I requested that those of you serving in positions responsible for providing guidance and care pursue that endeavor in all sorts of ways so that we might make the "District Lectures" truly meaningful by bringing forth the tangible fruits of these lectures, whose aim was to motivate as many Yoboku as possible to do the actual work as Yoboku. It is not sufficient merely to hold lectures. In fact, such events serve no purpose unless they lead to actual implementation of what they propose.

What was heard will be forgotten if left as it is. If you were moved by the "District Lectures," please do not forget to express that feeling of joy and elation through your actions, rather than merely keeping it to yourselves. I hope that those of you who joined together in listening to the voice of the Jiba will help and encourage one another to deepen your joy of faith and conduct activities in unity of mind so as to convince your local communities of the truth of the teachings. I want all of us to continue working with one another from all angles possible in order that the wish and actions to save others might emanate from all of us and keep on growing inasmuch as we are to serve as Yoboku for world salvation, leading our daily lives in a manner based on the teachings.

We still have a long way to go before accomplishing the salvation of all humankind. To start with, we need to increase the number of people who share in our mission. We also need more and more Yoboku who actually work as Yoboku.

This path to world salvation will only open up when each of us Yoboku makes repeated efforts to help others be saved each day, beginning with whoever is close at hand. If we sit back and watch, the path will stagnate and, far from attaining any growth or expansion, may even become buried under weeds before we are aware that this is happening. We Yoboku are entrusted with the mission of saving the people of the world, who wander aimlessly, gripped by a sense of insecurity concerning the world's unsure future, having nothing to depend upon for peace of mind. I want each of us to maintain a keen awareness of our mission and begin our work by sowing seeds of the Joyous Life in our immediate surroundings and in our communities.

I now wish to conclude my remarks today by asking all of you to continue following the path spiritedly this year. Thank you for listening.

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