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Reverend Moon Asks Scientists To Conference

By Gay Seidman

The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, head of the Unification Church, has invited at least one Harvard scientist to a conference he will sponsor next fall on the "Unity of Science."

Carroll M. Williams, Bussey Professor of Biology, said yesterday his invitation named "a whole string of dignitaries," including Nobel Laureates and other well-known scientists, as Moon's co-sponsors.

Williams said, however, that he does not plan to attend the conference, which is subtitled a "Search for Absolute Values and Harmony Among Scientists."

Several spokesmen for Moon's organization who declined to give their names said yesterday the conference will be held Thanksgiving weekend in Washington, but said they could not give details about the planned meeting.

Moon's church, an apparently growing religious-political network active across the United States, has frequently used scholars to attract audiences to their meetings.

Edwin O. Reischauer, University Professor, spoke last summer to a group of 120 Japanese students whose tour was apparently organized by a Unification Church branch.

Reischauer was unavailable last night for comment, but he said last summer he was not worried about who sponsored the student group.

The primary doctrine of the Moon organization, which held rallies in 1974 to oppose the impeachment of former President Nixon, is that Moon is a prophet of Christ and that the second coming of the Messiah--whom the Church hints is Moon himself--is imminent.

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