The Children of God

By William F. Nicholson, Associated Press Writer, The Atlanta Journal

July 1, 1973, Latin America

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP)

The Jesus People have come to Latin America.

Here in this tiny Central American nation, more than 50 young North American men and women run a coffee house and training school to send disciples to other parts of Latin America. Their message is peace and love.

They belong to the Children of God—or simply COG—and claim to have established colonies in Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We love you!” several of the smiling youths told a visitor to their loft coffee house in downtown San Jose. “We really do.”

On weekends, a rock band made up of Jesus People pack in Costa Rica youths. Those who can’t squeeze in stand outside in the street and listen through open windows.

“But our main concern is training disciples in the basics of the Bible,” says Robert Robb, 22, …

Time Magazine: Religion

March 12, 1973, North America

Wes Lockwood, 20, a junior at Yale, had a dental appointment at 4pm last Jan 16. He never made it. Nor did he show up at 6pm for his job as a dishwasher at the Faculty Club. He was next seen being driven through a tollgate on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, where he cried for help and said he was being kidnapped. Police stopped the car, which also contained two white men and a black. One of the white convinced the cops that the boy was mentally ill. They then drove on to an apartment in Masontown, Pa., 40 miles south of Pittsburgh. Lockwood was held captive there for 2 ½ days.

Thirteen days later, Dan Voll, 20, a good friend and former roommate of Lockwood’s at Yale, was walking along 119th street in Manhattan when a 6-ft. 2-in., 200-lb, white man grabbed him by the arm, and a smaller black …

By M. Onieal, Syracuse New Times

March 8, 1973, North America

It’s become an almost expected part of life these days to be stopped by someone on the street asking for spare change. Many who have been down and out before will come up with a dime, remembering the time someone dug in their pocket for them. Others know the look and the old hard-luck rap all too well and have learned to walk on by without breaking their stride or silent stare.

In either case, it’s come as something of a surprise recently to be stopped by members of the religious sect known as the Children of God and told they want to give out something for free—“the Word and the Way.”

The Children of God, known to be the most radical and fastest growing part of the Jesus People Movement, established a colony in Syracuse last March and since then have been traveling throughout the city preaching their mixed …