The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-04-14
By ANNA BLAND.

BY ANNA BLAND.
Washington.-Thes second Sunday IN
May will be observed as mothers day
in most cities and many towns
throughout the United States. and, IN
honor of American mothers, both liv-
ing and dead, public exercises will be
held in churches and Sunday schools.
Since the days when word symbols
were first invented there have been
written beautiful tributes to the sa'
cred love of the mother, and this ten
derest Cf all earthly ties has been eX-
tolled in exquisite verse and prose by
world famous poets as well as the
humblest bards of every land and eV'
cry cline. Many of the sarcophaguses
of ancient Egypt, which scientists
have recently unearthed, contained
tablets, or other records, which were
inscribed with praises for the mother
ly virtues Of the women of the royal
houses of those olden days; and these
tombs were built long before the time
of Christ. But not until recently,
however, was the loyalty and devo-
ton of the mother given public recog-
milton by special observance held in
her honor.
Mothers flower-do you know what
it is? The spicy, snow-white carna-
ton. 1t was chosen by the origlna-
tor of-mother's day as the emblem of
mother love.
Originated by Miss Jarvis.
But my own mothers flower" some
may say, was the pink" or "the lilac
or "the rose That may be true, for
mothers nave a way of loving best these
dear, old-fashioned blossoms; but Miss
Jarvis, who originated the observance
of mothers day, no doubt had in mind
these differences of taste when she
chose as an emblem for the occasion
the white carnation for, surely. this
beautiful, fragrant flower combines ev-
cry lovely quality of all the flowers
ever loved by mothers the wide world
over! 1t symbolizes purity, sweet
ness and endurance-and are not
these the qualities of a mothers love?
Miss Anna Jarvis, who first thought
of inaugurating special observance
to honor the mothers Of the land. is
Philadelphia woman, one who has
long been identified with philanthroplc
movements of her home state. 1t was
while honorng the memory of her
own beloved parent from whom she
had long been parted by death, that
she conceived the idea of setting aside
one day every year for the purpose OF
paying tribute to the mothers of Amer
lea.
There is an old custom observed In
England, on the 18th of March, whose
purpose is to honor the mothers OF the
land, which is called "mothering
Sunday. On this day some special act
of love or Kindness is performed. In
olden times the day was made glad
homecoming occasion, and gifts were
carried to the mothers, and heart.to-
heart talks INDUCED in around the
blazing log fires by parents, sons and
daughters. "Mothering" Sunday may,
or may not have been Miss Jarvis
inspiration when inaugurating our own
mothers day; the customs, however,
embody the same beautiful senti-
ments AS soon as Miss Jarvis made
known her plan she received letters
from interested people from all parts
of the country, inquiring for particu-
lars. It was only a short time before
mothers day was being observed, in
some form, in nearly every state in
the union.
Association Takes Up Work.
In the beginning all the expense OF
the movement was borne by the orig
inator, but soon the work became too
heavy to be carried on or financed
by an individual. The Mothers Day
International association was formed
with Miss Jarvis as president, the OBJ
ject being to promote the observance
and forward the work of mothers day
in every land.
A resolution passed the United
States house of representatives and
senate in May, 1913, commencing the
observance by the president, his cabl'
net and other heads of government de-
partments. The honorary vice presl-
dents of the association are the gov
ernors Of the states.
The legislatures of a number OF
states have passed bills for the OBJ
servance of the day.
1t seems a pity that mothers day
does not occur during old home week,
or Homecoming week, as it is called
in some localities where an annual pill
grimage is made to the old hsse by
the wanderers from the hon Fold.
One naturally thinks of the YER
haired mother as being the ce. OF
these glad gathering Of the ella 1t
is mother" who first greets th psf
sheep and welcomes him home Nth
tears of Joy; and it is her brave smile
and words Of cheer that speed him on
his way when good-bys must be said.
One day set aside in special reverence
Of mother, in the season of home
coming, would seem particularly ap-
propriate, whether she is still in the
old home, or is quietly sleeping where
the goldenrod mods in the little bury
ing ground on the hill.
History teens with inspiring Incl
dents illustrating the wonderful sacri-
fee of mother love. The records Of
the Mayflower show that of the eight
cen wives and mothers confined in
the ships cabin, fourteen died within
few months after the landing at Ply