The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-13
'AlL RICHMOND HON0RS
| THE MOTHERS OF MEN
Churches Generally Observe !Annivcr'
sary Out OF Respect to Those Who
Thus Have Served Humanity.
FLORISTS ARE KEPT BUSY
Rev. Samuel l.. Dun,yillc Gives Special
Sermon at Decatur-Strect Church.
Arraigns Women Who Wiifully
Avoids Maternity.

Mothers day was generally OBJ
yesterday. florists wagons were un-
usually busy yesterday morning de-
l4Nering iiowerA TO women whose sons,
whether at horne or absent in COM
c1ercfal life or. engaged in the SER
vice of the nation. elected thus to
show on the anniversary their love
and respect. The. telegraph companies.
too. carried an extraordinary num-
Der Of lengthy messages addressed to
mothers of men
Among the special occasions 10
mark the day was the morning ser
vice at the Decatur Street Methodist
church. where the pastor. Rev. Sam
uel l.. Dumville, preached from the
text: "A worthy woman who shall
And? For her price is far above ru-
bies." He said In part:
The word woman, especially when
the word mother is associated con-
veys the most sacred thoughts.
am reminded OF the poet who said:
% You talk about a woman's sphere
AS though 1t had a limit.
There's not place, so I've been told
That's worth a feathers weight OF
gold
Without woman in it
a good a worthy virtuous
woman is next to God, Himself. You
show me q mans mother and I can
come very near telling you what kind
of a man he Is. 4 woman can be an
example for the highest good or low
est evil. An angel or a devil Thank
God, as rule women live on a
higher plan morally than men
hope the time will soon come when
society will demand the same stand :
ard of morals for the man as for the
woman.
Our homes are on the level with
our women. What they are. our home ;
will be. What our homes are will de-
tern,ine what our towns. cities states.
and nation will be. Women and es-
recially mothers hold the. destiny OF
the nation in their hands.
Many a man is handica pped for
life because OF the woman he Sc
/ lected for his wife. Just as many a
woman has made q hell for herself
by marrying the wrong man; hut
worse that either OF these Is the child
that has the. wrong kind of mother
thrust upon him. Many young man
has been given the wrong idea of
Christianity because OF the inconsis-
tent living OF his parents his mother
or father. On the other hand a man
owes all hts success in life to his
mother. Sometimes VIE wonder at
such characters as Wesley and others,
hut when we remember what mothers
such men had the reason for their
, being is explained. Every man who
has a true woman for a wife or
mother can testify that at times whom
he was about 10 give UP, the 'encour-
agement OF such a woman beca me a
spur. an antidote to his tagging
spirits. II is indeed the hand that
rocks the cradle that rules the world.
As some one has said: You talk
about the man behind the gun. what
about the woman behind the man be-
hind the gun
by Joaquin Miller. The Mothers OF
men" One verse follows:
1.-THE bravest battle tina, ever was
Shall l tell you where. and when ?
On the maps Of the world you will
find 1t not
Twas fought by the mothers OF
men"
The pastor continued:
..Just a word to mothers. wives,
sweethearts. and sisters, in fact all
OF you who have loved ones over
tneFe,s 81 loSeu oneS WHO arc Soins
soon. Cheer them UP. No matter
how much you may suffer. never lot
them see you weep. Tell them good :
by with a smile. even II the smile
covers an almost hReakinx heart.
Write them cheerful letters. Keep
your home troubles and worries 10
yourselves. Nothing will keep the
morale OF the men up better than to
know that the women OF their hearts
are proud Of them and are backing
them with all they have.