The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-11
Church Services
Throughout Nation To
Glorify Occasion !.
FLOWERS HELP TO
SHOW REVERENCE
Beginning Of Mothers
Day Observance Was
Religious Event

MotnerS Lay anu wear AfOWeE an
their honor.
Birmingham people will take part In
this observance along with the other
sections Of the country, and indications
are that the day will be, marked BY 4
greater number of Mothers Day mes
sages and gifts of flowers than for
many years past. ) Local florists re-
port that the demand has been almost
as heavy as at Easter, the heaviest
flower season of the year, and those
4 who manufacture and sell little cards
Of sentiment, expressing in d few lines
of verse, the mother sentiment, are
authority for the statement that Bir-
mingham sons and daughters are not
unmindful of the meaning Of the day
and the opportunity it affords to pay
honor where honor is most dnes
Practically every church in Bir.
mingham win hold special Mothers
Day services. In some chufches, the
entire program OF worship win be al
tered to fit the occasion, in others the
pastors viii devote their sermons to the
meaning Of the day. IN still others,
there win be special Mothers Day
music. But all who attend services
will have impressed upon them the sig
nificance Of the day,
Carnation Is Emblen,
Ever since Mothers Day came to be
observed in Sunday schools and
churches, the carnation haa been re-
Egarded as the unofficial flower Of the
| day, but there. is now a trend toward
the use Of other flowers Birmingham
florists say this trend Is more notice
ably this year than ever before. Car
nations still hold the place of honor
and popularity, but many people are
showing preference for roses, peonies,
snapdragons, gladiolas and sweet peas.
For week or more the windows of
book stores and novelty shops have
been the harbingers Of Mothers Day,
with their hundreds Of cards, express
/ ing this sentiment. Those who can will
spend the day with their mothers. but
/ thousands of others, whose business
makes it impossible. for them to do SO,
send these greeting cards to take their
places. The telegraph companies also
have issued booklets containing APP
propriate Mothers Day sentiments for
| the benefit Of those who do not know
how to put into words the message they
wish to send.
Some people seem to think that
Mothers Day is observed by sons ex-
ciusively," said Birmingham florist q
day or two ago. sbut this is not true.
There is great deal Of sentiment be-
tween a mother and daughter; and
4 while the pictures, expressing the spirit
of Mothers Day usually represent
mother and son only, it is surprising
how many girls working in Birming-
ham have ordered flowers to be, sent
home. 1t is true, however, that most
of our Mothers Day orders still come
from boys and men"
Beginning Religious
! Mothers Day might be termed one
of the youngest Of our days of ma
tional observance. It's beginning was
purely religious. The originator Of
the idea was Miss Anna Jarvis of Vir.
ginia, who was asked by the superin-
tendent of Sunday school in which
her mother had been a leading spirit,
to arrange special program in her
memory. The question then arose I:
Why not make this an annual obser-
vance, shared in by the whole nation
The second Sunday in May has been
unofficially observed for many years,
but it was not until May, 1924, that .
resolution was passed by Congress and
approved by President Wilson, desig-
mating Mothers Day as national in
stitution, +
Miss Jarvis, now president of thu
Mothers Day Interna tional association,
expressed the true spirit Of its obser-
vance just about year ago, when she
sent out a Mothers Day message that
was printed in newspapers and maya
zines throughout the country. She had
been told that curtain Florists had
taken advantage of the great demand
for flowers on that day and were seek.
ling to exploit a holy sentiment for pri-
waite gain.
Observe Mothers Day in spirit, not
in mere ostentation," her message read.
do some little service that will mark
you as a dutiful and thoughtful son or
daughter. That Is the way to observe
lit. There is only one thing really i'm
portant on this day Of days. That il
to remember mother"
Constructive Movement
Mothers Day is not a celebration
of maudlin sentiment" her message
continued, but constructive move
ment seeking greater protection Of
mothers, children and the home. II
gives emphasis to the fact that the home
Is the fountain head Of the nation and
good homes our greatest national bless
ing. 1t has been the fbrerunner Of
/ mothers pensions, the maternity act
and the many other things which, in
fcommunity and nation, are blessing
Lives that need care and protection"
Tin setting apart a special day to b
known as Mothers Day we do homage
to one whose silent strength is the ma
tons surest source of justice, free
dom and truth" wrote the then Gov
ernor Charles Henderson in his pro.
clamation of the first Mothers Day,
to be observed officially in Alabama
"American mothers are, the finest
products of our civilization and as such
are the beacon lights of the world
i We can have no greater patriots in Ala.
bama than those strong men and wom'
en- who remember, in love and affection
the noble virtues of their mothers and
determine to protect and cherish them
with courage and devotion. We can
have no safer guarantee for future
prosperity and happiness than to teach
j the children of our state that our homsl
are the genuine citadels OF our liberties
Il and that the unselfish love of mother
hool is the browning glory of human
achievement"
Hundreds OF Birmingham people will
attend church services Sunday who
have not attended for many months, be-
cause it is Mothers Day, and thousands
\ surrounded at Other times by unsenti
mental things like stocks and bonds
and business engagements andsthe prob,
liens Of earning a livelihood, will carry
flowers to their mothers grave and
wear them to show that they have alb
laofbed Nhe deem sentiment of day In
which mother love may be glorified.