The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-05-02
Bricard1C Ole F1rYt Step

smiles and tears and once more
hear her sing her iullabies. 1t
makes our hearts throb and our
voices choke as we recall the I'M
fathomable devotion of mother"
how she toiled and suffered and
the privations she endured that we
might be fed and clothed and
trained to do the part of honest
and upright citizens in the varied
activities of life.
1t is to me a source of special
pride that the city which / have
the honor to represent in the con-
gress OF the United States was
the birthplace of Mothers day.
A silver-tongued orator of Indiana
Frank e. Hering-frst coined
the sacred phrase which is now
recurrently heard around the
world. The Order of Eagles, OF
which he has long been an out
standing leader, took up the Slo-
gan; and giving expression to the
mother love that is in the hearts
Of all of us, it has striven worth
fly and accomplished a great deal
toward throwing the encircling
arms Of love and protection
around the poor and aged mothers
of the land.
A most interesting account of
the origin Of Mothers day is con-
tanned in an editorial that APP
peared in the Indianapolis Times
on February z, 1880. Mr.. Boyd
Gurley, the author Of the editori-
al, is a patriotic and brilliant
newspaper man who in 1923 was
awarded the Pulitzer gold-medal
prize in, competition with all Of
the editors of America for the
most distinguished public service
rendered by the newspaper pro-
fession during that year. The edi-
torial in the Indianapolis Times
is as follows:
A REAL ANNIVERSARY
This city has many anniversaries
which 1t celebrates in pride and
thankfulness, the birthdays of
those who served the nation and
humanity well, OF soldiers and Of
statesmen who won glory and
gratitude, of poets who wrote
songs that are immortal, authors
whose messages remain for the
ages.
Today is different sort OF an
niversary. 1t is the birthday ami
versary of an idea which became an
impulse; an impulse that became a
great movement.
On the evening Of February q,
1904, the English Opera House was
crowded. Those who assembled be-
longed to the lodge of Eagles.
The speaker was a young profess
sor from Notre Dame, notable chief
lily as being the first Protestant to
hold such a position in that uni
versity. Otto de Luse had found
him at South Bend and been inn
pressed by his oratorical charm.
He did not suspect that the event
was to make history.
1t was on that night that Frank
e. Herring, In a burst of oratory,
traced all the goodness of men to
mother love, all the advancement
of civilization to the sacrifices of
motherhood, all the hopes of the
future to the influence of mothers.
He urged that in every Eagles
lodge one day be set aside each
year in which men would remem-
Der their mothers, and in that MEM
Dry lift themselves from sordid
thought to higher planes of ac-
ton.
The idea caught and held atten-
ton. 1t was an appeal to some
thing fundamental. It tapped the
wells of all inspiration.
So 1t happened that in many
Eagles lodges, long before Moth
er's day became q national insti-
tuition. programs each year were
held to honor the mothers Of men.
The idea that found expression in
the English theater had become a
movement.
When. a few years ago. the Amer
lean War Mothers became interest
ed in tracing the origin of this ma
tional anniversary they searched
the records. Others claimed recog-
milton TO THIS nOnOT. But the war
Mothers, one of the few bodies
chartered by congress, decided that
Frank E. Herring was the real ia
Their OF Mothers Day."
Last fall they sent a committee
to his home in South Bend to pin
upon his breast their medal OF
honor, awarded to but three others,
all from military life. His is the
aoIv auard civilian
An idea once started does not die.
It grows. Out of 1t. almost as a
corollary. came the national cru
sade that has resulted in such laws
in several states, and seems fated
to become a law sooner or later in
all states.
without Mothers day, and the
sentiment 1t brings to the surface
in mems hearts, the old-age pension
movement might never have APP
peared.
From that same Mothers day
there can be predicted other move
ments that will seek to soften the
burden of sacrifice; that will re-
move the menace of heartbreak and
woe; that will rob motherhood OF