The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-05-10
THE OBSERVANCE OF MOTHERS
DAY
by Anna Jarvis,
Mothers Day Founder

MOTHERS DAY is a personal
family and memorial day. 1t is a
celebration for sons and daughters
1t is a thank-offering of them and
the nation for the blessings of good
homes. 1t is ALIENATION in its appeal
1t has a living interest for persons
of every land, class and creed that
revere motherhood. When l thought
of the daily work that countless
millions of mothers are performing
every day, quietly, unobtrusively,
unheralded, felt that a day set
apart in their honor would be the
most inspiring and expressive rec
ognition that could be afforded them.
Groups of celebrants in fifty coun-
tries encircling the globe will unite
for celebration that will. be in the
true Mothers spirit without CONNER
cialism. Mothers Day is not ceie-
bration of maudlin sentiment. 1t is
one of practical benefit and patriot
ism, emphasizing the home as the
highest inspiration of our individual
lives
A Memorial and Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving for the loved ones
still living and cherished memorials
for the departed, together with its
established ceremonies, have kept
Mothers Day revered and exalted.
No person is too busy to render
personal kindly act or send a per-
sonal message to Mother. Mothers
Day messages and other remem-
ORANGES sent in a spirit of gratitude
or honor are always a strong feature
of the day. People in hospitals and
institutions, prisoners, service men
of the Army and Navy, and thous-
ands of others in all kinds of places
will send out Mothers Day mess
ages Don't send a mere postcard or
telegram. Go home, if your presence
will not mean added work for tired
hands. At least, write a long and
loving letter.
Gratitude-NOt Charity
Charity does not feature Mothers
Day The giving on this day is all in
| the name of gratitude or the true
recognition of merit. The debt that
sons and daughters owe to their
homes or relatives is one to be paid
only through gratitude on Mothers
Day. The giving of remembrances
is urged to be direct from giver to
beneficiary, so that it may carry with
it the personal, kindly spirit which
it is supposed to convey.
The Mothers Day Emblem
The white carnation is the Moth
er's Day emblem. The carnation is
called 1.-The divine flower" Its beauty
and features make it supreme to
symbolic motherhood.
It's whiteness symbolizes the truth
and purity of mother-love. Its green
calyx is symbolic of everything love
of mother, it's wide field of growth
of the charity of her love, its frag-
rance of the incense of a mothers
prayers, its lasting qualities of the
fidelity of mothers love. The carna-
ton does not drop it's petals but
hugs them to it's heart as it dies,
and so, too, mothers hug their chill
dren to their hearts, their mother
love never dying.
The two main enemies of the car
nation are the red spider and the
rust or brown discoloration on it's
leaves at times. The rust typifies
''the rust of neglect" of our busy
and often thoughtless lives which
forget the love of our homes and
mothers. The red spider eats out the
heart of the flower just as the red
demon of rum eats out the heart of
countless mothers.
The First Mother OF Mothers Day
The carnation is flower of CEN
turtles of history. 1t is honored in
art and in many ways. 1t had its in
ception as the Mothers Day floral
emblem, as / selected it from among
the flowers cultivated by the mother
of Mothers Day, Mrs. Anna M.
Reeves Jarvis. It was always her
custom to give flower of remem-
brance to visitors in her home. The
slogan of the day is I'm honor of the
best mother who ever lived"-the
mother of your heart.