The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-05-08
ORIGIN OF MOTHERS DAY

The great awakening OF nature,
the season of spring, with it's un-
folding Of all life from the sleep or
shelter of winter, Is again rejuven-
ating the hearts of all mankind.
1t is natural that this season
should stir us to worship the origin
of all-God, the creator of the uni
verse-and inspire In us reverence
for the mothers of the human race.
We. in our individual and finite
minds, trace our beginning to the
heart of noble being we know as
mother.
| Through infancy, youth and ma
turity 1t is mother to whom we look
for guidance, for understanding,
for encouragement. 1t Is she who
inspires us to achievements and
consoles us in our misfortunes.
Womanly intuition and insight,
more than any other agency, has
helped man over the rough and rug
ged places of life. All others may
lose faith, but mothers believe in
us with all the yearnings OF their
loving souls to the last flicker of
life.
Out of the sentiments grew the
idea of special day of the year In
recognition of mother, her love and
loyalty to her children.
The idea of Mothers Day is not
new, and its origin was religious.
For centuries the fourth Sunday in
Lent mid-Lent- has been known
In many parts of Great Britain as
"Mothering Sunday, when young
people away from home were ex-
pected to visit their parents, and
also to attend service at their par
ish church.
The gift to the mothers of past
centuries was a cake made of fine
wheat -four, called simnel cake. In
some localities simnel cake Is an
Easter dainty also. A century ago
country people in some parts Of
England always made a rich baked
batter pudding for dinner on
"Mothering Sunday evidently a
survival of the simnel cake. Years
passed, from this early time until
1918.
The credit of suggesting a day to
| be set apart as day of memory and
reverence to motherhood in Amer
ica is given to Miss Anna M. Jarvis,
of Philada In 1905 Miss Jarvis
mother died and one year after
wards-19O7-she invited q friend
to commemorate her mothers death.
At this meeting she confided to her
friend her desire to create Mothers
Day In 1908 the city of Philada.
observed the day through her in
fiuence Then several States adopted
the day as a State holiday. In May,
1918, Pennsylvania adopted Moth
ers' Day as State holiday. Then
Miss Jarvis came to Congress ask
ing for the passage of a bill to
create Mothers Day.. She was re-
ferred to Senator Thomas Helm
of Alabama. After talking the mat
ter over with Senator Hefin the
senator told her he would be glad
to render any assistance he could
in the matter, which he did by pre-
senting a resolution to congress
naming the second Sunday in May
as Mothers Day. This resolution
passed the House. Then Mr.. Shep-
pard, the senator from Texas, who
has always been on the side of the
good mothers of the country and
the homes of America, and on the
right side of every moral question,
took charge of Senator Helms
resolution when 1t reached the
Senate and it passed that body also.
President Wilson approved it, and
| the great Commoner William Jen-
nings Bryan, as Secretary of State,
proclaimed it, in 1914. The carna-
ton has been made the emblem of
the day and the motto or slogan is
ITO the best mothers that ever
lived".
The second Sunday in May has
become fixed institution in Amer
lea. On that day, under the terms
of the resolution, the flag is to be un
furled upon all public buildings Of
the land, and above the homes of
the people in America and that flag
was never used in more beautiful
and sacred cause than when flying
above that tender, gentle army, the
mothers of America. A poet has said,
beautifully:
The greatest battle that ever was
fought
Shall I tell you where and when?
On the map of the world you will
find it not;
1t was fought by the mothers Of
men.
The observance of Mothers Day
each year is well worth while, be-
cause it brings to focus these
forces of gentleness, and right liv-
ing which are rightly recognized as
the forces needed to stabilize and
save the world. If the wolves of
hate and rapine, ever hungry and
dangerous, are bowling at the doors
- hws