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The Original Meaning of Mother's Day

May 7th, 2010 | Author: Janie

Amidst the present day commercialism of Mothers Day the real meaning and reason that lies behind this day of celebration has sadly, been lost.
It was originally conceived as a one-day women's general strike to protest against the carnage of war. It began in 1870 as a cry for mothers who lost husbands and sons in the US Civil War and, as a renunciation of war, militarism and what we now call patriarchy.
Despite the unfamiliar use of the English language the essence of these profound words, written by a woman of vision to her fellow women of the day, horrified by the relentless bloodshed of their loved ones, remains as pertinent to all Mothers of today as of then.
Here is the original Mother's Day Proclamation, written in Boston by Julia Ward Howe in 1870.
Arise, then, women of this day !
Arise all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We women of one country
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.
Cont;

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, "Disarm, Disarm!"
The Sword of murder is not the balance of justice!
Blood does not wipe out dishonour.
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of home.
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women,
To wail and commemorate the dead .
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caeser,
But of God.
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions.
The great and general interests of peace .