“MOTHERING SUNDAY”

Evening Star, Issue 18640, 22 May 1924, Page 9

“MOTHERING SUNDAY”

AN OLD-TIME FESTIVAL IN THE PROVINCES. In many parfs of England to-day, and especially in the West, the villages and ancient boroughs will bo full of strangers, and the parish churches thronged with unwonted faces (savs a writer in the London 'Observer' of March 30). For this is "Mothering Sunday," and sons and daughters have for centuries made a special effort to visit the old people and the old homo on, at amy rate, this one day in the year. Nor do they come empty handed, for thoy bring with them presents of all kinds, and, in particular, have al-. ways given, and still 'give, the pride of place to the " mothering caW which in many districts is still known as " Simnel." The scenes of their youth arc prepared for them. When the family proceeds in some ceremony to church almost every grave in the churchyard will bo found decorated with the golden daffodil and the purple violet. The first lesson of the morning service will tell them in moving plirase of the feast given in Egypt %y Joseph to his brethren;. the Gospel of the day will relate the miraculous feeding of the 5,000; nor is it mere chance that in the Epistle they will bo reminded that Jerusalem is the mother of us all. It is no small thing that so simple and beautiful a custom, full of family history and ecclesiastical memorials, as this " Refreshment " or "Mothering" Sunday should still be remembered with such wide observance.