George Franklin Richards, Jr. (1883-1975) and his wife Emily Sophia Tanner accompanied his father, apostle George. F. Richards, Sr. when the elder Richards served as European Mission president from 1916 to 1919. George, Jr., wrote this rhapsody for the Millennial Star in 1918; it is destined to hold a very special place in Keepa’s collection of essays about the purposes and roles in life of the Latter-day Saint woman.

Let me know if you make it past the first paragraph.

Her Influence.

Woman! Thy virtues make of thee a cherished flower. A rose bud, face upturned in joyous spring, in quest of light and sun, unfolds its petals proud; soon reaches fullest bloom. Rich is its beauty. By its fragrance, too, the flower is known. Woman, pure and true, such thou art; for greater beauty there is none. Therewith and by thy fragrance charmeth thou thy husband, sons, and daughters every hour.

There is no one who questions the power that a noble woman wields in the world. Unfortunate is the man whose life has not been influenced by the refining power of a gentle woman. The child whose mother has been snatched from him, as it were, while in infancy or youth and who has thereafter been buffeted about by those less near and dear of kin or by this cold and cruel world, most assuredly deserves the sympathy of those whom Providence has more highly favored. Where is the trust that equals motherhood? Is there a calling or an appointment in this life that carries such great responsibilities?

It would be cowardly to attempt to minimize the importance of woman’s mission and the far-reaching benefit to civilization of her life and various activities. On the other hand, the world is quick with its praise of her. She may be called the fountain of life; she is its guiding star. Point out, if you can. an institution of learning or of training that affords anything like the. opportunity for moral and social betterment that the home does if love abounds therein, and all the activities of childhood and youth are made wholesome by the influence of one who is. in its truest sense, what God intended that man’s helpmate should be. It does not exist.

In its relation to the sum of excellence of humanity, the family as a unit of civilization may be likened unto one of the innumerable stars in the firmament, that are of diversified size and brilliancy. Its light, whether very bright or seen but faintly by the natural eyes, or even though it be invisible through the lenses of a powerful telescope, contributes its portion to the wonderful lighting system of the heavens. So the family’s influence radiates upon humanity, and the “firmament” of mankind may thereby be brilliantly illuminated in exquisitely-blended shades or be dimly lighted or even left in utter darkness, depending upon the character of its family-unit illuminants.

Of this unit of humanity, mother is the centre. To her children, she is the best as well as the most loved being in the world. She is their light and example; and her influence will be evidenced in them as a contribution to the total worth of mankind. As Nature’s songsters pour out with unbridled throats their melodies, not knowing whose ear may catch the strains or whose troubled heart may thus be comforted, but bursting with joy themselves and seemingly anxious to make all living creatures more joyous, so the family with its lustrous “centre” should not only be the embodiment of cheerfulness and helpfulness but it should diffuse both “light” and ” warmth,” in order that the other sprouting plants of progress — children of God – within the radius of its influence may be assisted to maturity.

Children are obviously not responsible for the conditions under which they are born. They are entitled, however, to honorable parentage and to wholesome environment, especially during their tender years. A. wiser Hand than man’s appoints the spirits to their various earthly homes. It is humanity’s mission to nurture them. If it be conceded that a child’s surroundings and experiences have more to do with what he may become or achieve than does heredity (and I believe that the best authorities uphold this theory), the responsibilities of marriage and parenthood should not be assumed unless first there be at least a moral resolve to provide whatever may be essential to the comfort, education, and moral and spiritual advancement of the children who may be born, and the general betterment of mankind. This resolve should not be weakened by time or adversity. Could a higher motive inspire the hearts and ambitions of men and women? Each may answer for himself. In this connection, we may consistently point to the fact that there is One who rules on high, a loving Father, whose great plan of redemption is to provide for His spirit children these very opportunities for development. He seeks the spiritual, moral, and physical welfare of His children, and would have all men emulate His example and desires in these respects.

While a mother’s influence for the improvement of the children under her care is, practically, unlimited – hers being a more intimate association with them than is the father’s – to the same extent she may, through ignorance, carelessness, or indifference, foster tendencies that, if not uprooted in time, will undermine their successful careers. She need not hope to gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles; but if grape vines are planted, properly cultivated and pruned, she may expect in time to see the winepress running over; or. if she be a grower of figs, she shall not want for the fruit of her toil.

The realization of one’s fondest ambition is attained only through thoughtful planning and determined marshaling of resources to the accomplishment of details. There may be those who think details of little importance, but someone of distinction has said that trifles make perfection and that perfection is no trifle. I believe that no truer statement was ever uttered.

A child’s development is certainly an aggregation of details, of trifles, that tend toward perfection or its opposite. If the family “light” is to gladden and profit humanity, its contributing units must each be the embodiment or representative, at least, of chastity, honesty, charity, bodily cleanliness and thrift; and the individual must have faith in himself, in the one whose example he may be emulating, in mankind generally, and in some supreme power. Let the child’s exemplar not fail, under any circumstances, in making plain to her charge that there is nothing so priceless as virtue, and that upon its preservation depends everything that is praiseworthy and desirable.

Let her thoughts and words be clean and pure, and let actions speak even louder than her words of counsel. Let her be as conscientiously honest with herself, her husband, her children, and all those with whom she deals as she could consistently feel to exact from others. She should never lack the qualities that beget love, for those attributes are the source of the powerful influence she may wield upon those within the radius of her activities. Her gentle nature should afford a haven of comfort, of rest and security to every member of her family. Her daily tasks should be planned and methodically carried out.

This is especially true in so far as they relate to her own personal hygiene and appearance, to the like needs of her children and the preservation of healthful and pleasing” conditions in the house that is the family’s abode. Our exemplar – mother – cannot hope to engender the same love and respect in the hearts of her husband and children, the same esteem of the world, and be the power for mortal uplift while she gives herself up to slovenliness of person and home and to habitual neglect of her children that she could if the reverse condition were prevalent with respect to family and home.

It is a mother’s right to be loved and respected by all. At the same time, her own discretionary power leads her to acts that either win or repel both. Only such conditions as a true, gentle woman would tolerate should be permitted in her home. The rose cannot advantageously display its beauty and emit its fragrance if coated with a layer of clay. If permitted needlessly to remain untidy, a little child suffers an injustice to which it should never be subjected. It requires an atmosphere of cleanliness and wholesomeness in order properly to come to fullest bloom. The child’s spirit is clean and pure. God, who gave to it its tabernacle in mortality, has so declared; and who of His creatures can consistently permit the rosy cheeks and the wonderful little body to become and remain besmirched? There is a saying that cleanliness is next to godliness. It may be said further and with equal truth that there can be no godliness without cleanliness. Therefore, if a mother has fallen short in her example in this respect, let her repent, and begin to court in earnest the respect and affection she cherishes, deserves, and should enjoy.

Let her practice frugality in her home. The work! demands, too, that her children learn how to work and to save as well as to be somebody. An abiding faith in God. supported by constant and earnest prayer, will court the presence of the Spirit of the Lord, which should sanctify her every thought, act. and purpose, and even the house in which she and the other family members dwell. A mother cannot hope to attain the greatest success by her influence in making each member of her little circle contributive to the family-unit illuminant that is to make mankind brilliant unless she is able to exercise the fullest power of a mother’s love with the divine approval and assistance of the Lord.

Mothers, wield your God-given influence in accordance with all that is virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy. You may not yet know your possibilities of accomplishment. Do permit that Being before whom all men must bow the knee, to point your way, to define your course, to magnify you as the exemplar of mankind. Woman, be the most beautiful and fragrant ”flower” in all the world; bless and build humanity. Mother, charm your husband, sons, and daughters every hour.