Father's Day First Celebrated

11
0
0
0
0
3
14shares

June 19, 1910

First Father's Day observance

Father's Day in America arose as a response of one Christian effort to another Christian effort. Early in the twentieth century, Anna Jarvis, with the help of fellow evangelical Christian, John Wanamaker, initiated Mother's Day in response to the Christian life and service of Anna's mother, Ann Jarvis.

Influenced by the raise of Mother's Day, Sonora Smart Dodd initiated the first attempts to formally establish a day to recognize the importance of fathers in the life of the family. This first observance occurred in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910 at a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). Dodd's father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised six children in Spokane. After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909, Dodd told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday to honor them. She proposed that it be observed on June 5, her father's birthday, but pastors were unable to prepare for the occasion with limited opportunity, so the celebration was deferred until the third Sunday of June. Father's Day Celebrated

The road to official recognition of Father's Day in America was long. In 1913, a bill to accord the day national recognition was introduced, and in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson traveled to Spokane to speak and wanted to officially recognize the day, but Congress feared it would merely become commercialized. President Coolidge feel short of issuing a national proclamation to nationally recognize the day in 1924. In 1957, Maine Senator, Margaret Chase Smith, chastised Congress for ignoring fathers for forty years while at the same time was willing to recognize mothers. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation to recognize Father's Day, designating the third Sunday in June for its observance. Finally, in 1972, President Richard M. Nixon signed a bill from Congress establishing the third Sunday in June a date for the perpetual observance of Father's Day.

To navigate to the complete form of this article, please click this box.

Celebrating Our Christian Heritage!

We are a user supported non-profit organization. Your small gift is tax-deductible and will go a long way to help us meet our operating budget — and it is vital, because
America deserves to know its true heritage.
Please contribute today!

Click to donate

Atonement: Suffering in the Place of Another

The doctrine of one suffering in the place of another for the forgiveness of sin (vicarious atonement) is one, generally speaking, that has been dismissed from the mind of the American Christian and remains a matter of ridicule for the secularist. Throughout the twentieth century, a sustained attack was waged against the teaching of the Bible concerning the doctrine of how one is permitted into a right relationship with God—known as the doctrine of atonement. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, there exists little appetite for ChristiRead more...

Remembering the Apostle Philip

In the Western Church, the lives of the Apostles Philip and James "The Less" are the first to be remembered in the calendar year. The Apostle Philip was born in Bethsaida (John 1:44; 12:21) of Galilee and was instrumental in the call of Nathanael (or Bartholomew) to become a disciple of Jesus. At the time of his call to follow Christ, Philip belonged to a group who had been influenced by the ministry of John the Baptist. Together with Andrew and other fellow-townsmen, Philip had journeyed to Bethany to listen to the teachings of John the BapRead more...

Atheist Responsible for Shootings

One's beliefs necessarily determine one's behavior. Benjamin Franklin clearly understood this fact when he told Thomas Paine that atheism and agnosticism leads only to social anarchy: "If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it."[1] Paine, who consulted Franklin concerning political matters, had requested Franklin to review his Age of Reason before it was published. Franklin understood that left to determine his own morality, man only and always falls into personal and collective anarchy. Examples of this fact may Read more...

George Washington and the Bible

As a son of Virginia, George Washington was raised as an Anglican when Anglicanism was the state church of Virginia. Washington was raised in a Christian home,[1] received a Christian education,[2] was faithful in church attendance and worship of God,[3] respected the Sabbath principle by not working on Sunday,[4] was faithful in the habit of prayer,[5] financially supported his pastor,[6] signed the first Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation stating ". . . it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to Read more...

Remembering the Apostle James "The Younger"

James (or rather Jacobus, the Greek form of Jacob) son of Alphaeus was chosen one of the twelve apostles (Mark 3:8; Matthew 10:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). James, whose mother’s name was Mary (Matthew 26:56), was known as James the Less or Younger (Mark 15:40), either because he was younger than James, son of Zebedee or because he occupied a less conspicuous place among the twelve (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). Significant debate has been raised as to whether this James is the Lord’s brother mentioned by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 1:19), but the titlRead more...

Welcome to Christian Heritage Fellowship. Our site exists for the purpose of supporting the spiritual and practical life and thought of Christians and their leaders in reclaiming, advocating, and celebrating America's Christian Heritage. Suggestions for Christian observances may be accessed through the gallery of images above or at our "Christian Living" page. To contact us or learn more about us, please click our "About Us" page.

In the column to the right, some of the subjects which are of greatest concern to us at Christian Heritage Fellowship are categorized under the "Article Listings" section. It should be noted that not all of our articles are classified here.

Below are listed seasonal articles of interest to believers who understand that living for Christ is a continual, not occasional, privilege. These articles are designed to elevate Christians' appreciation for their faith and deepen their love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not since the end of the American Revolution when so many pastors and lay church leaders had given their lives to birth America have Christians in this nation been under such withering and persistent attack. Christian Heritage Fellowship exists for the purpose of identifying and celebrating the glorious heritage of the Christian Church in America and around the world.