Brother Howard Coop , Lancaster Lodge #104
The Perfect Lady
Brother Howard Coop is a frequent contributor to such Masonic publications as; THE COMMUNICATOR, THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL, and THE ROYAL ARCH MASON
Many years ago when I was living in Neon in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, I met and got to know the Reverend E. Hampton Barnette who was living in Whitesburg. Rev. Barnette was in the final years of a long and distinguished ministerial career, and I was at the beginning of my career. In a brief time, we became good friends and saw each other often. One unique characteristic of my friend impressed me deeply. When he spoke of Mrs. Barnette, his beloved companion of many years, he always called her Lady Barnette. That was his special way of paying respect to her.
While many people use “woman” and “lady” interchangeably in normal conversation, there is a significant difference in the meaning of the two words. Woman, in its simplest form, means “a female human being.” Lady, on the other hand, implies much more. A lady is a female human being “with good breeding” who possesses certain social skills and graces. Therefore, a lady is a woman of good character who is impeccably polite, refined, well mannered, and worthy of respect and honor.
Since 1914, the second Sunday in May has been designated as Mother’s Day. In words of Woodrow Wilson, the President who signed the congressional act creating the special day, Mother’s Day has been set aside “for displaying the American flag and for the public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of the country.” So, for ninety-four years, the nation has paused on the second Sunday in May to honor the mothers of the land who, in our hearts, are recognized as perfect ladies.
But in the best sense, Mother’s Day is more than a time to give mother a gift as a token of love. It is a reminder that a good mother should be recognized as the perfect lady who is worthy of love, respect, and honor not only on one special day of the year but on every other day of the year.