The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-12-20

/ we ever keep In memory the anniver-
| sary of the birth of the last of the
| Kamehamehas, and pay honor TO the
| ge nerous donor whose lavish gifts are
used for the education of the youth of
this nation.
No authentic history or memorial of
this noble Hawaiian woman has ever
been written. She lives in deeds and
| not in wOrds-in the memory OF many
friends who knew her and remember
her.
Bernice Pauahi Paki was of noble
birth. Her parents were the high
chief Paki and the high chiefess
Konia.
Bernice Pauahi Paki was born De
cember 10, 1881, in the house called
Aikupika, which is now Arlington
Hotel. At her birth she was adopted
by Kinau, wife of Governor l<ekua-
naoa and mother of Kamehameha "
aud of Kamehameha V, and the
Princess Victoria Kamamalu. After
the birth of Princess Victoria, Bernice
went back to live with her parents.
Her school-life began at the age of
eight years. She went to the Royal
School, which was then under the
charge of Mr.. and Mrs. A. s. Cooke.
IL was school for the children of the
chiefs uf tie islands. She remained
in the Royal School until her mar
riage on JuLe 5, 1850, to Hon. G. h
General of Customs at Honolulu.
After her marriage she was prom
inent both as a religious and as a
social leader. Mrs. Bishop was mem
Der of the KaWaiahao Church and
gave literally to its support. She
was vice. president of the Strangers
Friend Society, member of the Anna
teur Musical Society and a friend and
patron of all educational institutions
Rev. J a. CTuZan preached mem
orial sermon in honor of Mrs. Bishop
October 10, 1884, from this text: "For
none OF US liveth to himself and none
dieth to himself" He spoke. most
| feelingly of Mrs. Bishops religious
| influence. "First, we see in this life
the priceless value of true womanll-
ness. The great loss which Hawaii
sustained last Thursday was not TN Il
the last of this great line of high
chiefs died, nor that the possessor of
great wealth died but that true
woman died."
That Bernice Pauahi Bishop was
such a true woman her life bears wit
ness. Refusing a crown, she 80 lived
that she was crowned. Refusing to
rule her people, she did what was bet
|
so grandly as by her example.
Aud her example was especially
marked AMI hel pful, just in the direc'
ton in which the Hawaiian race, and
especially Hawaiian women, have
greatest need of help. For tiftythree
years her royal life has borne uu5werv-
ing witness in favor of virtue and
purity. Her example in this direc-
tiOn was not mute. 1t took voice on
all proper occasion and made itself
known in all womanly ways. She
hated that which was impure with all
intense hatred. She had only lOAth
ing and contempt for that which was
coarse and low. Place, power, wealth
nor iufiuence could win her favor
or regard if it was joined with de-
graded character.
Mrs. Bishop devoted much of he
time to self-improvement and Gravel
ed extensively.
In 1866 Mr.. and Mrs. Bishop wen
to California; in 1871 they made
tour of the Eastern States, and in 1877
visited the principal cities Of Europe
Many graceful tributes have beer
paid to Mrs. Bishop. The following il
taken from newspaper of October
1884, and gives d good idea of The
place she occupied in Honolulu society
u
birth, wealth, culture and characteI
she occupied a position not only pe
culiar, tut unique. The representa-,
tive of the most powerful line of chiefs
OF the Olden time, she was also an eX
pOnent of the best type of fO-eigL
habits and mode of life. Retaining d
natural and proper pride of ancestry
and an interest in the welfare of heI
own people, she so perfectly as~imi-
lated the essential spirit of Anglo
American culture as to easily and
naturally win that high position in
the best of foreign society to which
her birth and fortune entitled her
She was thus link between the old
and the new, between the native and
the foreign, in a sense which was not
true Of any other person whatever"
On Thursday, October Is, 1854, Ms
Bishop died. At the announcement
of her death all houses of business
were closed and flags were displayed
at half mast. She was buried with all
the ceremony that became her rank.
/ For two weeks she lay in state. Her
! funeral took place November 2, 1884,
and was attended by people of every
/ rank, both native and foreign.
/ Today in the Kamehameha Schools
we are enjoying the bequest OF Mrs.
Bishop. Truly she hath done what
she could for her people. Her memory
and example will remain forever
green in the hearts and lives of Ha-
waiian youths and maidens. May it
make example for character among
Us.
And now just one last glimpse of
Mrs. Bishop as given in the Hawai-
ian Gazette of Oct. %, 1854:
"Her love for the young was great,
and it was a pretty sight, indeed to
see her surrounded by a group OF
children, to whose pleasure she was
ministering. Only five short weeks
ago can we remember her thus stand
ing on the lawn of her residence at
Waikiki. What a pretty picture 1t
was. The blue Pacific stretching to
the horizon, the tall pillars of the
cocoanut palms, the sun flecked lawu,
and this gentle woman, crowned with
wreath of white tropIc flowers,
tuberoses and plumerias, wrought by