The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-01-19
PAY TRIBUTE To MEMORY
OF THE BELOVED DEAD
Service at the German Lutheran Church
In Honor of the Late
Paul Isenberg.

though he is dead, he yet speaks. He
speaks of love and truth and justice
and piety, and his taking off has but
made our hearts more tender toward
him, and toward all mankind. He
speaks of the time when we too, must
lay down the burden of the flesh that
we may be ready to meet Him who
arose from the dead and made life
reality. Paul Isenberg is not dead. He
sleepeth We shall meet again.
The choir gave another number, and
then the pastor of the church stepped
into the pulpit and, after a short pray
err, spoke from the 21st verse of the 25th
chapter of Matthew. ION this sad oc-
casion," Mr.. Felmy said, speaking in
German, I'VE cannot but remember how
much we of this church owed to the
late Paul Isenberg. More than any
other man he gave toward the building
of this church. He loved it, and the
congregation loved him. Also we can
not but be reminded that but a few
weeks ago we were called upon sadly
to bury from this church Otto Isenberg,
a brother of this noble man who is gone.
And now we are again bereaved in the
death of the head of this family, and
the man who was one of the founders
nobility of character was marked. He
was the friend of Hawaii. the helper of
all the distressed. He was a man of
whom it may be justly hoped that the
words of st. Matthew will be fulfilled.
For his virtue was especially the vir-
tue of faithfulness. Men who are faith
full as he was faithful are the pillars
of society. He was not of the men who
consider themselves, in the beginning,
to have command. He learned, first,
tie. He used the gifts given him, how
ever small in the beginning, to the best
advantage. But he would not have
reached the commanding place that he
did if he had not been faithful over
little. His faithfulness was his
strength. 1t was not, with him, one
virtue. 1t was the crown OF his vir-
tues. 1t was associated with all the
gifts of his mind and his heart and his
soul. His tireIess willingness to work
and to hope grew from this, that he
was faithful.
He was faithful over little, but he
was not small He had a mind for the
great things of life. He did not forget
his God and his Lord. He was a pious
man and a faithful servant, and that
was the secret of his success. That
gave him the love and confidence of
friends and employees.
Paul Isenberg was not a perfect
man. But we do not ask more from the
servant than that he should be faithful
to his trust. Not to the perfect but
to the faithful the Lord gives the crown.
And even in this life he was put over
much. And to you, his family, left to
mourn him, 1 would say that there is
no reason for great sadness. Although
he is taken away from you, although
you can never again feel the clasp of
his hand in this life, and yet you will
be comforted by God and His word He
"
! faith of your people. Only be pious and
faithful, as your father was, and of you.
too, it will be said at the last, We'll
done, thou good and faithful servant -
Following the sermon of the pastor,
Mr.. COnstabel gave a solo, Mendels-
sohns BE Thou Faithful Unto Death -
and the congregation was dismissed.
Occupying the front seats of the
church, the family of the late Paul
Isenberg was represented by Senator
D. P. r. Isenberg and wife, H. Alex
ander Isenberg and wife, Mrs Otto
Isenberg and her two children, while
surrounding them were other relatives
and immediate friends, and the rep
resentatives of the leading business
houses of the city.