[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10867-S10869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO THE LATE REVEREND DR. ABRAHAM AKAKA, PASTOR EMERITUS,
KAWAIAHAO CHURCH
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of the
Reverend Dr. Abraham Akaka, my brother Abe, who passed away last month.
Brother Abe, as our family knew him, was ``kahu,'' meaning shepherd in
Hawaiian, to people of faith in Hawaii. For 28 years, he was pastor of
Kawaiahao Church, the Westminster Abbey of the Pacific, Christianity's
mother church in Hawaii. A true man of God, he dedicated his life to
serving our church and its congregation, while attending to the
spiritual needs of our people and communities across our State, and
Nation. In a life marked by numerous achievements, honors, awards, and
titles, the appellation ``kahu'' best describes Brother Abe.
He was also a beloved husband and wonderful father to his five
children, aided in his ministry by his wife Mary Lou Jeffrey Akaka. He
was a source of comfort and inspiration, a bulwark of strength, and
font of love for our family, and will be sorely missed.
Mr. President, I ask that a tribute I offered at my brother's
memorial service at Kawaiahoa Church be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Statement of Tribute by Senator Daniel K. Akaka at the Funeral Service
of the Reverend Dr. Abraham Kahikina Akaka, Kawaiahao Church, Saturday,
September 20, 1997
Aloha ke Akua!
Mama Kahu, Mary Lou, Fenner, Pua, Sally, Sandy, Jeff--the
family of Abraham Akaka. Spiritual, Community, Governmental,
Business Leaders of Hawai`i, our sister States and the World;
and friends, all who were personally touched by the ministry
of this Man of God, Rev. Dr. Abraham Kahikina Akaka.
Aloha! I rise on behalf of my family, the descendants of
Simeon, Pulu and Kahikina Akaka to give honor and pay tribute
to brother Abe. He was truly a distinguished human being who
believed deeply in God, our Lord Jesus Christ and the
``pono'' (making things right) as the destiny for mankind--
those with needs on every level of human existence. He was
the Kahu, the Shepherd to all people.
Words and time do not permit me to tell you of his untold
accomplishments. Brother
[[Page S10868]]
was a mortal being like you and me and was gifted with many
Blessings from the Lord that determined his life and mission.
He was a channel to all for God's love. He was in the right
place at the proper time and had a manner that brought about
positive changes to personal lives and our diversified
communities. He was constantly working to prescribe
understandable goals, even through metaphors, that we might
be guided to assuring a productive, useful and positive
future for all rather than a future of futility and
obsolescence. He held high hopes for the people of Hawai`i,
the people of our country and the people of our world.
As you know, Abe was born in a family whose parents
nurtured their children in the Christian faith and lived by
the Christian faith. Ma and Pa began and ended each day with
a family devotion known as ohana. We thanked God at each meal
and had to be home to auau, take a bath, when the ice house
whistle blew at 5 p.m. and shortly after dinner we retired
for the night. School and church dominated our activities.
Sunday was devoted to Sunday school at 9 a.m.; service at
10:30 a.m. Pauoa Apana service at 2 p.m.; Christian Endeavor
at 6 p.m.; evening church service at 7:30 p.m.; we were back
home at 9 p.m. We attended Pauoa School, Kawananakoa School,
McKinley High School, University of Hawai`i during the week.
As the baby in our family, I was the only one that attended
the Kamehameha Schools and served in the U.S. Army during
World War II. Though our family was young and close-knit,
brother Abe was the one that worked at developing a
beautiful body and played the ``Tarzan'' role in the
trees. He even caught, from the circular saw, flying ice
flakes in his hands to eat like shaved ice. Brother John
tells me of Abe, at Akaka Lane, falling into the taro
patch on broken glass which cut his arm badly and caused
him to bleed profusely. Brother Johnny and sister Susan
called sister Phenbe for help because they didn't know
what to do. And sister Pheobe nursed Abe through this and
many other predicaments during his young life.
Since Pa and Ma led us, our family recited our memory bible
verses, sang hymns, usually recited the 23rd Psalm in
Hawaiian, kneeled and prayed and repeated the Lord's Prayer
in Hawaiian together, at each ohana. As a result, Abe became
a talented singer and musician, along with sister Annie and
brother John. Sisters Phoebe and Susan, brother Joe and I
trailed behind them. Such was our family life with Ma and Pa,
Tutu Kahoa of Pearl City and Tutu Akaka and Tutu Hiwauli of
Pauoa.
Following the Conference of World Christian Youth in
Amsterdam, Holland, in 1939, Abe made his decision to educate
himself to serve our Lord. How did brother affect people? How
did people perceive him? He saved lives by helping people
over crucial moments of despair and anxiety by spiritual
counseling and financial assistance. He was accessible to
help the needs of all--from CEOs to workers--from the rich to
the poor--from those in their twilight years to those in the
dawn of life. He was truly the Shepherd, a man of God; a
visionary (rebel); believed and lived God first, others
second, self last; related every utterance to God; extended
and lived the Love of God (Aloha ke Akua); was a profound and
deep thinker; extremely courteous, caring and generous; went
the extra mile; good listener; had a keen sense of
understanding situations; gave you 100% of his attention even
though he was running to another appointment; prolific
writer; expressive composer; a clarity man, made things
clear; man of ``pono''; good communicator through speaking,
chatting, writing, promptness in writing and sending
postcards; grateful man; man of creative expressions in
music, oratory, prayer; believed that something new should be
blessed and started right in God's hands; very humble man;
would not let grass ``grow under his feet''; he moved to
build bridges, bring harmony to people and functions and did
not let the future lead toward obsolescence.
Do you know that (to mention a few):
He was the State Senate Chaplain in 1959 for 2 years.
His Statehood address was disseminated all over the world.
He was a UH Regent, 1961-63.
The Saturday Evening Post wrote of him as the ``Hustling
Shepherd'', Aug. '62.
He received the NAACP Award, 1964 (Civil Rights).
He was Chair of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.
He conducted a Service of Thanksgiving for the safe return
of the Apollo 13 Astronauts at Kawaiahao Church with
President and Mrs. Nixon (Aug. 19, 1970).
Preached at the White House, April 19, 1970, by invitation
from President Nixon.
He was a notable composer--Kristo ka Pohaku Kihi, 1989,
Aloha Ke Akua, 1996, and others.
He was honored by being given the prestigious privilege of
delivering the Prayer in both the U.S. House and Senate.
Excerpts from the Congressional Record:
[Congressional Record--House, Sept. 14, 1977]
Prayer by Rev. Dr. Abraham Kahikina Akaka
Ma Ka Inoa O Ka Makua, Keiki, Kauhane Hemolele--Almighty
God, under whose mercy and judgment all people rise and fall,
let Thy guiding hand be upon our beloved Nation, like a
loving carpenter's level, that President Carter, Speaker
O'Neill, Members of this House, and all who bear
responsibility for the peaceful future of our world, can be
faithful in our common stewardship of power, justice, and
aloha. As new storms gather about us and our world, help all
Americans exercise our puritanical responsibility for the
whole social order, fulfill that responsibility in our
private and public arenas, and thus give vital moral and
political direction to our Nation and the nations.
Hear O America and planet Earth, the Lord our God is one
Lord. Amen.
____
[Congressional Record--Senate, Sept. 15, 1977]
Prayer
Mr. MATSUNAGA. Our guest chaplain for today is the
undisputed religious leader of Hawaii and, to the people of
Hawaii, its social conscience, the Reverend Abraham Akaka,
pastor of the oldest church in Hawaii, Kawaiahao Church.
The Reverend Dr. Abraham K. Akaka, pastor, Kawaiahao
Church, Honolulu, Hawaii, offered the following prayer:
Let us pray.
One nation, one world under God, with liberty and justice
for all.
Almighty God, our Father, under whose mercy and judgment
all people rise or fall, let Thy guiding hand be upon our
beloved Nation like a gentle carpenter's level, that
President Carter, Vice President Mondale, the Members of this
Senate, and all who bear responsibility for the peaceful
future of our world may be clear and faithful in our common
stewardship of power, justice, and aloha.
Whenever dark clouds may gather about us and our world,
help us and all American remember our precious heritage of
faith, to exercise our puritan responsibility for the whole
social order, to fulfill that responsibility in our private
and public arenas and thus give vital moral and political
direction to our Nation and the nations.
Help us to walk with integrity in Thy righteousness that we
may fear no man or media. Let no evil have claim upon us and
our Nation. Destroy, O God what is evil. Establish what is
good. Let the beauty and glory, the prosperity and peace, joy
and aloha of the Lord our God be upon us and our Nation. For
Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Hear, O America. Hear, O planet Earth, the Lord our God is
one Lord. Amen.
____
[Congressional Record--Senate, May 9, 1991]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The prayer will be offered by the
guest chaplain; Rev. Dr. Abraham Akaka, pastor emeritus of
Kawaiahao Church, Honolulu, HI.
My brother.
Prayer
Let us pray.
God has made of many national and ethnic, political and
economic, religious and social diversities, but of one
blood--all His children to dwell on the face of one Earth.
Almighty God, our Father, as our ancient Hawaiian ancestors
found new islands of life and order, sailing their brave
voyaging canoes even in the face of deadly storms, by making
and maintaining connection with their right guiding star, so
let it be with our beloved Nation and with all peoples of our
planet.
Bless our President, our Senate, and House, all who bear
authority in government, nationally and locally, that by
following the starlight of Your truth, justice, and love, we
may help our Nation and all nations gain our right bearings
with Thee.
Let no one play games with the light of Your truth and
justice--and thus place our canoe in harm's way. Help us lead
our Nation and all nation in turning clenched fists into open
hands of friendship and family, in finding together the best
ways for sailing our common canoe surely and safely to our
promised new space island.
Let our connection with thy light turn MC2--massive
cremation squared, into CM2--creative mutuality squared, that
we and all mankind may become one winning crew-sailing our
space canoe faithfully with Thee to our New World Order.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord--Adonai Elohaynu
Adonai Echod--for the Lord our God is one Lord. Amen.
____
Recognition of the Majority Leader
Mr. Mitchell. Mr. President, I ask the Senate to pause for
a moment and note a rare and inspiring event which has just
occurred when the prayer was read by the Reverend Akaka,
brother of Senator Akaka, now the Presiding Officer, and
a Member of the U.S. Senate from Hawaii.
The people of Hawaii and the Akaka family can take
justifiable pride in the service of two sons to the people of
their State in two different but honorable ways.
The Reverend Akaka serves the spiritual needs of the people
of Hawaii. Senator Akaka serves with great distinction the
material needs of the people of Hawaii.
We are honored to have Senator Akaka as a valued and
beloved Member of this body, and we are very pleased and
honored to welcome his brother today and thank him for his
very fine prayer.
____
The Reverend Dr. Abraham Akaka, Guest Chaplain
Mr. Akaka. Mr. President, I thank the leader for his
generous remarks, and I appreciate his remarks, because our
relationship in our family is very close.
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It is indeed a signal honor and a privilege for me to be
permitted by the U.S. Senate to convene this honorable body
today as its Acting President pro tempore, and a genuine
personal pleasure to introduce my brother, the Reverend Dr.
Abraham Akaka, to give the opening prayer.
Brother Abe, as our family knows him; or ``kahu,'' meaning
``shepherd'' in Hawaiian, as many in our community in Hawaii
know him, was born in Honolulu 74 years ago. He began his
service to the Lord and our people after graduating from the
Chicago Theological Seminary of the University of Chicago,
with a bachelor of divinity degree.
He was the pastor of our Kawaiahao Church, the mother
church of Hawaii, for 28 years. With brotherly love and
family pride, I think I can fairly say that Brother Abe was
Kawaiahao Church, and Kawaiahao Church was Brother Abe. He
dedicated his life to serving our church and its parishioners
and the greater Hawaii, and forgive me for my brotherly
pride, but the church will not be the same again without him.
In 1964, he lobbied here in Washington, DC, for the Civil
Rights Act, was the first chairman of the civil rights
commission for the State of Hawaii, and sent leis that were
worn by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and his supporters in the
Selma, AL, march. He began to organize the Congress of
Hawaiian People, Friends of Kamehameha Schools, and Council
of Hawaiian Organizations. He served as regent of the
University of Hawaii.
Among the honors bestowed on my brother are honorary
doctoral degrees from the Chicago Theological Seminary of the
University of Chicago, the University of Hawaii, Illinois
Wesleyan University, the University of the Pacific in
Stockton, CA, and Salem College in West Virginia. He served
as the chaplain in our territorial senate, and subsequently,
our State senate. He gave our statehood sermon on May 13,
1959, and inspired our Hawaii State Legislature to name our
State, ``the Aloha State.'' Following Henry J. Kaiser, he
received the Hawaii Salesman of the Year in 1952.
Brother Abe has been most ably assisted in his calling by
his bride of 47 years, Mary Louise Jeffrey Akaka. They share
their love with five children and seven grandchildren.
In retirement, Kahu continues to serve through the Akaka
Foundation.
____
Letter of Condolence From President and Mrs. Clinton to Mrs. Abraham
Akaka
Dear Mrs. Akaka: Hillary and I were saddened to learn of
your husband's death, and we extend our deepest sympathy. We
hope that the love and support of your family and friends
will sustain and comfort you during this difficult time. You
are in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton.
We weep with sorrow because he will no longer talk, walk,
eat and play with us. We rejoice knowing that he is with God,
with Ma, with Pa, and with members of our family in that
Beautiful City of God in heaven--pearls, goldlined streets,
river of life. He has left each of us a legacy of his life,
his light and ministry to carry and bear here on earth. I can
hear him speak in his velvety, soft voice. John 13:34, ``A
commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as
I have loved you, that you also love one another.''
A Poem for the Memorial Service for The Rev. Abraham Akaka
Abe, you are not dead;
Christ has but set you free.
Your years of life were like a lovely song;
The last poignant notes held strong.
Then you passed into silence, and,
We who love you feel that grief
For you would surely be wrong--
You have but passed beyond
Where we can see.
For us who knew you,
Dread of life is past;
You took life in its fullest to the last.
It never lost for you it's lovely look;
You kept your commitment to God's book.
To you death came no conqueror in the end;
You merely rose to greet Christ, your friend.
--Anonymous.
His Master said unto him, ``Well done, good and faithful
servant; you have been good and faithful . . . now enter into
the joy of your Master.''
i will miss him. He was my inspiration. I will miss his
mana` and loving spirit.
Aloha ke Akua!
Mr. AKAKA. I thank the Chair very much. I yield the floor.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be able
to proceed as in morning business for up to 8 minutes.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
____________________