In 1872 Bishop Jens Lauritz Arup also appointed him as bell-ringer of the Penitentiary, effectively its head teacher, but he was succeeded by theologian Sønke Sønnichsen after a year.

He was chairman of the Norwegian Santal Mission (1887–1907), in succession to Oscar Nissen, and founded and edited the journal Santalen.

He was married in his first marriage to Augusta Thoresen, a daughter of the timber merchant Hans Thoresen, and in his second marriage to the women's rights pioneer Anna Henriette Wegner, a daughter of the industrialist Benjamin Wegner and the early women's rights pioneer and co-owner of Berenberg Bank Henriette Seyler.

He attended Drammen Latin School, where he was one of the first known members of the literary fraternity Silentium,[1] and graduated with the examen artium university entrance exam in 1857.

During his time as headmaster, the school became the first in Norway to offer examen artium, the university entrance exam, for women.

Nissen's Girls' School was also the first institution—ahead of the University—to provide tertiary education for women in Norway, through its affiliated teachers college, headed by Pauss.

Together with Hartvig Lassen, he edited the reading book series Læsebog i Modersmaalet (from 1884), which became one of the most widely used in Norway over a period of around 80 years.

[4] Bernhard Pauss was chairman of the Norwegian Santal Mission, a humanitarian and missionary organisation that was active among the Santhal people of India, from 1887 to 1907, in succession to Oscar Nissen.

[5] After his death, his wife Henriette Pauss succeeded him as editor of the journal and board member of the Norwegian Santal Mission.

His second wife was a goddaughter of Countess Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg, Prime Minister Nicolai Johan Lohmann Krog, President of the Parliament Søren Anton Wilhelm Sørenssen, banker Johannes Thomassen Heftye, Prime Minister Frederik Stang, the King's aide-de-camp Hans Christian Rosen, Marie Schjøtt and Henriette Benedicte Løvenskiold.