“Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation” (Rom 15:20).
Larry wrote: “My first birth occurred in a little country house in southern Ontario, Canada. My parents, at the time, were not saved. Mother knew the gospel well, having attended a gospel hall Sunday school, but father had no exposure to the simple presentation of God’s way of salvation. As a result of gospel meetings held in the community hall of our small village, he was brought under the conviction of sin by the Spirit of God; through the words of John 3:16, he trusted Christ. My mother professed a short time later, and as a lad of five I witnessed the baptism of both parents.”
The preacher holding the gospel meetings was Mr. Thomas Touzeau, a faithful servant of God.
When Larry was nineteen, his father went to be with the Lord. He writes, “Returning home from the cemetery, ignoring the large crowd in the house, I made my way upstairs to my bedroom, burdened about my soul. That cold January afternoon I trusted Christ while reading John 5:24.” Thus commenced a life of loving God and seeking His will.
Two men who had a major impact on Larry’s spiritual life were Mr. Hector Alves and Mr. Ron Dart. He met Margaret Johnston, and after agreeing that their lives were open to the call of God, married in July 1962.
While they were serving God and teaching school, God saved a few souls and spoke to Larry and Margaret about service in full-time capacity. Thus they were commended to full-time work June 28, 1981, from the Lansing Assembly in Willowdale.
Larry moved about southern Ontario, visiting and preaching the gospel in small buildings and tents. With direction from Paul Kember, he purchased his own tent. Paul knew a reliable source for excellent tents.
As the years passed, his service for the Lord extended both east and west in Canada and in the US, especially in West Virginia, Wisconsin and Florida. He had a series with brother Peter Orasuk in Coleraine, Ireland.
Over the years he ministered with charts on the Seven Churches in Asia and the Feasts of Jehovah. He also expounded Daniel’s prophecy. But he loved to preach assembly truth.
One of his first gospel tracts was entitled Amazing Grace. This tract was reprinted several times. He was a co-founder of the Assembly Gospel and Missionary Trust Fund. His Pathway series, where he wrote several papers commencing with Salvation and moving through stages of the Christian life, was welcomed. He also submitted articles for Joel Portman’s digital magazine Truth for Today. Articles on the Feasts of Jehovah were published in recent months.
It is quite often said that God buries His workman, but His work carries on. Larry went for a walk on the evening of August 6. Upon returning home he collapsed just inside the front door. Like Enoch of old, God took him (Gen 5:24) and his life on earth ended. For Larry, he was absent from the body and present with the Lord (2Co 5:8).
The large funeral at Rexdale Gospel Hall was shared by Murray McCandless and Robert Curry. Brother McCandless gave comforting words at the graveside.
