In Memory of Leo Stancliff
My brother and I had many good and wonderful memories of the time when we first met Leo Stancliff on the Island of Guam in 1978, where he and his fellow worker, Larry Taylor, were having Bible Studies on the college campus lawn for the college students, teachers, faculities, or anyone who wanted to stop by and listen in.Leo was very kind, compassionate, and a loving person in many special ways. We could ask him any questions in the Bible and he was always ready to answer it with gladness. He loved and enjoyed trying out different ways, or methods so he could share the Gospel of Christ to anyone who has a seeking heart for the Savior. Leo was a very approachable person, he made us feel not to be afraid to come to him for anything.We're very grateful for Leo's unique style of ministry. Thanks, uncle Leo for everything you have done for the sake of our Lord God Jesus Christ, our Savior. Your sacrifices and loving kindness are much appreciated by many.Minh and Nathan's testimonies how, when and where we met Leo Stancliff. http://www.homestead.com/prosites-hsprosites-hobarker/expentecostal.htmlSincerely,
Minh and Nathan Barker
Dear folks:
I am sending this out to some of you and if there are corrections or things that you would like to change please let me know. I have to give special thanks to David Goss and our daughter Shannon in editing and Miriam Murray and Mel Denio in sending some suggestions and if there are any other things to add or change please feel free to let me know. Yours Through His Mercy, JackHistory #6…Edited Sunday Jan. 6, 2008 at 10:30 MST
Early History of the Gospel in Bakersfield
In order to give a history of the Lord’s work in the early days here in Bakersfield, I am going to try and set down a few things I remember. Also, as you read this, please feel free to contact me to offer corrections and additions to this history. Obviously, I wasn’t around in the early days so what I present here is what I remember my folks and family sharing, including my brother Leo. Others who shared memories with me include our Uncle Arthur Stancliff, Hugh Denio, and Jim Bone. Also, having had the privilege of spending a year with Uncle Willie Jamieson while I was in the work, he shared a few facts as well. Ervin Weir was with George Walker and William Ervin when they came to America in September of 1903 and Ervin Weir came out here to California and contacted Clyde Brownlee in Long Beach in 1904. Clyde was the father of Harry Brownlee who later went in the work in 1934. Clyde tried to help Ervin with the gospel work but Ervin himself was confused on some points and the gospel really got started in earnest when Willie Jamieson came to California. Jim Bone remembered it as Sept. 1905 but Uncle Willie recalled it as 1906. Uncle Willie and Ervin Weir had their first mission together, according to Jim Bone, in September 1905 in San Luis Obispo and that was where Bert and Retta Waite heard the gospel and professed. Their home was the first open home in California. They were the parents of Eva who later married Jim Bone.In November of 1905, according to Jim Bone’s account, the workers moved to Paso Robles and set up a tent on the northeast corner of Thirteenth and Spring St. It was there that the Hills, McPhails, Weibes and others professed and on Christmas day 25 were baptized. While the tent was still up, they used it to hold the first convention in California and perhaps in America.Two people from the Bakersfield area made their start in those days. One was Benjie Denio. She was the wife of John Denio, the oldest of the original Denio boys. John professed when Gladys Porteous and Hazel Pierce and Isabel Boyd had meetings in a portable hall on Truman and Birdie Denio’s place in 1951, forty five years after Benjie. The other person from Bakersfield to profess at Paso Robles was Jake Compher. Jake was the father of Pauline Denio and grandfather of Justin Denio. Justin married Florence Middleton and they had the meeting in the home where my folks went before I went in the work. The other children of Bill & Pauline Denio are Bernice Severson, Evelyn Huddle and Mel and Jim Denio. Jake had a difficult life because his wife was opposed to the Lord’s way and made Jake sleep in the chicken coop at times. Jake would frequently go up to Balance Rock in the mountains to a cabin my folks had and would find a little peace there. After the convention in Paso Robles, Willie Jamieson, Jim Martin, Elizabeth Jamieson and Esther Hanson went to Oregon. Irvine Weir, Walter Slater, Eddie Weir and Bessie Dunkin then came to the Bakersfield area. As chance would have it, one day while the sisters, Edie Weir and Bessie Dunkin were walking down the road, they met grandma Bone, Jim and John Bone’s mother. She invited them to come and stay with them. Eddie and Bessie did so and had a mission in which only grandma Bone professed in. Later the Bones had the four workers in their home and at that time Mr. Bone was very friendly but later he became very opposed to the truth. For a time, the Sunday meeting would alternate. During one of the meetings in the Bone home, Lela Denio, a daughter-in-law of grandpa and grandma Denio, professed. Lela was a sister-in-law to Benjie and Bertie Denio. Lela was holding Sproulie in her arms as a baby when she stood up. This would have been about late 1909 or early 1910 because Sproulie was born in 1909. Lela went on faithfully by herself for the next 9 or 10 years until her husband Hugh professed in either late 1919 or early 1920. Lela would harness the team up and take the children to the meetings and convention by her self during the years before Hugh professed. Sproulie went in the work in 1931 and he and Don Garland were the first to take the gospel to Korea.
Sproulie’s brother Truman went in the work in 1933, the same year as my brother Leo. Truman went to the Philippines in the late 1940’s and their sister Lena went in the work about 1935. Carl Denio went in the work about 1937. Their son Ken, along with Ken’s wife Ann, lived on the old Bakersfield convention grounds for many years.After Lela Denio professed, gospel meetings were held in the Fruitvale and Rosedale area. It was there that grandma Denio and Daisy Stewart professed as well as Mary Brown. Later a Sunday morning meeting was established in the Brown home because they didn’t have transportation to go elsewhere. There was a convention in 1909 on the Jim Hill place which was right across the river from the McPhail place. After this convention, Bessie Dunkin and Florence Langworthy came to Bakersfield and got the Sunday meetings started, alternating between the Brown’s home on the southwest corner of 6th and N Streets and the Bone home.The first convention for the Bakersfield folks was in Filmore and the girls had gospel meetings in the Norris School and it was there that grandpa Jim Denio professed. That school house is preserved in Pioneer Village (Kern Museum) as a replica of the old country school. Jim Bone was the first of the Bone boys to profess in 1909 and later John professed.Jim and Eva had four children. Their daughter, Mabel Bone married Roy Slater. Their oldest son, David, married Kay Hill and David was later killed in a plane accident. Jim and Eva also had another son, Bernard. In addition, they had a daughter, Mary, who married Milne Stearns who has the convention grounds at Buttonwillow. Mary and Milne’s daughter Barbara has been in the work in Eastern Europe. Jim and Eva had the convention grounds at Gilroy for many years and were people who possessed a wonderful spirit. Jim’s brother, John Bone married Eva Hill and they later moved onto the Parma convention grounds after the Fishers moved off the place. Later, their son Lloyd and his wife Esther bought the Parma convention grounds from Jim and Eva. We met with John and Eva in Tulelake, California for union meetings at the time my folks had a cattle ranch in Alturas, California from 1948-1951.I might put in here a little concerning Jack Carroll and Willie Jamieson as they were so instrumental in their influence in the truth through those early years. Jack first came to America in May of 1904 and spent the early years in the eastern part of the country. I am not sure what year he first came to California but perhaps 1910 or maybe even before. Jack upheld the standard of Christ as well as any worker that I have ever been in contact with and he had great respect for Paul and his ministry and a lot of the time when he would speak it would be concerning Paul and his epistles. He was a very humble man but also a great leader. There came the time in the early 1920’s that he and Willie felt the need of some one to go to the Orient and it seems that it was a very wise decision to have Willie who was a great pioneer go first to China in the early 1920’s and Jack stayed here with the oversight of the work on the West Coast. Willie went through many dangerous experiences with his companions in China including hiding in a barrel when in danger of death and the fear of being put in front of the firing squads and some of his companions their health just couldn’t stand it and ended up having to leave the work. He then went through the experience of the internment camp in the Philippines during the second World War. Jack passed away in 1957 and Willie passed away in 1974. It was some time between the convention in 1909 and when my folks professed in 1920, that Uncle Willie and Jack Carroll had a meeting on those grounds of Alec McPhails place. William Ervin was the man that both Jack Carroll and Willie Jamieson had heard first and professed through. Carl Wren told my dad Ervin could keep an audience spellbound for 3 hours. They had seen things in his life and in his words that caused them to question his integrity and so they asked to have this meeting at Alec McPhails place. William Ervin made the statement to Uncle Willie and Jack Carroll that he felt like he had gotten beyond the place of needing to pray and it was then that they realized that he had strayed from the lowly way. A feeling of need is so essential and seeking the Lord’s help is far more important than great preaching. All through his life, Uncle Willie was deeply affected by this. He often mentioned that the thing he feared the most was being up in front of God’s people without the Lord’s presence. He feared what Willie was humanly being the thing that would effect God’s people.I will insert an occurrence that I had after leaving the work. I was doing appliance service work for Wayne Ramey and Bruce Grow in their Airport Appliance business they had at the time. Wayne dropped me off at very fancy wealthy home in the Lake Tahoe area and I was to work on a vacuum cleaner for this lady. I started to look at the vacuum cleaner and the woman started talking and I immediately turned around and asked her if she would happen to know Jack, May and Fanny Carroll. Her voice was the give away. She told me she was their sister and I believe her name was Mrs. Perrot (sp?). She was all made up and lots of jewelry and a very fancy home but at one time her and her husband had been in the work and a part of God’s true and living way but there were things that they were unwilling for. Jack Carroll was very firm in holding to the standard of Christ and it didn’t matter whether it was his own brother or sister or those that had professed in his meetings or those in the work, Jack held firm to Christ and his standard. I might mention another thing that Carl Wren told our dad and that was that one year he was a companion of Willie Jamieson and after they divided up the funds after the workers meeting to go to their new field their portion was 25 cents. They left the workers meeting and walked down the road and found some vegetables that had fallen off of a wagon and ate those and went a little farther and found and empty chicken coop and spent the night there and they were off to preach the gospel.In 1919 Eddie Cornock and Wilferd Allington had a mission in Bakersfield and there were about 20 or so that professed. Some who professed at that time were Alice Froelich (who later was in the work and went to Germany), Bertie Denio, Mamie Philips and many others. The workers then went to Orcutt to prepare for convention and it was there that Hugh Denio professed (the father of Sproulie). After the convention, Eddie, Wilfred and Jack Carroll came back to Bakersfield. Jack Carroll gave our mom the invitation to the gospel meetings and pop had mom go to the meeting first. She came home and showed pop the notes she had taken. Mom and Pop stayed up until 2:30 AM looking up the references.Pop had claimed to be an atheist so he didn’t really know the Bible. However, after mom came home with her notes from the meeting, they got down the old family Bible and looked up the references. Leo remembered that when they found out how the ministry was suppose to go out, all Pop would say is “That is what the Bible says!” Pop and Mom then both went to the next meeting which was supposed to be the boys last. The workers had these two or three missions they were going to close so they said that they would like to have some home meetings. A person would feel that they meant to have home meetings in some of these homes of the people that had professed in their meetings. Pop went up to them after the meeting though and said he would like to have them come and have meetings in our home. The folks had a very small home then but the workers came and it was in about the 5th or 6th meeting that both Mom and Pop professed. It was on March 20th 1920. We will always be thankful for the love for the Lord’s way that our folks had. The first year after our folks professed, the workers moved the convention to Grandpa and Grandma Denio’s place and pop helped prepare for the first convention there. Things were very primitive then but the convention was at Denio’s until 1969. It was then moved to Buttonwillow, to the Stearns farm where it is presently.Pop wanted to go in the work although he had 3 children (Leo, Bob and Laurena). The workers told him that he was just where they wanted him to be. He had a little black book and in it he had it divided into 3 parts. In the first part, pop listed the “hot prospects,” those he was MOST HOPEFUL FOR. The second part was those he was “HOPEFUL FOR.” The third part was those he wanted to “KEEP IN CONTACT,” with. When there were gospel meetings going on, pop would frequently take those of us of an age of understanding with him to look up some of those folks. I can remember some of the things which he told them. Some folks said “Well if what you say is right Mr. Stancliff then there won’t be many saved!” Pop said “Well how many went into the ark?” They would answer, “8!” Pop replied, “Wouldn’t you want to one of the 8?”A man that I should mention, in conjunction with my fathers early days, is Charlie Cook. Charlie had professed in Canada and it is my understanding that he was quite wealthy when he professed. Charlie helped others out and had given his wealth away. The workers said that wherever there was a need, Charlie always seemed to end up there to help out. Pop had to lead the meeting before he had professed very long and Charlie was a great help to my dad with his wise counsel in those early days. When Charlie died he had nothing but Pop paid for his funeral plot at the old Union Cemetery. It is close to where Grandpa and Grandma Denio, Bill and Pauline Denio and Jake Compher are buried.The folks had the meeting in their home for many years and for a long time it was at 408 Oregon Street with the two tall trees out in front. They not only had the regular Sunday morning meeting but often they had union meetings there with all the friends in Bakersfield there. Sometimes there were over 100 people with some having to sit back in the kitchen and down the hallway. It was just a small 2 bedroom home with 1 bathroom. Our folks had a lot of company and workers would stay there and stay after meeting for meals that Mom prepared.Perhaps I can relate a little about some that I remember from the early days around Bakersfield. I can often remember my dad talking about spiritual things especially with Uncle Arthur Stancliff and Hugh Denio. Arthur had professed in Oregon through Bill Corcoran and then he moved back to Bakersfield and got married to Alma. He lost contact with the truth. However, Uncle Arthur saw a group assembled often at where the convention grounds later were at the Denio place. Uncle Arthur stopped and talked to Grandpa Denio. He asked Mr. Denio about what was going on. He told Art that he wouldn’t understand. So Art asked how the preacher went out and Grandpa Denio told him. Art said “Well that is just like what I met in Oregon!” Grandpa Denio told him “Oh no Art! You wouldn’t understand!” Art asked how they met and when Grandpa told him, Art said, “That is just like what I met in Oregon!” Grandpa said, “Oh no Art!”Finally, there were gospel meetings Eddie Cornock had and Grandpa Denio said it would be OK for Art to come. Art asked Eddie if he ever heard of Bill Corcoran. Eddie said, “Yes!!! Bill Corcoran was my first companion!” Art reprofessed and was a very faithful man who loved the Lord’s way for the rest of his life. Art’s wife Alma professed but she didn’t very often come to meetings. Alma came to a couple of meetings at convention and a few times to the Special Meetings at the Fruitvale School. Alma made it quite hard for Art in many ways but he kept a wonderful spirit. Art worked for many years for our father in pop’s welding and machine shop. Art led the Sunday morning meeting at the Denio place and the Sunday night meeting at Carver’s place for years.I might insert here a little from a lady Miriam Murray who with her husband Peter have a meeting in their home in Lafayette, Louisiana and she is the daughter of Newton Bowman. Newton was in the work in California and Arizona between 1928-1937 and spent time with Frank Dennison and Ralph Blackburn and was there in the work when they got the Casa Grande convention grounds ready originally. She asked if I could add anything concerning Arizona and the only thing that I can remember and that is just from my folks telling me about it as it was before my time but they went over and spent time traveling around in Arizona with Frank Dennison, Ralph Blackburn, May Dennison and Ersil Gauntz (if someone can help with the spelling etc. on this). There were very few friends in Arizona at the time and it seemed from what I remember of the folks telling about it that they had to rough it some as very few friends to stay with.Other missions I should mention that took place in the Bakersfield area in the early days was the missions that Tharold Sylvester, Carrol Stevenson and Willie Jamieson had in approximately 1938-40. In Bakersfield, they contacted Mrs. Heilman. When they knocked on her door she was by her bed praying for preachers to come like she read about in her Bible. She professed and was very faithful. She had a husband by the name of Jack and a son by the name of Jack Jr. and they were both alcoholics. Her husband beat her and broke her ribs and hip. I remember the folks would take her to meetings and they would ask her to go out to eat with them and she would say, “ No, if Jack comes home I would want to be there to fix his lunch.” Another couple of ladies that professed in those meetings in Bakersfield were Mrs. Kush and her daughter Mary. Mary later married my brother Gerald. After Carrol had contacted them, he came back thrilled and said that he had made contact with a woman that wanted the truth. Both Mrs. Kush and Mary professed and her husband was very opposed. At one time he said that if they went to the meeting that day he would shoot them when they came back. They went to the meeting anyway and kept on going. They also had meetings in the Shafter area and it was there that the Kazou’s (sp?) and the Showalters professed. Lawrence and Alice Showalter later had the meeting in their home in Petaluma, California and their daughter married Fred Fritz who is the brother of Ardath Fritz in the work in Canada. Grandma Ella Carver was another wonderful woman. She lived out on a farm in the Fairfax district of Bakersfield when that was all just farm land. Later, probably around the late 1940’s, they moved into Bakersfield to a home that was just south of Brundage Lane and just east of Chester Avenue. They had the Sunday night meeting there for many years. Ella professed probably around the time that Eddie Cornock had the meetings. Her husband professed in the mission Leo Stancliff had in probably 1947 when Jim Carver professed and Leo had it after he and Dan Hilton had the mission in Feather Falls. Alice Froelich and one of the Vincent girls helped him in this mission and this was after Leo had come home from the interment camp.In that mission Newton and Violet Brown professed. Newton was a brother of Charlotte Brown who was in the work and Violet was a sister of Dottie Doe in the LA area. Also, in the same mission, Glen and Virginia York professed. Glen and Virginia had the meeting in their home for many years and Newton and Violet later moved to Seattle. They had a meeting in their home and got the workers mail for many years. This mission that Leo had was right after the mission he had in the company run town of Feather Falls with Dan Hilton where so many professed. Grandma Carver was the grandmother of Lavere Langston.Also, I wanted to just briefly mention my brother Leo’s internment. Leo and Herman Beaber first went to the Philippines on January 4th 1940 and were captured sometime in 1941 and we didn’t hear from Leo for 3 years and 6 months. We got the news of Leo’s release from prison on March 8th 1945. We remember the date so clearly because it was the night before our sister Laurena was to get married to George Escola. A telegram came to the door. Pop opened it and it said Leo Stancliff was safe. Also, it said Willie Jamieson, Herman Beaber, Cecil Barrett, as well as Leo, had been rescued out of the internment camp at Los Banos in the Philippines. Another couple that I should mention is Mr. and Mrs. Ayers. Winnie was an especially fine woman and was the sister of Tima Hutchison of the San Jose area. She was a very capable woman with a wonderful spirit. Their one daughter Ruby married Milton Sparks and they lived in the Santa Cruz area and then later moved to Oregon and their one son Glenn Sparks has been in the work for many years. The Ayers came out from Colorado where they professed. I professed at the Bakersfield convention on October 19th 1946 when Willie Brown was leading the meeting and after we had set through a mission in Santa Cruz that summer. One of the friends in New Zealand that had been in the work in Southeast Asia mentioned to me that he had been at that convention and that Willie Brown told me to stand on the bench because I was so small. We always sat in the front row with Pop.There are many that went in the work from the Bakersfield area. To begin listing them, Sproulie, Truman, Lena and Carl Denio, Alice Froelich and Leo Stancliff were some of the first. Then there was Hilda Hansen, Barbara Stearns, Karen Bone, Marilyn Denio, Richard Wulf, Richard Den Herder and Jon McDonald. Another dear sister, although she didn’t start out from Bakersfield, is Esther Jones. Her mother lived in Bakersfield and Esther spent her last years in Bakersfield and was a great help to me before starting in the work. This is just my second draft. I’ll send it out as is, and please feel free to add to or make corrections on anything I have left out or may need changing. Jack, I’ve read this over and changed just a very few things. At this point, you can send it out as the second draft and ask for corrections, additions or deletions. It looks pretty good to me at this point. And, I think you did a great job on it. It looks, at this point, that there is very little to add or change. There’s much I’ve learned from reading it. Your Pal,
Dave
Many of you would have wanted to be here and perhaps this little
account will help to fill in the gaps. Thank you for your love and care.
California Staff
The following are the workers who were able to attend Uncle Leo's funeral: Dale Shultz, Virginia Richmond, Shirley Doolittle, Harry Henninger, Isabel Boyd, Linda Passage Edward Alexander, Jacquie Meeks, Sally Alexander, Kenneth Beckman, Claudia Toppin, Maja Boren, Larry Smit, Virginia Boyd, Lois Austin, David Drew, Karen Tenniswood, Heather Hansen, John Parish, Lily Kirschvink, Jennifer Foster, Jonathan Wright, Karen Bone, Margaret Blair, Scott Boswell, Esther Layman, Marilyn Denio, Michael Reed, Susan Hansen, Sara Stickland, Dan McLeod, Tamara Wagner, Phyllis Munn, Joe Layman, Eun Hui Cho, Bea Mookini, Jeremy Gibson, Susanna Ryan, Robin Layman, Kevin Gifford, Cortney Blanchard, Melissa Walker, Gary Myers, Lori Layman, Gretchen Matthews, Bill Hunter, Pamela Conrad, Stacey Andrews, Richard DenHerder, Monica Jantzef, Kara Grow, Eric Kuo, Reta Fuhrman, Marian Pitcher, Greg Olson, June McDonald, Adeline Neuharth, David Olson, Joyce Jackson, and Paul Boyd.
In Loving Memory of "Leo" Llewellyn Stancliff" 1912-2005 Funeral Service: Holiday Inn Select, Bakersfield, CA; October 29,2005-10:00 a.m.
Officiating:
Dale Shultz, Harry Henninger, Linda Passage, Gary Myers Pallbearers: Ken Beckman, Joe Layman, Larry Smith, Kevin Gifford, Jeremy Gibson,
David Drew Pianists: Jonathan Wright, Karen Bone, Heather Hansen
Internment: Hillcrest Cemetery, Bakersfield, CA; October 29, 2005-
12:00 p.m. Officiating: Ed Alexander, Joyce Jackson
Obituary - Dale Shultz:
We are gathered today in loving memory of Leo Llewellyn Stancliff, who was born to Clifton and Talitha Stancliff on December 19, 1912 in Torrance, California. Clifton and Talitha heard the gospel through Eddie Cornock and Wilfred Allington and made their choice to serve God on March 20, 1920 in Bakersfield. Leo later yielded his life to God on June 2, 1929 and began in the ministry in 1933. He first went to the Philippine Islands to carry the gospel on January 4, 1940. During the course of the World War II, Leo was held in a Japanese internment camp near Manila along with Willie Jamieson, Herman Beaber and Cecil Barrett. For 3½ years, the family heard nothing from or about Leo and didn't know if he was dead or alive. It was a wonderful day when the American troops moved in and rescued these prisoners who were close to starvation. He spent many years in the Philippines, working among people who spoke the Tagalog and Ilocano languages and later spent several years on Guam and Pohnpei before returning to the USA mainland in 1980, where he spent his remaining years in California and Nevada. He suffered a stroke in 2003 after which he became a resident in a number of care facilities. He moved from Redwood Village Assisted Living in Bakersfield to the Pleasant Care Convalescent Hospital in Bakersfield in February of 2005. He passed away there at 2:35 PM on Tuesday, October 18 at the age of 92 years.
Leo was predeceased by his parents, Clifton & Talitha Stancliff of Bakersfield and by one brother, Wilfred, also of Bakersfield. He is lovingly remembered by a brother, Robert Stancliff of Stayton, Oregon; a sister, Laurena Escola of Bakersfield; a brother, Gerald Stancliff of Bakersfield and a brother, John (Jack) Stancliff of Bakersfield. He is fondly remembered also by his many nieces and nephews, other extended family members, his fellow-laborers in the ministry and a host of friends around the world. Leo is remembered for his studious approach to the Bible and his love for the Word of God. He is also remembered for his zeal and enthusiasm in reaching out to needy souls with the gospel, which had the power to transform their lives. Many rejoice today because Leo and his companions came their way. Prayer - Dale Shultz
Hymn #408, "No Reputation" - sung by congregation
Gary Myers (Leo's last companion):
I am thankful to have the privilege of being here today. I have a few memories that have gone over and over in my mind. One memory is from a gospel meeting that Leo and I were having in North County over ten years ago. We were in a home, and I had finished my turn to speak. Leo was speaking and the room was crowded with people, our friends. I was sitting a little behind him, and I strained around to look in his face and something kind of got my attention. I saw he was absolutely beaming, really enjoying preaching the gospel! I took notes that what he was preaching about was a simple parable from Matthew. It was a good reminder for me. I have never forgotten that it's the simple things about Jesus that will always satisfy us in any situation, in any condition. The things I remember the most were the simple things he loved. I am glad for that lesson I learned. He didn't try to teach me that. It was by example I learned. I would like to keep that. The second time I was with him was his last year actively laboring. We were over on the coast. In my memories of that, I am left with regret. I regret that I did not do my part better. I am left with thankfulness that Leo did his part. Our companionship at times was very, very sweet. We tried to show our love for one another to the saints. I am thankful that we had many, many good days, many, many good visits. I am left with much more to be thankful for than to regret. I feel like I am speaking for myself and for you folks that have at times resisted what he has told us because it was hard to hear and accept. But it was true. I resisted it in my immaturity and unwillingness. I am thankful there has been a little bit of growth that has gone on in my life, and I can look back with deepening thankfulness for what he gave us. I would like to do my part.
I had the privilege of looking through Leo's things the last few days, and I came across some of the little papers he carried in his pocket the year we were together. The invitations to our gospel meetings were still there. I was sure I would find some complaint about me, but there was nothing. Leo did his part, and I appreciate that. He wouldn't want us to eulogize him today, but he gave us some things very, very sturdy and true. I would like to do my part to keep them and live up to what he lived for and what we have in Jesus. Linda Passage (made her choice in meetings that Leo and his companions had): I was not going to be emotional... I was thinking this is a man's job, but maybe a few tears wouldn't hurt anyone. I am certainly not crying because Leo is gone! Because the part of him that was an encouragement in this life is still with me - that influence. If I am true to the message that he brought in the beginning, it will always be a help to me. I would like to read eight verses from Colossians 1. There is one phrase in this that came into my heart when I heard Leo had gone home. It just kept coming back to me over and over again. I wonder if, as I read it, you could enjoy what I have enjoyed? As I have thought about it, you can substitute the names of other servants for the name of Paul and Timotheus and Epaphras. You could put the name of your own town or city in the place of Colosse as we read this. Paul wrote, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse; Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love, which ye have to all saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: as ye also learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the spirit." The part that spoke to me the most of all was about the gospel, "...the word that came to you as it did in all the world." We all know that Leo's personality was not interchangeable with everyone's personality. We don't all agree on some little things, like how many cups of tea you can make from one tea bag. There are some areas we might not agree 100% with Leo, and there are some areas where there might be some friction in just the daily living, but the things I loved about Leo probably more than anything, more even than the dedication and his drive to find lost souls, was the fact that he loved the Word of God in its purity. He loved that standard! He was mechanical, and he respected rulers, yardsticks, and weights and measures, but even more than that he had an enquenchable zeal for the power of truth. He knew that life is bound up in truth and that if we depart or deviate from truth, deviate from the standard, if we deviate from the purpose in the heart of God, if we deviate from the teachings of Jesus, the life will go out of this. He spoke in my first meeting about the sower and the seed; and as Gary said, it couldn't have been simpler. I was just 17 and very, very needy and very confused and very empty, to the point of aching, wishing that I knew the purpose of life. When Leo's young companion stood up, he spoke, and it was very difficult. He spoke about the peace of God and I thought, 'it means enough to him to go through this ordeal of trying to share it with others.' Then Leo spoke about the sower and the seed, and I remember sitting there and thinking, 'Oh, no one needs a great deal of intellect to understand this! The message does not have to be spoken eloquently. Simple truth has power.' I had a feeling that pieces of a very important puzzle were just fitting together effortlessly. I remember thinking in my conceit, "This is so simple, why didn't I figure it out myself?" It was so simple and it has always been so simple. Leo could go deep and connect a lot of verses. He had a lawyer's mind. He could bring it together, and there were no loopholes. But. what we love best is that the point of it all was to inspire respect for the greatness of God and His everlasting truth and for the life that is contained in that incorruptible seed. It was a joy for me when I realized after a few years that that simple message and my receiving it and loving it and giving it a place to begin to grow and bear fruit made me a child of God. I had tried to believe in God and never could; but when I heard the gospel, faith began to stir in my heart. It was a living thing, faith and hope, and it gave me courage to face however many years of fixture I might have I realized that, what I received had made me a child of the God I never knew existed. It had also made me a sister to men and women and boys and girls all over the world I have not traveled a great deal, but I have proved what those who have traveled have told us - that this produces the same thing everywhere. There is oneness in the simplicity and the unswerving power of truth, light and love that binds us together. Recently at a convention, a lady stood up and gave her testimony. Somehow, it reminded me of the beginning of my understanding truth when I sat in those two or three gospel meetings. She said, "When a woman is expecting (she was talking about new life), she is changed. She has a changed appetite, a changed desire, changed plans and thinking. She is not so self-centered any more. Her thoughts are focusing more on the new life. She has a changed appearance and changed clothing. She has a changing future. I am sorry for the times that I have considered that a burden instead of a privilege." I am so thankful that Leo brought life and kept simple to the end of his life. He never made me feel that because I was not as astute as he, that I couldn't bring this gospel seed to others and be effective. I knew he prayed for me that I would always love these principles of life and truth I know he was not afraid that others would not be as capable as he; but he did worry that there might not be others to go forth with this simple seed. I would like to pray more, knowing that his prayers in this life are finished. I would like to pray more with his spirit, that people who received this seed would love it enough, if they are free and God calls them, to take it to others that need it so desperately. Hymn #405 The Call to Labor" - sung by Leo's fellow-servants
~~~~ Harry Henninger:
(labored with Leo in Guam for 3 1/2 years): I would like to read a few scattered verses. I Corinthians 3:9, "For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." I Thessalonians 2:9, "For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God." Revelations 14:13, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.'"
Those of us having the privilege today of speaking a few words at Leo's memorial service just represent, speaking on behalf of many here, a multitude of friends and family, fellow-laborers, many that have been associated with Leo and many now that are gone on. All of you here would have your portion to say in respect to what Leo has meant to you. We represent a small portion of all of you out there who have had association with Leo. These verses that we read have a common denominator, which is the thought of the labors of a servant of God. In that verse we read in Revelations it mentions, "...that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them." I also have many memories of events that happened during my relationship and companionship with Leo. It involved our traveling together to Guam. I was thinking recently that this coming January 6th will mark 40 years since we boarded a flight in Honolulu and flew to Guam. I remember as we approached the island of Guam, it was in the early hours of the morning. It was still dark, and we circled over Guam and looked down on the lights that were blinking from the little city of Agana. The thought that especially went through my mind at that time was, "Just who is it and where are they that are in the dark of that island and amongst those lights we are seeing? Where were they, and where would we find them? Who would they be?" I was recently comforted with a thought recorded in Psalms 102:19-20, speaking of the Lord, "For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death." While we were looking down on the dark world, with the lights of Agana shining beneath us, we just saw the lights of that city and wondered in our minds, 'Who would be out there?' With that thought was a comfort that the Lord was looking down on Guam at that time, not just seeing the lights of that city but looking into the very heart and soul and the depth of individuals who were there. We have some sitting here with us today, and I have already spoken to some of them briefly, that were out there in the dark of that island, waiting. Today, they are enjoying fellowship with us and they were the ones that the Lord was looking on their hearts and lives. Others have mentioned things that they have appreciated about Leo and my observation is much the same, of the things that recently came to mind about Leo. I have appreciated three things about him. One was his optimism for what was going to happen in a natural way, his optimism and his optimistic outlook for the work on the island. When we did not know a soul yet, we put together 50 benches, the folding kind that collapse or hinge, the kind used in the Philippines. Leo said, "I think we had better make 50 of them." That was a little picture of his optimism in regard to what was going to happen. He was filled with expectation and hope that those benches would some day get filled, and many of them did. We are thankful for that. Another thing about Leo was that he had very few interests. His whole interest was in this matter of the work of the gospel. We used to enjoy evenings together in the batch, just talking about natural things sometimes. He liked mechanics and welding, and I enjoyed things like that. But really, Leo's whole interest was in the work of the gospel. It was his chief interest, and you could even say it was his hobby, the work of the gospel. As has already been suggested, Leo was unrelenting in his endeavor in different ways to reach out and help people in whatever manner that he could. His motto was and maybe many of you have heard it: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." He would take many a venture and try different things, just thinking of ways how he could reach someone and help others to know this wonderful truth of God. We were mentioning those verses that said, "We are laborers together with God." I was noticing something just recently in connection with this matter of the work of God. In Nehemiah 3, we read about those who were building the wall. It mentions different backgrounds of people. There were apothecaries, goldsmiths, the sons of rulers and the Gibeonites who were the drawers of water. There were many backgrounds and they were all laboring together in the work that was being accomplished. Someone made a statement about this that appears frequently, "And next to him repaired so and so... " We were just reminded of the fact that the work of each one, by necessity, blended with the work of the one laboring next to them and so the work was accomplished. They were people of different walks of life, but they were walking in a common cause to repair and build the wall and the destruction that was there. Then when it was all done, the work of many laboring side by side, it all fit together perfectly. It is a wonderful thing when we think of Leo's labors in the different parts of the world. The people there loved the servants of God that came, each one different in their individual ways, but their work all blended together. I was remembering something that happened quite a number of years ago, when the space vehicle that landed on the moon was built by the space agency. It was very interesting that the contracts for that space vehicle were farmed out to many different shops and factories around the nation. I suppose there were thousands or even millions of components, but all were working from the same master plan and blue print. The time came when all those components came together and were used, and that vehicle took off from the earth. It reached its destination and landed on the moon. That was because all the work that was done in many parts of the nation fit perfectly, because they followed the pattern. It all united together. It just caused me to remember those words that we have in Ephesians 1:10, "That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." When we think of this precious work that Leo and his companions had a part in, it's all going to come together one day. When we read that verse in Revelations, it was just a comfort today to think that Leo now is in the realm of what we read about in that verse, "That they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them." When I think of works following them, I think of an influence. We don't have much left now that belonged to Leo. Others have been going through his few things and sorting them out, and the body that remains of Leo is just his earthly tabernacle. Everything of the spirit has gone on but one important thing, of course that he has left behind, which many of you can relate to, is the influence of his life upon your life and upon my life. Gary was speaking about the simple truths that he spoke. I still have things indelibly printed in my heart and mind, simple things he spoke and dug out and researched that have been a wonderful help to my own heart and to my own soul. The time came when Leo made his choice, and then he went out into the work. The many places where he has labored and the influence of his life upon the lives of other - that influence is going on. It is like that familiar little parable that has often been used, "Our influence is like a pebble dropped in the lake. It quickly sinks to the bottom and is gone, but then the ripples begin to go out further and further and reach every shore." We are thankful for this today. Just briefly, these are some of the things that I have appreciated and many of you out there could add many, many things to the appreciation for his life. Hymn #322, "Help me Lord to be Wholehearted" - sung by the
congregation
(Dale Shultz said Leo was whole hearted so it was appropriate to
sing this hymn, "Help me Lord to be whole hearted.")
Prayer - Harry Henninger
INTERNMENT Prayer - Joyce Jackson
~~~ Ed Alexander :
There are a few portions of scripture I would like to read that seemed so fitting, as I was thinking of having a little part at this graveside. Joshua was speaking and in the last chapter; Joshua 24:14-16, he said, "Now. therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods." Immediately following these words, Judges 2:6-10, "And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." Just about a week ago, it was my privilege to be on the other end of the state, in the area where I grew up in Yreka. We buried one of the old elders up there, which spent his last years in a rest home. Several of us commented, as we laid Otto to rest, that he was almost the last of that generation who were pillars in the kingdom when I was a child. I remember that it was not our portion to go to their home for meeting very often, but we met with them for union meeting. Then, when I went to college, I lived with them for some months. It just was a very sobering experience for me to see him laid to rest and realize that generation is now gone. That generation included my parents, aunts, uncles and many, many others. They are gone. All that we have left is, like we heard today, their influence. In these verses, we read of the last meeting that Joshua had with the Children of Israel. He realized that his time was coming to a close and he gathered the people together and told them that his days were corning to a close. But there was a choice for each of them to make and that was whether they would serve the Lord or not. This was almost four thousand years ago. Every one of us have the personal decision of whether we will follow in the path that others have marked before us, or whether we will separate ourselves. Separation doesn't usually come in big steps.It usually comes in small steps, in small deviations. Like we heard at the service today, I believe that my outstanding memory of Uncle Leo was his absolute adherence to truth. We look back on that with deep appreciation. We understand that Uncle Leo was a man; and because he was a man, he was not perfect, just like we all are not, but that does not detract from the work of God. God did not make perfect vessels to carry the gospel but human vessels do carry the precious, perfect seed. I have a deep, deep gratitude for a perfect dedication to a perfect way and a perfect truth.
I was thinking today, as we were driving along, that just a few years ago when Uncle Eldon was still able to be at Mountain Ranch, he and Leo shared a room. They would take their walks together in the morning, and they would help each other up the stairs. I remember that very special picture of those two old gray-haired warriors, very different from each other but closer in their old age than they had ever been before because of their love for truth. I feel that I don't have much to say today, but I have just been so aware of the torch being passed on. That is the way of life. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to those who have been in the generations that have passed, that have been true to truth, have been true to the words of Jesus and the Spirit of God working in their lives. I hope that when our day comes, the same can be said of us. I hope that we can maintain the same love, conviction and consecration that makes it possible for this kingdom to prosper. In closing, we are going to sing a hymn, and there are two reasons for singing this hymn. Verse one tells of Uncle Leo's message all of our life. I remember so often him speaking about the Bible relating to us, the Bible being relevant because Jesus is still the same. And then the last verse refers to the future of Leo, the future of all of God's people that are faithful. Maybe with that thought in mind, we can close our service with Hymn #11. Hymn #11, "Jesus is Still the Same" - sung by congregation
