letter recommending their findings to the county com missioners. “ As for Mike Martin and King’s Teens,” it read, “we find him to be incompentent, inexperienced, foolish, uneducated, unlearned, with no money. We believe it would be better to let the place go to rack and ruin than to give it to a man like this.” Heartbroken, Mike spread the letter before the Lord. “What have I done wrong?” he cried. The Lord reminded Mike that he had been trying to get use of the property on his own. He had offered $500 a month rent (money he did not have). He had secured letters of recommendation from the governor of the State of Washington and from other dignitaries. “ Let me do it. Offer them $1.00 a year,” said the Lord. Mike asked forgiveness; then he went to the County-City Building. “ I withdraw my offer of $500 a month. I offer $1.00 a year.” Strangely enough, six months from that time Mike Martin stood before the county commissioners and was told that his offer was accepted for a five-year lease. A modem miracle? Yes. The first of many concerning what is now known as the King’s Garden north of Seattle, Washingon. A King’s Garden Incorporated, with a board which con sisted of six men from various denominations, had been formed. What had they leased? Five beautiful, spacious English-styled buildings, formerly used as hospital buildings, besides a number of smaller buildings, vacant two years and now infested with cats — dozens of them. Floors buckled from damp ness. Water pipes through which the water ran — through the walls. The cause? Frozen pipes in heatless buildings.
I t w a s a tense moment. Seated on a chair was Mike Martin surrounded by the serious faces of members of the advisory board to the county commissioners. The business at hand? Disposal of the Firland T.B. Sanitarium north of Seattle, Washington. No longer needed for the treatment of T.B. patients, the forty-three acres and numerous buildings valued at between four and six mil lion dollars were to be leased to the most likely prospect. The board fired questions at each applicant. Represent ing King’s Teens Clubs, it was now Mike Martin’s turn. “How much education have you had?” “High School, three years at Bible School.” (mention of college training was noticeably lacking). “We are professional men. To operate a large institu tion such as this property would house, demands a man with considerable experience. How much have you had?” “None.” “You say you want .to provide a haven for boys and girls from broken homes. How much capital do you have?” Mike fingered the two dollars in his pocket, his total assets. “Not very much,” was his honest answer. Exasperated, the spokesman for the group almost shouted, “You have no education, no experience, no money. What do you have?” Calmly Martin replied, “A promise from the Lord.” Then he proceeded to quote Jeremiah 32:26,27: “ Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold I will give this city into the hands . . .” They decided he was off his rocker and dismissed him. A few days later Mike Martin received a copy of a
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AUGUST, 1959
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