Garland Franklin became the founder and the first director of the Camp Nathaniel/Scripture Memory Mountain Mission in 1934. As a result of Mr. Franklin's work and the service of Camp Nathaniel,   thousands of young people and adults have had their spiritual lives enriched through he Christian camp.

Born on Branham's Creek in Knott County, Garland attended school at the Caney Creek Community Center, and continued his education in Ohio and Michigan.  While in Lansing, Michigan, he met his wife of 64 years, Ellen ore.  He graduated from college in Wheaton, Ill., in 1931.  following attending North Baptist Seminary in Chicago, Ill., he  served as a pastor in a little church in Glen Ellyn, Ill.  He became an   interim pastor in Leslie County, and his ministry soon stretched to      
Perry and Knott Counties.                                                                

A program he had heard of in Canada allowed children to memorize Bible verses to earn a week at camp, and Franklin decided to develop a similar program.  His goal was to give children the benefit of time spent with reading and memorizing the bible, plus a fun week without financial obligation in a Christian-oriented camp.  After renting the    property on Troublesome Creek In Emmalena for three years, the group working with Franklin were able to purchase the property.        

The Scripture Memory program flourished over the years.  Students memorized a total of 225 Bible verses each year, receiving first a gospel of John, then a New Testament, a Bible, and at last earning a free week at camp.  The work extended to include Leslie, Perry, Knott , Letcher, Harlan, Floyd and Johnson counties.

More land was added to Camp Nathaniel through several purchases through the years, Franklin notes, including a recent on of 240 acres. The entire camp area now encompasses around 500 acres. Six hundred to 700 campers attend the program each summer. Cottages have replaced the mismatched tents and campers now have a swimming poll instead of Troublesome Creek.                                 

Camp Nathaniel is a program that will always be dear tot he heart of   Garland Franklin.  "It is a source of spiritual enrichment for boys and girls," Franklin says.  "Some go home, join a church, become leaders, missionaries and ministers all over the world.  Mrs. Franklin and I are still vitally interested in this work. We keep in touch with workers and directors, even though we can't be here very often."

Corbett Mullins
May 21, 2003