Evening star., 1942-07-02
Dr.. Bohanan 10 Resiun
As St. PauI's Rector
Because Of Illness
Rock Creek Perish Head
Has Completed 40 Years
In Episcopal Ministry

The Rev. DR.. Franklin J. Bohan.
an, for Is years rector of st. Paul's
Episcopal Church, Rock Greek
parish, oldest Episcopal church ii
the District, has announced his in
tention to resign September l be-
cause of illness.
DR.. Bohanan has been confined tc
his home near the church on Rock
Greek Church road since the middle
of January His duties have been
carried on by the Rev. Charles w
Wood, assistant rector, and the Rev
William l.. Mayo.
The rector, who has completed
40 years in the ministry, came to
St. Pauls from the Washington
! Cathedral. where he had served as
Canon and secretary. During his
administration a $4,000 church in
debtedness has been paid off; a
new parish house built and equipped
at cost of S123, 900, and the Holy
Comforter Mission Church of the
parish has become independent.
The congregation, founded In
17l2, 20 years before the birth of
George Washington, has climbed
from community membership OF
318 to 1000 during DR. Bohanan's
rectorship. The church building, To-
Gated in Rock Creek Cemetery at
Rock Greek Church road and Web
ster street NV, near Soldiers
Home, has been substantially i'm
proved.
Letter to Congregation.
'"This action is one of the hardest
things that I have had to do in
my whole ministry of 40 years." the
rector said in letter to his con-
gregation regarding his resigna-
ton.
mot only have I grown close to
you all in my intimate associations
with you, and to the old parish
into which I have builded SO much
Of myself. but I have come to love
the little ones in our church school,
many of whom I have held in my
arms and dedicated to Christ in
baptism.
Some of these little Ones" he
continued, "I have instructed and
presented for confirmation. I have
seen them grown up, have married
some of them, and also baptized the
babies of not few"
To the vestry of st. Paul's, DR..
Bonhanan wrote, in part: While
even the thought of severing the ties
which have bound us together for
nearly Is years is a grief and deep
sorrow to me, I feel that in fairness
to the parish I must make room for
q stronger and more active man."
Diocesan Delegate.
Active for years in the work Of
the Washington diocese, Dr. Bo-
hanan had served on many special
diocesan committees and frequently
as a delegate to the General Epis-
copal Convention.
He also had been for three years
chairman of the diocesan depart
ment of religious education; for II
years chairman OF the department
of missions, and for IA years men,
Der of the finance department.
Born in st. Marys County, Md,
DR.. Bohanan received his early edu-
cation at Warfield School, Carroll
County. He received his ABB, MA
and divinity degrees from st. John S
College, Annapolis, and an S. T. B.
degree from the General Theological
Seminary, New York City.
He started his service in the min
istry with three years at the Episco-
pal Church in Fort Washington
Long Island, followed by IL years
as rector of st. Andrews Church
in Norwich. Conn.
Coming back to his home State
of Maryland, DR.. Bohanan was for
three years rector of st. Barthole-
news Parish at Olney. He was
dean of the Cathedral at Easton for
five years and secretary of the
Easton Diocese before he began
service at the Washington Cathe-
oral.