By then a teacher at the 1st School for Boys, on Română Street, Creangă was ordered out of his

secular assignment in July 1872, when news of his status and attitude reached Education
Minister Christian Tell.[15][26][34] Upset by the circumstances, and objecting in writing on grounds that
it did not refer to his teaching abilities,[15][26] he fell back on income produced by a tobacconist's
shop he had established shortly before being dismissed. [26][34] This stage marked a final
development in Creangă's conflict with the church hierarchy. Summoned to explain why he was
living the life of a shopkeeper, he responded in writing by showing his unwillingness to apologize,
and indicated that he would only agree to face secular courts. [36] The virulent text notably accused
the church officials of being his enemies on account of his "independence, sincerity, honesty" in
supporting the cause of "human dignity".[37] After the gesture of defiance, the court recommended
his defrocking, its decision being soon after confirmed by the synod.[26][36]