afforded any sufficient grounds for such determination.69 Bishop Binney's Response to the Resolutions. Later that month Bishop Binney responded in a letter, stating that he disagreed that there was any illegality involved in the use of a Pastoral Staff. He proceeded to point out that the Reverend Dr. Fitzgerald had quoted suspect sources and drawn unsubstantiated conclusions from those works. He went on to conclude that in the end all of this did not matter anyway, as he explained: J cannot admit that the proofs of the illegality of the use of the Pastoral Staff, if such proofs could have been adduced, would have justified your Rector in the course pursued by him, since he has not been constituted a judge of the legality or propriety of his Bishop's ministrations under any circumstances, least of all could it be so, with respect to a service, with which neither he nor his congregation were at all concerned. He was merely requested to allow his Church to be opened, (at a time when it was not required for any other purpose,) for the solemnization of a Marriage, by the Bishop; a request which is always granted as a matter of course to parties who desire to have their own friends to officiate on such occasions. In this case a special form of license was prepared, and addressed to the Bishop, who alone became responsible for the proceedings under it, and who was not bound to recognize the presence of any members of the congregation outside of the bridal party...If at any time, a Bishop is supposed to be acting illegally, let the case be referred to the Archbishop ; or let legal proceedings be taken against him, but it is no more to be tolerated that every man shall take the law into his own hands, in ecclesiastical, than in civil matters.90 Bishop Binney recognized the incident as a direct attack by Fitzgerald on the growth of the Tractarian influences under himself as Bishop. He answered the charges of illegal action head on and stated his disappointment over the existing atmosphere prevailing over the worship life of the congregation. He interpreted the evident lack of vitality and enthusiasm to be the direct responsibility and fault of the incumbent Rector. He wrote: I have grieved over the dullness and apathy, which are driving the young people away from you, and the decay of all earnestness, and devotion, which must be 89. Ibid. 90. The Staff Question. Letters of the Bishop of Nova Scotia , 1873 and the Reverend Mr. Fitzgerald Replies Thereto. 63