PARISH CLERK, a person whose duty it is to assist the parson in the rites and ceremonies of the church. He is generally appointed by the incumbent, and, as Blackstone states, according to the common law he has a freehold in his office, of which he cannot be deprived by ecclesiastical censures ; but a recent sta tute has made an alteration in this respect. Parish clerks cannot enforce payment by legal process of the customary fees due to them. In churches or chapels erected under the Church Building Acts the clerk is appointed annually by the minister. In some places the parish clerk is chosen by the inhabitants. In small parishes the offices of parish clerk and sexton are united in one person. In 1844 an act was passed (7 & 8 Viet. c. 54) for better regulating the offices of lecturers and , , parish clerks.' Under this act a person; in holy orders may be appointed or elected to the office of church clerk, chapel clerk, or parish clerk. He is to be licensed by the bishop, in the same manner as sta.
pendiary curates, and when appointed otherwise than by the incumbent is to be subject to his consent and approval. It is further provided that all the profits and emoluments of the office of clerk are to be enjoyed so long as the person in holy orders who holds it performs all such spiritual and ecclesiastical duties as the incumbent, with the sanction of the bishop, may require. The act expressly states 'bat such person shall not have or acquire any freehold or absolute right to or interest in the said office of church clerk, chapel clerk, or parish clerk, but shall at all times be liable to be suspended or removed from such office by the same authority and on the like grounds as stipendiary curates may be removed. The act also enables any archdeacon or other ordinary to remove clerks not in holy orders who may be guilty of neglect or misbehaviour.