churchwaket (cherchwak)

[ churchwarden (chèrch' wâr" dn), n. [ or elected by the parishioners, to superintend the church, its property and concerns, to enforce proper and orderly behavior during divine service, and in England to fix the church-rates. For these and many other purposes, including in England some of a strictly secular character, they po e corporate powers. There are usually two churchwardens to each parish, but by custom there may be only one. By a canon of the Church of England, joint consent of minister and parish should attend the choice of churchwardens. If they cannot agree, the minister names one and the parishioners the other. In some cases the parish has a right by custom to choose both. In the United States churchwardens are always elected, but have duties similar to the above. In colonial times, in most of the middle and southern colonies, they had civil duties in connection with the local government of the parish. 2. A long clay pipe. [Eng.] -3. A shag or cormorant. Grose. [Prov. Eng.] churchman. church-member (chèrch'member), n. A mem- ber of a church; one in communion with and belonging to a church. church-membership (chèrch'mem"ber-ship), n. 1. Membership in a church.-2. The collective body of members of a church. strictly insisted upon as one nece ary condition of church- membership. Water land , Fundamentals, Works, VIII. 90. [