In ecclesiastical law. Prop-erly, an incumbent who has the cure of souls, but uow generally restricted to signify the spiritual assistant of a rector or vicar in his cure. An officiating temporary minister iu the Epglish church, who represents the prop-er incumbent; being regularly employed ei-ther to serve ln hls absence or as hls as-sistant, as the case may be. 1 Bl. Comm. 393 ; 3 Steph. Comm. 88; Brande
